To Frank, 23 Reasons Why “FREEWILL” Is Bull.

Dear Frank,

Our God is great and mighty. I enjoyed your letter. I am writing so you might know further why I feel there is something wrong with the teaching of “FREEWILL”.

1. The Bible never uses the word FREEWILL or FREECHOICE.

2. The Bible says to have a pattern (stencil) of sound words. (II Tim 1:13)

3. The Bible says not to go beyond what is written. (I Cor 4:6)

4. Also we are told that God is operating all things after the council of His own will. (Eph 1:11)

5. And we are told no one can come to Christ if it should not be Given to him of the Father. (John 6:65)

6. We are told creation was subjected to vanity against its will. (Rom 8:20)

7. We are told that human will and effort does not matter. (Rom. 9:16)

8. That God hardens whom He will. (Rom 9:18)

9. That the potter has the right over the clay. (Rom. 9:21)

10. That a man can not get anything if it should not be given him out of heaven. (John 3:27)

11. We are told at least twice that faith is a gift. (See Philippians 1:29 and Eph. 2:8) Can we truly blame someone who has not been given faith?

12. If we work out our salvation it is only because it is God who is working in us to work it out. (Phil. 2:13)

13. We are also told repeatedly that All is of God. (Rom 11:36, II Cor 5:18)

14. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, saved Paul against his will, forced Jonah to preach at Niniveh, chose Jacob over Esau before they had done anything good or bad (Rom 9:11-13), put the 10 Kings up to giving their kingdoms over the the wild beast (Rev 17:17)

15. There are many things we do not chose in this life and yet it affects so much of our disposition: Eye color, hair color, parents, and nationality. Most of us fall into our jobs, marriages, circle of friends.

16. Our Strong and mighty FREEWILL is so weak and wishy-washy that we often change our minds about anything when we get hungry, thirsty, broke, lonely, injured, angry, cold, hot, tricked, whatever.

17. There is no passage that says we have a FREEWILL. Sure God gives certain peoples a choice about certain things. But that does not say the God has not predetermined the outcome. If FREEWILL were true nothing could be predetermined and prophecy would be impossible.

18. FREEWILL is a Catholic idea. All of the reformers of the 1600’s thought it was a stupid idea. John Calvin was against it. Zwingly was against it. And Martin Luther’s book “The Bondage of the Will” proves he was against it. Not to mention Johnathan Edwards and Benjamin Warfield.

19. FREEWILL leads to boasting and pride. If we help God save us by complying then we are saved partly due to US. If we can only blame the sinner for going to hell because he had a FREEWILL then we can only praise the saint for going to heaven for the same reason.

20. If God is supreme in every area except our will then God is not supreme, God is not God. If God is not in control of His creation and His creation’s will then God is little more than an experimenter. He has lost control of His creation. And He is like the builder who was too shortsighted to finish what He started. (Luke 14:28)

21. God wills to save all mankind. (I Tim 2:4) Some translators are so influenced by this Catholic doctrine that they’ve change the word WILLS to DESIRES or WISH. Why do they want us to believe that God’s will is powerless against man’s will? Does God get what He wills? Does God get what He DESIRES?
“Who has withstood His will?” (ROM 9:19)

22. Paul says God binds all men over to stubborness. (Rom 11:32) We do not bind ourselves over to stubborness. God does it. Why? So that God can have an excuse to be merciful to us. We could not know mercy if God didn’t insure that we were stubborn first and in need of mercy. Isn’t that good news?

23. “By the grace of God I am what I am” I Cor. 15:10. We owe nothing to ourselves and our “FREEWILL”.

The definition of “FREEWILL”, according to how most Christians use this term is…

The power of contrary Choice. In other words, “he chose “A” but he just as easily could have chosen “B.” Freewill teaching ignores causality. What causes one to chose “A”? or, “B”? Surely God must be responsible for all causes or lack of causes. If God wants us to choose Christ, yet if he does not supply the mental capacity, the faith or whatever else is needed to make that choice who else can he blame but himself. Or, the reverse is also true… He must either supply the faith or He must hinder sin’s attractions. Who He saves is truly His choice.

The only “offers” in the Bible is Christ offered up as a sacrifice to God. God makes no “offers” to man. God does not “offer” grace, God is operating in grace but He is not offering grace to anyone. Salvation is not a SALE or a transaction. It is not a deal that one can refuse. Salvation is God’s work. Not our work. It seems to me that Christians cheapen God’s grace by make it optional.

We need God’s grace. Not just a help. Not just a boost and then “I can do the rest myself” type of thing. Apart from grace we are nothing. Salvation is not a partnership… nor is it a co-operative. Salvation is a monarchy… GRACE REIGNS

Believers are saved first (Eph 1:12 & I Tim 4:10) They get a special salvation. The wicked and unbelieving do not receive God’s grace until death is abolished (I Cor 15:25) and God is made all in all. (1Cor. 15:28)

As long as the lake of fire, the second death, exists we can’t really say theat death has been abolished can we? As long as anyone, anywhere remains dead (the wages of sin) God cannot be all in all can He?  And isn’t it true that the real goal of the universe is for God to be all in all, not all in some. And not some in some. But all in all!!

These are just a few scattered thoughts. I hope they turn you to the scriptures. And to God. If you have any clear statements from God’s word that will add some light on this matter, I would love the hear them.

See you soon.

Yours,