Yes—predestination and free will coexist because Scripture presents both as true, even though the two cannot be fully reconciled by human reason.
Les Feldick teaches that the two thoughts are not either/or. From one side the invitation is 'whosoever will may come,' and from the other side the believer is 'chosen from before the foundation of the world.' He instructs believers to hold both truths together and leave the controversy with God.
Ephesians 1:11 — Shows that believers are predestinated according to God's purpose and the counsel of His own will.
Revelation 22:17 — Shows the universal invitation that whosoever will may come and take the water of life freely.
John 6:44 — Reveals the divine side of salvation: no one can come to God unless the Father draws him.
Acts 2:23 — Shows that even Christ's death was by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.
Scripture maintains both truths. Paul writes in Ephesians 1:11 that believers are 'predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.' Acts 2:23 shows even the death of Christ was 'by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.' The same Scripture gives a free, universal invitation. Revelation 22:17 says, 'And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.' John 6:44 reveals the divine side: 'No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.' Hebrews 2:9 adds that Christ 'should taste death for every man,' and 2 Corinthians 5:14 says, 'if one died for all, then were all dead.'
Les Feldick teaches that both truths must be held together. He says it is not either/or: from the front side of the door the invitation reads, 'Whosoever will may come,' but when a person steps through that door and looks back, what is written on the other side is 'chosen from before the foundation of the world.' He traces this back to the Trinity, who in eternity past entered into a determinate counsel—a meeting of their three minds—in which they decided to create the universe, place the human race on the earth, and knew the human race would fall in Adam. Les says the two 'facets or doctrines' cannot be reconciled because it is beyond us. He tells believers to believe what God says, not to try to argue with it, and to let God settle the controversy that theologians still argue about.
Les pictures the human race moving down the river of time. Along the banks are constant doors of opportunity with the words 'whosoever will may come' written on the front. No one is left out. When an individual decides to go through a door and accept God's remedy for sin, he can look back and see that on the other side it reads, 'chosen from before the foundation of the world.' For Les, this is how a person can genuinely choose and God can still say He chose that person.
Les points out that Ephesians 1:11 speaks of believers being predestinated according to the purpose of God, who works all things after the counsel of His own will, and Acts 2:23 speaks of Jesus being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. In Les's teaching, this 'counsel' is a meeting of the minds among God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in eternity past. They decided to create the universe and place the human race on the earth, knowing in foreknowledge that the human race would fall in Adam.
Les says the two facets of Scripture are 'beyond us.' He lists the 'whosoever will may come' verses on one side and the 'chosen before the foundation' verses on the other, and he concludes that they cannot be reconciled by human reasoning. His counsel is to believe what God says, leave it there, and let God settle what we think is the great controversy. He warns that if you get too taken by either one side, you are 'out in left field.'
Les pictures the Holy Spirit moving among the human race, wooing people and presenting the plan of salvation. Even though God is sovereign, every individual moves down through time with the opportunity of choice. At the same time, John 6:44 says no one can come unless the Father draws him. Les holds both realities together: every person has opportunity through 'whosoever will,' yet no one can choose unless God calls and elects.
The Trinity's Determinate Counsel
Les explains that Ephesians 1:11 and Acts 2:23 both speak of a determinate counsel, showing the Trinity had a unanimous plan in eternity past that included creation, humanity, and the fall in Adam.
Front Side of the Door
Les shows that from the front side the door says 'whosoever will may come,' and after a person decides to enter, he discovers it says 'chosen before the world was created.'
Door on the Back Side
Les repeats the slave-market door illustration, emphasizing that the back side of the door reads 'chosen before the foundation of the world.'
Not Either/Or
Les says God is sovereign, yet the Holy Spirit is wooing the human race; the two thoughts must be put into awareness as not one or the other.
Two Sets of Scriptures
Les lists the 'whosoever will' verses and the 'chosen before the foundation' verses, concluding that we cannot reconcile the two doctrines because it is beyond us.
Believe Both, Don't Reconcile
Les instructs believers to believe what God says, not argue with it, and not try to reconcile it; he warns that going too far with either side leaves you out in left field.
The River-of-Life Drawing
Les references the drawing of the river of time with the door of invitation, showing that both statements are true even though they may sound contradictory.
Doors Along the River
As mankind moves down the river of life, doors of opportunity line the banks with 'whosoever will may come'; stepping through reveals 'chosen from before the foundation of the world.'
Ephesians 1:11: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
This verse directly states the reality of predestination according to God's eternal purpose.
Ephesians 1:4: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Les refers to this truth when he says believers are chosen from before the foundation of the world.
Acts 2:23: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Scripture shows that even Christ's death was according to God's determinate counsel and foreknowledge.
Revelation 22:17: And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
This is the 'whosoever will may come' invitation Les repeatedly references.
John 6:44: No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
This verse reveals the divine call that must accompany human choice.
Hebrews 2:9: But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Les quotes this to show that Christ died for every person, not just a select few.
2 Corinthians 5:14: For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
Paul's statement that Christ died for all is one of the verses Les places on the 'whosoever will' side.
Yes. Les teaches that from the front side of the door the invitation is 'whosoever will may come,' and nobody is left out. When a person walks through that door, he discovers on the other side that he was chosen from before the foundation of the world.
Les explains that 'counsel' is a meeting of the minds. In eternity past, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit agreed to create the universe, place the human race on the earth, and knew the race would fall in Adam.
Les says no—both truths are beyond us. He instructs believers to believe what God says, not to try to argue with it, and to let God settle the controversy.
Watch the Teaching: Romans 8:24-29 — Does God Choose You or Do You Choose Him?