Search the Community

Thoughts on Free Will The following is an explanation of something I have said regarding what I believe about free will. I was asked to explain what I meant, so that is what I am attempting to do here. My response is: OKAY, what you partially quoted was me saying this: I enjoy free will, and what I believe about it is: You are free to choose to do what you want to do, but you are not free to choose what it is that you want to do, nor are you necessarily able, to do what you choose to do! I think perhaps the best way to explain this is giving examples of those three aspects of free will which I believe. 1. “You are free to choose to do WHAT you want to do” For example, you may choose to jump out of a flying airplane and flap your arms in an effort to fly. If that is what you want to, then yes, you are free to make that choice that is your free will. 2. “but you are not free to choose what it IS that you want to do” Now you could choose to poke your eye out with a pencil, but you not able to choose to want that. You either want that, or you do not. While some people may actually want that, I doubt they choose to want that, they just want what they want, without even thinking about it. However, most do not want that and they cannot want that, it is outside of their control. 3. “nor are you necessarily ABLE to do what you choose to do!” Going back the airplane illustration, you might make that choice to jump out, flap your arms and fly. However no matter how much you want that, no matter if you choose that, there are factors involved that prevent you from being able to fly in that manner. I believe these three thing are pretty much what can be said about free will, in terms of what you can choose freely (anything you want), what you are unable to choose limited by aspects of your own personality (which could change), and your powerlessness to make your choices happen. Summary: You can choose what you want, You cannot choose what to want, You have limited power to make your choices effective. The above are just in general, but when we begin to discuss theology, it becomes more complicated. Why? Because our will is not the only will involved. Perhaps there is another person (God) who has a say in all of this. For example, many Christians believe that as a free will choice, they decided to have Jesus the Christ as their Lord and Savior. They might even know the time and place they made that decision, and the circumstances surrounding that choice. I myself recall where I was, approximately when, and under what circumstances I made the choice. From the standpoint of my perspective, I made the choice, and I was not forced to, I freely chose. However, What if there is a being, who created me, and by virtue of His creation, He owns me, is sovereign and can do with me as He sees fit, without even asking my permission? Suppose such a One, chose me to choose Him? If He did, would that be free will on my part? What if I was unable to choose Him, because as a sinner, I am not inclined to the things of God, but am hostile and rebellious? My nature as a sinner, dictates to me what I will choose. Everything is limited by it’s own nature (outside of the miraculous). Iron horse shoes will not float in liquid water, where gravity is involved. People cannot flap their arms and fly. Even God is not able to do everything, His nature limits Him. So, what if I am a slave to sin, and it masters me? If that were the case, then I am a captive in need of liberation, though God does not owe me anything. He does not even owe me an explanation for what He does; after all, He is God! How do these things interplay, God and human free will? There once was a man named Jonah. One day, God told him to go preach to the Ninevites about their evil. Jonah did not like the Ninevites, so he thought to himself: “I think I will take a vacation in Tarshish, in the opposite direction. That is how rebellious humans use their free will. In spite of Jonah’s free will, God was not going to just let Jonah just do as he pleased. So God prepared a big fish, to give Jonah a free ride back in the direction of Nineveh. The fish vomited Jonah onto a beach, but he was still a long walk from Nineveh. I suspect that Jonah had some time to rethink this and consider his options. He could choose to do what he wanted to, but that was not working out too well for him. He wasn’t thrilled with the idea of going to Nineveh, but the option was not attractive. Now he chose to do what God said. He made that decision. While it was made begrudgingly, I submit that is was STILL his free will. Here is the thing though: God ALSO has free will. In a battle of wills, who will win? In some cases, I think it is true, that some are stubborn, and God lets them have their way. However, that isn’t really winning, that is a tragic loss. God could have, of course, made Jonah go to Nineveh, moving Jonah’s feet, and opening his mouth to make him preach. He used a donkey to speak once; he can certainly use a wayward prophet. However, God does not seem to want to make marionettes out of people. As in the case of Jonah, God does not make people go against their will, but He sure can make them willing to go! There is another thing that is something to think about. Do you believe that God know everything, including the future? I do. So, if God knew that I would someday choose His Son, Jesus, will it turn out to be just as He foresaw it? I think the answer to that question is “Yes”. I am not saying that God chose to save me, based on what he foresaw me doing eventually. After all, He chose me, I did not chose Him. Eph 1: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. So, I would submit that people might want to ponder: If God knew that I was going to choose Him, and that was definetly how it was going to turn out, predestined, as the verse says, is there any other way it would turn out? If not, what does that mean with respect to our free will? Can we make a free will choice that makes God wrong?

People argue about free will. Most believe in it, at least to some degree. Much of that, is just a sense of it from personal experience. In a moment, I am going to choose to have a bowl of cereal, as an act of my free will. I have come to believe though, based on scripture, that I did not come to the Lord of my own free will, unassisted, I believe that it was the Lord's will, that I came to Him. In general, I recently put together a sort of synopsis, of what I have come to believe about free will in general, in a way, where I am trying to be succinct, yet covers the idea of free will consistently over all manners of it, not just limited to soteriology etc. I would be curious to know, if anyone has any thoughts about the statement below, and especially so, if you have some scriptural insight that would contradict what I say here in my summary statement: I believe in free will: You are free to choose to do what you want to do, but you are not free to choose what it is, that you want to do, nor are you necessarily able, to do what you choose to do! Thanks! Maybe you can get the idea, of how our nature dictates the choices we make, withing our free will. The illustration above, suggests that man, just like the animals in the image, chooses what to avoid, based on his nature.

The five points of Arminianism (from Jacobus Arminius 1559-1609) are in contrast to the five points of Calvinism. The Arminian five points are Human Free Will--This states that though man is fallen, he is not incapacitated by the sinful nature and can freely choose God. His will is not restricted and enslaved by his sinful nature. Conditional Election--God chose people for salvation based on His foreknowledge where God looks into the future to see who would respond to the gospel message. Universal Atonement--The position that Jesus bore the sin of everyone who ever lived. Resistable Grace--The teaching that the grace of God can be resisted and finally beaten so as to reject salvation in Christ. Fall from Grace--The Teaching that a person can fall from grace and lose his salvation.

Is predestination a biblical teaching? by Matt Slick 7/29/2009 Yes, predestination is biblical. Predestination is the teaching that God has, from all eternity, freely determined whatsoever shall come to pass. We find this in Ephesians 1:11 which says, “also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” Notice Paul teaches that predestination occurs according to the purpose of God and that God works all things after His will. The "all things" means exactly that, all things. Predestination: "God’s actions in willing something to a specific result; also called “foreordination.” Some Christian theologians, particularly in the Reformed tradition, have seen it as indicating God’s eternal decree by which all creatures are foreordained to eternal life or death. It may also be used synonymously with “election” and indicates God’s gracious initiation of salvation for those who believe in Jesus Christ."1 "The divine determination of human beings to eternal salvation or eternal damnation. The doctrine of predestination is a branch, so to speak, of the doctrine of election; God’s predestinating activity is a function of his existence as the electing God. Though expressed in the Old Testament primarily as the corporate election of the people of Israel (cf. Deut. 7:6–8), some also extend predestination to include God’s having decided in advance the events of each day in an individual’s life (e.g., Ps. 139:13–16)."2 The word predestination comes from the Greek προορίζω, "prooridzo." The word occurs six times in six verses in the New Testament. Acts 4:28, “to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.” Romans 8:29-30, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; 30 and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” 1 Corinthians 2:7, “but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory.” Ephesians 1:5, “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” Ephesians 1:11, “also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” By looking at these verses, we can see that predestination reveals God's great sovereignty and right to do with His creation as he desires. But also we can see that predestination deals with salvation. Unfortunately, many Christians do not accept the biblical teaching on predestination. Many do not like the idea that God predestines people for salvation, but the fact is the Bible teaches it. We might say that there are two main views concerning predestination. One is the view that God has foreknowledge; that is, he knew who would choose Him, and those are the ones He predestined to salvation. The other idea is held by Calvinists who believe God sovereignly, of His own free will, predestined certain people to be saved, and His choice is not based upon looking into the future to see who would pick Him. Either way, predestination is found in the Bible, and it is a doctrine that we must accept. So, to find which view you think is most biblical, study the above list of verses in their context and see if you think that God predestines according to the expected future human choices or not.

Hi all, I have a question. A few months ago someone on another website asked me this, and I was unable to answer. "If God is just, and we know that God is just, how come God allows women who don't want children to get pregnant (and they end up with an abortion) whereas some women who really want a child are forced to remain childless or adopt, as they are unable to get pregnant no matter what. " I replied with, "God allows these people to get pregnant because of free will. God must give them the choice in order to be just and fair." The person then asked, "But if God is all-knowing, and we know that He is, doesn't He already know what they will do?" I replied, "Yes, He does." The person replied, "But if He already knows what they will do, and He let's them go through with it, how does that apply to Him being a God of justice?" I was unable to reply, and now I am curious, what would you reply to this question?

Luke 11:8 - "I tell you, although he will not get up and supply him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence and insistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs." WE NEED TO STAY BEFORE THE FATHER, PRAYING FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT SAVED TO RECEIVE THE BREAD OF SALVATION --- LIKE THE MAN IN LUKE 11:8 DID FOR HIS FRIEND. WHY DO WE NEED TO PERSEVERE WITH GOD IN PRAYER CONCERNING THE SALVATION OF OTHERS? IT'S CERTAINLY NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO CHANGE GOD'S MIND. HE NEVER CHANGES. HIS MIND IS MADE UP. HE WANTS ALL MEN SAVED. THE REASON WE HAVE TO PERSEVERE IN INTERCESSION IS TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE DEMONIC FORCES THAT ARE TRYING TO KEEP GOD'S WILL FROM BEING ACCOMPLISHED. THOSE FORCES MUST BE BROKEN DOWN THROUGH PRAYER SO THAT STRONGHOLDS ARE DESTROYED AND SPIRITUAL BLINDERS ARE REMOVED FROM THE SPIRITUAL EYES OF THE PEOPLE WE ARE PRAYING FOR. WHILE GOD WILL NOT GO AGAINST THE WILL OF PEOPLE, HE WILL MOVE THROUGH OUR INTERCESSION TO REVEAL HIMSELF. THROUGH PERSISTENT PRAYERS GOD WILL BRING THEM TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR NEED FOR HIM. THEN THEY WILL REACH OUT FOR HIM AND SPIRITUAL REBIRTH CAN TAKE PLACE! Psalm 42:1 - "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." WE NEGLECT TO PAY THE PRICE FOR THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND WIND UP WANDERING AROUND IN A WILDERNESS OF OUR OWN MAKING, BEING PURSUED BY SATAN. EVERYTHING BEGINS WITH TOTAL ABANDONMENT, TOTAL SURRENDER AND TOTAL HUNGER FOR THE LIVING CHRIST - NOT THE THINGS HE GIVES OR IMPARTS, BUT CHRIST AND CHRIST ALONE. Psalm 63:1 - "O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. " Jeremiah 29:13,14 - "And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you says the Lord." Psalm 115:16 - "The heavens are the heavens of the Lord; but the earth He has given to the sons of men." The Lord requires the cooperation of men to move on the earth. This is why, even though the Lord knows what we need before we ask Him, He requires that we ask before He moves on the earth. When He demonstrates His kingdom and the powers of heaven to the earth, He does it through men. The Lord could have parted the Red Sea without Moses, but not without violating His own principles of authority. He could have brought down fire on the prophets of Baal without Elijah, but that is not the way He does things on the earth. He gave authority over the earth to men, which is why even the Son of God, Jesus, continually referred to Himself as the Son of Man. He had to come as a man to retake the authority over the earth that had been lost by man's transgression and subsequent subservience to Satan. God ordained that man should rule over the earth and the coming of His kingdom will, therefore, restore man's authority over the earth, to those who worship and obey Him. Affirmations: SINCE I AM IN CHRIST I AM IN ANOTHER REALITY AND ANOTHER LIFE ALTOGETHER. I EXPERIENCE HEAVEN NOW, AND LIVE A LIFE THAT DEMONSTRATES THE REALITY OF HEAVEN ON THIS EARTH. I AM CALLED TO WALK THE EARTH, DO GOOD ON THE EARTH, AND TO DO IT WITH POWER THAT IS NOT OF THIS EARTH. John 14:12 - "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

This is not to debate whether free will exists or not. It is a consideration of what "free will" is in its most basic idea. It seems to me that "free will" is the idea that one can make their own choice. The concept is to give the choice to the individual: "I decide to..." or "I will make the choice...". And this choice could be to pull the trigger of a gun pointed at someone, rob a bank, or even to put faith in God. Regardless of the choice, we are putting ourselves in the "decision makers" chair. If we consider our bodies to be the temple of the Holy Spirit, which Paul tells us it is, then the idea of "free will" must be viewed from a different level. A different level that I believe is: (1) uncomfortable for not just a few persons; and (2) a level not considered by very many. "What is that level?" you say. The concept of "free will" boils down to what choices we make for ourselves that may or may not be beneficial for us. The idea is that "I" made the choice. "I" decided not to pull the trigger, or "I" decided not to rob the bank, or "I" decided to give my life to Christ. These choices were decisions that "I" made. I remember learning a simply saying many years ago in Sunday School: "I" is in the middle of "s-i-n". These same "I" choices were the choices that the prince of Tyre is making: Eze 28:2 KJV - [2] Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: These same "I" choices were also those made by Lucifer, son of the morning in Isa 14:13-14 Isa 14:13-14 KJV - [13] For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: [14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. In the Garden of Eden, this was the same scheme that Satan used to tempt Eve: Gen 3:6 KJV - [6] And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (food for eating and satisfying the hunger pangs and nutrition requirements of the flesh), and that it was pleasant to the eyes (look pleasant and pretty to the eye, the physical eye that God warns us not to use for judging), and a tree to be desired to make one wise (to gain worldly wisdom and knowledge), she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. "free will" is what "I" choose to do, regardless of anything else. So, I ask you brothers and sisters in Christ, is "free will" really where we want to our decisions?

We are free to do evil outside of Christ, or free to come to Christ and live in His righteousness. There is nothing we can do outside of Christ that God calls 'good.' All our deeds are like filthy rags. So, from a worldly perspective, we have free will to do good and evil. From God's eyes, only His righteousness counts, and we're only free when we're saved by Christ. If “free will” means that God gives humans the opportunity to make choices that genuinely affect their destiny, then yes, human beings do have a free will. The world’s current sinful state is directly linked to choices made by Adam and Eve. God created mankind in His own image, and that included the ability to choose. Again, from gotquestions.org (Use it, it's AWESOME) "However, free will does not mean that mankind can do anything he pleases. Our choices are limited to what is in keeping with our nature. For example, a man may choose to walk across a bridge or not to walk across it; what he maynotchoose is to fly over the bridge—his nature prevents him from flying. In a similar way, a man cannot choose to make himself righteous—his (sin) nature prevents him from canceling his guilt (Romans 3:23). So, free will is limited by nature. This limitation does not mitigate our accountability. The Bible is clear that we not only have the ability to choose, we also have the responsibility to choose wisely. In the Old Testament, God chose a nation (Israel), but individuals within that nation still bore an obligation to choose obedience to God. And individuals outside of Israel were able to choose to believe and follow God as well (e.g., Ruth and Rahab). In the New Testament, sinners are commanded over and over to “repent” and “believe” (Matthew 3:2;4:17;Acts 3:19;1 John 3:23). Every call to repent is a call to choose. The command to believe assumes that the hearer can choose to obey the command. Jesus identified the problem of some unbelievers when He told them, “You refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:40). Clearly, they could have come if they wanted to; their problem was they chose not to. “A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7), and those who are outside of salvation are “without excuse” (Romans 1:20-21). But how can man, limited by a sin nature, ever choose what is good? It is only through the grace and power of God that free will truly becomes “free” in the sense of being able to choose salvation (John 15:16). It is the Holy Spirit who works in and through a person’s will to regenerate that person (John 1:12-13) and give him/her a new nature “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). Salvation is God’s work. At the same time, our motives, desires, and actions are voluntary, and we are rightly held responsible for them. It is impossible for us to fully understand the dynamics of a holy God molding and shaping the will of man. Scripture is clear that God knows the future (Matthew 6:8;Psalm 139:1-4) and has total sovereign control over all things (Colossians 1:16-17;Daniel 4:35). The Bible also says that we must choose God or be eternally separated from Him. We are held responsible for our actions (Romans 3:19;6:23;9:19-21). How these facts work together is impossible for a finite mind to comprehend (Romans 11:33-36). People can take one of two extremes in regard to this question. Some emphasize the sovereignty of God to the point that human beings are little more than robots simply doing what they have been sovereignly programmed to do. Others emphasize free will to the point of God not having complete control and/or knowledge of all things. Neither of these positions is biblical. The truth is that God does not violate our wills by choosing us and redeeming us. Rather, He changes our hearts so that our wills choose Him. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19), and “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (John 15:16). What are we to do then? First, we are to trust in the Lord, knowing that He is in control (Proverbs 3:5-6). God’s sovereignty is supposed to be a comfort to us, not an issue to be concerned about or debate over. Second, we are to live our lives making wise decisions in accordance with God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17;James 1:5). There will be no excuses before God for why we chose to disobey Him. We will have no one to blame but ourselves for our sin. Last but not least, we are to worship the Lord, praising Him that He is so wonderful, infinite, powerful, full of grace and mercy—and sovereign.