Understanding Free Will: Insights from Jonathan Edwards

 

Summary

Jonathan Edwards, a towering figure in theological scholarship, offers profound insights into the nature of free will in his seminal work, "Freedom of the Will." Edwards, who served as a pastor in Northampton before becoming a missionary to the Native Americans in Stockbridge, wrote this influential text in just three months. His exploration of free will is both philosophical and theological, blending biblical analysis with rigorous philosophical argumentation.

Edwards begins by examining the nature of the will, which he defines as the mind choosing. He emphasizes the interconnectedness of the mind and the will, arguing that they should not be separated. The will, according to Edwards, is not an isolated faculty but is deeply intertwined with the mind's judgments and inclinations. He posits that every choice is an effect that requires a cause, rooted in our inclinations and desires. This perspective challenges the notion of spontaneous, uncaused choices, asserting instead that our decisions are driven by what we perceive as good or pleasing at the moment.

Edwards further explores the complexity of human desires, drawing on the Apostle Paul's struggles in Romans 7 to illustrate the internal conflict between opposing inclinations. He argues that we always choose according to our strongest inclination at any given moment, a concept that underscores the role of desire in decision-making. This does not negate freedom; rather, it defines freedom as the ability to choose according to one's inclinations.

Edwards also distinguishes between determinism and self-determination, clarifying that while our choices are influenced by our desires, they are not coerced by external forces. He introduces the idea of natural and moral ability, explaining that while we have the natural ability to make choices, our moral ability to choose God is impaired by our fallen nature. This impairment is not due to a lack of capacity but a lack of desire, which only the Holy Spirit can rectify.

Key Takeaways:

1. Interconnectedness of Mind and Will: Edwards emphasizes that the mind and will are intimately connected, with the will being the mind choosing. This interconnectedness means that our choices are not isolated acts but are deeply influenced by our mental judgments and inclinations. Understanding this relationship helps us recognize the complexity of human decision-making. [03:16]

2. Causality in Choices: Every choice we make is an effect that requires a cause, rooted in our inclinations and desires. This challenges the notion of spontaneous, uncaused choices and highlights the importance of understanding the underlying reasons for our decisions. Recognizing this can lead to more intentional and reflective decision-making. [04:20]

3. Conflict of Desires: Drawing on the Apostle Paul's struggles, Edwards illustrates the internal conflict between opposing inclinations. This conflict is a natural part of the human experience, and understanding it can help us navigate our own struggles with sin and obedience. It reminds us that our choices are often a reflection of our strongest desires at the moment. [09:00]

4. Freedom and Inclination: True freedom, according to Edwards, is the ability to choose according to our inclinations. This perspective redefines freedom not as the absence of constraints but as the alignment of our choices with our desires. It challenges us to examine what truly drives our decisions and to seek alignment with God's will. [12:23]

5. Natural vs. Moral Ability: Edwards distinguishes between natural and moral ability, explaining that while we have the natural ability to make choices, our moral ability to choose God is impaired by our fallen nature. This impairment is not due to a lack of capacity but a lack of desire, which only the Holy Spirit can rectify. This insight calls us to rely on God's grace for transformation. [23:00]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:08] - Introduction to Jonathan Edwards
- [00:23] - Edwards' Work on Free Will
- [00:52] - Edwards' Pastoral Background
- [01:31] - Writing "Freedom of the Will"
- [01:59] - Defining the Will
- [02:43] - Mind and Will Connection
- [03:31] - Law of Causality
- [04:20] - Choices as Effects
- [05:35] - Role of Desire in Choices
- [07:39] - Inclinations and Choices
- [09:00] - Conflict of Desires
- [10:23] - Strongest Inclination
- [11:37] - Essence of Freedom
- [13:07] - Continuum of Desires
- [21:29] - Natural vs. Moral Ability

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Romans 7:15-25
2. Philippians 2:13
3. Galatians 5:17

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Observation Questions:

1. How does Jonathan Edwards define the will, and what is its relationship with the mind? [03:16]

2. According to Edwards, what role do inclinations and desires play in our decision-making process? [04:20]

3. How does Edwards use the Apostle Paul's struggles in Romans 7 to illustrate the conflict of desires? [09:00]

4. What distinction does Edwards make between natural ability and moral ability? [23:00]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. In Romans 7, Paul describes a struggle between his desires. How does Edwards interpret this struggle in terms of inclinations and choices? [09:00]

2. Edwards argues that true freedom is the ability to choose according to one's inclinations. How does this redefine the common understanding of freedom? [12:23]

3. How does Edwards' distinction between natural and moral ability relate to the concept of free will in the context of choosing God? [23:00]

4. What implications does Edwards' view on causality in choices have for understanding human responsibility and accountability? [04:20]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a recent decision you made. What were the inclinations or desires that influenced your choice? How does understanding this help you make more intentional decisions in the future? [04:20]

2. Consider a time when you experienced an internal conflict of desires, similar to what Paul describes in Romans 7. How did you navigate that conflict, and what can you learn from Edwards' insights to handle such situations better? [09:00]

3. Edwards suggests that our moral ability to choose God is impaired by our fallen nature. How can you rely on the Holy Spirit to transform your desires and align them with God's will? [23:00]

4. Think about an area in your life where you feel constrained or not truly free. How does Edwards' definition of freedom challenge you to examine your inclinations and align them with God's desires for you? [12:23]

5. Identify a decision you need to make soon. How can you apply Edwards' understanding of the interconnectedness of mind and will to ensure your choice is both intentional and reflective? [03:16]

6. Reflect on a time when you felt your choices were determined by external forces. How can Edwards' distinction between determinism and self-determination empower you to take responsibility for your decisions? [11:06]

7. How can you cultivate a stronger desire for God in your daily life, considering Edwards' view on the role of inclinations in decision-making? [10:23]

Devotional

Day 1: The Mind and Will are Interconnected
The interconnectedness of the mind and will is a profound concept that Jonathan Edwards explores in his work. He defines the will as the mind choosing, emphasizing that our choices are not isolated acts but are deeply influenced by our mental judgments and inclinations. This relationship between the mind and will highlights the complexity of human decision-making. Understanding this interconnectedness can help us become more aware of how our thoughts and desires shape our actions. By recognizing that our will is not an independent faculty but is intertwined with our mind, we can begin to see the importance of aligning our thoughts with God's truth to make choices that honor Him. [03:16]

"For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (Romans 8:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a recent decision you made. How did your thoughts and inclinations influence that choice, and how can you align your mind more closely with God's truth in future decisions?


Day 2: Choices are Effects with Causes
Every choice we make is an effect that requires a cause, rooted in our inclinations and desires. This challenges the notion of spontaneous, uncaused choices and highlights the importance of understanding the underlying reasons for our decisions. Recognizing this can lead to more intentional and reflective decision-making. By examining the causes behind our choices, we can gain insight into our true motivations and desires. This understanding can help us make more deliberate decisions that align with our values and beliefs, rather than being swayed by fleeting emotions or external pressures. [04:20]

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

Reflection: Think about a decision you are currently facing. What are the underlying desires and inclinations driving your choice, and how can you ensure that your decision aligns with God's will?


Day 3: Navigating the Conflict of Desires
Jonathan Edwards draws on the Apostle Paul's struggles to illustrate the internal conflict between opposing inclinations. This conflict is a natural part of the human experience, and understanding it can help us navigate our own struggles with sin and obedience. It reminds us that our choices are often a reflection of our strongest desires at the moment. By acknowledging this internal battle, we can seek God's guidance and strength to choose what is right, even when our desires pull us in different directions. [09:00]

"For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing." (Romans 7:19, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a specific area in your life where you experience a conflict of desires. How can you seek God's help to choose obedience over sin in this area today?


Day 4: True Freedom is Choosing According to Our Inclinations
True freedom, according to Edwards, is the ability to choose according to our inclinations. This perspective redefines freedom not as the absence of constraints but as the alignment of our choices with our desires. It challenges us to examine what truly drives our decisions and to seek alignment with God's will. By understanding that true freedom comes from choosing what aligns with our deepest desires, we can strive to cultivate desires that reflect God's heart and purpose for our lives. [12:23]

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." (Galatians 5:13, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you feel constrained. How can you align your desires with God's will to experience true freedom in that area?


Day 5: Distinguishing Natural and Moral Ability
Edwards distinguishes between natural and moral ability, explaining that while we have the natural ability to make choices, our moral ability to choose God is impaired by our fallen nature. This impairment is not due to a lack of capacity but a lack of desire, which only the Holy Spirit can rectify. This insight calls us to rely on God's grace for transformation. By recognizing our need for the Holy Spirit's work in our lives, we can seek His help to transform our desires and empower us to choose God in all things. [23:00]

"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." (Ezekiel 36:26, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you feel a lack of desire to choose God? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to transform your heart and desires in this area today?

Quotes


Edwards warned against separating them, and he is arguing that the mind and the will are intimately interrelated. In fact, he defines the will as the mind choosing, and that's an important consideration because Edwards, in analyzing the operation of the will, the making of human decisions, and the exercising of choices, that is what is involved in volition. [00:03:01]

Edwards understood that as human beings, we are complex creatures. We have complex ideas in our mind. We have, at times, opposing value systems that we are dealing with, and we also have complex motives and desires within our lives. Looking back to the Apostle Paul, for example, when he spells out his struggles in the seventh chapter of Romans, he says the good that I would, I do not, and that which I would not, that is what I do. [00:08:00]

Now, Edwards' pressing point is this: that we always and everywhere, in every volitional situation we find ourselves, choose according to our strongest inclination at the moment. Now, that's important—the strongest inclination at the moment. Now, some people look at this and say, well, doesn't that mean that we are determined? [00:10:17]

The choices are determined in the sense that they're caused by something, and what they're caused by is you and your desires and what your mind deems to be most good for you at the moment or most pleasing. And so again, Edward says we always choose according to the strongest inclination that we have at the moment. [00:11:16]

The very essence of freedom is to be able to choose according to what you want at the moment. Now, the idea that we always choose according to our strongest inclination has in its view this idea of the continuum. Let me give a couple of examples of that. I go on a diet because all things being equal, I know it would be better for me. [00:13:05]

Edwards is perhaps most famous for his distinction between what he calls our natural ability and our moral ability. This distinction is very similar to the distinction Augustine made centuries earlier between free will and liberty. Edward says we have the natural ability to make choices as human beings. It is part of our nature to be volitional creatures. [00:21:29]

What we lack, according to Edwards, is the moral ability to choose the things of God. Why? Because in the fall, we have lost our disposition, our desire, and our inclination for God. The reason why man can't choose God unless God first chooses him is simply because man won't choose God, and we cannot choose what we don't want. [00:22:56]

The problem with us in our original sin is located, according to Edwards, at the want to, as the Bible said, the desires of the hearts are only wicked continually. We have no natural instinct, inclination, or disposition to God until the Holy Spirit creates that within our souls. [00:23:21]

Edwards deals with the question, what is the will anyway? Because it was customary for scholars and anthropologists and philosophers historically to make sharp distinctions among three aspects of our humanity: the mind, the affections, and the will, or sometimes the mind, the heart, and the will. [00:02:01]

Edwards further explores the complexity of human desires, drawing on the Apostle Paul's struggles in Romans 7 to illustrate the internal conflict between opposing inclinations. He argues that we always choose according to our strongest inclination at any given moment, a concept that underscores the role of desire in decision-making. [00:08:20]

Edwards also distinguishes between determinism and self-determination, clarifying that while our choices are influenced by our desires, they are not coerced by external forces. He introduces the idea of natural and moral ability, explaining that while we have the natural ability to make choices, our moral ability to choose God is impaired by our fallen nature. [00:21:29]

Edwards posits that every choice is an effect that requires a cause, rooted in our inclinations and desires. This perspective challenges the notion of spontaneous, uncaused choices, asserting instead that our decisions are driven by what we perceive as good or pleasing at the moment. [00:04:20]

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