Trust Free Will or Trust the Lord

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

The term “free will” has gone the way of the word “love” in the English vocabulary. The terms have been so misused that few have a clue what is intended when the words are used in conveying biblical truth. Read 1 Corinthians 13 for what biblical love involves but that is not what I want to post about today.

When I use the term free will of mankind I mean those things God allows mankind to self-determine.  God does not give that right to mankind for all things.  Some things, especially the eternal things, God reserves for Himself. 

For instance it is clear to me in studying Scripture that man does not self-determine his birth nor does he self-determine his eternal destiny. God is solely responsible for both.  It is also clear to me that the choices we make after our birth and before our death have consequences that play out in this present life. The bad choices we make the bible calls SIN, and death is the result for even one sin,,,thus the term sinners.

The Scripture is also clear that death, the penalty for being imperfect, was determined by God alone.  Since we all sin, we all die, and that is the will of God.  Only the timing of our death can be influenced by our own choices.

And what follows death God has reserved Himself and that is what the Bible terms the Gospel.  The term refers to the GOOD NEWS that God has determined to give mankind a new life after death.  And not just the same old imperfect mortal life, but a perfect and immortal new life.

And since the bible teaches that God is no respecter of persons, He gives the gift of life to all for free, not by a choice we make, but according to His grace and love for us. He created us imperfect, and it is His responsibility to save us from that imperfection...and He says in the Bible that He will do so....

"It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things." (1 Timothy 4:9-11)

Again, life and death are determined by the sovereign choice of our Creator. He determines when, where and to whom we are born an imperfect and mortal living soul, and He alone has determined that soul’s perfect immortal destiny. 

All of us will give account for how we responded to the various circumstances we encounter in our imperfect, mortal body.  Some of our responses will get rewarded and some tossed on the garbage heap.  But all of our circumstances were allowed and directed by God from birth to death. Along the way some of us choose to trust God, some choose to trust man, and others choose to trust one religion or another.  But when all are resurrected and look back on this life, we all will realize that trusting God is always a good thing, trusting men and their religions not so much.

Mercy to All

“For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it does NOT DEPEND ON THE MAN WHO WILLS or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” (Romans 9:15-16)

Many Christians are convinced by their teachers that obtaining mercy and compassion from God is a matter of their own “free will” choice. They are wrong and do not believe God.

Above, God clearly says His compassion and mercy is NOT dependent on the man "who wills” , or how a man chooses to “run” (how he lives his life). God's mercy and compassion is dictated by who He is and what He wants.  And in Chapter 11 he tells us….

“For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to ALL. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:32-36)

Did you get that? "mercy to ALL".  

If you claim to believe the Bible, THEN BELIEVE IT, rather than the dogma of the institutions of religious men.

Building on a sure Foundation

“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

This was written almost 2000 years ago by the Apostle Paul. Several years ago I decided to learn from Paul’s letters exactly what he, the wise master builder, had laid upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Then compare it to the doctrines of Christianity, both Catholic and Protestant. The result was surprising and disappointing and I had to “renew my mind” and rid it of much false doctrine which the church had built upon Jesus Christ. In my opinion there are five such doctrines, two of which are the worst of the “wood, hay and stubble” that need to be deleted from the mind in the renewal process. For in my view they will bring the most “loss” of “reward” in “the Day” when the truth of what we believed are “revealed with fire”. 

1.  Eternal conscious torment in hell

2.  Self-determination (free will) with regard to the salvation of mankind. 

The above are doctrines of men which have been built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Jesus, nor Paul the “wise master builder”, taught any such doctrines. These institutions of men which have built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ with this "wood, hay and stubble" will be consumed in the flame in my opinion. 

The "rock" and “sure foundation” of our faith is obvious…

"Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily…He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved…Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead…He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builder, but which became the chief cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Isaiah 28:16; Psalm 62:6; Acts 4:10-12)

So is Jesus your savior or is your free will choice your savior?

Will the rock of your salvation assign those who do not join your institution to eternal conscious torment, or will he save ALL sinners?

Are you going to build upon this ROCK with the "wood, hay and stubble" of men, or with precious "gold, silver and costly stones" of God and exalt the Savior of all mankind?

“It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…God our Savior wills ALL men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth… there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for All, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle, I am telling the truth, I am not lying, as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth...it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of ALL men, especially of believers. Prescribe and TEACH THESE THINGS.” (1 Timothy 1:15, 2:3-7; 4:9-11) 


I have renewed my mind and placed the destiny of all those I love in the hands of the ROCK, the "sure foundation" and "Savior of ALL mankind" - and it has set me free!

“If you continue in my word, then you are truly disciples of mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free…be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will…" (John 8:31-32; Romans 12:2)

"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world...In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ...according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us...according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will..." (Ephesians 1:4-9)

Unfortunately Christianity has made salvation an act of man's free will rather than the will of God. All we can do is come to the knowledge and believe what God has done for us. Some come to the knowledge of His salvation in this life, ALL in the next. Either way it is a time to rejoice and to praise Him for "the glory of His GRACE".

Note above that it is God who makes "known to us the mystery of His will"… and has "predestined" us to be sons. So what is the will of God?

“…God our Savior; Who WILL have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom FOR ALL, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:1-7 KJV)

“…it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

It is interesting to me that some otherwise intelligent Christians actually think God gave humans “free will” in regard to their eternal destiny. And have the foolish idea that if He did not, then humans are merely automatons. They speak of “free will” as if it is a doctrine found in Scripture and yet cannot produce one verse which says so.

God is the only being with absolute free will. Those who believe God gave mankind “free will” or “free moral agency” in relation to eternal destiny do not believe God…they prefer to trust men.

Now let’s get something clear. By “free will” I am referring to “self-determination” which means being free to choose without regard to ANY outside influence.

Tell me, you who think you are saved as a result of your “free will”, did you get up one day, and apart from any influence whatsoever, just decide to ask God to save you. Of course not, you were influenced to become a believer by God’s Spirit….and to think it was your own self-determination or the influence of others would make you or someone else your savior…yet the Bible says that Jesus is the Savior of the world.

God “gives” the faith to believe that your ultimate salvation is a result of what God has done through the His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. It is God at work in mankind “both to will and to work for His good pleasure"….and His pleasure is to save mankind…all of them.

It does not matter what your so called “free will” decides about the matter, influenced as it is by the false teaching of men…He is going to save you anyway….might as well believe Him and rejoice!

“It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.” (1 Timothy 4:9-10)

NOTE: it says God “IS THE SAVIOR OF ALL MEN” ….not “offers” to save, or will save if we “choose” to allow Him to do so by our “free will”. Believing is important for when we believe God has and will save us, we have JOY and PEACE...which is special.

Subjected to Vanity

"For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope," (Romans 8:20)

Note that creation (this includes mankind) was "not willingly" subjected to vanity.  There was no free will of man involved, as I read it.  God subjected His creatures to vanity.  And God will deliver them from it!

The free will of men has nothing to do with salvation either. What does God "will" in regard to salvation?

"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:3-4).

All other Scripture should harmonize with this - and it does!