Beth-El Baptist Church

08/03/2007

Greg Tomlinson


Does man have freewill?


Within the realm of Christian teaching rages a debate over the amount of freewill that a man has. There is the view of absolute freedom of will to do anything, man can freely enter into a Christian relationship with God through Jesus Christ. There is the view that there is no freedom of man to do anything, that God has in a sense written a script of what will happen. Every decision of every individual man is already identified. There are numerous views that range between the two that juggle the level and type of freedom man has in opposition to the level and detail of control that God has.


  1. Do the scriptures indicate that God controls decisions of man?

Ephesians 1:1-11 1 Peter 1:1-2

Romans 8:28-32; 9:20-24 Matthew 11:27; 20:12-16

John 15:16 Acts 9:3-7, 15-16

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 2 Timothy 1:9

John 1:12-13; 6:37-40; 44; 10:26-27 1 Corinthians 1:27-30

James 1:18 1 Peter 2:8-10

1 Kings 13:2 cmp 2 Kings 22:15-18 Isaiah 44:28-45:1


There are many scriptures that indicate that God is the ultimate cause of many decisions of man. It is God that caused kings to make certain decisions that glorified God. It is God that chose men to be placed in Christ. It is God that draws men to Jesus and believe.


  1. Do the scriptures indicate that man makes his own decisions?

Acts 3:19; 2:38-42; 7:51; 14:14-17; 17:30-32 Matthew 3:2-3; 11:28-30; 18:3-6

Mark 1:15 John 6:27-29; 14:1

1 Timothy 2:1-6 2 Peter 3:9-10

John 3:15-21 Acts 13:46-48

Revelation 21:6-8 1 John 2:2

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 Joshua 24:14-15


There are many places where the scriptures indicate that man has a choice that needs to be made. Choices of repentance and choosing life or death. There are also scriptures that indicate that God desires the salvation of all of man but clearly not all men believe, the analysis then would be that if God did the decision making then no one would enter into hell, therefore it is man that has resisted the commandments of God.


Take note of the issue of repentance and honoring God in regards to salvation:

Daniel 3:22-29; 4:34-37 2 Chronicles 36:22-23

Acts 8:18-23 Jonah 3:5-9


There is no indication that repentance on the part of man necessarily results in their salvation. It may just mean that God has chosen not to continue their judgment at the current time. Real salvation is associated with repentance, life transformation, abiding in the grace and call of God.


  1. Are there decisions that man is incapable of making?

Romans 8:26-27 John 1:12-13; 6:37-40; 44; 10:26-27; 12:32; 14:6

Matthew 11:27 Ephesians 2:8-9 cmp Genesis 6:8

Romans 10:17 1 Corinthians 2:14-16


Man under his own power and might cannot enter into a relationship with God. It is God that must act to bring about the relationship. God draws the man to Jesus and Jesus shows him the Father. Salvation is a decision that whose outworking is in the hands of God and not the hands of man.


  1. Are there decisions that man must make on his own?

1 John 2:2-5; 5:3 John 15:17

James 1:19-22 1 Timothy 1:3-4

Revelation 22:7 Romans 6:16


Although man is incapable of believing, without the intervention of God, it is still the responsibility of the redeemed man to repent from his sins and to live in obedience to the words and commands of God.