I would like to clarify something with you about free will: It was a reality with Adam and Eve. The exercise of that free will resulted in the fall of mankind. This happened at a time in history when sin was unknown to man and the Garden of Eden was the perfect place to live, experiencing God’s amazing love through creation. Eve was deceived and disobeyed God. Adam too disobeyed. So the story of free-will ended as soon as it had begun. From the fall of mankind onward, the Bible tells the story of two kingdoms and those who are slaves within them. They are: Satan’s dominion of darkness; and the Kingdom of God, ruled by Christ. Those in the dominion of darkness are referred to as “slaves to sin” by God. Those who exist in God’s Kingdom, He calls “slaves to righteousness”.
After the fall of mankind, it was important for Satan to give those who had become his slaves to sin, the illusion that they were still free. So he perpetuated the lie of good and evil. This is the lie that states that humans can tell the difference and have the power to choose to do either. The result of believing this lie is that the idea of free will is equated with the word “faith” whenever someone chooses to do good for God.
But that is not faith, is it? “Faith is being sure of what you hope for, and certain of what you cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is believing in Christ and Him crucified, risen from the dead and now seated at the right hand of God the Father. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that faith makes choices or gives us power to make choices. It’s just the opposite. Faith has no choice but to believe God.
There are two truths about the kingdom of God that we should remember. First, understand that mankind does not and cannot exercise some sort of free will in order to get in. As Paul said regarding salvation, “It does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy” (Rom 9:16). Second, once you are in the kingdom of God, you are ruled by the King. He has complete authority over you—that is, your soul. This is why we call Jesus Christ our “Lord”. It is an admission of His sovereignty over our lives.
Those who insist that mankind has a free will are also insisting that no one is a slave, and God is a liar. If mankind has a free will then salvation is not a gift of God. It comes by good works, and those who choose it can boast. Yet we know that the following is the truth: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8,9.
Remember! Jesus said, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.” This is a metaphor about the inhabitants of the two kingdoms and their “slavery” to the king of each. In case you are confused, a good tree is a believer, a bad tree is not. Now, read the verse again.
It’s all about knowing and believing who God says you are—in Christ. This is all about what happened to you as a result of the cross and water baptism. They have a purpose, and that purpose was fulfilled. You were bought for a price. Don’t be fooled by the way you feel in your humanity. Feelings do not testify to the Truth. Likewise, those who insist that mankind has a free will are missing/denying mankind’s need for a Savior, and the work of Jesus on the cross.
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