Aside from the self-serving and question begging claim from the opposition which demands all must be in agreement with THE definition of “free will” or they “ought to find an easier subject to discuss” rhetorical ploy to attempt to dominate the discussion… It is better to start at the beginning for one to truly understand free will/human volition, which calls for the recognition of the God given attribute of sense, reason and intellect which by divine design facilitates human volition.
In order for the Calvinist to force fit his doctrines of determinism necessary to uphold the systematic construct of TULIP some will commonly attempt to redefine the term for their opposition in order to avoid being taken to the mat on the meaning being upheld as “human volition” which logically is unavoidably mutually exclusive to their necessary doctrines of determinism on which the TULIP must stand. Starting with their TULIP’s Total Depravity true human volition would be impossible to logically uphold causing a host of problems, such as the lack of human responsibility before judgment and attributing evil to God leading to theological fatalism so it seems they would rather avoid that argument by contriving a definition of “free will” which avoids the “human volition” which is the non-Calvinists’ actual position on “free will” by which they maintain that man has the responsibility to believe under the Divine Providential Sovereignty of Godly influences to guide them which every man genuinely has the ability to know, understand and respond to WITHOUT an excuse! Romans 1:19-20.
Rom 1:19-20 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. (20) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Contrary to the Determinists’ doctrines of Total Inability was not subjected unto man in the fall of the garden leaving him without the human volition to respond or not to God’s Divine persuasions. In fact, as per the instructions God gave to man he must now, being fallen and destined to sin, make another choice:
Free will:
(Gen 2:16) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (Gen 2:17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Consequences, still involve free will:
(Gen 3:22) And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
This “free will”, which will be defined as “human volition”, because THAT is the meaning of the term by which the non-Calvinists’ stands to support his theology, has never been taken away. God did not recreate man to not have free will after the fall, but what happened is man gained the attribute of knowledge of good and evil condemning him to failure in sin. Now of his own free will man must use his God given attributes of sense, reason and intellect which by divine design in creation facilitated human volition again, freely put away his pride of having knowledge of good and evil, accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Master and believe in love of truth of God to receive the gift of His grace. I pity the poor souls who claim they had no choice as an excuse not to freely respond to God’s calling and/or would teach other so.
Onward from the garden we see free will/human volition throughout the Bible:
2Pe 3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
(1Co 10:13) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
(Jos 24:15) And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
(Mar 8:34) And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
(Pro 16:9) A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
(Rev 3:20) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
(Rom 13:2) Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
(Gal 5:16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (Gal 5:17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
(Isa 55:6) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: (Isa 55:7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
(Deu 30:19) I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Deu 30:20) That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
(Eze 18:30) Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. (Eze 18:31) Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? (Eze 18:32) For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
All of these verses uphold MY meaning of “free will” while refuting the Determinists’ doctrines of Total Inability which are contrary to MY non-Calvinist theology and these verse demonstrate that all genuinely have that ability of which we speak to respond to God as per His influences, an ability that is DEFINED as free will/human volition by us according to our meaning when we use it! …oh, and of course one of my favorite verses:
(Rom 10:9) If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Note: You is used 4 times in this verse. You'll be surprised by how much "you" there is in a book that supposedly says that we can do nothing.
