Subject: What is Free Will? |
Bible Note: Lionstrong; "The Bible is the revelation of an infinite mind that presents all sides of the truth ... We are not to try to explain away the clear teaching of the Word of God as to the sovereignty of God on the one hand, nor the clear teaching of the Word of God as to the freedom of the human will on the other hand." (Dr. R.A. Torrey: The Importance and Value of Proper Bible Study). All offers of salvation in the NT are directed to the will, of the being that has been made alive at the time of regeneration All men are invited to accept the salvation that God has provided in Jesus Christ. “Whosoevr will” (Rev. 22:17) means just what it says (Dr. Harry A. Ironside) Rev. 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Lets dig into that verse… 1. the Spirit calls us to “come” (that’s the Spirit’s invitation, He inititates the whole salvation process, not we) 2. those that hear call back in response “Come” (come into my heart Lord Jesus) 3. let those who are thristy come 4. “whosoever will” let him take the water of life freely (notice we must reach out and take what we have been invited to take, and that is the free gift of life. 5. “whosoever will” means whosoever will, and on the negative side of this it means whosoever won’t, nevertheless, the offer is extended to all. How can man be held accountable to God for his actions in judgment without freewill? Do those who die unbelivers get judged for something that they could not be responsible for? What kind of God would judge someone for his or her inability? Is it fair to send someone to hell for sins he was forced to commit having no freewill? John 5:40 And YE WILL NOT COME to me, that ye might have life. "the work of conversion is the response of the heart and mind to the conviction. the Spirit's work is to convict, but He never forces the person who is convicted to respond to conversion against his own will. Man is a free moral agent. He has the precious heritage of liberty, a gift from God, and the Holy Spirit of God respects that right. " (L. Strauss) "Whosoever believes shall be saved" John 3:16 (Not whosoever God makes a believer) |