Are we in any sense free if God exercises providential control over all events? I venture to say that the answer depends on what is meant by the word free. I think everyone would agree that we are in some sense free in our will and choices that we make, however the term “free” is subject to many misunderstandings and mis-interpretations.
If man is by nature evil and by nature does evil (Psalm 53:3b “…there is no one who does good, not even one.”) then how can man be able to do good works, unless he is helped by grace? And if man is helped by the grace of God to do good works, how then was his choice to do them completely on his own free will? Isaiah gives a good example of what a mans righteousness is like when he does it on his own. (Isaiah 64:6 “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”)
The statment “free will” immediatly brings to my mind the thought, that if man is completely free then he is the master of himself uncontrolled by God who is supposed to be in control of all things. Calvin explains it better than I ever could:
“But how few men are there, I ask, who when they hear free will attributed to man do not immediately conceive him to be master of both his own mind and will, able of his own power to turn himself toward either good or evil.” — John Calvin
If man is completely free to turn himself toward either good or evil, then man can never turn himself toward good because his fallen sinful nature will always slant towards evil. It takes Godly intervention, providence, and grace to bring men to righteous acts, and in that sense we have freedom, but not complete freedom.
I think a major problem is that people throw the term “free will” around without properly defining what it means. When the question is asked do we have free will it is important to be clear as to what is meant by that phrase. According to Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, “Scripture nowhere says that we are ‘free’ in the sense of being outside of God’s control or of being able to make decisions that are not caused by anything. (This is the sense in which many people seem to assume we must be free.) Nor does it say we are ‘free’ in the sense of being able to do right on our own apart from God’s power. But we are nonetheless free in the greatest sense that any creature of God could be free–we make willing choices, choices that have real effects. We are aware of no restraints on our will from God when we make decisions. We must insist that we have the power of willing choice; otherwise we will fall into the error of fatalism or determinism and thus conclude that our choices do not matter, or that we cannot really make willing choices. On the other hand, the kind of freedom that is demanded by those who deny God’s providential control of all things, a freedom to be outside of God’s sustaining and controllilng activity, would be impossible if Jesus Christ is indeed ‘continually carrying along things by his word of power.’ If this is true, then to be outside of that providentioal control would simply be not to exist! An absolute “freedom,” totally free of God’s control, is simply not possible in a world providentially sustained and directed by God himself.”
I am convinced that people have a false understanding of what it means to be free. Many believe that they have complete and total freedom and their choices are not influenced by anything outside of themselves. I see no Biblical evidence of that. In fact Biblically that senario cannot exist because God’s Word says that all things are providentially sustained and directed by God himself therefore an absolute freedom completely free of God’s control is simply not possible.
We cannot in anyway deny Gods providence. God is in control of all things that he has created, including us. We also cannot deny our ability to make willing choices that have real effects. So how can we be under God’s providence and still have free will? This is where we have to realize that our finite human capacity for understaning can only go so far. And just like we cannot fully conceive or understand the implications of the trinity, we also cannot understand fully how God’s providence and free will can go hand in hand.
Pressed
Great entry, Pressed. I, too, have been involved in many debates concerning this question. I finally came to the conclusion that we do not have a “free will” in the sense that we posses total freedom to do whatever we want in our lives–inside or outside of the reign of Christ. What we do have is the ability to make choices. If we make choices in obedience to the Word of God, we will reap blessings. If we make choices to please the sinful nature, we will reap distruction. You see, these choices are still the control of God…both recieve consequences. All of this lines up with Galations 6:7-8. You really nailed some great points. Thanks for this reminder.
It is my belief that we have “free will”, it that God allows us to do good or bad. But ultimately it must be permitted by God, whatever our choice may be.
Regarding salvation, the Bible does say that there is no one who does good not even one. It also says that we as Christians were chosen, predestined before the formation of the world. We are also born with a sinful nature. So does this mean that we have no choice in our own salvation, since none of us are good? How can we choose God, if we are evil from birth? The truth is we do not choose God, God chooses us, that is intially. We can not come to salvation just because one day we think it sounds like a good idea. But when we come under conviction, we have a decision to make.
We can choose God or choose death. God chooses us in that he comes to us first. Not everybody who comes under conviction, and realizes their sinful state, will become saved, contrary to what staunch calvinists believe. What about the rich young ruler? He obviously sought after Jesus to some degree but could not committ.
Jeremiah 29:13 says “you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” It is my opinion that EVERYONE in the entire world is faced with a decision to either choose or reject God. Isaiah 52:16 says, “for what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.” The verse is taken out of prophecies concerning the Messiah. It takes care of the question, “what about people who never here the gospel?”
I would like to continue this conversation.
Stuart
I am afraid that I cannot agree with you on the passage Isaiah 52:16. You are correct in saying that this passage is part of the prophecies concerning the Messiah, but it in no way addresses the issue, and to say that it does is taking the passage completely out of context and making the Bible say something it really doesn’t say. It is saying that Jesus is going to suffer, but that suffering would lead to the “sprinkling” or cleansing of many (not all) nations. When it says “for what THEY were not told, THEY will see” it is referring to the kings that the very same verse refers to as those who will “shut their mouths because of him.” Meaning they will be astonished at Him. “For that which had not been told them” refers to the mystery of the gospel that was so long concealed. The redemption of the world by Jesus Christ; the conversion of the Gentiles, and making them one flock with the converted Jews is the issue dealt with here.
We see that reinforced once again when Paul himself repeats this verse and refers to it as divine approval for his ministry to people (gentiles) who have never heard. I think that this means that even though people were not told about Jesus nor did they hear about Jesus before it all happened, they now get to hear and see, such as the gentiles.
My understanding of what you said is that people who “do not hear the gospel” are still in some way presented with a choice to accept him or not to accept him. I don’t think this passage in anyway says that people who have never heard the gospel would be able to see or understand salvation without hearing it. And I think the Bible is quite clear that people have to HEAR the gospel in order to believe.
Romans 10:14 “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not HEARD? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
Romans 10:17, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the messsage, and the message is heard through the word of Christ”
This is still something that is under construction in my mind. Meditate on this, I will.