Free Will and Determinism

Chapters 44-45 lead Justin to deal with the issue of free will, possibly because his stress on prophecy might lead to determinism.

Justin rejects determinism, as he sees it eroding moral accountability. For Justin, humans choose freely, and denies that God's knowledge of the future is linked to his decreeing what will happen. Rather God knows what will happen, but only decrees that virtue will be rewarded with recompense and vice with punishment. His vision on predestination is also made clear, as Justin claims that the return of Christ is delayed until those who are foreknown to be virtuous and good have their number complete.

Significantly, Justin ties this in with Plato's teaching, whilst making the claim that Plato was inspired by Moses in this sense. Although historically inaccurate, there may be a sense in which this is spiritually acceptable. If there is a seed of truth in all men, than it is not mistaken to follow Justin and say that this comes from the same Spirit that inspired Moses.