Basically the FREE-WILL GOSPEL has no biblical foundation. The scriptural emphasis is on the FREE-WILL of God in salvation, not man’s willingness to accept Christ whenever it suits him. “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). 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.” This refutes the idea that God elected on the basis of “foreseen faith.” Those that contend that election is based on “God foreseeing who would believe” contend against the Scriptures. For example in Romans 3:24 where we read, “being justified freely by His grace,” The word translated “freely” is the same Greek word translated in John 15:25, “without cause” where Jesus said, “They hated Me without a cause.” Therefore God’s choice of His people is unconditional, that is, there was absolutely nothing in them that “caused” Him to determine their salvation. Man’s will is “free,” but in a qualified sense; it is not absolutely free. On the other hand 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 the ability to exercise himself morally, but he does not have spiritual ability, he is spiritually “dead in trespasses and sin,” Ephesians two. Absolute free-will means one has the right to make the choice and the power to carry it out. God has this, but man doesn’t. Therefore I say, God alone has free will in salvation, “No man can come to me except the Father who sent me draw him” (John 6:44). It is the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration to free the will. Only when a person is born from above (born again) is that person enabled to repent (turn from sin) and from the heart believe the Gospel. Many, many ministers aid in the deception of the soul when they encourage people to walk the aisle and make their decision for Christ. A person may easily respond to such a proposition and yet never be free from the bondage of sin. Let me encourage every man who assumes the office of gospel preaching to secure a copy of “THE BONDAGE OF THE WILL,” written by the great reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546). Until a man understands the fatal state of man’s depravity he cannot rightly preach the gospel of the ‘FREE” grace of God. ~~Pastor Terry Worthan, (8/18/38 – 3/11/22)
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