How Free is the Will?

HOW FREE IS THE WILL?

Most people say that they believe in "free will." Do you have any idea what that means? I believe that you will find a great deal of superstition on this subject. The will is saluted as the grand power of the human soul which is completely free to direct our lives. But from what is it free? And what is its power?

No one denies that man has a will—that is, a faculty of choosing what he wishes to say, do, and thinks. But have you ever reflected on the pitiful weakness of your will? Though you have the ability to make a decision, you do not have the power to carry out your purpose. Will may devise a course of action, but will has no power to execute its intention. We are prone to think of the will as being entirely independent of all other things—that it is "free" in the sense of being the master of our being.

We often suppose that we have the freedom to make choices either (1) in concert with, or (2) contrary to, our reason, our emotions or our sense of moral goodness. But the fact is that our choices are governed by either reason or emotion. A choice that is not based on reason or emotion is nothing but a random event—and if it is truly random, then how could a person be held responsible for making such a choice? In order for a choice to be morally significant, it must be deliberate. And, in order to be deliberate, it must be based either upon some sort of rational thinking, or else upon blind passion, or some mixture of reason and desire.
By saying that your will is free, we certainly do not mean that it determines the course of your life. You did not choose the sickness, sorrow, war, and poverty that have spoiled your happiness. You did not choose to have enemies. If man's will is so potent, why not choose to live on and on? But you must die. The major factors that shape your life cannot thank your will. You did not select your social status, color, intelligence, etc.

During my High School year, in my speech class, I recited my memorized poem in front of my classmates. The title of that poem is invictus by William Ernest Henley. The poem powerfully embodies the philosophy that man is a self-determining being, the master of his fate and the captain of his soul. Man they say is self-sufficient. I would say that is arrogance and pride. It is a blasphemous assertion.

Yes man can choose, but man choose according to his sense of value and preference. For example, if you order from a menu at a restaurant, you may choose a hamburger, a steak, chicken, fish or pasta . Which you choose is usually based upon some consideration of your personal likes and dislikes, as well as financial and health considerations, and other such factors. Your value system is a complex mixture of tastes and rational considerations. Your concern for your health may cause you to opt for a salad. Or, your desire for a juicy hamburger and french fries may overrule any health concerns you may have. But the bottom line is that our choices are molded by our sense of values and priorities at any given time. We do not choose randomly or blindly, but instead our choices are determined by some prioritization of rational thought, personal tastes and moral concerns. If fresh meat and tossed salad were placed before a hungry lion, he would choose the flesh. This is because his nature dictates the selection. It is just so with man. You always choose on the basis of your disposition, according to the condition of your heart. Our will is not a self-determining agent; rather it is the servant of our heart.

It is for this reason that your will is not free to do good. . Your will is the servant of your heart, and your heart is evil. "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5). "No one does good, not even one" (Rom. 3:12). No power forces man to sin contrary to his will, but the descendants of Adam are so evil that they always choose the evil.

What most people mean by free will is the idea that man is by nature neutral and therefore able to choose either good or evil. This simply is not true. The human will and the whole of human nature is bent to only evil continually. Jeremiah asked, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil" (Jer. 13:23). It is impossible. It is contrary to nature. Thus do men desperately need the supernatural transformation of their natures, else their wills are enslaved to choosing evil.

In spite of the great praise that is given to "free will," we have seen that man's will is not free to choose a course contrary to God's purposes nor free to act contrary to his own moral nature. Your will does not determine the events of your life nor the circumstances of it. Ethical choices are not formed by a neutral mind but always dictated by your personality.
Human philosophy insists that it is the will which governs the man, just like what the poem Invictus tried to insists, but the Word of God teaches that it is the heart which is the dominating center of our being. Many scriptures might be quoted in substantiation of this. "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4:23). "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders," etc. (Mark 7:21). Here our Lord traces these sinful acts back to their source, and declares that their fountain is the "heart," and not the will! Again; "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me" (Matt. 15:8).
Again, this demonstrates that human choices are a behavior that manifests the condition of the heart. Choices are merely an expression of the values and priorities held by an individual. Why did I choose to recite before my classmates the poem Invictus? That is because it is easy for me to memorize the poem. That is my preference. That is my priority. I cannot act contrary to my preference.

Choice implies the acceptance of one alternative and the rejection of the other or others. Those who have holy affections will make holy choices, and those who have unholy affections will make unholy choices. The problem with man is that he is a sinner by nature... a sinner from birth. Thus, man freely makes choices (i.e. "freely" in the sense that no one outside of himself forces him "against his will" to make the choices he makes), but he constantly makes sinful choices because, at heart, he has sinful desires and appetites which form the basis by which he makes his choices.

Paul said in Ephesians 2:4 & 5, "When we were dead in sins God has quickened us with Christ (by grace you are saved)." Faith is the first act of a will made new by the Holy Spirit. Receiving Christ is an act of man just as breathing is, but God must first give life.

The will is in the chains of an evil human nature. You who extol the free will as a great force are clinging to a root of pride. Man, as fallen in sin, is utterly helpless and hopeless. The will of man offers no hope. It was the will choosing the forbidden fruit that brought us into misery. The powerful grace of God alone offers deliverance. Cast yourself upon God's mercy for salvation. Ask for the Spirit of Grace that he may create a new spirit within you.

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