Dear RLT63,
The writer of your article doesn't understand what free will is. To support free will, he immediately uses a verse which says that mankind can make "choices". The ability to make choices is NOT the issue as to whether or not mankind has a free will. Certainly, mankind can make choices. Even computers make choices but the choices a computer makes are caused by the programmer to accomplish the programmer's "will".
This issue concerning free will is whether or not mankind can make choices that are free of God's direction. Scripture clearly and frequently says that mankind does not have that ability.
Here are just a few of the verses that contradict the idea that mankind has a free will:
Phil 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Exd 4:11 And the LORD said unto him, who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
Deut 29:4 Yet the LORD hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
Prov 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
Prov 20:24 Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
Prov 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
Isa 26:12 O Jehovah, thou appointest peace to us, for, all our works also thou hast wrought for us.
Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
Jer 10:23 I know, Jehovah, that the way of man is not his own; it is not in a man that walketh to direct his steps.
Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
Ecc 3:1 To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
If mankind had a free will, none of the verses above would be true.
Even when a person sins, God is the cause of that person sinning. Paul every clearly states this truth below:
Rom 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Paul evidently had been asked why God still finds fault with mankind when we sin since "no man has resisted His will". In other words, Paul is saying that since mankind does not have a free will ability to decide to sin or not, why does God still hold us accountable for that sin?
Here is Paul's answer:
Rom 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?
Daniel restates Paul's answer:
Dan 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of the heavens, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
The Doctrine of Free Will is one of the foundational beliefs of Satan's gospel. When a believer accepts this doctrine, they will fall away and mix "works" with faith. This is the sin that leads to death. Any believer who remains under "works" upon their resurrection will be rejected by Christ when they appear before Him:
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work lawlessness.
These believers are said to work lawlessness because they have fallen from grace and remain under the Law.
The belief in "works" (even just one work like the confession of faith) is Satan's crooked way. The entire Nation of Israel was following Satan's crooked way when Christ came. For that reason, Christ sent John the Baptist to them to make the call of repentance from "works" so that Christ's pathway would be made straight (faith alone). The Jews who responded to the call were the Jewish Elect. They were "few" in number (about 120 out of the entire Jewish Nation). Being a part of the "many" is not the place to be if a person is going to be saved in this age.
Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
The pathway for the Gentile Elect is the same as the Jewish Elect. After receiving the Early Rain and being called out from the world, Gentile believers (the church) will all quickly fall away just as the Jewish Nation did. For the fallen away Gentile Elect, Christ will send a converted Elect believer to them in the spirit of Elijah (just as He sent John the Baptist to the Jewish Elect) to make the same call of repentance so that the pathway for Christ to return to them is made straight. When Christ comes, He will pour out the Latter Rain and convert them.
When one of Christ's Elect believers is saved, it happens not because of their supposed free will ability to follow and accept Christ. It happens solely because it was God's "will" for it to happen:
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Furthermore:
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom HE did predestinate, them HE also called: and whom HE called, them HE also justified: and whom HE justified, them HE also glorified.
Nowhere in the verse above does it ever mention that the believer does anything for their salvation. Their salvation happens solely because HE does all the work to make it happen.
And because mankind's salvation comes only from the work of Christ, Christ will save all mankind just as His Father sent Him to do. Nothing can stop Him, certainly not mankind supposed free will.
1John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
To accomplish this great work, Christ will bring in the harvest of mankind at two different times. The Elect, who are the First Fruits, are harvested early in this present age. The balance of mankind will be harvested at the end of the harvest season in the final age. Only after this final harvest will these verses be TESTIFIED to be true:
1Tim 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
Mankind is the vessel:
Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
Mankind's salvation happens only because it is God's "will" for it to happen. Mankind has no say in the matter. We will all be made into the vessel that "seemed good to the Potter to make".
The gospel that the apostate church teaches is the "another gospel" Paul warned about:
2Cor 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
That gospel comes from Satan who masquerades as Christ via the spirit of anti-Christ. That spirit devoured the church shortly after the Apostles died. In that false gospel, Christ is made out to be mankind's worst nightmare instead of their Savior.
Joe