Free will

For over 1500 years there has been heated discussion on this subject.  Your views will decide what message you spread and what methods you use.
We turn from the views of others to the words of our Holy Lord - in Matt 12 vs 33-37 He gives us 3 pictures :-

- a tree, bearing fruit (33).
- a man, bringing treasure from a chest (35).
- a stream, overflowing from a fountain (34 - abundance = overflow).

• Man has a will
  • he has a power of choice and selects his own words, thoughts and deeds
  • he is free to choose what he prefers; what he desires.
  • the will is a vital part of human personality.
  • God never forces people to act against their wills (hornets: Saul).
  • this sort of freedom is essential to responsibility - see Matt 12 vs 36-37 - a man is held responsible for his words because he chose to speak that way.
  • the power of choice is also central to repentance and faith. Rev 22 vs 17.
    - so, in evangelism, we call our hearers to choose.
    - the great guilt of sinners is that they will not come to Christ. John 5 vs 40, Matt 23 vs 37, 2 Thess 1 vs 8.
• Man's will is not neutral
  • this is what some people teach - that the will is as likely to go one way as another (the weathercock turning, whatever the wind).
  • this is not the teaching of our Lord.
  • what a man is determines what he chooses (3 pictures; Mission Control).
  • if this were not so, your will would be an uncontrollable monster, (restaurant; clothes; company).
  • the will is not in a state of neutrality - not a sovereign faculty - not independent of all influences - not supreme over all parts of our personality.
  • so, by itself, it cannot bring a person from sin to righteousness; from unbelief to faith.
• Man's will is in bondage to sin.
  • if the root is bad, the tree cannot produce good fruits.
  • see the other pictures; Jerem 13 vs 23, John 6 vs 44, Rom 8 vs 4.
  • nor are things different when the Gospel is preached to a person.
  • nor is it essential to have a neutral will to held accountable - people are responsible for what they do Matt 12 vs 36-37 even though because of their sinful natures they cannot choose to be anything different. vs 34
  • we also need to remember that God Himself does not have a neutral will. Titus 1 vs 2.
  • nor do the saints in glory - proving that the highest liberty lies in the inability to sin!
  • but men and women on earth commit sin, and are the slaves of sin, and totally unable to be anything except sinners. John 8 vs 34
• Man's will is not his hope.
  • for the fruit to be different, the TREE must be changed!
  • the human will does not have power to change the personality, but only to serve it.
  • all who rely on the human will for the conversion of sinners will be disappointed!
  • the Spirit of God alone can do what needs to be done. John 3 vs 1-13.
  • He actually does regenerate some as we present the Word of God to them. 1 Peter 1 vs 23, Jam 1 vs 18 (Lazarus; impotent man).
  • WE address God's Word to them. Acts 17 vs 30, 1 John 3 vs 23.
  • HE makes them willing in the day of His power. Psalm 110 vs 3.
  • we stand with no power to make the tree good.
  • nor can our gimmicks, plans, drama, dance, etc....
  • it is the work of God's Spirit alone, through His Word.

Therefore .........

"We will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word" Acts 6 vs 4.