Are We Predestined? Do We Choose to be Saved?

A brief discussion on the topic concerning Free Will and Predestination.

The concept of Freewill was ‘first mentioned’ in Scripture by God in the Garden of Eden – both Adam and Eve had that freewill. God told them they may eat the fruits from ANY tree except fruit from ONE tree in the garden of Eden – that’s freewill or choice, given to human kind.

There are Scriptural support that God wants all to be saved and not His will that any should perish.
(But the reality is, the majority of mankind will not make it because they chose not to: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭)

God wants everyone to be saved; however the choice to receive salvation rest with man himself.
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, *not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”*
‭‭2 Peter 3‬:‭9‬ ‭

God tells us categorically that He wants all to be saved. And preferred that all to come to repentance. Therefore He will not or predestine anyone to damnation without reason based on the revealed truth of Scripture – based on His love for us and that He is Holy and Righteous too, among His other attributes.

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭29‬ ‭

Based on God’s foreknowledge He predestined; so based on God’s foreknowledge of how a person will respond, even before the foundation of the world, He predestined.

There is also the falling away (as chosen by man himself), as per Scripture:
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;”
‭‭2 Thes‬salonians 2‬:‭3‬ ‭

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”
‭‭1 Tim‬othy 4‬:‭1

Derek Prince comes across as very balanced in the aforesaid topic concerning Free Will and Predestination.