A DIVINE INTENTION
The Gospel Without Limits
By Michael Clegg
THE FREE WILL PRINCIPLE
FREE WILL? REAL OR IMAGINED
Were you asked by God if you wanted to be born saint or sinner? Did you tell
God as you were formed in the womb that you did not want the effects of sin and
death applied to you? If you did not get that chance then you do not have free
will? You have ability to make some choices, (What ice cream flavor do you
prefer? Do you want fries with that?) but not your salvation which remains under
the will of the Creator God who prepared it for you.
What if certain men decided not to follow God? What if Noah decided he would
not build the ark? According to free will it was Noah’s choice and not God’s that
men would have a future after the flood. If the Free Will Principle is correct then
God’s plan is dependent on the decisions of men—making all of God’s plan for
man subordinate to the decisions of men. Consider Paul, Galatians 1:13 says that
Paul was separated and called by God from the womb—but he spent his life
persecuting the church. Whose will prevailed—God’s or Paul’s? Acts 9:15
declares that Paul was a chosen vessel of God’s with a purpose to the Gentiles.
Could Paul have chosen not to carry the message to the Gentiles? If he could
have rejected his call then his will prevailed over God’s plan. The notion that God
cannot or will not influence the will of man to bring him to Himself is an insult to His
love and His omnipotence (Isa. 43:13, John 15:16, Rom. 11:32, 2 Thess. 2:11, 2
Tim. 1:9).
Man was born a slave—a slave to sin (Gal 4:3, John 8:34, Rom 6:6, 16). There is
no choice in being birthed in Adam. None of us had a choice in this condition when
we entered this world. We were not sinners by choice for we were ‘born into sin”
being dead in trespasses and sin (Eph 2:1,5). Man was dead to God, dead to
truth, and dead to reality—the Adamic race was not capable of making a choice
or decision for salvation (Eph 2:2-3) but God was not dead to man. We were by
our nature children of wrath—not sinners by choice but sinners by nature. We
were not born free moral agents we were born slaves.
God gave man the dignity of choice—not free will. Neither man nor satan has free
will but rather freedom of choice with God more than able to direct and influence
the choices. Man’s ability to make choices limited by God is not free will. A man
does not have sovereignty in his destiny. Choices are made based on hormonal
makeup, sex, time in history of our birth, our country of birth, and other genetic
dispositions. A choice is made after multiple options are presented—free will is
moving and acting without being prompted from a cause. God holds us
accountable for the choices He has delegated within our authority. He directs us
to conform to choices He has made in His authority. Authority is always limited by
the one who gives it.
Man is totally unable to save himself and to deliver himself from the bondage of
sin because the human spirit is dead from man’s birth. Man of his own ‘free will’
will never make a decision for Christ (John 5:40, 3:19, Mt 23:37). Man cannot
receive God’s grace unless God moves him to. We were reconciled when we
were enemies not when we asked Him to save us (Rom. 5:10). Does the sinner
open his heart to God or does God open man’s heart to receive Him (Acts 16:14,
Rm. 9:16-18, Gal. 1:15-16)? Is one’s salvation dependent on man—or on God?
What is the will of man? It is the faculty of choice. Where there is no preference
but complete indifference there is no volition—no will. To will is to choose
between to alternatives. There is something that influences the will causing a
choice to be made. The will cannot be sovereign because it acts only after a push
for a choice is made—a decision between two or more alternatives. The will is not
causative—but something causes it to choose. Well then, what causes the will to
choose? It is the strongest motivational power which is brought to bear (pressure
applied to choose) upon the will whether it is logic or reason, voice of conscience,
emotions, the whisper of the tempter, or Holy Spirit.
It is the heart and not the will which governs man. Why does a sinner choose sin?
It is because he prefers it—because his heart is sinful. It is not the will which
makes a sinner chose his way but the heart—which directs the will.
The notion that God cannot or will not influence the will of man to bring them unto
Himself is an insult to both His redeeming love and His omnipotence. Now, is the
will of God dependent upon the will of man? It is the will of God moving powerfully
and irresistibility upon the sinner to trust God and realize what has been done in
behalf of the man and not the will of the dead man (John 6:44, 12:32). Because
Jesus died and God through Jesus reconciled the world then He will draw all men
unto Himself. If even a wise man can influence another man’s will how much more
can our All Wise God influence every wise man?
Do you not think it is ironic that men believe God will not violate man’s supposed
free will to save them all the while God’s will for all men to be saved goes
unaccomplished? In Philippians 2:9-11 regarding every knee shall bow—have you
noticed where those knees are located? It says of those “in heaven”, “on earth”,
and “under the earth”. I have had many pastors tell me that this is God forcing the
knees to bow. One pastor in particular told me it references the account of the
Roman soldiers placing a spear in front of one knee and behind the other and
twisting the spear forcing the knees to bow. So, is it in this account only that God’
s will is enforced—but He cannot lovingly bend the will of every man to
submission? Why does “churchology” diminish the will and power of God to flow
under the will of men—who were made in the image of God?
Oftentimes in our study of the character of God, we come up against a doctrinal
wall. It is at this point that we must determine where truth is found. It is also at
this point we come to the conclusion that it is easier to not “rock the church boat”
and be silent than coming to know God in an entirely new way. But sometimes our
heart will win out and we desire and crave to know God—not just about Him.
More often that not—Church doctrine is for the head while truth is for the heart.
Christians have been taught that it is with THEIR faith they accept the Lord and
are then saved? This concept places the responsibility of salvation on men and
not God. What about the origin of faith? Does not the Word define who is the
Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2, Phil 1:6, John 4:34)? God initiates the
process of salvation and He does what is needed to complete the process also.
Even faith is a gift which we cannot obtain without the mercy and love of God first
giving it to man. It is not OUR faith which saves us but it is the faith OF Jesus
which we receive as an unmerited gift (Gal. 2:16). The beginning and ending of
salvation is all God. Man cannot offer anything to the process except praise and
thanksgiving. God does more than merely wish for our salvation—He provides it,
ordains it, and ensures it.
FREE WILL? REAL OR IMAGINED
Were you asked by God if you wanted to be born saint or sinner? Did you tell
God as you were formed in the womb that you did not want the effects of sin and
death applied to you? If you did not get that chance then you do not have free
will? You have ability to make some choices, (What ice cream flavor do you
prefer? Do you want fries with that?) but not your salvation which remains under
the will of the Creator God who prepared it for you.
What if certain men decided not to follow God? What if Noah decided he would
not build the ark? According to free will it was Noah’s choice and not God’s that
men would have a future after the flood. If the Free Will Principle is correct then
God’s plan is dependent on the decisions of men—making all of God’s plan for
man subordinate to the decisions of men. Consider Paul, Galatians 1:13 says that
Paul was separated and called by God from the womb—but he spent his life
persecuting the church. Whose will prevailed—God’s or Paul’s? Acts 9:15
declares that Paul was a chosen vessel of God’s with a purpose to the Gentiles.
Could Paul have chosen not to carry the message to the Gentiles? If he could
have rejected his call then his will prevailed over God’s plan. The notion that God
cannot or will not influence the will of man to bring him to Himself is an insult to His
love and His omnipotence (Isa. 43:13, John 15:16, Rom. 11:32, 2 Thess. 2:11, 2
Tim. 1:9).
Man was born a slave—a slave to sin (Gal 4:3, John 8:34, Rom 6:6, 16). There is
no choice in being birthed in Adam. None of us had a choice in this condition when
we entered this world. We were not sinners by choice for we were ‘born into sin”
being dead in trespasses and sin (Eph 2:1,5). Man was dead to God, dead to
truth, and dead to reality—the Adamic race was not capable of making a choice
or decision for salvation (Eph 2:2-3) but God was not dead to man. We were by
our nature children of wrath—not sinners by choice but sinners by nature. We
were not born free moral agents we were born slaves.
God gave man the dignity of choice—not free will. Neither man nor satan has free
will but rather freedom of choice with God more than able to direct and influence
the choices. Man’s ability to make choices limited by God is not free will. A man
does not have sovereignty in his destiny. Choices are made based on hormonal
makeup, sex, time in history of our birth, our country of birth, and other genetic
dispositions. A choice is made after multiple options are presented—free will is
moving and acting without being prompted from a cause. God holds us
accountable for the choices He has delegated within our authority. He directs us
to conform to choices He has made in His authority. Authority is always limited by
the one who gives it.
Man is totally unable to save himself and to deliver himself from the bondage of
sin because the human spirit is dead from man’s birth. Man of his own ‘free will’
will never make a decision for Christ (John 5:40, 3:19, Mt 23:37). Man cannot
receive God’s grace unless God moves him to. We were reconciled when we
were enemies not when we asked Him to save us (Rom. 5:10). Does the sinner
open his heart to God or does God open man’s heart to receive Him (Acts 16:14,
Rm. 9:16-18, Gal. 1:15-16)? Is one’s salvation dependent on man—or on God?
What is the will of man? It is the faculty of choice. Where there is no preference
but complete indifference there is no volition—no will. To will is to choose
between to alternatives. There is something that influences the will causing a
choice to be made. The will cannot be sovereign because it acts only after a push
for a choice is made—a decision between two or more alternatives. The will is not
causative—but something causes it to choose. Well then, what causes the will to
choose? It is the strongest motivational power which is brought to bear (pressure
applied to choose) upon the will whether it is logic or reason, voice of conscience,
emotions, the whisper of the tempter, or Holy Spirit.
It is the heart and not the will which governs man. Why does a sinner choose sin?
It is because he prefers it—because his heart is sinful. It is not the will which
makes a sinner chose his way but the heart—which directs the will.
The notion that God cannot or will not influence the will of man to bring them unto
Himself is an insult to both His redeeming love and His omnipotence. Now, is the
will of God dependent upon the will of man? It is the will of God moving powerfully
and irresistibility upon the sinner to trust God and realize what has been done in
behalf of the man and not the will of the dead man (John 6:44, 12:32). Because
Jesus died and God through Jesus reconciled the world then He will draw all men
unto Himself. If even a wise man can influence another man’s will how much more
can our All Wise God influence every wise man?
Do you not think it is ironic that men believe God will not violate man’s supposed
free will to save them all the while God’s will for all men to be saved goes
unaccomplished? In Philippians 2:9-11 regarding every knee shall bow—have you
noticed where those knees are located? It says of those “in heaven”, “on earth”,
and “under the earth”. I have had many pastors tell me that this is God forcing the
knees to bow. One pastor in particular told me it references the account of the
Roman soldiers placing a spear in front of one knee and behind the other and
twisting the spear forcing the knees to bow. So, is it in this account only that God’
s will is enforced—but He cannot lovingly bend the will of every man to
submission? Why does “churchology” diminish the will and power of God to flow
under the will of men—who were made in the image of God?
Oftentimes in our study of the character of God, we come up against a doctrinal
wall. It is at this point that we must determine where truth is found. It is also at
this point we come to the conclusion that it is easier to not “rock the church boat”
and be silent than coming to know God in an entirely new way. But sometimes our
heart will win out and we desire and crave to know God—not just about Him.
More often that not—Church doctrine is for the head while truth is for the heart.
Christians have been taught that it is with THEIR faith they accept the Lord and
are then saved? This concept places the responsibility of salvation on men and
not God. What about the origin of faith? Does not the Word define who is the
Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2, Phil 1:6, John 4:34)? God initiates the
process of salvation and He does what is needed to complete the process also.
Even faith is a gift which we cannot obtain without the mercy and love of God first
giving it to man. It is not OUR faith which saves us but it is the faith OF Jesus
which we receive as an unmerited gift (Gal. 2:16). The beginning and ending of
salvation is all God. Man cannot offer anything to the process except praise and
thanksgiving. God does more than merely wish for our salvation—He provides it,
ordains it, and ensures it.