Free Will, What is it and Do we have it?

Scheme 3

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We all have a free will so we can do what we want

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Matthew 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

 

Free Will vs Free Choice vs Free Ability

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Does man have a free will. Can man do what he wants. Satan wants us to believe that we have a free will. Nowhere in the bible is the concept of Man having a free will taught or suggested.

Let’s look at this scripture: Galatians 5:17

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. The critical statement is “You cannot do the things you would”. If having a free will means that you can do what you want then you should be able to do what you want. One reason why you cannot do what you want is because there are two forces in your life that are creating a tension in your Christian life. There is the force of the flesh and the force of the spirit. The reality is that they are fighting against each other and you cannot do the things that you want.

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The Omnipresence of evil

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Romans 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do… I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

There is actually an operational law. The Law says that evil is ever present. The child of God will be saved from the actual presence of sin when Christ comes. But until Christ comes, evil is present with you. Because evil is present with you cannot have a free will.

The serpent wants us to believe we have a free will, to trick us into believing that we can do what we want when we want. He wants you to  believe that you can make a decision whenever you want. He deceives you into thinking so, in the mean time he is working night and day to season you and get you unbreakable and unmoveable. To reach the stage which the scripture describes as “having the conscience seared with a hot iron”. The majority of the world believes that they have a free will, they can do what they want. That’s a lie from the devil.

 

 

Matthew 8:2

And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

 

Ability Plus Willingness Equal success

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The leper was intelligent to know that even though the cattle on a thousand hills are God’s you may not have any. Because God is not willing for you to have a sheep. For you to have what you want, will and skill must come together. The leper knows that Jesus Christ can, of course he can. To be able to do what you want, you must have the resources and ability to do what you want to do and you must have the willingness to do it. Pharoah said:

Exodus 15:9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

We know what was the end of Pharoah. Even though Pharoah was very willing but he surely did not have the ability to do what he wanted.

 The three reasons

1. Evil is present with you

2. There are counteracting  forces

3. The Mis-match of will and skill

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What do you Have?

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God has given you a freedom of choice. You are free to make choices. Your choice may be approved or disapproved by God. Samuel chose Eliab but God says “This is not it”.

1 Sam. 16: 5-7  And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. 7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

And again he said to Saul Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. He himself said: Acts 20:22  And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there.

Even Jesus Christ himself said, “Nevertheless, not my will but thy will be done”. You cannot have a free will to do what you want if God’s  will must take precedence. You will have a freedom to choose but the ability to execute what you choose is constrained by

1. the presence of evil

2. the countervailing forces

3. the presidency of God

4. the Mis-match of will and skill.

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So you have a freedom to will, to chose, but not a freedom to do as you will. 

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What do you think?

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