early church fathers on the Free Will of man

some quotes from the early church fathers about free will

Ignatius of Antioch-

# If any one is truly religious, he is a man of God; but if he is irreligious, he is a man of the devil, made such, not by nature, but by his own choice.

Polycarp- c. 69 AD-c. 155 AD.

# But Polycarp also was not only instructed by apostles, and conversed with many who had seen Christ, but was also, by apostles in Asia, appointed bishop of the Church in Smyrna, whom I also saw in my early youth, for he tarried [on earth] a very long time, and, when a very old man, gloriously and most nobly suffering martyrdom... 13

Irenaeus- (ca. 130-202)

# Men are Possessed of Free Will, and Endowed with the Faculty of Making a Choice. It is Not True, Therefore, that Some are by Nature Good, and Others Bad.

# Man is Endowed with the Faculty of Distinguishing Good and Evil; So That, Without Compulsion, He Has the Power, by His Own Will and Choice, to Perform God's Commandments, by Doing Which He Avoids the Evils Prepared for the Rebellious.

Justin Martyr- c. 100/114AD – c. 162/168 AD.

# Man acts by his own free will and not by fate.

# We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments, chastisements, and rewards are rendered according to the merit of each man's actions. Otherwise, if all things happen by fate, then nothing is in our own power. For if it be predestined that one man be good and another man evil, then the first is not deserving of praise or the other to be blamed. Unless humans have the power of avoiding evil and choosing good by free choice, they are not accountable for their actions-whatever they may be.... For neither would a man be worthy of reward or praise if he did not of himself choose the good, but was merely created for that end. Likewise, if a man were evil, he would not deserve punishment, since he was not evil of himself, being unable to do anything else than what he was made for.

# But that you may not have a pretext for saying that Christ must have been crucified, and that those who transgressed must have been among your nation, and that the matter could not have been otherwise, I said briefly by anticipation, that God, wishing men and angels to follow His will, resolved to create them free to do righteousness; possessing reason, that they may know by whom they are created, and through whom they, not existing formerly, do now exist; and with a law that they should be judged by Him, if they do anything contrary to right reason: and of ourselves we, men and angels, shall be convicted of having acted sinfully, unless we repent beforehand. But if the word of God foretells that some angels and men shall be certainly punished, it did so because it foreknew that they would be unchangeably [wicked], but not because God had created them so.

Clement of Alexandria (190 AD)

# A man by himself working and toiling at freedom from sinful desires achieves nothing. But if he plainly shows himself to be very eager and earnest about this, he attains it by the addition of the power of God. God works together with willing souls. But if the person abandons his eagerness, the spirit from God is also restrained. To save the unwilling is the act of one using compulsion; but to save the willing, that of one showing grace.

# Neither praise nor condemnation, neither rewards nor punishments, are right if the soul does not have the power of choice and avoidance, if evil is involuntary.

Archelaus (250-300 AD)

All the creatures that God made, He made very good. And He gave to every individual the sense of free will, by which standard He also instituted the law of judgment.... And certainly whoever will, may keep the commandments. Whoever despises them and turns aside to what is contrary to them, shall yet without doubt have to face this law of judgment.... There can be no doubt that every individual, in using his own proper power of will, may shape his course in whatever direction he pleases.

Methodius (260-315 AD)

# Those [pagans] who decide that man does not have free will, but say that he is governed by the unavoidable necessities of fate, are guilty of impiety toward God Himself, making Him out to be the cause and author of human evils.

"I once laboured hard for the free will of man, until the grace of God at length overcame me."

- Augustine -

Clement of Alexandria (190 AD)

# A man by himself working and toiling at freedom from sinful desires achieves nothing. But if he plainly shows himself to be very eager and earnest about this, he attains it by the addition of the power of God. God works together with willing souls. But if the person abandons his eagerness, the spirit from God is also restrained. To save the unwilling is the act of one using compulsion; but to save the willing, that of one showing grace.

[b]I think you forgot these early church fathers which you may find helpful:[/b]

Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. -- James the brother of our Lord

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. -- The Apostle Paul

So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. -- The Apostle Paul

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: -- The Apostle Peter

And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. -- The Lord Jesus

All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. -- The Lord Jesus

Augustine probably have done more damage to christianity then any other man, in [b]my[/b] opinion.

And as for the verses, yes they are scripture, but you know i can give 100 verses speaking of mans free will and our responsibility. You can explain them away, twist them and make them meen other then they plainly says, as many of the ones who can not make a choice by them self.

"thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart"

love is a choice,

Psa 78:67 Moreover [b]he refused[/b] the tabernacle of Joseph, and [b]chose not[/b] the tribe of Ephraim:
Psa 78:68 But [b]chose[/b] the tribe of Judah, [b]the mount Zion which he loved.[/b]

we chose every day every situationn what you are doing, you chose to sin, you chose who you are marrying, you chose the words you speak, and if people could hear and see our thoughts we would be as careful with them as with our words before men, but if we fear God and love HIM we will stop doing things for men, and do them for God, we love because he loved us first, that is true, but we chose this day whom we serve, the surest sign of grace in our life is we love HIM. And that love according to scripture makes us chose to obey HIS commandments.

I was predestined to free will to love HIM.

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

see there? its a door it has a inside and an outside, you need open that door when the Lord knocks. You can stand all day there and believe it will open by itself, but YOU have to do it. Sure the Lord knocks, he must knock first.... but you must WILL to open it.

some scriptures for showing our part and choice in the relationship with God.

Deu 30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
Deu 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
Deu 30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
Deu 30:18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Deu 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Joh 14:15 [b]If[/b] ye love me, keep my commandments.

Joh 15:7 [b]If[/b] ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Rom 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, [b]to every man that worketh good[/b], to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

Paul thinks a man deserves honor and glory that does good, its good brothers to do good! God wants us to will to do good.

wonderful!

1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

see we have to run? we must chose to participate in the race. If you dont want to run you can never win. I never saw a sprinter who dident want to run that won.

1Ti 6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
1Ti 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Timothy must keep the commandment, surly anyone sees he must will to keep it? if he dont want to it does not matter even if he does keep it since God looks at the heart. So we must will to keep his commandments. A choice....

2Ti 2:21 Then [b]if[/b] anyone purifies himself from these, he will be a vessel to honor, having been sanctified and made useful to the Master, having been prepared to every good work.

this word if is a most profitable bible study. If shows clearly there must be a choice so if we purify ourself we will be a vessel to honor. Again no one ever purified himself who did not will to do it. Even if you did, and dident wanna do it really, it will not hold in the day of judgment. The heart thing again

2Jn 1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

1Jn 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

how did Jesus walk?

did he chose to follow the Fathers will or was he forced to?

is love forces or by free will? do you chose to love God today? not speaking as salvation or the predestination part, but if you and i are saved do we chose by our free will to love God?

[url=http://www.evangelicalarminians.com/files/Wesley.%20PREDESTINATION%20CALMLY%20CONSIDERED.pdf]Predestination calmly considered by Wesley[/url] is recomended little book, and to help those who have not so much time, please read from point 45(about) and a few pages forth, he speaks very good i think on the free will of man and in my opinion keeps the whole of scripture in balance. Without violating several other parts while explaining.

I would post it here, but the PDF make it look all messed up, so help yourself :-)

we chose every day every situationn what you are doing, you chose to sin, you chose who you are marrying, you chose the words you speak, and if people could hear and see our thoughts we would be as careful with them as with our words before men, but if we fear God and love HIM we will stop doing things for men, and do them for God, we love because he loved us first, that is true, but we chose this day whom we serve, the surest sign of grace in our life is we love HIM. And that love according to scripture makes us chose to obey HIS commandments.

We all make daily decisions. The 'free will' debate is not about whether or not we can make choices.

____________________________________________

I heard an evangelist use two analogies to describe what happens in our redemption. He said sin has such a strong hold on us, a stranglehold, that it’s like a person who can’t swim, who falls overboard in a raging sea, and he’s going under for the third time and only the tops of his fingers are still above the water; and unless someone intervenes to rescue him, he has no hope of survival, his death is certain. And unless God throws him a life preserver, he can’t possibly be rescued. And not only must God throw him a life preserver in the general vicinity of where he is, but that life preserver has to hit him right where his fingers are still extended out of the water, and hit him so that he can grasp hold of it. It has to be perfectly pitched. But still that man will drown unless he takes his fingers and curls them around the life preserver and God will rescue him. But unless that tiny little human action is done, he will surely perish.

The other analogy is this: A man is desperately ill, sick unto death, lying in his hospital bed with a disease that is fatal. There is no way he can be cured unless somebody from outside comes up with a cure, a medicine that will take care of this fatal disease. And God has the cure and walks into the room with the medicine. But the man is so weak he can’t even help himself to the medicine; God has to pour it on the spoon. The man is so sick he’s almost comatose. He can’t even open his mouth, and God has to lean over and open up his mouth for him. God has to bring the spoon to the man’s lips, but the man still has to swallow it.

Now, if we’re going to use analogies, let’s be accurate. The man isn’t going under for the third time; he is stone cold dead at the bottom of the ocean. That’s where you once were when you were dead in sin and trespasses and walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air. And while you were dead hath God quickened you together with Christ. God dove to the bottom of the sea and took that drowned corpse and breathed into it the breath of his life and raised you from the dead. And it’s not that you were dying in a hospital bed of a certain illness, but rather, when you were born you were born D.O.A. That’s what the Bible says: that we are morally stillborn.

Do we have a will? Yes, of course we have a will. Calvin said, if you mean by a free will a faculty of choosing by which you have the power within yourself to choose what you desire, then we all have free will. If you mean by free will the ability for fallen human beings to incline themselves and exercise that will to choose the things of God without the prior monergistic work of regeneration then, said Calvin, free will is far too grandiose a term to apply to a human being.

The semi-Pelagian doctrine of free will prevalent in the evangelical world today is a pagan view that denies the captivity of the human heart to sin. It underestimates the stranglehold that sin has upon us. RC Sproul

Taylor,

There's plenty of Scripture to back up our side, too. Plus, I believe the whole of the Scriptures back up that man has free will, even though you will never find "free will" specifically in the Bible.

"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD,[b] choose you[/b] this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." -Joshua 24:15

The semi-Pelagian doctrine of free will prevalent in the evangelical world today is a pagan view that denies the captivity of the human heart to sin. It underestimates the stranglehold that sin has upon us. RC Sproul

Total depravity, yes. Total inability, no.

It is in the asking.

Tjservant, I hope you don't mind me engaging you in this discussion. I've noticed over time that you're leaning very strongly to Calvinist view of 'election' and you would pull up Spurgeon's sayings or J C Ryle's election that it is not the lack of human election that causes man to go to hell which on the surface would make it more palatable to human reasoning. The thing is, true Calvinist doctrine (which Spurgeon certainly agree with) is merely saying that unelected man is NOT WILLING (and not CANNOT) to come to God because they hate Him--hence they are guilty. (Thus, in effect its man's responsibility for not coming to God and hence that's why they go to hell--it's all the non-elect's fault--that's how they justify it). But in the same breath they will say that for the elect (in Paul Washer's viewpoint which is basically Calvinist viewpoint too), one is 'dead', so in order for the elect to come to God, God has to yank the chain, pull aside the curtain, open their eyes. Now by then, they have knowledge of God, but the elect will still not come to God because they hate Him. So God has to take out the heart of stone and put in the heart of flesh (so that the elect will want to come to God).

Can't you see the illogic in this. The non elect Will NOT come to God because they hate him (since God obviously hasn't and won't change their hearts), yet the elect will only come to God only when God changes the elect's heart. Now, so long as God has not change the elect's heart, the elect will not come to Him (after all they are 'still dead'). But yet, we impose this responsibility and say its wrong (an immoral decision by the non-elects for NOT WILLING to come to God and hence the non-elect are going to hell because after all we are all sinners). No, my friend, I don't think that this doctrine is right at all.

There is seemingly a contradiction between God's election and man's ability (but it is not as ungenerous and unmerciful as what Calvinists would imagine). How many times is it in the bible that God desires mercy and that God is merciful. For Calvinists to say that God is merciful (based on the earlier paragraphs ie basically the mercy lasts for around 70 years ie the human lifespan) but then cast the non-elect to hell because they are NOT WILLING to come to HIM since God've not changed their hearts)--now, how can that be considered merciful? Even a kid can say that.

Just ask a kid, if I give you bread for 70 years (ie in adult language, the sun will still shine on wicked people), but after that for all eternity, I will let you starve(just because you WILL NOT ask me for bread since I've not make you want to ask me for bread because I've not changed your heart for you to want to ask me for bread even though you need it) --can that be considered merciful? The kid will answer you back, dad if I WILL NOT ask you for bread because you have not changed my heart, how can I still be responsible? How can you be considered merciful to me? Perhaps you have misunderstood the bible meaning. Perhaps this is something that God does not want us to know how HE works--maybe we should not try so hard to try to be logical because by doing so, we are even more illogical. And by being willing to say we don't understand how it works and not try to force a doctrine, we are not saying that God is wringing his hands and depending on us to say yes to Him. (which is what Calvinists like to say of those that do not agree with them)

I remember the bible saying, that we should understand it like a child. Isn't it better to admit like a child, that its something that we don't understand, instead of trying to force illogical statements in order to satisfy those that already presumed they are elected? When people think that they are elected, its always easier to submit to illogical statements. They may read (although with the most honest intent) it word for word but miss the HEART (or GIST) of it all.

In the Hindu culture (in the olden days), there were caste systems (I think the highest/most privilege was Brahmins and the lowest was Shudras). I highly suspect that it wasn't the Shudras that invented this caste system but the Brahmins that invented it.

I don't agree with Arminiasm but neither do I agree with Calvinism

Edit: I've just edited some parts. Sorry, this is a bad habit of mine that I tend to edit my posts after posting.

Hello brother learn

When we attempt to reason and find answers in the scriptures, whose logic are we using?

Modern logic will not tolerate a God that chooses not to reveal all His ways. They must find 'logic' and 'consistency' where the Bible does not give any.

Take the Trinity for example:

100% man…100% God. That is 200%. You cannot have 200% of something.

This is completely illogical and totally inconsistent, yet absolutely true.

The finite human mind is not capable of comprehending this seemingly inconsistent set of facts. We must simply accept it as truth because it is truth…not because we understand it.

I believe in unconditional election. If you go to heaven it is because you are one of God’s elect. God is responsible.

I believe in the responsibility of the believer. If you go to hell it is because of your unbelief. You are responsible.

I believe in unconditional election and the responsibility of the believer because I believe the Bible clearly teaches that both are true.

Is this inconsistent and or illogical?

Is it more inconsistent and or illogical than the Trinity?

The logic of the Hebrews was much more akin to that of King David's. A logic that often said things like, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it."(Psalm 139:6) This way of thinking did not require them to stuff their God into a box they could fully understand. They were at peace with their God that said things like, "my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…"(Isaiah 55:8) It was not irrational or inconsistent…it was simply God's way and they did not need to fully understand it in order for it to be true.

The problem is not in believing that both are true, the problem comes in attempting to harmonize God's sovereignty with man's responsibility.

We must let God be God and stop trying to stuff Him into a box that we can wrap our finite human minds around. The box of human understanding is much too small to contain the ways of our infinite God

Our minds are limited…His is not.

I believe the fact that paradox is found in the Bible is one of the greatest proofs that the Bible was written by God. Man would never have been able to leave so many ‘seemingly’ inconsistent ideas in it.

God is the only one who can understand how it all comes together, and that is His problem, not mine.

To challenge this, one must demonstrate how an alternate understanding is more compatible with the biblical texts, rather than demonstrate how it is more compatible with one's presuppositions or how it leaves one with a more "comfortable" answer.

Perhaps it is better that we simply accept that sovereign election and human responsibility are theological aspects that will never be solved with any degree of certainty this side of glory.

Psalm 139:6
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.

Isaiah 55:8
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord

just rambling...

Grace and peace

Tjservant, you misunderstood me completely. Maybe if you were to read again, you will note that what I'm saying is that man's ability and God's election is something that we cannot comprehend and seemingly in contradiction with one another, and this is something that we have to accept without trying to twist it into another meaning as what Calvinist doctrine is doing. Calvinist doctrine is trying to say that since the non-elect will not go to God, they are guilty(please note its because God has not changed the non-elect hearts, that's why the non-elect WILL NOT go to God). At the same time, the elect willl only go to God AFTER God has changed the elects' hearts so that the elect will want to go to God. The Calvinist is trying to get the non-elect to admit guilty on something that they will not do so (since their hearts ARE AND WILL NOT BE CHANGED BY GOD). What responsibility is that? The Calvinist will then say its a contradiction between man's responsibility and God's election. The thing is Calvinists are not allowing any chance for the non-elect to even make a choice/ability although they will put in their doctrine 'man is responsible'

The thing is when you pull out part of the sayings of Spurgeon and J C Ryle and part of Calvinist doctrine, the wrong impression is given to those that do not really know Calvinist doctrine and thus they think that Calvinist doctrine is correct, after all they admit its a contradiction. But the contradiction they admit is not a correct contradiction, its a false contradiction. A more feasible contradiction will be God elect but man still has the ability to come to God. A false contradiction is what Calvinist doctrine as stated in earlier paragraph is. In fact, some Calvinists such as Paul Washer will tell you, its actually logical (ie giving the impression that its not a contradiction in the first place, after all according to them, man is NOT WILLING (ie not cannot, but will not)--thus an immoral decision which they will be judged for)--but bear in mind, the non-elect WILL NOT is because GOD WILL NOT change the non-elect's heart to accept HIM. If one were to really look at Calvinist doctrine, then one will realise what is really being taught (as explained in my earlier post).

Peace

Tjservant, you misunderstood me completely. Maybe if you were to read again...

Perhaps I understand…and simply disagree.

I wish you well brother

Grace and peace

tjservant wrote:

Tjservant, you misunderstood me completely. Maybe if you were to read again...

Perhaps I understand…and simply disagree.

I wish you well brother

Grace and peace

Perhaps you understand but from your earlier post the way you wrote, doesn't seem so to me at all. I'll let it rest though. However, I would plead with you that when you pull out parts of what Spurgeon says, it gives the wrong understanding of what Calvinism is to those that are not really familiar with them.

Peace.

Perhaps we do not share the same understanding of Calvinism. You may believe I am giving a false presentation of it to others. I may believe the same of you.

I too will let it rest.

I love all.

It matters not whether you are an A or a C. I simply enjoy discussing it. I have never tried to lead anyone astray, just looking for truth…no matter what ‘label’ man puts on it.

Grace and peace

Hi tjservant...

I believe in unconditional election. If you go to heaven it is because you are one of God’s elect. God is responsible.

I believe in the responsibility of the believer. If you go to hell it is because of your unbelief. You are responsible.

My wife responded that she didn't believe in the notion that our lives are predestined in the sense we have no free will. She said, "[i]If a person jumps in front of an 18 wheeler that is traveling at 80 mph in western Texas -- then it is his time to go[/i]. How? This person's free will caused him to meet a death that was already realized by a God sitting in an infinite Eternity looking down this temporary world.

I am amazed with people who don't believe in free will! It is as if our decisions no longer matter! Yet God has REQUIRED that men call upon his Name! He is NO RESPECTOR of persons. He didn't choose some above others. His love was so great that He gave his very life for the ENTIRE WORLD -- and the entire world has the opportunity to call upon the Name of the Lord.

Furthermore, I haven't met anyone who doesn't exercise his/her free will everyday. We freely choose to continue in our walk with God rather than give into the temptations of this life (the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life). The Bible is clear about those who continue in sin.

I suppose that a question should be asked: Can a person who has believed in Christ, called upon His Name (in truth), and chosen to walk with Him -- can such a person return to a life of sin (via free will regarding the temptations and cares of this life)? I have known several people who have. And I haven't met a person alive who hasn't (at one time or another) struggled with such temptations of this world.

Can a person walk with God and then fall away?

Just something to think about...

tjservant wrote:
Perhaps we do not share the same understanding of Calvinism. You may believe I am giving a false presentation of it to others. I may believe the same of you.

I too will let it rest.

I love all.

It matters not whether you are an A or a C. I simply enjoy discussing it. I have never tried to lead anyone astray, just looking for truth…no matter what ‘label’ man puts on it.

Grace and peace

Tjservant,

I'm not saying that you are purposely trying to misled others. I'm just sharing what others may view when you post part of certain people's doctrines that may not be fully representative and may be misleading to others. You can say the same about me and others too. I understand.

I already know from previous posts that you like to discuss doctrines. But please also bear in mind, this is a forum that is visited by many people. We also have to be aware that what we write may and will have impact on others that do not wish to post.

Peace

These quotes clearly show that men have always had opinions about the scriptures.

I too made these arguments with sincerity against the Lord's saving grace. Then I loved a Sacrifice but not the Savior; the 'atonement' I believed in did not propitiate at the cross and was only effectual through my works of cooperative belief and ceasing from sin. To me at that time, Christ's death accomplished nothing but to hope in my decisive willingness.

These wrestlings about the will are grievous. The sound is akin to a child explaining his existence without an understanding of reproduction and birth. "I must have made myself," he says, "and given myself as a gift to my parents who were kind enough to accept me."

Perhaps the Father shall pull him aside and explain where infants come from.

Certainly my knowledge of this mystery came not from a great personal intellect, but from the Spirit who reveals such truth throughout the Word. For instance, please consider the grammatical construction of the following passage in John's Gospel. Recognize the cause and effect, the analogy and its reality.

"As many as received him, to them [b]gave he power[/b] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which [b]were born[/b], [u]not[/u] of blood, [u][b]nor[/b] of the will of the flesh[/u], [b][u]nor[/b] of the will of man[/u], but of [b]God[/b]."

Evidently, the power to become a son of God is prerequisite to believing on Christ. This power is sovereignly given by God to those He chooses. Those who do receive this power are in that instant born again of God's Spirit and willingly receive Christ.

This is best understood by explaining the relationship of the Will to the Nature, and by knowing the origin of ones Nature.

[b]Whatever is born receives the Nature of that which bore it.[/b] The Nature is the source of preferences, instincts, and desires. It is the Nature which informs the Will of what it perceives as most desirable. The Will always receives the council of the Nature and acts compliantly. [b]The Will never contradicts the greatest impulse of the Nature[/b], for the Will is servant of the Nature, and gives Nature what it desires.

You have heard of otherwise moral men who used deciet to save their lives. They did not lie because they enjoyed lying, but were overcome by a desire to preserve the life they loved. Their wills were informed of two natural desires, one to be moral and another to survive. The Will made its choice based upon the greatest impulse of the nature, which was to live. When you will that which you do not entirely prefer, it is because you have an even greater preference for the thing which you at last will.

Those born of Adam have his sinful nature. The sinful Nature derives satisfaction from self-rule. It is in rebellion to the Law of God. For this reason Natural man willingly chooses sin and self-righteousness over Christ's commands to repent and believe. He has no holy desire for the Lord and Life. "The natural man receives not the things of the spirit, for they are foolishness to him." Were you an exception? Were you wise? No, you were natural. "The carnal mind is not subject to the Law of God, nor indeed can be."

How then does one become free of his natural impulses? He must be born again into a new, spiritual nature. As all men, you once "loved darkness and did not come to the light for your deeds were evil." If you have been born again, you have received the imparted spiritual nature of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit has come upon your unregenerate soul with a birthing power that circumvented activities of the will, to change your nature. The new spiritual nature carries new desires, to repent and believe the gospel, and these desires stimulated the will to act differently.

For this reason the cause of spiritual birth is "not of the will of the flesh", "for the flesh profits nothing."

What do the scriptures say about the captivity of the will to the sinful nature?

[b]Is man basically good or basically evil?[/b]

* Ecclesiastes 7:29 - "Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices."
* Romans 5:7-8 - For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
* Romans 5:12,19 - through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned... through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners
* Job 15:14-16 - "What is man, that he should be pure, or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in His sight; how much less one who is detestable and corrupt, man, who drinks iniquity like water!"

c.f. Job 25:4-6; Ecclesiastes 9:3

[b]All men? Are there any exceptions?[/b]

* Psalm 143:2 - And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no man living is righteous.
* Galatians 3:22 - the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin
* Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
* Isaiah 53:6 - All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;
* 2 Chronicles 6:36 - there is no man who does not sin
* Romans 3:9-12 - What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, "There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one. (c.f. Psalm 14:1-3, 53:1-3)
* 1 John 1:8,10 - If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we say we have not sinned, we make [God] a liar and His word is not in us.
* Mark 10:18/Luke 18:19 - And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone."

c.f. 1 Kings 8:46; 116:11, 130:3, 143:2; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Jeremiah 2:29; Micah 7:2-4, Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19; James 3:2; etc., etc.

[b]Are people good deep down?[/b]

* Mark 7:21-23 - "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."
* Psalm 5:9 - There is nothing reliable in what they say; their inward part is destruction itself. Their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.

[b]Are men totally depraved? Is every faculty of the person corrupted?
Heart/Thoughts (Deceitful)[/b]

* Jeremiah 17:9 - "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?"
* Ecclesiastes 9:3 - the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.
* Genesis 6:5 & 8:21 - Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually... from youth.
* Psalm 36:1-2 - Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. For it flatters him in his own eyes concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it.
* Proverbs 28:26 - He who trusts in his own heart is a fool

c.f. Psalm 58:4-5; Ecclesiastes 8:11; Ezekiel 11:19, 36:26; Psalm 94:11; Mark 7:21-23

Mind/Understanding (Depraved)[/b]

* Romans 1:28-31 - And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being... without understanding
* Titus 1:15-16 - to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled
* Ephesians 4:17-18 - So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;
* Jeremiah 10:7-8,14 - For among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You. But they are altogether stupid and foolish. Every man is stupid, devoid of knowledge

[b]Will/Choosing (Enslaved)[/b]

* John 8:34 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin."
* 2 Peter 2:19 - by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.
* Titus 3:3 - For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
* Galatians 4:8-9 - However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?
* Romans 6:6 - our old self was crucified with Him... so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient... and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
* Romans 7:14 - For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.
* Romans 6:20 - For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
* 2 Timothy 2:25-26 - if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

c.f. Isaiah 42:6-7; John 8:31-32,36

[b]Affections/Desires (Perverted)[/b]

* Romans 1:24-27 - Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
* 2 Timothy 3:2-4 - For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
* Proverbs 21:10 - The soul of the wicked desires evil
* Isaiah 32:6 - For a fool speaks nonsense, and his heart inclines toward wickedness
* John 3:19 - "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil."
* John 8:44 - "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father."

c.f. Genesis 3:16; Psalm 4:2, 140:8; Proverbs 10:23; 2 Peter 2:13

[b]et al (Utter Ruin)[/b]

* Titus 1:15-16 - to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled
* Romans 7:18 - I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh
* Isaiah 1:5-6 - The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head there is nothing sound in it, only bruises, welts and raw wounds, not pressed out or bandaged, nor softened with oil.

[b]Can men change themselves or still do good when they want to?[/b]

* Jeremiah 13:23 - Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good who are accustomed to doing evil.
* Job 11:12 - An idiot will become intelligent When the foal of a wild donkey is born a man.
* 1 Samuel 24:13 - "As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness'"
* Matthew 7:18 - "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit." (c.f. Luke 6:43)
* Romans 8:7 - the mind set on the flesh... does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so
* Genesis 6:5 & 8:21 - Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually... from youth.
* Titus 1:15-16 - to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

c.f. Job 14:4; Matthew 12:34; John 15:5; Romans 14:23

[b]Are men at least born pure? What about the "tabula rasa"?[/b]

* Psalm 51:5 - Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.
* Psalm 58:3 - The wicked are estranged from the womb; those who speak lies go astray from birth.
* Genesis 8:21 - the Lord said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth

c.f. Proverbs 21:8, 22:15; Isaiah 48:8

[b]What is the natural disposition of man toward God?[/b]

* John 3:20 - "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."
* Romans 8:7-8 - the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
* Colossians 1:21 - you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds
* James 4:4 - You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

c.f. Romans 1:28-30

[b]What is man's relationship to God?[/b]

* Psalm 58:3 - The wicked are estranged from the womb; those who speak lies go astray from birth.
* Ephesians 2:12-13 - remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
* Ephesians 2:3 - Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

c.f. Isaiah 59:2

[b]Can man then do anything to please God?[/b]

* Proverbs 15:9 - The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord
* Proverbs 15:8/21:27 - The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord
* Proverbs 28:9 - He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
* Isaiah 64:6 - For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
* Romans 8:7-8 - the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
* Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please [God]

c.f. Psalm 50:16; Proverbs 21:4; Isaiah 1:10-15; Amos 5:21-24

[b]Are men at least seeking God?[/b]

* John 3:20 - "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."
* Isaiah 65:1 - "I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me."
* Isaiah 64:7 - There is no one who calls on Your name, who arouses himself to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and have delivered us into the power of our iniquities.
* Romans 3:10-12 - "there is none who seeks for God"

c.f. Romans 10:20

[b]Can the natural man comprehend the gospel or come to saving knowledge of God on his own?[/b]

* 1 Corinthians 2:14 - But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
* 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 - our gospel is veiled... to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
* 1 Corinthians 1:18,21-24 - For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Crist crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness
* Matthew 11:27 - "no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.'

c.f. Psalm 119:18; Proverbs 4:19; Isaiah 42:6-7; Hosea ;14:9; Matthew 16:17; John 8:43; Ephesians 4:17-19; 2 Corinthians 2:15-16; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; 1 John 5:20

[b]Can men of themselves accept God's gift of salvation? Do men choose God or come to Him on their own?[/b]

* John 3:27 - John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven."
* John 14:16 - "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him
* John 1:12-13 - But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
* John 6:44 & 64 - "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;" And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father."
* Romans 9:16 - So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.
* Romans 11:35-36 - Or who has first given to [the Lord] that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.
* 1 Corinthians 1:30 - But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus
* Philippians 2:13 - for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

c.f. Jonah 2:9; Zephaniah 3:9; John 15:16; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Philippians 1:6; James 1:18

[b]Who supplies faith/belief/repentance?[/b]

* Romans 12:3 - God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
* 2 Peter 1:1 - Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours
* Acts 5:31 - "He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
* Acts 11:18 - When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."
* Philippians 1:29 - For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake... to believe in Him
* Acts 18:27 - And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace
* Acts 3:16 - "And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all."
* Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
* 2 Timothy 2:25 - The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, [etc.]... if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth
* 1 Corinthians 12:3 - no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit
* 2 Peter 1:3 - His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence
* Romans 11:36 - For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
* John 3:6 & 6:63 - "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit... It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing;"

c.f. 1 Chronicles 29:14; John 5:44; Ephesians 6:23; 1 Corinthians 4:7

[b]Can men do anything to help themselves?[/b]

* Romans 5:6 - For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
* Ephesians 2:5 - even when we were dead in our transgressions, [God] made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)

c.f. Psalm 49:7-9; Jeremiah 2:22; Ezekiel 16:6, 37:1-3

[b]Who then can be saved?![/b]

* Matthew 19:26 - Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

c.f. Mark 10:27; Luke 18:27

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[url=http://www.lgmarshall.org/Pink/pink_depravity.html]A. W. Pink - Total Depravity[/url]