The following is a humble attempt to shed some light on a theological issue that continues to divide and elude well-meaning Christians. Those who have given much study to this topic will not find here anything new or insightful. What I propose to do is to offer a simple explanation of what is meant by these terms by those who use them and to offer a corrective to those who misunderstand them or labor under a caricature of these terms. We should not reject or dismiss a doctrine because we fail to understand what another is saying. Nor do we need to resort immediately to mystery to reconcile biblical teachings that on the surface seem to be in conflict. A better approach would be to examine my assumptions to see if a different set of assumptions resolve the perceived contradiction. For example, if I said that there are two ways a person can be saved, one by faith (Romans 3) and another by works (James 2), knowledgeable Bible students would immediately respond by saying that there is no contradiction between Romans and James because there are different contexts for each letter. These Bible students would insist that we do some good systematic theological study to show that there is no contradiction here. They would not immediately resort to mystery because Romans says one thing and James says another. They would not be satisfied to leave the matter until they had resolved the apparent contradiction without accusing God of deception or questioning the authority of Scripture.
I have observed that when proponents of free will affirm their doctrine, they assume a range of ideas. Some assume that the human will is not affected at all by an inherited sinful nature. Others assume that the will is partially defective, but still has the power of choice in all matters, especially spiritual matters. Still others, Wesleyans in particular, say the will is not free, but God gives “prevenient grace” so that one may choose the things of God. Prevenient grace is a convenient doctrine, but can it be supported by scripture? The basic issue in this discussion is whether or not the individual has the desire or ability to choose “to accept Christ as his/her personal savior.” At this point there is often a problem of communication. For the proponent of free will the issue is that he/she does not hear what the proponent of predestination is saying, or perhaps saying poorly. What the proponent of free will hears is that one does not have a choice over his/her desires. They assume that one could not “accept” Jesus even if one desired to do so. It seems to me that there is an unfortunate misunderstanding at this point.
Not a few well-intended Christians have rejected God’s predestination and asserted free will because they have misunderstood what the proponents of predestination mean by the use of their terms. Here are a few examples. 1. When a proponent of predestination says he/she does not believe in free will, he does NOT mean that humans do not have a will that is free is some sense. 2. He/she is NOT saying that humans cannot make choices. 3. He/she is NOT saying that humans cannot “accept Jesus as their personal savior” if they desire to do so. 4. He/she is NOT saying that Christians have no choice in the way they live. 5. He/she is NOT saying that Christians are not accountable for their actions. What the proponent of predestination is saying on this matter is that a human does have a will and that will is free in the sense that he/she can follow his/her own desires.
Not a few well-intended Christians have rejected God’s predestination and asserted free will because they have misunderstood what the proponents of predestination mean by the use of their terms. Here are a few examples. 1. When a proponent of predestination says he/she does not believe in free will, he does NOT mean that humans do not have a will that is free is some sense. 2. He/she is NOT saying that humans cannot make choices. 3. He/she is NOT saying that humans cannot “accept Jesus as their personal savior” if they desire to do so. 4. He/she is NOT saying that Christians have no choice in the way they live. 5. He/she is NOT saying that Christians are not accountable for their actions. What the proponent of predestination is saying on this matter is that a human does have a will and that will is free in the sense that he/she can follow his/her own desires.
Specifically, the proponent of predestination is saying that the unregenerate person does not have the desire or the will, hence the spiritual ability to “believe, receive, or accept” Jesus Christ. In other words, the will is not free in spiritual matters but in bondage until liberated by God. This teaching has been taught by such great figures in the Christian church at Augustine, Luther, Edwards, not to mention Calvin.
Check virtually any dictionary and you will find that the basic meaning of “will” is “wish” or “desire.” The reality of the matter is that one cannot desire what one does not desire. For example, can one who does not like sardines desire sardines by an act of the will? How about desiring a sandwich made of moldy bread and a maggot infested rat by an act of the will? One cannot desire what one does not desire. The issue, of course, is why does one have some desires and not others? (For the time being we will leave aside acquired tastes, etc.) Why does one have a desire to accept Christ and another does not? So where does desire come from?
Scripture is quite clear that Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden and that sin affected the rest of the human race. (Romans 5:12) One of the effects of that sin was that all humans became “dead in trespasses and sins.” Scripture shows the depravity of humans in many of its texts. What is a dead man able to do physically? What is a spiritually dead man able to do spiritually?
But am I a free moral agent? Or stated another way, how free am I before regeneration? Consider the following passages.
ESV John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Check virtually any dictionary and you will find that the basic meaning of “will” is “wish” or “desire.” The reality of the matter is that one cannot desire what one does not desire. For example, can one who does not like sardines desire sardines by an act of the will? How about desiring a sandwich made of moldy bread and a maggot infested rat by an act of the will? One cannot desire what one does not desire. The issue, of course, is why does one have some desires and not others? (For the time being we will leave aside acquired tastes, etc.) Why does one have a desire to accept Christ and another does not? So where does desire come from?
Scripture is quite clear that Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden and that sin affected the rest of the human race. (Romans 5:12) One of the effects of that sin was that all humans became “dead in trespasses and sins.” Scripture shows the depravity of humans in many of its texts. What is a dead man able to do physically? What is a spiritually dead man able to do spiritually?
But am I a free moral agent? Or stated another way, how free am I before regeneration? Consider the following passages.
ESV John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
ESV John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
ESV John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
ESV John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
ESV John 6:65 And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."
ESV John 8:43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.
ESV John 8:47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."
ESV John 10:26 but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock.
ESV Romans 8:7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
ESV Romans 9:16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion,1 but on God, who has mercy.
ESV 1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
Part of the problem of misunderstanding is that proponents of free will do not believe that humans are as depraved or as bad off as the Bible says they are. But what does the Bible say?
Part of the problem of misunderstanding is that proponents of free will do not believe that humans are as depraved or as bad off as the Bible says they are. But what does the Bible say?
Most proponents of free will say they believe in human depravity, but not total depravity (this is another expression that is often misunderstood). They say that even though one is depraved, one still has the power, desire, ability to accept, believe, confess Jesus. Another problem facing us is that we live in a culture that does not take sin as seriously as God does. For about 250 years the American scene has drifted from a biblical view of human depravity and thoroughly embraced a free will view. Thus, it becomes difficult to entertain a view that is so foreign to the present scene. To some, to deny the doctrine of “free will” is like denying the law of gravity. “Free will” thinking has pervaded the American culture for so long that it takes intentional effort to think outside that box.
So I ask again, what is the unregenerate will able to do? Can he/she believe, receive, or accept Christ? If I read my Bible correctly, the human unregenerate will does not even desire the things of God unless God does something first. What is it that God does? What God does is to regenerate the person SO THAT he/she desires the things of God. It is the new nature that God gives that desires, hears, believes, and accepts Christ. Jesus himself said that he who has an ear let him hear. This assumes that everyone does not have an ear to hear. Theologically, what I am saying is that life comes before faith. Faith does not come before life. Regeneration precedes belief. Dead men do not believe to get eternal life. Those whom God has regenerated believe, receive, and accept Christ. Note the following verses:
It seems to me that several passages of scripture seriously imply that life comes before faith and several others state so specifically. Does not John 1:12,13 imply that “receiving” and “believing” Christ is given to those who “were born” (Aorist Passive Indicative) by the will of God? And does not Acts 13:48 imply that God’s “appointing to eternal life”(Perfect Passive Indicative) precedes the believing? Does not James 1:18 imply that God’s action precedes my response? Does not Colossians 2:13 specifically say that when I was dead (is it too much to say that this means spiritually dead?) God made me alive together with Christ? Here God’s work of making me alive precedes anything I do. And does not I John 5:1 specifically say that whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has already been born of God? (“Is born” is a Perfect Passive Indicative and the action of being born clearly precedes the believing in this passage.) And whoever loves Him has already been begotten by Him. (Again, begot is a Perfect Passive Participle and thus precedes the loving.) The same grammatical construction is found in 1 John 2:29 (Perfect Passive Indicative); 3:9 (Perfect Passive Participle); 4:7 (Perfect Passive Indicative).
A related theological issue is the relatively current topic of the openness of God. The idea here is that some things in the future God does not know because they have not yet happened (i.e. whether or not one will respond to the gospel invitation). However, if God is omniscient, then He knows all things, past, present, and future. God can and does know future events because he has determined them. Scripture is clear that God does determine certain future acts.
KJV Luke 22:22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!
KJV Luke 22:22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!
KJV Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
KJV Acts 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
KJV Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
KJV Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
It also seems that the following verses strongly imply, and some specifically say, that God determines the future.
ESV Romans 9:22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
KJV Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
KJV 1 Thessalonians 3:3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
KJV 1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
KJV 2 Timothy 1:11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
KJV Hebrews 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
KJV Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
KJV 1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.