How Does Molinism Reconcile God's Sovereignty with Human Free Will?

Dec 7, 20249 min read

Molinism, rooted in the work of the 16th-century Jesuit theologian Luis de Molina, offers a unique perspective on the relationship between divine sovereignty and human free will. Luis de Molina (1535–1600) developed Molinism to address the tension between God’s absolute foreknowledge and human freedom, offering a middle ground between strict Calvinistic determinism and libertarian free will.

The central feature of Molinism is the concept of middle knowledge (scientia media). Middle knowledge asserts that God, before actualizing the world, knows what any free creature would do in any hypothetical circumstance. This knowledge allows God to foresee every possible outcome while maintaining that human beings possess genuine free will in their decisions. This tension between divine omniscience and human freedom is central to Christian theology, and Molinism attempts to reconcile these two concepts without sacrificing either.

Understanding how Molinism fits into the broader theological debate requires examining its scriptural underpinnings and how it compares with other views on God’s knowledge and human freedom.

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God's Knowledge: Natural, Middle, and Free

Molinism divides God’s knowledge into three categories: natural knowledge, middle knowledge, and free knowledge. These distinctions help explain how God can be both omniscient and allow human beings to act freely.

Natural Knowledge: This refers to God's knowledge of all possibilities. It is knowledge of all the possible worlds that God could have created. God's natural knowledge includes everything that could happen, every possible scenario, and every logical possibility. This is essential to God and independent of His will.
Free Knowledge: This is God’s knowledge of the actual world—what happens in the world He chose to create. After God made the decision to actualize one particular world among the possible worlds, He knows what will happen within that world. This knowledge includes all future events and is based on God's decision to actualize a particular set of circumstances.
Middle Knowledge: The distinctive feature of Molinism is middle knowledge, which refers to God’s knowledge of what any free creature would do in any given circumstance. This knowledge is logically prior to God's decision to create the world and is contingent on the free choices that creatures would make if placed in different situations. Middle knowledge enables God to choose a world where His purposes are fulfilled, while still respecting human free will.

This framework of three types of knowledge is foundational to understanding Molinism and how it preserves both divine sovereignty and human freedom.

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Scriptural Foundations of Molinism

Molinists base their position on several key scriptural texts that demonstrate God’s exhaustive knowledge of not only what will happen but also what could have happened under different circumstances. This concept aligns with the idea of middle knowledge, as seen in passages like 1 Samuel 23:10-13 and Matthew 11:21-24.

In 1 Samuel 23:10-13, David inquires of Jehovah whether Saul will come down to the city of Keilah and whether the men of Keilah would surrender him to Saul. Jehovah answers that Saul will come down and that the men of Keilah would hand David over. Based on this knowledge, David leaves the city, and Saul does not come. This narrative illustrates that God knew what would happen under certain conditions (David staying in the city) but also knew what would happen if those conditions changed (David leaving). This aligns with the Molinist view that God’s knowledge includes what free creatures would do under different hypothetical circumstances.

In Matthew 11:21-24, Jesus speaks of the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida, saying that if the miracles done in them had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago. This passage demonstrates God’s knowledge of what would have occurred had different conditions been met, which is consistent with the Molinist understanding of middle knowledge.

These passages show that God possesses knowledge not only of actual future events but also of potential events, depending on the free choices of creatures. Molinism provides a coherent framework for understanding these biblical truths.

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Molinism and the Problem of Free Will

One of the theological tensions Molinism seeks to resolve is the problem of free will. If God has exhaustive foreknowledge of all future events, how can human beings be truly free in their actions? The answer lies in the distinction between God’s necessary knowledge of future events and the contingent nature of human choices.

Molinism asserts that God’s foreknowledge of free acts does not determine those acts. Instead, God knows with certainty what any free creature would choose in any given situation, but that knowledge is contingent upon the actual choices made by the creature. This preserves human freedom while affirming that God’s knowledge is exhaustive and infallible.

An example of this can be seen in Romans 8:29-30, where Paul writes, “For those whom he foreknew he also decided beforehand [Or foreordained] to be conformed to the image of his Son.” Molinists argue that God’s foreknowledge in this passage includes His middle knowledge of how individuals would respond to His grace. God predestines those whom He knows will freely choose to respond to His offer of salvation, and this choice is foreknown through God’s middle knowledge.

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Molinism and the Doctrine of Predestination

Molinism offers a unique approach to understanding predestination. In contrast to the Calvinistic view of unconditional election, where God predestines individuals to salvation or damnation without regard to their free choices, Molinism asserts that God’s predestination is based on His middle knowledge of how individuals would freely respond to His grace.

In the Molinist framework, God knows from eternity what each person would do under different circumstances. He then actualizes a world in which His purposes are accomplished, and those who freely choose to accept His grace are predestined to salvation. This view maintains that predestination is compatible with human free will.

Molinism also provides an explanation for the biblical teaching that God desires all people to be saved. 1 Timothy 2:4 declares that God “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Molinists argue that while God desires everyone’s salvation, He does not override human freedom. Through middle knowledge, God actualizes a world where His purposes are fulfilled, and those who freely reject His grace do so of their own accord.

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Molinism and the Problem of Evil

The problem of evil is one of the most challenging issues in Christian theology. How can an all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfectly good God allow evil to exist? Molinism provides a framework for addressing this issue by emphasizing the role of human free will in the existence of evil.

According to Molinism, God knows all possible worlds and the choices that free creatures would make in each of those worlds. While God could have created a world without evil, doing so would have required eliminating human freedom. Instead, God actualized a world where human beings have genuine free will, knowing that some would freely choose to commit evil.

This is seen in Genesis 50:20, where Joseph, speaking to his brothers who sold him into slavery, says, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Molinists argue that God permits evil acts to occur because He can bring about a greater good through those acts, while still respecting human free will.

Molinism offers a way to reconcile the existence of evil with God’s goodness by affirming that God does not cause evil but allows it as a consequence of human freedom. God’s middle knowledge allows Him to actualize a world in which His ultimate purposes are accomplished, even in the presence of evil.

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Objections to Molinism

While Molinism provides a compelling framework for understanding the relationship between divine sovereignty and human free will, it has faced significant criticism from both Thomists and Calvinists. These objections center on the nature of God’s knowledge and the implications of middle knowledge for divine sovereignty.

One of the primary objections is that Molinism introduces contingency into God’s knowledge, which some argue undermines God’s sovereignty. If God’s knowledge of future events is contingent upon the free choices of creatures, then it seems that God’s knowledge is dependent on something outside of Himself. This challenges the classical understanding of God as fully independent and sovereign.

Molinists respond by clarifying that God’s middle knowledge is not contingent in the same way that human knowledge is. Rather, God possesses perfect knowledge of all possible worlds and knows with certainty how free creatures would act in any given circumstance. This knowledge does not limit God’s sovereignty but allows Him to actualize a world where His purposes are fulfilled while maintaining human freedom.

Another objection to Molinism is that it weakens the doctrine of efficacious grace. Critics argue that if God’s knowledge of free acts precedes His decision to save individuals, then salvation becomes dependent on human choices rather than God’s sovereign will. This challenges the traditional understanding of grace as entirely the work of God.

Molinists counter that God’s middle knowledge allows Him to actualize a world in which His grace is offered to all, but only those who freely choose to accept it are saved. This preserves both the sovereignty of God in offering salvation and the freedom of individuals to accept or reject that offer.

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William Lane Craig and Molinism

One of the most prominent contemporary advocates of Molinism is philosopher and theologian William Lane Craig. Craig has written extensively on Molinism and argues that it provides a robust framework for reconciling divine sovereignty with human free will. He emphasizes that Molinism allows God to be fully sovereign while also allowing for genuine human freedom.

Craig’s defense of Molinism is rooted in the belief that God’s middle knowledge enables Him to actualize a world where His purposes are accomplished without overriding human freedom. This view allows for a strong doctrine of providence while maintaining that individuals are responsible for their choices.

Craig also argues that Molinism provides a compelling solution to the problem of evil. By allowing for human freedom, Molinism explains how evil can exist in the world without attributing it to God’s direct causation. Instead, evil is a consequence of free will, and God, through His middle knowledge, can bring about greater goods even in the presence of evil.

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Molinism's Strength in Christian Apologetics

Molinism offers a unique and comprehensive approach to understanding some of the most challenging theological questions in Christianity. By affirming that God possesses middle knowledge, Molinism reconciles divine sovereignty with human free will in a way that preserves both. It provides answers to difficult issues like predestination, the problem of evil, and divine foreknowledge, all while maintaining the biblical truth of human responsibility.

With its scriptural foundations and philosophical depth, Molinism continues to play a vital role in Christian apologetics, offering a coherent explanation for how God can be both sovereign and loving, while still allowing for human freedom.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220 books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).