On The Matter Of Free Will

To say we have free will denies the negative influences of sin and the positive influences of God. And how truly awful would man be if indeed he did have free will and but still chose sin over righteousness? If man had no exterior influences exerting sway over his will and he still chose unrighteousness over righteousness, then we wouldn’t be children of God at all, we’d be children of wrath and of the devil. Help wouldn’t be needed; a second flood would be.

No, we do not have free will. What we have is free choice within a bond will. Our desire is a combination of two things in which we cannot handle together. We desire free will, but we also desire righteousness. Man, in his current state cannot handle the two in tandem. The good news is that we know this, and we’ve asked for help.

Jesus Christ has shown us the way. He gave us a prayer to pray to God so that will and righteousness can coexist in harmony.

“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)

We pray for God’s will to be done. We don’t pray for our will to be done because our will is sin soaked in original sin. We pray to negate our will and to supplant it with the will of God.

No, we don’t have free will. We have free choice. It’s like an inmate in prison. He’s free to move about within the confines of the prison walls.

Righteousness removes the walls and truly frees us. Righteousness removes the law for none are needed.

“For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Romans 10:3-4)

Only when man is righteous can he be void of sin and the law. Then he can have free will. And because man is righteous, he will always chose righteousness and never sin.

Jesus made atonement for our sins at the cross. His blood is our righteous covering so we can be made presentable to God. Understand that God can’t comingle with sin. It is why He sent His Son to be the mediator between man and Himself. Among the many things that blind man, pride has blinded man to the facts surrounding himself and his will.

Fortunately, we don’t have to think, just follow. We don’t have to figure out what is the truth and righteous. And how gratuitous is it that the way of and to truth and righteousness is being luminated for us. All we must do is to have faith.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

God causes our choice. While we come to a point in our life when we choose God, it was God who influenced us to the point of decision “What hast thou that thou didst not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7) Everything we have came from God. This includes our love, faith, and belief in Him.

While we don’t have free will, we do have free choice. The elect, because God is inside of them, will always chose God.

“I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33).

How wonderful is this? We were chosen before the world began and predestine to the adoption by Christ. Yes, God’s elect hit a stumbling block called sin. But God has always had a plan of adoption according to His good will, not ours.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”(Ephesians 1:3-6)

Bill Hitchcock