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Does Man Really Have a Free Will?
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2/19/2010 4:05:10 PM
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Heaven or Hell: Who Decides? One of the most prevalent beliefs in our world today is the concept of "Free Will". How many times have you heard statements like: "I am doing... (this or that) of my own free will!" or, more commonly in Christian circles, "God will never violate man's free will!" While both of these types of professions sound genuine and truthful, do they really have any bearing in fact? Or are they simply the ramblings of ignorance and pride?
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines free will as:
1. voluntary choice or decision - I do this of my own free will
2. freedom of humans to make choices that are not determined by prior causes or by divine intervention (visit online)
www.yourdictionary.com defines it in a little more detail as:
1.freedom of decision or of choice between alternatives
2a. the freedom of the will to choose a course of action without external coercion but in accordance with the ideals or moral outlook of the individual
2b. the doctrine that people have such freedom (visit online)
Both of these sources encapsulate the interpretation of what the words mean in theory. However, for most people, the idea encompasses so much more! It evokes the mind and the emotions! Most people believe it to mean these things but they also include the idea of self-right. The main contributing factor in their meaning of the term is derived from emotional pride and outright determination of spirit. Free will to the general populace is an "undeniable", "inalienable" right! They believe that it defines what makes us different and above other animal life forms: i.e. we can consider options, use our reasoning capabilities, and choose our beliefs and corresponding course of action solely on are own authority.
While it is true we have the added capability of reason, which animals do not have, that only substantiates the fact that we have A will. But reason does not give us proof that we have a "free" will! Let's consider the difference between the two:
Our will, allows us to carry out complex decision making processes. We can reason and make decisions based on our ability to choose between two opposing or parallel ideas. We can decide we will respond to a circumstance in one way or another.
Free will implies that there are no deterrents to our ability to choose and act. For example, consider these statements which are considered true to most proponents of the ideology of free will: "I am free to choose to do whatever I want!", "No one can stop me from speaking my own mind!" and "I am the one responsible for my future!". Free will implies that their are no restraints on us. That we are "free"!
The folly of the concept of free will is there are restraints on us! I may choose to jump out a an airplane at 50,000 feet because I am "free" to! But Gravity and the earth's mass density will show me that I am not free to do such a thing without death as a counter measure. My supposed freedom comes to a screeching halt, along with my capability to inhale air as I am smashed to smithereens on impact! I may want to be free to swim to the bottom of the Atlantic ocean and look at the wreckage of the Titanic, but the water pressure and lack of oxygen prohibit me from reaching my goal. These desires or choices of action do show I have a will. But I am far from "free" to do them or obtain my saught after, free will goals!
Now that we have demonstrated the fallacy of free will, let's look at how it stacks up to the Bible! We will consider the misgivings of the idea as we consider them from both the world's view of: I vs. God; and the faulty Christian's view of I chose to be saved vs. God chose me to be saved. Let's start with free will or the sovereignty of God:
The Falsehood of Free Will in View of God's Sovereignty Rom 3:10-19As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Here the apostle Paul explains the condition of mankind as being Totally Depraved! According to Paul, mankind has NO WILL at all! In fact, man is a slave to his own desires, passions and lust (totally sinful)! Man does not choose good, nor can he! He is totally incapable to choose anything other than his sinful lust! And notice, Paul explains that this is God's evaluation of our plight as he is quoting it from the Old Testament. He is here no more than a vessel pouring out God's word on the subject!
For the Christian, this means that there was no way you could have been "good enough", "smart enough", "holy enough" or "pure enough" to have accepted Jesus' sacrifical death for your sins and repented in faith on your own! Remember Paul also said we were once "dead" in trespasses and sin. And dead people don't make decisions for anything! Let alone, decisions for Jesus! Don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger! :) We will look at Jesus' own word's on the subject soon enough!
The Falsehood of Free Will in View of Salvation1 Corinthians 1:18For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
If you're a Christian, you may have heard that verse before. But have you ever considered it seriously? It is quite shocking! Paul was explaining why we preach the gospel of salvation via the cross of Jesus. As chosen believers of God, we were given the knowledge of this truth to us by His Holy Spirit at conversion. We knew, without any shadow of a doubt, that Jesus died on the cross for our sin. We knew this without any will on our part. We did not choose this as a truth. We did not fabricate it as our idea of how we should be saved. We simply, and with child like faith, accepted it as it was presented to us.
But notice what it says about those who are not chosen; not enlightened to the fact by God: Mankind defines this option for salvation as "foolishness"! As God said elsewhere, He confounded the wisdom of this world with the foolishness of the Gospel: 1 Corinthians 1:21&25 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe... Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
It is interesting to me how God used man's failure to understand, and man's evaluation of the cross (foolishness), as the very way to stump mankind! He uses His "foolishness" to cause mankind to look the other way (away from the cross) to damnation in hell. But by that very same cross, He convinces us (believers) of our need for it! His bottom line explanation: "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men"! He made a point! And one the world will never forget! Now let's look at Jesus' own words on the subject:
The Falsehood of Free Will in View of the Teachings of Jesus(to unbelievers) But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
Jesus made it clear that the lost world do not, in fact, can not, hear His voice! Therefore they do not follow him! If they did, it would be "dead man walking" as they are dead in trespasses and sin. They were not chosen and therefore are hopeless. In fact, he also said they belong to Satan not God:
John 8:43-44Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
Jesus' words here proof that the condition of those not chosen is that they can't possibly choose (will for) salvation! because they are owned by Satan and as a result they are totally depraved! Jesus explains, that as His sheep, we DO hear His voice and we follow Him. But the lost are not able to choose anything! A soul can only serve God, if they're chosen, or the devil, if they're not!
So in Conclusion, we have seen that there is no such thing as free will!
Case Closed! |
Summary
We are being
warned! God is showing us what His purpose for this
world entails. As we get closer and closer to the end,
the world has become more and more sinful! And
unfortunately, this condition will worsen till He
returns and redeems us from ourselves. Don't let sin,
self or Satan who has invaded our planet separate you
from the free gift of salvation that Jesus extends to
you in His invitation to be born-again:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send
His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that
the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes
in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe
is condemned already, because he has not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18)
Are You Ready? If not get ready, "Repent
for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand"!
Click to Read:
Luke 13:3;
Ephesians 2:8-9;
Romans 10:8-13;
Acts2:38
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