To my “Free Will” friends I want to quickly look at a text my Pastor referenced yesterday at Church. John 8:32 “and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
Jesus is speaking to a group of people who have just come to believe in Him (vrs.30). Jesus goes on in verse 31 to say, “if you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;” and then leads into the above verse 32 about being free.
Now the first thing that pops out to me is obviously Christ is the Truth. So that would indicate that everything outside Christ is deception (lies). The second thing, which deals with the free will issue, is that “the truth will make you free.” Free from what? Also if you are not free what are you?
Well let’s first establish that people who are not free are slaves. You cannot be a slave and be free. It just does not work. Second if we are not free but slaves, what are we slaves to? Well Scripture tells us just a couple of verses down.
John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.”
So if humans are not free but slaves to sin and only Christ can set them free, then it follows, at least to me, that we do not have “free will” to make ourselves free from sin. We are free in our nature which is “slaves to sin” to move, think and exist, but not free to make ourselves free and alive. Only something truly free has the power to make something else “slaves” truly free. This something is of course Christ.
No more can a dead man give himself CPR than a dead man in sin cause himself to come to alive.
So humans do not have complete free will, just meaning they are free to will themselves alive, but have free will within their nature “slaves to sin” to continue to exist – dead in sin. Without the voice of God breathing on them, they will not come alive “born again.”
Jesus is speaking to a group of people who have just come to believe in Him (vrs.30). Jesus goes on in verse 31 to say, “if you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;” and then leads into the above verse 32 about being free.
Now the first thing that pops out to me is obviously Christ is the Truth. So that would indicate that everything outside Christ is deception (lies). The second thing, which deals with the free will issue, is that “the truth will make you free.” Free from what? Also if you are not free what are you?
Well let’s first establish that people who are not free are slaves. You cannot be a slave and be free. It just does not work. Second if we are not free but slaves, what are we slaves to? Well Scripture tells us just a couple of verses down.
John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.”
So if humans are not free but slaves to sin and only Christ can set them free, then it follows, at least to me, that we do not have “free will” to make ourselves free from sin. We are free in our nature which is “slaves to sin” to move, think and exist, but not free to make ourselves free and alive. Only something truly free has the power to make something else “slaves” truly free. This something is of course Christ.
No more can a dead man give himself CPR than a dead man in sin cause himself to come to alive.
So humans do not have complete free will, just meaning they are free to will themselves alive, but have free will within their nature “slaves to sin” to continue to exist – dead in sin. Without the voice of God breathing on them, they will not come alive “born again.”
The question is, are you alive or still dead in your sins? Verse 30 of John 8 says, that Christ' true disciples “continue in His word.” Are you not sure? I would pled with you to heed Scriptures call to “repent” turn from all sin and place all your “faith” in Christ. The evidence of salvation is not the sincerity of a prayer, but the fruit God starts producing in your life. Is there any desire to grow in holiness with God, concern about the lost, fellowship with other believers, a new outlook on sin, and getting into Scripture? If there is no desire for these things above please examine yourself in light of the Holy Scriptures. Read the Gospel of John and pray for grace.
I pray Christ who is Lord over all lords will call you and allow you to have grace and not justice. Who can stand the fierce wrath of God’s justice, for we “all have sinned” and broken His laws (lying, stealing, blaspheming, lust, etc…). May you receive grace upon grace and taste the freedom of life in Christ.
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