This month I taught a 3-week seminar at Village Church entitled “Fate and Free Will.” The question we explored in that seminar is “As human beings, are we genuinely free to make authentic choices that affect what comes to pass? Or has God already determined the fate/destiny of every human being?” The topics and recordings can be found here, for those interested.
As an addendum to that series, I wanted to share a recent observation. In my latest reading of the book of Acts, I noticed an interesting section that relates to this topic. In Acts 21, Luke is recounting a particular leg of the journey that he and other companions were taking with the Apostle Paul:
When we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 When we found a ship bound for Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail. 3 We came in sight of Cyprus, and leaving it on our left, we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, because the ship was to unload its cargo there. 4 We looked up the disciples and stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
So some of the believers in Tyre warned Paul not to go on to Jerusalem, and according to Luke this instruction was given by the Spirit. After staying in Tyre a few days, Luke, Paul, and the others continued their southward journey, eventually arriving in Caesarea Maritima:
While we were staying there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 He came to us and took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and will hand him over to the gentiles.’ ” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.
So again, according to Luke, Paul receives a warning from the Holy Spirit through a respected prophet regarding what will happen if he continues on to Jerusalem, and he is again urged by the Christian community around him not to go.
Astonishingly, however, despite these multiple warnings that come in the form of a prophetic word as well as the united voice of the Christian community in Tyre, Caesarea, and from among Paul’s own traveling companions, Paul sets all of this aside, and chooses to continue on to Jerusalem (which will lead to his arrest and eventual execution). Here’s how Paul responds to their warnings:
“What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 Since he would not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, “The Lord’s will be done.”
Luke has already told us the Lord’s preference on the matter, if we take the text seriously. Numerous times, God has clearly expressed the desire for Paul not to enter Jerusalem (at least, not at this time). However, God apparently allows Paul the freedom to make his own decision, which he does. And the perspective of the believers around Paul appears to be: (1) God has clearly spoken, (2) Paul is resolute on going to Jerusalem anyway, therefore (3) given that Paul has chosen this direction, may God continue to flexibly work out God’s purposes within the parameters of Paul’s own decisions.
I’m convinced that the mystery of how our own wills and God’s will interact will always be somewhat of a mystery beyond our full comprehension. But what is also apparent to me is that all of our neat, pat, “Sunday School” answers for how these things work are woefully inadequate.
Ryan Post 
It’s curious that Agubus didn’t tell Paul not to go to Jerusalem but only warned him of what was going to happen there. It was Paul’s friends that interpreted the message as, do not go there because of impending persecution. Paul quickly responded by telling his friends that he was ready to face persecution as he always had. We naturally want to avoid pain and don’t want to see people we love experience hardship. Paul’s friends were possibly responding to Paul as loving devoted friends.
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Good observation. But given the section right before, in which Luke states, “Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem,” it seems persuasive to me that this was the intent of the message through Agabus. Otherwise, we must suppose that perhaps God’s mind had changed, but there’s nothing here to suggest that.
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Ryan, what form do you think, “through the Spirit” was given. A direct prophetic word like Agabus or some other form? I am wondering how Paul would reject two direct words from the Holy Spirit and still respond so passionately in his decision to go. Paul’s heart was set on Jerusalem and not even God could direct his steps differently seems odd to me unless the prophetic words were never meant to persuade him away from Jerusalem. Possibly a test to strengthen his resolve? I am going to use your study as a daily devotional for awhile. I appreciate your view points and conclusions. Thanks for your study.
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Referring to verse 4, we’re only told that the believers in Tyre (as well as his fellow travelers) pleaded with him “through the Spirit.” It could very well be that there was a “Thus says the Lord” prophetic word like we find in verse 11. But it’s also possible (and I lean towards this) that from Luke’s perspective, he intuitively discerned that their plea to Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit (much like Paul in 1 Cor. 7:40). I would imagine Luke felt confident of the Holy Spirit’s support by the fact that their plea was a result of the collective discernment of the entire community of believers (however many there were).
Regarding Agabus’ prophetic word, there is no clear directive given. Only a warning of what would happen. But this is again followed by a community of believers pleading with Paul not to go.
All of this might explain why Paul would resolutely resist the Spirit’s leading. He may not have intentionally done so. But I don’t know how we can take Acts 21 seriously and interpret it any other way than to assume that Paul missed God’s direction for him in that moment. Yet, God is infinitely wise and creative enough to weave even Paul’s miscalculation into God’s grand purposes.
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