Free Will

[shakewell]

Free will is not free the way we commonly think its is. Most Christians that believe 'free will' is a position that allows for choices to be entirely self-derived (without ANY internal/external coercion or limitation) so as to be able to do any possible thing (imagined or unimagined), such as the ability to accept or reject Christ as Savior (apart from God's enabling). In the case of salvation, it assumes that the sinful will is somehow capable, by virtue of being "free", to be able to choose to believe in God and follow him through Christ. It assumes that men are autonomous, independent of any restrictions of law.

The only being in existence that is truly autonomous is God. He is autonomous in that His existence and behavior are not dependent upon anything other than Himself. He is completely self-contained and is independent of anything. He is transcendent in that he exists apart from and existed prior to the universe. Though men are created in His image, were are not like God in regards to autonomy. Free will violates the autonomous character of God by making God's decrees, such as the salvation of His people, conditioned and dependent upon the sinful man's supposed autonomous free will choice.

The fact is, a self-caused free will choice of an individual to trust in Jesus could lead to a denial of the legal substitutionary work of Jesus because the salvation of that individual would only be offered as a possibility, and not a guarantee, because the said salvation can only become effective based upon that individual's autonomous free will choice. So then because salvation can only be realized by a man’s autonomous choice, Christ's sacrifice on the cross, according to this idea of free will, did not actually save anyone.

In the Garden of Eden, the serpent advocated independence from God when he suggested that Eve should make the decision to eat the forbidden fruit so that she would know good and evil. In this, Satan was moving her away from complete dependence on God's word, to an independence from God's word. To believe that we are autonomous and independent from God, having the free will to overthrow His plans by our choices, is to sin against Him.

It's not that we do not have free will, the ability to make choices, certainly we do. However, since we are not autonomous, our choices are subject to the various laws and conditions that can influence these choices. This is especially true when dealing with the realm of the spiritual, where man has absolutely no authority.

Each unsaved man is 100% autonomous regarding his choice to receive Christ as Savior or not. That's the most important choice he'll ever make in his short life here on earth and the result of that choice will last for eternity.

 

[JIMINZ]

Each unsaved man is 100% autonomous regarding his choice to receive Christ as Savior or not. That's the most important choice he'll ever make in his short life here on earth and the result of that choice will last for eternity.

And your belief is based upon ?????

Be Blessed

 

[JIMINZ]

I agree that God remains with us in our Christian walk, but what I might not have clearly said is that we are the ones who make the ultimate choices for ourselves. God can provide enough information for us to make accurate decisions, but the choices are ours alone. God's salvation gift is offered to us, but he doesn't lock us into it.

Can that position be defended through use of Scripture?

Anything else is speculation, assumption, theory, or personal belief.

Be Blessed

 

[Love4Truth]

Each unsaved man is 100% autonomous regarding his choice to receive Christ as Savior or not. That's the most important choice he'll ever make in his short life here on earth and the result of that choice will last for eternity.

Can you provide an instance where the Bible teaches the natural man is 100% autonomous regarding his choice to “Receive” Christ as savior?

To begin, salvation is a spiritual change and not a physical change. So please document where the natural man gets the desire to change his nature.

The Bible does, imo, clearly declare the natural man does not want anything to do with the true God or righteousness.

 

[shakewell]

Can you provide an instance where the Bible teaches the natural man is 100% autonomous regarding his choice to “Receive” Christ as savior?

To begin, salvation is a spiritual change and not a physical change. So please document where the natural man gets the desire to change his nature.

The Bible does, imo, clearly declare the natural man does not want anything to do with the true God or righteousness.

I didn't say the natural man, I said each unsaved man.

 

[Love4Truth]

I didn't say the natural man, I said each unsaved man.

Sorry, typically when speaking of a "natural man", it means and unsaved person.

1Co 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 

[shakewell]

Sorry, typically when speaking of a "natural man", it means and unsaved person.

1Co 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Each unsaved man can receive the message of "nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified"; but cannot receive "the things of the Spirit" until he gets saved ("perfect", vs. 6).

 

[Ron Gurley]

For lengthy discussions on "free will" SEE:

https://www.christianforums.com/thr...the-all-everything-attributes-of-god.8011130/

https://www.christianforums.com/threads/the-true-doctrine-of-free-will-biblical-examples.8011505/

Gods Grace vs Free Will

What is free will?
by Matt Slick

Free will is the ability to make choices without external coersion. There are debates as to what extent this free will is to be understood as it relates to people. There are two main views: compatibilism and libertarianism.

The compatibilist view is the position that a person's freedom is restricted by his nature as is described in Scripture and that his free will is consistent with God's foreordination. In other words, he can only choose what his nature (sinful or regenerate) will allow him to choose. Therefore, such verses as 1 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 3:10-12; Rom. 6:14-20 are used to demonstrate that, for example, the unbeliever is incapable of choosing God of his own free will since they say that the unbeliever cannot receive spiritual things, does no good, and is a slave to sin.

Libertarian free will says that the person's will is not restricted by his sinful nature, and that he is still able to choose or accept God freely. Verses used to support this view are John 3:16 and 3:36. Two subdivisions of libertarian free will would be "open absolute free will" which says that man's choices are not knowable by God until they occur and "non-open absolute free will" which would state that God can know man's choices but he cannot determine them.

The biblical position is compatibilism. Since the Bible clearly teaches us that the unbeliever is restricted to making sinful choices (1 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 3:10-12; Rom. 6:14-20), then we must conclude that anyone who believes in God (John 3:16; 3:36) does so because God has granted that he believe (Phil. 1:29), has caused him to be born again (1 Pet. 1:3), and chosen him for salvation (2 Thess. 2:13).

All the cults and false religious systems teach the libertarian view of free will that salvation and spiritual understanding are completely within the grasp of sinners (in spite of their enslavement to and deadness in sin). For them, salvation would be totally up to the ability of the individual to make such a choice.

1. Man Apart from God
   1. Jer. 13:23, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good who are accustomed to doing evil."
   2. Rom. 5:10, "For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
   3. Rom. 8:7, "because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so."
2. Verses related to free will choices of sinners
   1. John 1:13, "who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
   2. Rom. 9:16, "So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy."
      1. "the man" is singular
   3. Rom. 9:18, "So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires."
   4. 1 Cor. 2:14, "But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised."
   5. Phil. 1:29, "For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake."

REF: What is free will? | carm

 

[Ron Gurley]

The true doctrine of "Free Will"??: Biblical examples!

John 3...John the Baptizer about Jesus the Christ
31 “He who comes from above is above all,
he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.(DEITY!)
32 What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.
33 He who has RECEIVED His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.
34 For He whom God has SENT speaks the words of God;for He gives (GOD) the (HOLY) Spirit without measure.
35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.
36 He who BELIEVES in the Son has "eternal (SPIRITUAL) life;
BUT he who does not OBEY (John 3 + Matt. 26 + etc) the Son will not see life,
but the wrath of God abides on him.”

And from the OT:

1 Chronicles 28:9...David to Soloman: The choice of "free will"
...for the Lord searches ALL hearts (spirits),
and understands EVERY intent of the thoughts (souls).
If you seek Him, He will let you find Him;
BUT if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today,
that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.
So CHOOSE life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,

"Free will" and SALVATION by Grace through spirit-led FAITH/BELIEF

Man's spiritual "Free Will"
...VERSUS...
" the spiritual perfect WILL of the TRI-UNE GOD"

In Genesis, Man had the "free will" to OBEY...remain in Eden...spiritually walk and talk with his UNSEEN God.
...VERSUS...
do his own thing...follow his selfish and natural tendancy to turn from God...DISOBEY

In the gospels / NT:

1."free will" BEFORE "salvation"

The spirit of Man can ACCEPT or REJECT the "drawing"/"calling" of God the Holy Spirit
...the offer of the gift of undeserved spiritual Grace and Love through spirit-led Faith.

2. "free will" AFTER "salvation"...

a. guided into spiritual "good works" /will of God
...VERSUS...
following the 1. "world and 2. the old "ways of the flesh" (sin nature) and 3. the temptations of deveil/demons

b. Be filled with / controlled by / pray and worship / walk in THE SPIRIT
...VERSUS...
grieve / quench / do not follow God the Holy SPIRIT's guidance and comfort.

God gives Man the opportunities to CHOOSE...allowing the spiritual freedom to choose...free to follow the will of God...or not.

The following concepts are difficult to understand and perhaps logically contradictory....BOTH EXIST!...

A. The Sovreignty of an all-everything perfect God
...VERSUS...
B. the spiritual exercise of the "free will" of Man (and angels!)

ACCEPT...RECEIVE...BELIEVE...FOLLOW etc...OR...NOT!

John 1: 12-13 (NASB)...Will of Man VS the Will of God ~= "free will"
But as many as RECEIVED Him,(spiritually born again from above)
to them He gave the right to become children of God,
even to those who BELIEVE in His name,
who were BORN,
not of blood
nor of the will of the flesh
nor of the will of man,
but (spiritually BORN) of (the Will of) God.

John 3: 11-12 Accept Jesus "testimony"..OR...NOT~= "free will"
11 Truly, truly, I say to you,
we speak of what we know
and testify of what we have seen,
and you do not ACCEPT our testimony.
12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

John 8 : 31-38 (NASB)...Jesus: FOLLOW...OR...NOT ~= "free will"
...“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”...( to follow the will of God)

1 Thessalonians 2:13 Accept God's "word"...or...NOT ~= "free will"
For this reason we also constantly thank God
that when you received the "word of God" which you heard from us, you ACCEPTED it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the "word of God", which also performs its work in you who BELIEVE.

1 Corinthians 2:14
But a natural man does not ACCEPT the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him;
and he cannot understand them,
because they are spiritually appraised.(discerned)

Hebrews 10: 31;35-36(NASB)...Jesus the Christ ...or... Judgment? ~= "free will"
It is a terrifying thing (for unbelievers) to fall into the hands of the living God....
Therefore, do not throw away your confidence (in a believer's salvation), which has a great reward.
For you have need of endurance,
so that when you have done the WILL of GOD,
you may receive what was promised. (joy!)...John 15!

1 John 2: 15-17(NASB)...John: Do Not Love the World...Love God ~= "free will"
Do not love the world nor the things in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh and
the lust of the eyes and
the boastful pride of life,
is not from the Father, but is from the world.
The world is passing away, and also its lusts;
but the one who does the WILL of GOD lives forever.

1 John 4:4(NASB)
You are from God, little children, (BELIEVERS!) and have overcome them;(evil spirits)
because greater is He who is in you (God the Holy Spirit) than he who is in the world.(devil)+

1 John 1 (NASB)...FOR BELIEVERS ONLY!
7b ...but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with "one another", and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
9 If we CONFESS (agree with God about) our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.