The whole free will argument is almost always misunderstood and thus the argument misses the mark.
Man has free will. Noone should dare deny this. Man has the freedom to choose things for himself. He is not a robot. Again, noone should deny this obvious facts. The real question is: why does man do that which he does? What is the reason? Your answer is that he just simply chooses to do it. This is no answer at all. Why? Why did David commit adultery with Bathsheba and then have her husband murdered? Why did Peter deny Jesus 3 times? Why do men choose evil over good, sin over obedience, following the world over following God? Why do some men believe the gospel while others reject it? Your answer to all of the above is, "I don't know." Again, that is no answer at all.
Man has free will, but there must be a reason behind his actions, his choices. Why does a man choose to sin? Well, he must have a reason. Why does a man cheat on his wife with another woman? Well, there must be a reason. Perhaps it is because she is attractive. Perhaps it is because he is bored with his life. Whatever the reason, there must be one. But really, why risk so much harm, and why, even if the possible outcome is known, does he still do it? The root cause, the main answer must be that this was somehow desirable to him, so desirable that it was worth it. Why would something like adultery be desirable to a man? Now there is a good question.
To answer that question one must understand where man came from. Man was originally made good and very good. We have this on the authority of the bible. But we find that Adam chose to sin. He chose to do it. He had free will and he was good, yet he chose sin. Why? Well, we find that his wife sinned and offered the forbidden fruit to him. Why did she sin? Well, we find that the devil tempted her. Ok, but what would make her violate the clear commandment of God? Satan lied to her, deceived her. Not only that, but the lie he deceived her with is crucial. He deceived her with a lie that said "God doesn't have your best interests at heart, but I do. Leave God and His plans and follow me. I'll show you the way." Man, that day, threw off God's leadership and embarked on his own path, one marked out by the devil. We find today that the world system that man is so fond of following is lead by Satan. Man threw off God and followed the Devil, all the while convincing himself it was in his best interest to do so, and thinking that doing so he could make himself a god.
Man, in short, is now under the spiritual leadership of the devil. Paul states that if our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine unto them. Man is under a sort of natural darkness to the truths of the gospel because he is under the spiritual leadership of Satan. He is following the course of this world, the prince of the power of the air. This is man's natural state. In this state man is perfectly free to choose any action. He could do the right thing. He could choose the right path. But I have a question for you: why is it that Christians who are following the spiritual leadership of Christ tend to choose the good over the evil in most circumstances? Is it just happenstance? The person has free will. He can choose what he wants to do, but often times we find him doing things pleasing to God. Many times he will be unaware of this, just doing it as if it were natural. Why? Well, the answer is because it is natural. He is under good sprititual guidance. Paul says we have an inward man who delights in the law of God. We have that law written on our hearts. Furthermore, this man has been following Christ and trying to mold his life to Christ's. He can choose the evil, but finds himself oftentimes choosing the good. He has free will but is predesposed to choose the good.
In much the same way, a person who is under the spiritual guidance of Satan, following the world and sin, is going to be living in the lusts of his flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind. He has free will. He could choose to be faithfull to his spouse, but instead commits adultery. He could be honest but instead defrauds people of their retirements. He could be nice but instead abducts women and brutalizes them. The person has free will but chooses evil because evil is more natural to him. It is desirable to him. He is following the god of this world. He is following the outward man, who loves sin and hates God's law.
Man has free will. Noone should dare deny this. Man has the freedom to choose things for himself. He is not a robot. Again, noone should deny this obvious facts. The real question is: why does man do that which he does? What is the reason? Your answer is that he just simply chooses to do it. This is no answer at all. Why? Why did David commit adultery with Bathsheba and then have her husband murdered? Why did Peter deny Jesus 3 times? Why do men choose evil over good, sin over obedience, following the world over following God? Why do some men believe the gospel while others reject it? Your answer to all of the above is, "I don't know." Again, that is no answer at all.
Man has free will, but there must be a reason behind his actions, his choices. Why does a man choose to sin? Well, he must have a reason. Why does a man cheat on his wife with another woman? Well, there must be a reason. Perhaps it is because she is attractive. Perhaps it is because he is bored with his life. Whatever the reason, there must be one. But really, why risk so much harm, and why, even if the possible outcome is known, does he still do it? The root cause, the main answer must be that this was somehow desirable to him, so desirable that it was worth it. Why would something like adultery be desirable to a man? Now there is a good question.
To answer that question one must understand where man came from. Man was originally made good and very good. We have this on the authority of the bible. But we find that Adam chose to sin. He chose to do it. He had free will and he was good, yet he chose sin. Why? Well, we find that his wife sinned and offered the forbidden fruit to him. Why did she sin? Well, we find that the devil tempted her. Ok, but what would make her violate the clear commandment of God? Satan lied to her, deceived her. Not only that, but the lie he deceived her with is crucial. He deceived her with a lie that said "God doesn't have your best interests at heart, but I do. Leave God and His plans and follow me. I'll show you the way." Man, that day, threw off God's leadership and embarked on his own path, one marked out by the devil. We find today that the world system that man is so fond of following is lead by Satan. Man threw off God and followed the Devil, all the while convincing himself it was in his best interest to do so, and thinking that doing so he could make himself a god.
Man, in short, is now under the spiritual leadership of the devil. Paul states that if our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine unto them. Man is under a sort of natural darkness to the truths of the gospel because he is under the spiritual leadership of Satan. He is following the course of this world, the prince of the power of the air. This is man's natural state. In this state man is perfectly free to choose any action. He could do the right thing. He could choose the right path. But I have a question for you: why is it that Christians who are following the spiritual leadership of Christ tend to choose the good over the evil in most circumstances? Is it just happenstance? The person has free will. He can choose what he wants to do, but often times we find him doing things pleasing to God. Many times he will be unaware of this, just doing it as if it were natural. Why? Well, the answer is because it is natural. He is under good sprititual guidance. Paul says we have an inward man who delights in the law of God. We have that law written on our hearts. Furthermore, this man has been following Christ and trying to mold his life to Christ's. He can choose the evil, but finds himself oftentimes choosing the good. He has free will but is predesposed to choose the good.
In much the same way, a person who is under the spiritual guidance of Satan, following the world and sin, is going to be living in the lusts of his flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind. He has free will. He could choose to be faithfull to his spouse, but instead commits adultery. He could be honest but instead defrauds people of their retirements. He could be nice but instead abducts women and brutalizes them. The person has free will but chooses evil because evil is more natural to him. It is desirable to him. He is following the god of this world. He is following the outward man, who loves sin and hates God's law.
