Predestination and Human Will: Unpacking Romans 9–11

Jerry Eicher (Anabaptist Theological Perspectives) walks listeners through Romans 8–11, focusing on the thorny passages in chapters 9–11 often cited in Calvinist debates. He examines key examples Paul uses—Isaac’s twins (Esau and Jacob), Pharaoh, and the potter and clay—asking what Paul means by foreknowledge, predestination, and election.Eicher contrasts deterministic Calvinist readings with an approach that sees God foreknowing types of people God can work with, not detailed individual destinies. He explores biblical examples (Abraham’s intercession, Moses, Sodom and Gomorrah), the role of human will and surrender, and how God can incorporate the ‘unknown’ into his purposes. Practical application emphasizes surrender and participation with God’s shaping work.