Day 178

Of Free Will.

Chapter 9, Paragraph 4.

“…and by his grace alone, enables him freely to will, and to do that which is spiritually good;…”

Scripture Lookup

Philippians 2:13

Reflection

When Christ converts us and frees us from the stranglehold of sin, we no longer automatically want to do wrong. Our inclinations now are enabled to desire that which is spiritually good. Learning about God and His will for us becomes enjoyable, something that we want to spend time doing. We also are now able to act upon these inclinations. Loving God and loving our neighbor was something we could never do before. When God transforms us, acts of mercy and kindness are realized in our lives.

Remember, though, that it is God through His grace alone that changes us. The good works performed by the most godly people you know are not a result of some super-Christian status they possess.  Any good you do is not cause to celebrate self. For it is God who works in you, both to will and to do His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13) When you want to promote yourself, or secretly envy the fellow believer that seems to have all the fruit of the Spirit and then some, remember: it is all of God.

His grace solely enables our freedom to will and do that which is spiritually good. This is also a great comfort when failure seems constant and you start to question if Christ died for you. In those times, look up from you despair! God’s work in your life, not your efforts, are what cause godliness in you. Strive to be holy, repent of sin, but rest on His omnipotence and faithfulness to produce that holiness.

Questions to Consider

• Do you ever forget that the ability to will and do spiritual good is from God’s grace alone?

Day 176

Of Free Will.

Chapter 9, Paragraph 3.

” …is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself; or to prepare himself thereunto.”

Scripture Lookup

Titus 3:3-5

John 6:44

Reflection

Lying on the floor, an elderly woman called out to her emergency alert system: “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!” That tv commercial of a couple decades ago enjoyed immense popularity, spawning t-shirts and jokes. Despite the cheesiness of the commercial, though, that one phrase – “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” – describes the state of mankind concerning salvation. Because of the corrupt nature humanity inherited when Adam and Eve fell, there is nothing we can to do restore ourselves to that place of communion with God.

Our modern culture likes to tell us that we can have it all. Great job, good friends, health, happiness, inner peace – anything can be ours if we just visualize it or work hard enough for it. In other words, we have the power within us to align stars and create our own destiny, no matter what lies in our way. Such philosophy makes us the strongest being in the universe – if we have enough drive to become it. This thinking has crept into some churches, offering a salvation of our own doing. Such insidious thinking places God in the backseat of saving faith, rather than the author and perfecter of it. The truth is, dead men cannot align stars, much less move an atom. We are wholly dependent on Christ to save us.

We are fallen, and we cannot get up. Unlike that elderly woman in that old commercial, the unregenerate man or woman cannot even cry out for help. Our wills must be changed so that we can will that which is spiritually good. Thankfully, God is the bringer of life!

Questions to Consider

• Are you guilty of expecting people to save themselves, rather than relying on the Holy Spirit to regenerate them?

Day 175

Of Free Will.

Chapter 9, Paragraph 3.

” …so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in Sin,…”

Scripture Lookup

Eph. 2:1,5

Reflection

People, in their corrupted, fallen nature, do not want to be saved.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. It is foolishness for them because, in their view, they don’t need saving. Surrounded by comfort, family, and friends, they have all they desire. Why change your life if there’s nothing wrong with it?

Or there are some who are perishing that are not pleased with their life. They want a solution and are eager to follow any promise of deliverance – except the true one. Backing away from the gospel, they readily turn to a false one.

While mankind has a free will and the ability to act upon that will, that will is averse to any good concerning salvation. This is a result of the corrupted nature inherited from Adam and Eve. With sin seeping through every pore of ourselves, it is impossible that we could be stirred to any interest in redemption on our own.  We need intervention before any thought of the gospel sparks interest in us.

Questions to Consider

• If fallen people are averse to any spiritual good, how does that affect your evangelism?

Day 174

Of Free Will.

Chapter 9, Paragraph 3.

” Man by his fall into a state of sin has wholly lost all ability of Will, to any spiritual good accompanying salvation;…”

Scripture Lookup

Romans 5:6, 8:7

Reflection

When Adam and Eve sinned, they plunged humanity into a state of sin and misery. As a result, every human born of ordinary generation has inherited a corrupted nature. This corruption did not leave man’s free will unscathed. There has been a fatal malfunction in his will ever since.

Does humanity still have free will? Yes. Mankind is able to choose freely and has the ability to act upon that choice. However, the will that we are born with differs from the will Adam originally had in one vital respect: it has totally lost any ability to choose that which is good and well-pleasing to God. That ability has been stripped from us, never to return without divine intervention. No amount of “positive thinking” will ever enable the corrupted will to change the fallen man’s state.

Salvation can never be sought by oneself. The fallen man has no direction of where to find such salvation, no knowledge of how to obtain it, and no ability to move towards it. This is why Christ’s offices of Prophet, Priest, and King are essential for our salvation. Without His work in our lives, we would remain blind and lame.

Questions to Consider

• Do you ever expect fallen people to will any spiritual good on their own?

Day 171

Of Free Will.

Chapter 9, Paragraph 1.

“God has endued the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting upon choice, that it is neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature determined to do good or evil.”

Scripture Lookup

Matthew 17:12

James 1:14

Deuteronomy 30:19

Reflection

Reformed folks believe in free will. This will has been bestowed upon humanity by God; autonomy is not a by-product of evolution. Each and every person has the ability to freely choose. I may choose to get take-out or cook a meal at home; you may choose to move across the country or stay put where you are. Not only do we have the freedom to choose, we also have the ability to act upon our choice. I can call the pizza place or I can pull out the cookbook; you can fly, drive, or walk across the country or flop on your couch. This ability to decide and act upon a decision is a natural part of being human.

This free will that all humanity possesses carries with it responsibility, for we are not subject to the whim of fate. There is no impersonal force that makes us live one way or the other. We cannot blame others for our actions, for we have the freedom and ability to decide what we do. It may be hard to accept that we all have free will. Sometimes it’s easier to wallow in self-pity, blaming parents, society, other races, or even God Himself for our choices.  But Scripture does not leave room for such wallowing. We are not forced to desire certain things; we alone choose them. We alone act on our desires. And we will always freely choose what we desire most.

Questions to Consider

• Do you blame others for your choices?