Divine Grace and the Nature of Free Will

Devotional

Day 1: The Boundaries of Free Will

In our exploration of free will, we find that it is defined as the ability to act according to our deepest desires. However, in our fallen state, our desires are inherently sinful, and without God's intervention, we cannot desire Him above all else. This understanding highlights the necessity of divine grace for true spiritual transformation. The Calvinistic perspective suggests that while humans are free to act according to their desires, they are not free to desire God without His transformative grace. This view challenges us to consider the limitations of our will and the profound need for God's intervention in our spiritual journey. [01:51]

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (ESV): "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 'I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.'"

Reflection: What are some desires in your life that you recognize as not aligned with God's will? How can you invite God to transform these desires today?

Day 2: The Power of Sovereign Grace

The Bible describes humanity as spiritually dead, enslaved to sin, and unable to choose God on our own. Sovereign Grace is the divine intervention that brings us from spiritual death to life, enabling us to have faith in Christ. This concept emphasizes that it is not by our own efforts that we come to faith, but through God's decisive action. Ephesians 2:5 illustrates that God’s action is crucial in bringing us from spiritual death to life. This understanding provides a foundation of humility and gratitude, recognizing that our faith is a gift from God, not a result of our own merit. [08:23]

Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV): "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually distant or dead. How did you experience God's grace bringing you back to life, and how can you express gratitude for that today?

Day 3: The Arminian View of Free Will

Arminians argue for a version of free will that includes the power of decisive self-determination, where humans can choose God without divine intervention at the moment of conversion. This perspective requires a different understanding of free will than the Calvinistic view. It suggests that humans have the capacity to respond to God's call independently, emphasizing human responsibility in the process of salvation. This view challenges us to consider the role of human choice in our relationship with God and the importance of responding to His call with intentionality and commitment. [04:51]

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (ESV): "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days."

Reflection: In what ways do you feel you have the freedom to choose God in your daily life? How can you make a conscious decision to follow Him more closely today?

Day 4: God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

Scripture does not support the idea of ultimate human self-determination. Instead, it affirms God's sovereignty and our responsibility, demonstrating that God governs all things, including human will, in a way that maintains our accountability. This understanding transcends human logic, inviting us to trust in God's perfect governance while acknowledging our role in His divine plan. It encourages us to live responsibly, knowing that our choices matter, yet ultimately rest in the assurance of God's sovereign control over all aspects of life. [09:21]

Proverbs 16:9 (ESV): "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."

Reflection: How do you balance planning your life and trusting in God's sovereignty? What is one area where you need to surrender control to God today?

Day 5: Hope in God's Transformative Grace

For those struggling to love or trust God, the message is one of hope. While human effort is insufficient, God's grace makes all things possible. We are encouraged to seek God, trusting in His ability to transform our hearts and desires through His sovereign grace. This assurance provides comfort and motivation to pursue a deeper relationship with God, knowing that He is actively working within us to align our desires with His will. It is a call to rely on His strength and grace, especially in moments of doubt or weakness. [11:00]

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel weak or insufficient? How can you invite God's grace to transform this area and rely on His strength today?

Sermon Summary

In today's discussion, we delved into the profound theological debate surrounding free will, particularly in the context of Calvinism and Arminianism. The central question revolves around whether humans possess the ability to choose God of their own volition or if divine intervention is necessary to instill the desire for God within us. We explored Jeremiah 24:7, which speaks of God giving people a heart to know Him, highlighting the necessity of divine action in transforming our desires. This transformation is what Calvinists refer to as Sovereign Grace, a concept that underscores the belief that humans, in their fallen state, are incapable of choosing God without His intervention.

The discussion further clarified the definition of free will. Matthew, a listener, defined it as the ability to do and believe what we most desire. This definition aligns with the Calvinistic view that while humans are free to act according to their desires, they are not free to desire God without His transformative grace. In contrast, Arminians argue for a version of free will that includes the power of decisive self-determination, where humans can choose God without divine intervention at the moment of conversion.

We examined biblical texts that describe the human condition as spiritually dead and in need of God's sovereign grace to bring about spiritual life and faith. Ephesians 2:5, for instance, illustrates that God’s action is decisive in bringing us from spiritual death to life. The conversation also addressed the philosophical presupposition that ultimate self-determination is necessary for accountability, a notion not supported by Scripture. Instead, the Bible affirms God's sovereignty and our responsibility in a way that transcends human understanding.

Ultimately, the message is one of hope and encouragement. For those struggling to love or trust God, the assurance is that while human effort is insufficient, God’s grace makes all things possible. We are encouraged to seek God, trusting in His ability to transform our hearts and desires through His sovereign grace.

Key Takeaways

1. determination, where humans can choose God without divine intervention at the moment of conversion. This perspective requires a different understanding of free will than the Calvinistic view. [04:51]
4. Biblical Evidence Against Ultimate Self-Determination: Scripture does not support the idea of ultimate human self-determination. Instead, it affirms God's sovereignty and our responsibility, demonstrating that God governs all things, including human will, in a way that maintains our accountability.

5. Hope in God's Sovereign Grace: For those struggling to love or trust God, the message is one of hope. While human effort is insufficient, God's grace makes all things possible. We are encouraged to seek God, trusting in His ability to transform our hearts and desires through His sovereign grace.

** [04:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - Introduction to the Debate
[00:44] - Free Will and New Desires
[01:16] - Defining Free Will
[02:31] - Human Condition and Freedom
[03:53] - Arminian View on Free Will
[05:12] - The Role of Prevenient Grace
[06:04] - Starting Point in Discussions
[07:22] - Biblical Texts on Sovereign Grace
[09:05] - Philosophical Presuppositions
[10:20] - God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
[11:00] - Encouragement to Seek God
[11:40] - Conclusion and Further Resources

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Jeremiah 24:7
- Ephesians 2:5
- Romans 8:7

---

Observation Questions:

According to Jeremiah 24:7, what does God promise to give His people, and what is the result of this gift? How does this relate to the concept of Sovereign Grace? [00:44]
In Ephesians 2:5, what does Paul say about our spiritual condition before God's intervention, and what action does God take? [08:23]
How does Romans 8:7 describe the human mind's relationship with God, and what implications does this have for the concept of free will? [02:31]
What definition of free will does Matthew provide, and how does it differ from the Arminian perspective? [01:51]

---

Interpretation Questions:

How does the promise in Jeremiah 24:7 of God giving a heart to know Him challenge or support the idea of human free will? What does this suggest about the nature of our relationship with God? [00:44]
Ephesians 2:5 describes God's action as decisive in bringing us from spiritual death to life. How does this understanding affect our view of human effort in salvation? [08:23]
Romans 8:7 states that the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God. How does this verse inform our understanding of the necessity of divine intervention for spiritual transformation? [02:31]
The sermon suggests that ultimate self-determination is not supported by Scripture. How does this perspective influence our understanding of accountability and responsibility before God? [09:21]

---

Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you felt unable to love or trust God. How can the assurance of God's Sovereign Grace provide hope and encouragement in such moments? [11:00]
Considering the definition of free will as acting according to our deepest desires, what steps can you take to align your desires more closely with God's will? [01:51]
How can you actively seek God's transformative grace in your life, especially in areas where you struggle with sin or doubt? [11:00]
In what ways can you encourage others who may be struggling with their faith to trust in God's ability to transform hearts and desires? [11:00]
How does understanding the necessity of divine intervention in our spiritual journey change the way you approach prayer and dependence on God? [08:23]
Reflect on the philosophical presupposition of ultimate self-determination. How can you reconcile this with the biblical teaching of God's sovereignty in your daily life? [09:21]
Identify one area in your life where you feel spiritually dead or enslaved to sin. What practical steps can you take to invite God's Sovereign Grace into that area? [10:43]

Sermon Clips

"I find myself often in debates with friends and family over Calvinism and arminianism uh they're all Armenian I try to represent the other side with Clarity and charity, one of the arguments that I come back to repeatedly is about Free Will and what I see in Jeremiah 24:7 quote I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shall return to me with their whole heart in quote." [00:00:20]

"So what we need are new desires that want the right things God must act to give us new desires or we are hopeless this is Sovereign Grace in The Miracle of regeneration how much of your discussions over Free Will centers on this fact that we all have free will and we all need a new heart a new will first let me commend Matthew for defining what he means by Free Will that's really unusual I appr it very much because in in most discussions people use the phrase as though it were clear when in fact most people have very different views of what free will means." [00:01:00]

"Freedom of the will he says is the freedom to do and believe what we most desire and I think that if we are going to affirm the existence of Free Will among Fallen People Like Us that's the definition we need to use because it answers the question how people can be free whom the Bible says are dead in trespasses Ephesians 2:5 slaves of sin Romans 6:20 under the Dominion of sin Romans 3:9 blind to spiritual reality 2 Corinthians 4:4 hardened against God Ephesians 4:18 and unable to submit to God Romans 8:7." [00:02:02]

"Given Matthew's definition of freedom uh such dead enslaved dominated blind hard impotent people have freedom of the will because it means that they are free to do and believe what they most desire namely sin that's what they're free to do and I would agree that if we're going to maintain that the will is free that is the definition we should use so to speak of free will then is is to speak of a will that is free to do and believe what it most desires but is not free to desire God above all else." [00:02:58]

"Most people who reject calvinistic or reformed understandings of human depravity and Sovereign Grace that is required to bring a dead hard blind person to saving faith is that this definition of Free Will is not acceptable to them they're not it's not acceptable because it still leaves a person unable to provide the decisive thing that leads to conversion namely the strongest desire to trust Christ it leaves a person in the bondage of their strongest desires which are against God." [00:03:47]

"A fair definition of what the Armenian requires is Free Will defined as the power of decisive self-determination in other words what the Armenian requires is that at the precise point of conversion where saving faith comes into being it is man and not God that at that point provides the decisive and effective influence that's what the Armenian must have to make his views work whatever influences God may give prior to that point call them prevenient Grace that's what the army wants to call all the illuminating freeing grace of God prior to that point." [00:04:43]

"Whatever influences God may give prior to that point The Armenian insists that the final decisive creation of the strongest effective desire for Christ must be self-determined hum determined not God determined so Matthew asks me how much of your discussions over Free Will centers on the fact that we all have free will and we all need a new heart and a new will and my answer now is that I don't usually start with Matthew's definition of free will it may be helpful in some discussions to Define free will that way." [00:05:41]

"I find that it is most Illuminating most convicting most clarifying to start with the definition of free will that Armenians really do need in order for their views to make sense namely the definition that Free Will is the power of decisive selfdetermination or I sometimes use the phrase ultimate selfdetermination with this definition then it appears that Armenians believe in such Free Will and Calvinists do not believe in such Free Will I certainly do not believe there is such a thing as human Free Will defined as decisive self-determination." [00:06:30]

"The other thing that I find clarifying and helpful in conversations with folks is to point out that Free Will understood as the power of ultimate or decisive self-determination is not taught anywhere in the Bible not a single verse not a single text teaches that there is such a thing as the power of ultimate human self-determination so where does that idea come from that we must have ultimate self-determination it comes from a philosophical presupposition that people bring to the Bible." [00:09:05]

"The philosophical presupposition is that if we don't have ultimate self-determination we cannot be held accountable for our own beliefs and actions before God well the Bible simply does not affirm that presupposition the Bible teaches that God has ways we do not understand and that he knows how to govern all things including the human will in such a way that we are truly responsible truly accountable and he at the same time is truly Sovereign and oh how we should be thankful for this Sovereign Grace because without it we would be utterly hopeless in the bondage of our spiritually dead Hearts." [00:09:56]

"If you find yourself unable to love God unable to trust Christ don't despair Jesus said with man it is impossible but With God all things are possible resolve to seek him come to him look to his suffering for the worst of Sinners and ask God for the grace to see and Savor Christ free to do what we most desire but not free to create desires for God Amen that's the grace we owe everything to the miracle of Sovereign Grace to give us those new desires for God." [00:10:55]

"Thank you Pastor John that is a Theology of Sovereign Grace that makes the heart want to sing oh wow that's so good and if you want more on this hot debate over free will it includes the most asked about Bible text we have ever gotten questions about here on this podcast I'm speaking of Romans 9:22 check out the text and then check out the episode uh that we released this spring apj 2028 titled your most asked about Bible verse your most asked about Bible verse ABJ 2028 you can find it at Ask Pastor john.com thank you for listening and for making good use of the archive I am Tony ranky we'll see you on Monday." [00:11:40]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?

Divine Grace and the Nature of Free Will

Devotional

Day 1: The Boundaries of Free Will

Day 2: The Power of Sovereign Grace

Day 3: The Arminian View of Free Will

Day 4: God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

Day 5: Hope in God's Transformative Grace

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Divine Grace and the Nature of Free Will

Share