Featured Free Will

An enemy of God. One who cannot accept the things of God. One who cannot seek after God. In other words, fallen and depraved.

 

Sure, but please forgive the poor articulation.

Our human natures are turned inward. We are born self-centered and concerned with our own desires. Our wills correspond with our needs and wants in terms of our own existence. We look to the flesh. This nature may extend in care and self-sacrifice towards others (for example, a lost man may lay down his life for an ideology, a cause, or another person), but not to God. This is why I disagree with some of the “hell fire” tactics some preachers adopted in the past. A man can never be saved by selfish repentance because that is not repentance at all.

The lost may, in and of themselves, seek salvation. This is evident in the numerous faiths in the world today. But this does not mean that they are truly seeking God (not the God of the Bible). I believe those in Matthew 7 will be horribly surprised to hear "I never knew you" because what they lacked was repentance from their own nature, their own wills, their own sinfulness and turning to God in faith.

More concisely put, the lost man's nature is one set on the flesh.

I hope that this helps explain my definition of "nature" in terms of the lost. I do not believe that this was something that changed in Adam so much as it was something that was solidified by being evidenced in his choice to freely transgress God's commandment. But I think that we all would have done the same if in his place.

 

That would depend on what you mean by "choosing to go against the will and nature of God?"

Even the very worst of lost people can still do good. Take care of their kids, love their wives, pay their bills, feed the homeless, etc. But all of that is, in God's eyes, nothing more than "filthy rags."

 

I would. Look at Proverbs 21:4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

There are not many Christians who would deny that the work ethic is good. And plowing, especially back in that day, was certainly good, hard, work. But God says it is sin.

But when we examine the motive of the man plowing what do we see?

Why is he plowing? So he can plant his crops.

Why does he want to plant crops? So he can eat.

Why does he want to eat? So he can keep up his strength.

Why does he want to keep up his strength? So he can continue his rebellion against God!

 

I don't know that I'd say selfishness as there are many atheists who have acted in disregard to their own benefit. I would say that they are exhibiting works of the flesh.

If a lost person sells all that they have to feed the hungry, they are not being selfish. In fact, they may truly love the poor to such an extent that they view their sacrifice as gain. But if are not acting in such a way that glorifies God then even this is a work of the flesh. God is not dependent on man to do any of these works. The reason behind these things is to glorify God or it is worthless. I do not believe that any man, apart from the work of the Spirit, can truly glorify God.

I know that this wasn't a simple yes or no, but I hope that it answers your question.

 

Why? I never built my doctrine around 1 Corinthians 2:14.

 

I believe that we do have a natural desire to have a right standing with something or someone greater than ourselves (whether a god, our fellow men, nature, etc.). But perhaps a greater question would be wither or not man can, independently from God, please God. I believe that man cannot. So that is where I would put the greatest difference.

Paul, when speaking of his works, was quick to say "not I but Christ".

 

I'd say it is the person and not Christ in them. But yes, I would agree with the statement that the lost are condemned even through those "good" works.

 

We can't. What may appear to be good in the eyes of man is not good in the eyes of God.

 

The Jews rejected Jesus but still sought a messiah. Some were seeking a wrong messiah but in the process found the Right One.

It is not a matter of finding God as if He were lost or hiding. It's an issue of flesh and the Spirit. Do you remember the incident with Peter and Jesus in Matthew 16:15-18?

Jesus asks the Disciples "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

I do not understand (and perhaps you can explain it to me) why we accept Peter's confession as not being of his own nature, from flesh and blood, but of God yet at the same time hold that we arrive there by our own natures, by flesh and blood, rather than by God.

 

The belief that God reveals truth to sinful man can be summed up in a couple of ways.

One is that faith itself is God given. When something is revealed as being true we do not then decide to believe it. Believing is implied in the revealing (otherwise that truth would remain concealed). For example, Paul knew the gospel message, however before his conversion the truth of the gospel was concealed and he persecuted the Church because of their belief. And then there came a moment where God revealed to Paul the truth of the gospel, and Paul was never the same again.

Another summary term that is used by some is irresistible or efficacious grace which holds that God reveals Truth to the lost. God works within the minds and hearts of sinners (God draws them), in such a way that the truth of the gospel is revealed to them. In other words, we are brought to believe a truth that had previously proved elusive. I will borrow Spurgeon for a quick example. Spurgeon noted that God typically uses persuasion in this drawing. You may have heard some speak of Christ and the cross, but a friend sits down and explains the gospel to you in a way that resonates in your heart and mind. This persuasion is God’s drawing as this truth is revealed to you as such and you believe.

To give my belief more concisely, our faith is not dependent on flesh and blood but on God and the Truth that He reveals.

I realize that you may disagree with some or all that I have written in this post, a fact I find both understandable and acceptable (understandable as we may have presuppositions concerning views not our own, and to be fair there are often examples to justify those suppositions; and acceptable because I am not above the fray). I hope that at least I have been helpful in explaining why I believe as I do, and what that belief entails.