Understanding Free Will: Choices, Desires, and Divine Alignment

 

Summary

In exploring the concept of free will, it's crucial to understand the different perspectives that exist both within and outside the church. The most prevalent view, often termed the "humanist" view, suggests that free will is the ability to make choices spontaneously, without any prior inclination or disposition. However, this view presents significant theological and rational challenges. If choices are made without any prior motivation, they lack moral significance, as moral actions require intent and purpose. The biblical narrative, such as the story of Joseph and his brothers, illustrates that choices are not only about the actions themselves but also about the intentions behind them.

Jonathan Edwards, a prominent theologian, offers a more nuanced understanding of free will. He posits that free will is the mind choosing, meaning that our choices are deeply intertwined with our desires and inclinations. Edwards' "Law of Free Will" suggests that we always act according to our strongest inclination at the moment of choice. This implies that our choices are both free and determined by our internal desires, a concept known as self-determination. This understanding aligns with the biblical view that, while humans have the faculty of choice, our fallen nature inclines us toward sin.

The challenge for Christians is to recognize that while we have the ability to choose, our desires are often misaligned with God's will due to our sinful nature. The Apostle Paul acknowledges this struggle, expressing the tension between the desire to do good and the reality of sin. Ultimately, true freedom in choice comes from aligning our desires with God's will, which requires a transformation of the heart.

Key Takeaways:

- The humanist view of free will, which suggests choices are made spontaneously without prior inclination, presents theological and rational challenges. Without intent or motivation, actions lack moral significance, as illustrated by biblical narratives like Joseph's story. [02:48]

- Jonathan Edwards' perspective on free will emphasizes that choices are deeply connected to our desires and inclinations. His "Law of Free Will" asserts that we always act according to our strongest inclination at the moment of choice, highlighting the role of internal desires in decision-making. [11:48]

- The concept of self-determination suggests that our choices are both free and determined by our desires. This understanding aligns with the biblical view that, while humans have the faculty of choice, our fallen nature inclines us toward sin, necessitating a transformation of the heart. [22:46]

- The Apostle Paul's struggle with sin reflects the tension between the desire to do good and the reality of sin. This struggle underscores the need for Christians to align their desires with God's will, recognizing that true freedom in choice comes from a transformed heart. [18:29]

- Augustine and Edwards both highlight the distinction between moral and natural ability. While humans retain the natural ability to choose, our moral ability is compromised by sin, inclining us toward evil and away from righteousness. This distinction emphasizes the need for divine intervention to realign our desires with God's will. [28:03]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:20] - Introduction to Free Will
[00:42] - The Humanist View of Free Will
[01:36] - Problems with Spontaneous Choice
[02:24] - Theological and Moral Implications
[03:11] - Biblical Example: Joseph's Story
[05:29] - Neutrality and Choice
[06:10] - Alice in Wonderland Analogy
[07:48] - Rational Impossibility of Spontaneous Choice
[08:25] - Biblical Perspective on Human Inclination
[09:47] - Jonathan Edwards on Free Will
[11:18] - Edwards' Law of Free Will
[15:00] - Coercion and Choice
[17:15] - Rival Goods and Moral Choices
[19:11] - Calvin's View on Free Will
[20:09] - Sproulian View: Free and Determined Choices
[22:46] - Self-Determination and Freedom
[25:36] - Moral vs. Natural Ability
[28:03] - Augustine's Distinction: Free Will and Liberty
[29:51] - Conclusion and Preview of Next Lecture

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Understanding Free Will

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 50:20 - "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
2. Romans 7:19 - "For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing."
3. John 8:34 - "Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.'"

Observation Questions:
1. How does the story of Joseph and his brothers illustrate the concept of intention behind choices? [03:11]
2. What does Jonathan Edwards mean by "the mind choosing" in relation to free will? [09:47]
3. According to the sermon, what is the "humanist" view of free will, and what are its theological and rational challenges? [01:36]
4. How does the Apostle Paul describe his struggle with sin in Romans 7:19, and how does this relate to the concept of free will? [17:51]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the biblical narrative of Joseph's story challenge the humanist view of free will that suggests choices are made spontaneously without prior inclination? [03:11]
2. In what ways does Jonathan Edwards' "Law of Free Will" suggest that our choices are both free and determined by our desires? [11:18]
3. How does the Apostle Paul's struggle with sin reflect the tension between the desire to do good and the reality of sin? [18:29]
4. What does the distinction between moral and natural ability, as discussed by Augustine and Edwards, imply about our capacity to choose righteousness? [28:03]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent decision you made. What were the desires or inclinations that influenced your choice? How might you align these desires more closely with God's will?
2. Consider a time when you felt your desires were misaligned with God's will. What steps can you take to transform your heart and align your desires with His?
3. How can you apply the understanding of self-determination to make more intentional choices in your daily life? [22:46]
4. In what ways can you seek divine intervention to realign your desires with God's will, especially in areas where you feel inclined toward sin? [28:03]
5. How can you support others in your small group to recognize and overcome the struggle between the desire to do good and the reality of sin in their lives?
6. Identify a specific area in your life where you feel "enslaved" by sin. What practical steps can you take this week to seek freedom and transformation in that area? [24:26]
7. How can the story of Joseph inspire you to trust in God's intentions, even when faced with difficult choices or circumstances? [03:11]

Devotional

Day 1: Theological Challenges of Spontaneous Free Will
The humanist view of free will suggests that choices are made spontaneously, without any prior inclination or disposition. This perspective presents significant theological and rational challenges. If choices are made without any prior motivation, they lack moral significance, as moral actions require intent and purpose. The biblical narrative, such as the story of Joseph and his brothers, illustrates that choices are not only about the actions themselves but also about the intentions behind them. Without intent or motivation, actions cannot be morally evaluated, which contradicts the biblical understanding of human responsibility and accountability. [02:48]

Genesis 50:20 (ESV): "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."

Reflection: Consider a recent decision you made. What were the underlying motivations and intentions? How can you ensure your future choices align with moral and spiritual values?


Day 2: Desires and Inclinations in Decision-Making
Jonathan Edwards offers a nuanced understanding of free will, positing that it is the mind choosing, meaning that our choices are deeply intertwined with our desires and inclinations. Edwards' "Law of Free Will" suggests that we always act according to our strongest inclination at the moment of choice. This implies that our choices are both free and determined by our internal desires, a concept known as self-determination. This understanding aligns with the biblical view that, while humans have the faculty of choice, our fallen nature inclines us toward sin. Recognizing the role of desires in decision-making can help individuals understand the complexity of their choices and the need for spiritual growth. [11:48]

James 1:14-15 (ESV): "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."

Reflection: Identify a desire that often influences your decisions. How can you align this desire with God's will to make more spiritually sound choices?


Day 3: The Struggle Between Good Intentions and Sin
The Apostle Paul acknowledges the struggle between the desire to do good and the reality of sin. This tension reflects the challenge for Christians to recognize that while they have the ability to choose, their desires are often misaligned with God's will due to their sinful nature. True freedom in choice comes from aligning one's desires with God's will, which requires a transformation of the heart. This transformation is a continuous process that involves seeking God's guidance and strength to overcome sinful inclinations. [18:29]

Romans 7:18-19 (ESV): "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you struggled to do what you knew was right. What steps can you take to seek God's help in transforming your heart and aligning your desires with His will?


Day 4: Moral and Natural Ability in Human Choice
Augustine and Edwards highlight the distinction between moral and natural ability. While humans retain the natural ability to choose, their moral ability is compromised by sin, inclining them toward evil and away from righteousness. This distinction emphasizes the need for divine intervention to realign human desires with God's will. Understanding this distinction can help individuals recognize their dependence on God's grace and the importance of seeking His guidance in their decision-making processes. [28:03]

Jeremiah 13:23 (ESV): "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel your moral ability is compromised? How can you invite God's intervention to help you choose righteousness over sin?


Day 5: Transformation of the Heart for True Freedom
True freedom in choice comes from a transformation of the heart, aligning one's desires with God's will. This transformation is essential for overcoming the sinful inclinations that often misalign human desires with God's purposes. The process involves a continuous effort to seek God's guidance, immerse oneself in His Word, and cultivate a heart that desires what He desires. As individuals grow in their relationship with God, they experience greater freedom in making choices that reflect His will and bring glory to His name. [22:46]

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to invite God to transform your heart? How can this transformation lead to greater freedom in your choices and alignment with His will?

Quotes


The first view I'm going to call the "humanist" view of free will, which I would say is the most widely prevalent view of human freedom that we find in our culture. And I'm sad to say, in my opinion, it's the most widely held view within the church, as well as outside of the church. In this scheme, free will is defined as our ability to make choices spontaneously, that is that the choices that we make are in no wise conditioned or determined by any prior prejudice, inclination, or disposition. [00:00:46]

If our choices are made purely spontaneously, without any prior inclination, any prior disposition - in a sense what we're saying is that there is no reason for the choice. There is no motivation, or motive for the choice. It just happens spontaneously. And if that is the way our choices operate, then we immediately face this problem: how could such an action have any moral significance to it at all? [00:25:51]

We recall, for example, the story of Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers. And when he has this reunion with his brothers many years later, and they repent of that former sin, what does Joseph say to his brothers? And when he accepts them and forgives them, he says, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." So that God made a choice in the matter. God had chosen, at least, to allow this thing to happen and to befall Joseph. [00:03:29]

Edwards says that, "Freedom, or free will, is the mind choosing." Now what he's saying there is that though he distinguishes between the mind and the will, he is saying that the two are inseparably related. We do not make moral choices without the mind approving the direction of our choice. That is one of the dimensions that is closely related to the biblical concept of conscience: that moral choices are - that the mind is involved in moral choices. [00:09:47]

Edwards declares this: that, "Free moral agents always act according to the strongest inclination they have at the moment of choice." To say it another way, we always choose according to our inclinations, and we always choose according to our strongest inclination at a given moment. Let me put it in simple terms. Any time that you sin, what that action indicates is that at the moment of your sin, your desire to commit the sin is greater in that moment than your desire is to obey Christ. [00:11:18]

Now, just in passing, I may add that from a biblical perspective, from a Christian view, man in his fallenness, is not seen as being in a state of neutrality with respect to the things of God. He does have a prejudice; he does have a bias. He does have an inclination, and his inclination is toward wickedness and away from the things of God. [00:08:21]

Calvin, in examining the question of free will says that, "If we mean by free will that fallen man has the ability to choose what he wants, then of course fallen man has free will. If we mean by that term that man in his fallen state has the moral power and ability to choose righteousness, then," said Calvin, "free will is far too grandiose a term to apply to fallen man." [00:19:11]

I would like to make this statement: that in my opinion, every choice that we make is free, and every choice that we make is determined. Every choice that we make is free, and every choice that we make is determined. Now that sounds flatly contradictory because we normally see the categories of "determine" and "free" as being mutually exclusive categories, saying that if something is determined by something else, which is to say it's caused by something else, would seem to indicate that it couldn't possibly be free. [00:20:09]

Self-determination, which is not the denial of freedom, but is the essence of freedom. For the self to be able to determine its own choices is what free will is all about. Now the simple point I'm trying to make is that not only may we choose according to our own desires, but in fact we do always choose according to our desires; and I'll take it even to the superlative degree and say, in fact, we must choose always according to the strongest inclination at the moment. [00:22:46]

He makes a distinction between moral ability and natural ability. Natural ability has to do with the abilities we have by nature. As a human being, I have the natural ability to think. I have the ability to speak. I can walk upright. I do not have the natural ability to fly through the air unaided by machines. Fish have the ability to live under water for great periods of time without tanks of oxygen and so on, and diving equipment, because God has given them fins and gills. [00:25:36]

Augustine said that man had a "liberum arbitrium," or a free will, but what man lost in the fall was "libertas", or liberty - what the Bible calls moral liberty. The Bible speaks of fallen men as being in bondage to sin. And those who are in bondage have lost some dimension of moral liberty. Still make choices, still have a free will, but that will is now inclined toward evil and disinclined toward righteousness. [00:28:03]

The Bible speaks of fallen men as being in bondage to sin. And those who are in bondage have lost some dimension of moral liberty. Still make choices, still have a free will, but that will is now inclined toward evil and disinclined toward righteousness. There is none who does good. There is none righteous. There is none who seeks after God, no not one. That indicates that something has happened to us inside. [00:28:09]

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Transcript
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