The Fountain of our Faith: God or Man? (Part 4)

The freedom of man’s will is our next topic following on from the previous posts (1, 2, & 3).

Here is the best definition that I have found on this subject - man’s free will means that all have the ability to choose as one pleases.

I think most everyone would be happy with that definition. It affirms choice and decision-making capabilities as well as the liberty to do what we like.

So why do we make the choices we do? It is the influence of our heart, desires, motives, as well as external circumstances that inform and persuade the will to choose as it does. To say it another way, the will chooses based upon the strongest motive at the moment - the strongest inclination of the heart or mind at the moment. Consequentially it is not entirely free, but rather serves the mind or heart, our desires. It is not, and cannot be, neutral. A neutral will would involve choice without desire which is like having an effect without any cause.

In one sense then, to say the will is free is not entirely accurate because it is always subservient to something else. But to define it as the ability to choose as one please, I think, takes those other things into account.

[If you would like to read a short more philosophical explanation you can look here]

Would a sinful human being ever be pleased, or his or her own accord, in and of him/herself to choose Christ? Would someone be happy to renounce their own self dependence in favour of surrendering everything they are to Christ and desiring the he increase and they decrease?

I think scripture clearly informs us that this would not be the case. Man left to himself will not, yea, cannot, indeed, does not wish, verily, would never be able to choose Christ, but he would be absolutely free in this decision.

A few quotes to close this post.

First, Martin Luther -
[T]hat is, a man void of the Spirit of God, does not evil against his will as by violence, or as if he were taken by the neck and forced to it, in the same way as a thief or cut-throat is dragged to punishment against his will; but he does it spontaneously, and with a desirous willingness. And this willingness and desire of doing evil he cannot, by his own power, leave off, restrain, or change; but it goes on still desiring and craving. And even if he should be compelled by force to do any thing outwardly to the contrary, yet the craving will within remains averse to, and rises in indignation against that which forces or resists it.

Second, Sam Storms - author of this most helpful book -
But doesn’t God give each of us the opportunity to believe? Doesn’t he confront us with the gospel and say, “Believe in order that you may have life”? Yes, he does. But mankind always, invariably, inevitably, without pause, but no less willingly and voluntarily, says no. Note well. I am not saying that, when confronted with the gospel, a person cannot exercise his or her will. All of us have a will and we are all capable of exercising it in the making of choices. What I am saying is that, when confronted with the gospel, we cannot will well. We are not kept from believing against our wills.

The next question this raises? If man is so dead-set against God and would never choose him in and of himself, how in the world do people get saved?

I’m glad you asked...