Man Has No Free Will

There has been much theological debating going on down through the ages, of which some of the most hotly debated subjects concern man's free will and God's sovereign election and predestination of His saints. The doctrinal wars of the Calvinists vs. the Armenians have raged on and we find that the Armenians hold to the doctrine that man has a free will in his salvation. (At this point let me say I follow the doctrine of The Bible - I am neither a Calvinist nor an Armenian.) This and other denominational issues have resulted in further schisms being created along the way – which has lead to a divided people holding fast to one or another interpretation of what man has perceived to be his correct interpretation of the Holy Scriptures and how the readings should be understood, preached, taught and applied.

It is the meddling of man in his feeble attempt of trying to interpret God's Word and sadly persuading men to be duped into following their doctrinal views that has caused catastrophic division in and amongst professing believers. Heresy and the heretic has crept into the church building and they are even out on the streets where religious cults are peddling their lies dressed up as Truth in the precious Name of Jesus Christ or cultic religions lacking repentance of sins and trusting in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour (Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and the like fall in this category). There can only be one right way, One Truth. Any other doctrine and gospel being preached that does not appear in the Holy Word of God - in The Bible - is a lie that the devil is using to deceive the masses. His tactics and deceptions have not changed ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God's Commandment not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16,17; 3:1-7), when they listened to the lie of the devil.

The Apostle Paul, writing to the churches of Galatia, warns the brethren that there is no other Gospel!

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another: but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. ~ Galatians 1:6-10

Scripture has many references to keeping the doctrine of God's Word and for this reason let us look at what the Word of God says. As I read Scripture it is evident that God is sovereign, we, in our fallen state, are reprobates and man was created by God to worship Him, to bring Him all the glory and to praise and worship His goodness and His justness. What is interpreted as "man's free will" is nothing more than man wanting to still hold onto self. Man's will is rebellion against God. The only reason why man thinks he has the will to either accept God or reject Him is because man reads into Scripture what man is to do in isolation of Scripture and not reading it with other Scripture. The reason why man calls upon the name of the Lord and confesses and repents of his sins and believes in his heart is as a result of the goodness of God, His sovereign grace and mercy being extended to sinful man. When God calls and draws man to Himself, man doesn't reject God out of a free will. It is because he knows nothing else but rebellion against God which looks as if man is rejecting Him. The natural response to God touching an evil wicked man and showering His grace and mercy on the sinner will result in the wretched sinner falling upon his knees and calling upon the name of the Lord in repentance - not because man had free will to decide, but because this is the natural reaction for a man when God reveals His holy, righteous, perfect mercy to a filthy law-breaking criminal - an unregenerate evil sinner.

In humility, let us hear what God's Word says (emphasis is mine) -

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. ~ John 10:27-30

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. ~ John 15:16

And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. ~ Mark 13:20

To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ~ Romans 1:7

... that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; that I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. ~ Romans 15:31,32

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. ~ Matthew 26:42 (If Jesus came to earth to do the will of his Father, what gives man the right to think he has a free will to choose to accept or reject God. Man is reprobate in his fallen state that he is unable to make any valid decisions of his own accord).

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. ~ John 1:12,13

And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. ~ Acts 21:14

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. ~ Ephesians 5:15-17

For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. ~ 1 Peter 2:15,16

... that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: ~ 1 Peter 4:2,3

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. ~ 1 Peter 4:17-19

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: ~ 1 John 5:14

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ~ Matthew 7:21

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God, Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. ~ John 6:44,45

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ~ 1 Corinthians 2:14

Scripture reveals that none seeks after God. If none seeks after Him then how can man have a free will to accept or reject God? God has given us the Ministry of Reconciliation (see 2 Corinthians 5:11-21) to be "Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20). The Truth is God is the Reconciler not man.

... there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. ~ Romans 3:11

And I seek not mine own glory: there is one who seeketh and judgeth. ~ John 8:50

... for false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. ~ Mark 13:22

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. ~ Romans 1:28

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith: prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. ~ 2 Corinthians 13:5-7

The word reprobate(s) according to the Strongs Concordance means - useless, worthless, deceitful, mean, common, pitiable, inefficient, miserable, cast away, rejected one. To be honest these descriptions do not give credence to a person who could decide right from wrong by free will. The last Word is - God was, is still and always will be Holy, Righteous, Faithfull, Good, Sovereign and Just and "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).