The free-will heresy attacks the sovereignty of God, and mars the glory of His authority. The scripture emphasis is on the free-will of God in salvation, not on man. “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and do of His good pleasure.” (Romans 9:16 & Philippians 2:13) Denying election on the ground of injustice holds God to be a debtor to sinners, so that if He gives grace to one He is bound to do so to all. It teaches that the blood of Christ was shed equally for all men, and since some are lost, the doctrine ascribes the difference to man’s own will, thus making the atonement powerless until the will of man gives it efficacy. Those sentiments weaken the scriptural description of man’s depravity, and by imputing strength to fallen humanity rob the Spirit of the glory of His effectual grace. This theory says in effect that it is of him that willeth and of him that runneth and not of God that showeth mercy. In Romans nine Paul shows very clearly that it was the discriminating purpose of God to save Jacob and pass over his brother Esau before they were born. “For the children NOT YET being born, NEITHER HAVING DONE any GOOD or EVIL, THAT THE PURPOSE of God according to ELECTION might stand not of works, but of HIM that calleth; It was said unto her (Rebecca, their mother). The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.” Any doctrine that stands in opposition to this truth provokes God’s jealousy. I’m fearful lest I should preach anything that should oppose the sovereignty of my God. I am not reluctant to preach man’s responsibility of God; if God be sovereign man must be bound to obey Him. I equally proclaim that God has a right to do what He wills with His own, and none may stay His hand, or say to Him, “What doest Thou?” Man’s will is “free” but in a qualified sense, it is not absolutely free. There is a bondage of the will but this too is not absolute. The nature of man’s will and its inclination is toward sin and evil, yet it does not stand that he cannot comply with moral law and standards. Fallen man has a limited ability to exercise himself morally, but he does not have spiritual ability at all, he is spiritually dead in trespasses and sin. Absolute free-will means one has the right to make the choice and the power to carry it out. God alone has this right and power, man does not. Therefore I say, God alone has free-will in salvation. “No man can come to Me excerpt the Father who sent Me draw him” (John 6:44). Though the point we must be careful of is not to avoid the moral responsibility of the creature; we must preach that as well.
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