I have stated, I don’t believe in free will. There are too As many verses that state otherwise, and I’d like to share them with you:
Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
This is a very powerful chapter in which God describes who he is. This particular verse says that God declared (not just knew, but actually “commanded” what the end would be. This verse shows that God not only knows what the end is, but that he also is the cause for that ending.
Isa 48:8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.
This is another very powerful chapter and it is hard to pick out just one line from it to show that there is no “free will”. I picked this one out because it shows that we can be called transgressors from birth – even before we have done it or even thought about it. I realize the context of this chapter, and its talking about a nation and not an individual. I also realize that this verse says “God knew we would transgress” and thus the argument would be that “it doesn’t mean he caused it”. I urge you to read the whole chapter.
Psa 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
I really can’t add anything to this. It says God possesses our reins. We are covered in our mother’s womb.
Pro 8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
Again, no real commentary needed. Next, I will not take up a lot of space by pasting each of theses verses, but they all speak of being predestined to be who we are: Rom 8:29, Eph 1:5, Eph 1:11, John 10:27, John 10:28, 1 Cor 6:19, 1 Cor 6:20.
I do have to comment on the verses in John. I included them for a reason, and that is I have heard the objections to “anti-free will” arguments (I really couldn’t come up with a better term!), which usually go something like “We aren’t robots!” Well, that’s true, and we aren’t puppets either. We are, however sheep. Sheep do not have free will. I’m talking literal sheep for the time being. They don’t get to choose when they go to the pasture. They can choose if they graze on the north or south side, and how much they eat, but that’s about it. “Limited free will” is not free will. So with all kindness, I ask the question of those who like the “robot” analogy, “Are you one of his sheep?”
Psa 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
The way we walk (meaning our journey through life) has been ordered. I understand that a sergeant can give a private an “order” and the private can choose to follow it (thus suggesting free will). However, the definition of ordered in this particular verse doesn’t suggest that. It is more along the lines of “confirmed”.
Next, I want to suggest to you if I can show a single case in Biblical history where God would not allow someone to make a decision through “mind control” (again, for lack of a better term), then it blows the whole theory of “free will”. I look at it as a “all or none” thing. In the USA, we like to say we are “free people”. I enjoy the freedoms we are given, but we Americans are all well aware that that isn’t the case, don’t we? Anyway…. Take a look at this verse, in light of that reasoning:
Exo 4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
This is a pretty amusing story, which most of you know. This is the account of the plagues of Egypt. Thinking about it, it makes perfect sense that Pharaoh should’ve let the Hebrews go after the first two or three plagues, if not sooner. If you study the account, Pharaoh did agree after each of the plagues to let them go, but never followed through on those promises. Clearly God hardened his heart. Pharaoh didn’t have free will to make what sounds like a good governmental decision. God said he was responsible for changing Pharaoh’s mind and causing him not to let them go. The Bible further comments on this In Romans 9:17.
I have only scratched the surface on the verses and accounts that show “no free will”. I haven’t spoken of Paul saying he was a prisoner of Christ, I haven’t said anything about Balaam, nor Jonah, nor of the accounts of Joseph (Jacob’s son) and his brothers.
I’m currently studying the works of John Calvin. Why? I have been called a Calvinist too many times not to. If I am “a Calvinist”, I should at least have read his works… By the way, so far I like em! I’m called this because of the OSAS doctrine (which I doubt Calvin ever did preach). The argument of there is no free will is often tied to that. I disagree with OSAS in a few areas.
If I am a Child of God, then the argument comes about (in light of this doctrine) that there is nothing I or anyone else can do about it… Thus, detractors say, “Well, that means you can do whatever you want!” Well yes, that’s true, sort of… The problem is that if I am predestined to be a Son, I am also predestined to act like a Son. God predestined my “screw ups”. True! He also predestined me to deal with it, and my Pastor (or worse, God himself) to pound on my spirit and natural life until I fix it! Yes, I may be predestined to be a King and a Priest, but so is the path. So are the hardships and the humbling I must do. Those are all in God’s will too! It’s not like a predestined king can kick up his feet with a big cigar in his mouth and relax. So while my fate and treasures are there, so is the walk through the refining fire. I’m predestined for that too.
I have a friend that has a very good analogy of free will. A dog when he is let out in a fenced back yard believes he is free. He’s free from the house! He can run all over the yard, he can poop where he wants to. He can choose to take a nap under the porch or chase any evil squirrel in the yard at his leisure. He thinks he has freedom! But he’s still in the fence.
He also likens it to a mosquito. God does not have to tell every mosquito, “Now today you are going to bite John, Sally and Joe.” No. He just programmed a mosquitoes do “be mosquitoes” and bite people. Now can put in a special order to bite one particular person and a particular time in history, but most of the time…. He just programmed them to be mosquitoes.
Thus is our limit on “free will”. We don’t go around thinking at lunch time “God ordained me to eat a ham sandwich at 12:03 today!” No, he just set our biological clock to be hungry every 4 or 5 hours. He don’t care about the ham sandwich we eat (unless you are still keeping the Law, of course). He can at certain times make you crave a Subway ham sandwich, which causes you to drive 3 miles out of your way. Though… And while driving out of your way there is a horrible accident that you would’ve been in if you didn’t have that craving. And you will never know that God prevented your death over a craving for a Subway sandwich!
Hey! Who are you to say God don’t work that way? Don’t you believe Romans 8:28?
In conclusion, I don’t believe in free will. Our ultimate end is predetermined by God. My belief (and I don’t have scripture to fully support it, but only case studies of scripture) is that God doesn’t care too much about small decisions. We are free to eat roast beef or Turkey. We can by a Honda or a Ford. We can go to the ball game or take in a movie. God don’t care! Unless it’s important and we won’t ever really know. That’s why I thank the Lord in all things, and specifically say I’m thanking him for all things in my prayers. But you and I are not where we are in our lives without God knowing it was going to happen, and without God planning it.