Should Disciples Use the Expression Free Will?
- RD Montgomery
- Mar 15
- 4 min read
Free Will? Part One
One of the first things we did when creating this site was to make a list of terms and expressions that you may hear in church or from other believers. One such expression is "Free Will" and this is how we chose to define it:
"not a biblical or accurate term. No one can do anything they want without limits. You are given the choice to live with or apart from God. If you choose to live apart from Him, He will decide how long and how much you can get away with it according to His permissive will. Deuteronomy 30:19-20, Joshua 24:14-15"
I believe what free will was originally meant to suggest is that we were not designed to be mere robots, devoid of choice. Rather, God grants us the ability to choose within His sovereign design. He doesn't want automatons, pre-programmed to love Him. He desires a genuine, willing response. Regardless of how it was intended to be used, these days I see it being used incorrectly often.
One reason this blog exists is to challenge and remind you to challenge what you believe by studying Scripture. One way I do this is to examine words and terms like free will. Over time and repetition, our terminology can take on incorrect definitions because sometimes we hear what we want to hear. It's easy to lean towards ideas that make us feel bigger and more in control and push God out of the picture.
In addition, we have an enemy who loves to twist the truth. Just like he did with Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3:1-5) and tried with Jesus in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11), he mixes lies with truth.
Problem 1: Free Will is not free of limitations.
Very often, when I see people use free will, they are incorrectly suggesting something that cannot possibly be true. It is like the cultural lie told to the young and impressionable that they can be anything they want to be. These lies do not hold up to scrutiny.
Consider this: I might "choose" to walk outside and fly to the home of a famous actor and enjoy their company. However, I cannot fly without mechanical assistance due to the physical law of gravity. Furthermore, even if I could, the actor has the "free will" to deny me entry. Thus, two "free will" choices are negated: one by physical limitations, and the other by the choice of another person.
You might think that is an absurd example, but even if I settled for an airplane and reached out to the actor to arrange a meeting, I might still fail for potentially hundreds of other reasons like scheduling conflicts, illness, travel delays, and personal emergencies. No matter how much I may want to meet the actor, I do not have the power to overcome every obstacle. I am not God. If what I want aligns with God's will, then He will bulldoze every obstacle for me. He is awesome that way!
To really see how 'free will' works, just think about any sports team. A player is not forced to join a team. That is the free part. Once they are in a game, they will only want their team to score and deny the other team. But no matter how much they want success; a lot can get in the way. You've got the coach's plays, the refs' calls, what your team's doing (or not doing), and what the other team's doing. That's just the big stuff. If you really looked into all the reasons a team might not get the job done and considered every little detail—like someone not sleeping well, or a bad breakfast—well, that list would go on for pages and pages. So, the 'free' in free will is limited.
Just like in the sports example, there are many reasons what we may want to do is limited by God and what He allows. He is sovereign.
Problem 2: Free Will is not free of consequences
When this subject is discussed, very often someone will ask why God punishes when He is the one that gave us "free will." But that is like jumping off your roof and blaming the person who designed your house for your injuries.
One of the best analogies I know of for sin is a parent telling a child not to touch the hot stove. The child may rebel against their parent's authority but if they do, they may end up burned. God's rules are not arbitrary. If you sin, there will be consequences for you and others. If you choose to live apart from God, you will face His wrath and judgment. In eternity, there is no place for people hurting themselves and others through sin. In an unknown amount of time, God will rid this planet of sin and those who choose sin once and for all.
In conclusion, I think it is easier to tell people they have the God given choice to choose a life with God or apart from Him. If you choose to live apart from Him, you may make additional but limited choices for as long as He allows, but there will be consequences.
Scripture used or considered in the writing of: "Should Disciples use the expression free will" By RD Montgomery
Genesis 2:16-17
Genesis 3 (entire chapter)
Exodus 16:4
Deuteronomy 8:3
Deuteronomy 10:13
Numbers 20:10-12
· Joshua 24:14-15
1 Kings 19:12
Proverbs 1:30-31
Proverbs 16:9
Proverbs 16:33
Matthew 4:1-11
Mark 10:44-45
Romans 6:23
Romans 8:28
Romans 13:1
Romans 13:1-5
2 Corinthians 5:20
Galatians 6:7
Ephesians 2:8-9
Philippians 2:13
Hebrews 10:31
1 Peter 2:13-17
1 John 4:1
John 3:30
John 8:44
Matthew 4:1-11
Matthew 10:16
Acts 17:26
2 Timothy 4:3-4
Hebrews 10:31
Revelation 21:4
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