A year ago ,I was engaged in a healthy debate with a Couple of friends on Facebook .. We were discussing a particular topic that has become a shibboleth In the body of Christ today -Free will . Personally ,I looked at it from a rather controversial perspective ,that free will is actually limited to our nature !
Now people say free will is being able to choose freely ,but the question is that , is our willingness to choose God what we consider free will ? If so then ,our willingness to choose God in the first place isn't free at all.
In tackling this topic ,I propose we address it systematically .
First of all ,it is not man who chooses God ,in that man in his very nature prior to his salvation can never make a right choice of choosing God. Let me explain .
We will look at this in two aspects.
1. MAN'S NATURE
Man's nature prior to salvation is death. We are dead in sin. Being depraved in sin,it only means that our whole being is corrupted with sin and there is nothing good in us . Even our good deeds are filthy before God .We will only choose that which bears witness with our nature . Due to this , we are limited by our nature to choose God .
When given free will man would only choose sin and not God because it's our nature prior to salvation .
We can never choose God unless he chooses us ,neither can we draw close to him if he hasn't drawn us close . The perception is that before you could even get the idea of accepting Christ and believe him ,God first works within us through the Holy Spirit and draws us close so that we in turn follow him .
Think of it like this . God in his nature is holy ,he is faithful and just ,he does not lie. That's who he is , hence he can't lie ,or sin or even cheat . When He does that it will not be of his nature ,which wouldn't be possible . Since we are exactly the opposite of God before salvation,we can never Choose over the very thing we are limited by .
2. FREE WILL
Therefore if man had anything called free will ,be assured he wouldn't choose God but sin ,due to his nature. We are unable to choose anything godly . It's simply not in our nature to do so . Having said that ,before we could ever have the idea of choosing God ,he has already chosen us unto salvation ,and given us the ability to exercise free will ..This doctrine is called prevenient grace .
A.W Tozer in his book "THE PURSUIT OF GOD " Wrote "God is never found accidentally . Before a sinful man can think a right thought of God ,there must have been a work of enlightenment done within him. We pursue God because he first put the urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit "
Okay now I have just realized I have been writing and babbling a lot about the topic that I forget to share a scripture on it .
Check this scripture out !
John 6:44
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Now think about that !
Best regards
~kennetiks
