Post by Jesse Morrell on Aug 7, 2009 21:01:07 GMT -5
THE NATURAL ABILITY OF MAN
TO OBEY THE LAW & THE GOSPEL
Explained & Defended
By Jesse Morrell
The sections of this article are as follows:
- Natural ability defined & explained
- God’s problem with sinners
- God’s means of solving the problem
- Explain John 6:44
- Explain 1 Corinthians 12:3
- Explain James 3:8-9
- Explain Romans 8:7
- Explain Jeremiah 13:23
- Man’s ability to obey the law
- Man’s ability to obey the Gospel
- Other verses that imply & teach man’s ability
Without definition there can be no effective or meaningful communication. Speaking, without being understood, is meaningless or pointless. Speaking, without being understood, defeats the purpose of speaking. Therefore definitions are where every discussion must start.
NATURAL ABILITY DEFINED & EXPLAINED:
Natural ability is the power of choice God has given man to obey or disobey His will, to embrace or reject the light that He gives us. It is the ability to determine whether you will submit to God or whether you will revolt or rebel against Him. It is the freedom or liberty to choose between two alternate or opposite choices.
Natural ability is synonymous with free will. Free will is not the ability to do whatever you want. That is omnipotence. Many seem to think that man does not have a free will because man is not omnipotent, because man is not free or does not have the power to do whatever He wants. I cannot fly to Mars just because I have a free will. But because I have a free will, I am free to want to fly to Mars. Free will has to do with the ability to want, no the ability to do or perform. It is the ability to will, not the ability to do. The ability to want or to will is moral; the ability to do or perform is physical. Free will is the power of contingent choice, the ability to determine what you want and what you do not want. Free will is not the physical ability to do whatever you want. Free will is the moral ability to decide what you want.
Free will includes the ability to obey the law of God, which requires us to love (a state of the will) God supremely and our neighbor equally. If we do not have the physical ability to promote the well-being of our neighbor, if we are handicapped for example, if we want to or if we will their well-being and would promote it if we could, we have fully obeyed our obligation. Physical inability does not bar a being from fulfilling their moral obligation of love, since love is an attitude of the heart; it is a committal of the will. The law requires us to have a certain state of will (benevolence) and free will or natural ability is the ability to be in that state or not.
Likewise, if a person does not have the physical ability to commit adultery, say they are in prison, but they want to commit adultery, they are already guilty of it (Matt. 5:28). The law commands and forbids states of the will, and free will is the ability to will what the law commands or to will what the law forbids.
Free will is also the ability to obey the Gospel. The Gospel commands men to repent of their sin and trust in Christ. Repentance and faith are choices of the will, or more specifically, they are states of the will. Free will, in regards to the ability to obey the Gospel, is the ability to choose to repent or remain in impenitence, and the ability to choose to believe or to remain in unbelief.
In summary, free will or natural ability is the power of choice to obey or disobey the requirements and demands of the law and the Gospel.
1. GOD’S PROBLEM WITH SINNERS
I want to start by arguing and stating that a sinner’s problem is not inability but unwillingness. A sinner’s problem is rebellion. The nature of rebellion is not inability but unwillingness. Rebellion or sin is moral not constitutional. The problem with a sinner is not his constitution; the problem with a sinner is his will. His problem is not the abilities that he has, but how he uses the abilities that he has. A sinner is a rebel because while he could obey God, he refuses to do so. The problem that God has with sinners is not that He has made them unable to obey (a problem with their nature), but that they have made themselves unwilling to obey (a problem with their will).
"If anyone is truly religious, he is a man of God; but if he is irreligious, he is a man of the devil, made such, not by nature, but by his own choice." Ignatius 1
“The Scriptures…emphasize the freedom of the will. They condemn those who sin, and approve those who do right… We are responsible for being bad and worthy of being cast outside. For it is not the nature in us that is the cause of the evil; rather, it is the voluntary choice that works evil.” Origen 2
God’s problem with men is not with their constitutional abilities, but with how they are using their constitutional abilities. We see this in Luke 19:14, “But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, we WILL NOT have this man to reign over us.” They had rebellious hearts, that is, they had disobedient wills. Their problem was not their nature (their constitutional abilities). Their problem was their will. It is not that they could not obey God, but that they would not obey God. It was a moral not a constitutional problem. Men are sinners through the liberty of their will, not through a necessity of their nature.
We also read in Luke 19:27, “But those mine enemies, which WOULD NOT that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.” Jesus said that their problem was their will, not their nature. Their problem was not inability, but how they were using their ability. Jesus didn’t say that they “could not” but that they “would not”. That is precisely why it is just for Jesus to slay them. They could submit to his reign, but refuse to. Therefore they rightly and justly deserve punishment. But if they could not obey, it would not be right or just to command them to obey or to punish them for not doing so. It would be as cruel as punishing the lame for not walking, or the blind for not seeing. Sinners are objects of God’s wrath for sinning, because they choose to sin when they don’t have to. “As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye WOULD NOT be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God” (Deut. 8:20). Sinners are punishable, not because they were not capable of obeying God, but because they were not willing to obey God.
Justin Martyr said, “We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishment, chastisement, and rewards are rendered according to the merit of each man’s actions. Otherwise, if all things happen by fate, then nothing is our own power. For if it is predestined that one man be good and another man evil, then the first is not deserving of praise and the other to be blamed. Unless humans have the power of avoiding evil and choosing good by free choice, they are not accountable for their actions – whatever they may be … for neither would a man be worthy of praise if he did not himself choose the good, but was merely created for that end. Likewise, if a man were created evil, he would not deserve punishment, since he was not evil of himself, being unable to do anything else than what he was made for.” 3
Theodorite said, “For how can He punish [with endless torments] a nature which had no power to do good, but was bound in the hands of wickedness?” 4
Irenaeus said, “Those who do not do it [good] will receive the just judgment of God, because they had not work good when they had it in their power to do so. But if some had been made by nature bad, and others good, these latter would not be deserving of praise for being good, for they were created that way. Nor would the former be reprehensible, for that is how they were made. However, all men are of the same nature. They are all able to hold fast and to go what is good. On the other hand, they have the power to cast good from them and not to do it.” 5
John Fletcher said, “As to the moral agency of man, Mr. Wesley thinks it cannot be denied upon the principles of common sense and civil government; much less upon those of natural and revealed religion; as nothing would be more absurd than to bind us by laws of a civil or spiritual nature; nothing more foolish than to propose to us punishments and rewards; and nothing more capricious than to inflict the one or bestow the other upon us; if we were not moral agents.” 6
Consider God’s dealings with Israel. “But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people” (Romans 10:21). Why would God do this if they were not capable of obedience? Why would God make the effort of reaching out to them unless they were capable of doing what He wanted? Their problem was not that God didn’t want them to obey, or that God didn’t give them the ability to obey, but that they were choosing to be disobedient out of the freedom that God had granted them. Disobedience is not the fault of someone’s nature (inability). God determines what type of nature we have. Disobedience is the fault of someone’s will (unwillingness). They determine what type of choices they make. Rebellion is not a constitutional problem, cause by a fault in our design. Rebellion is a moral problem, caused by our own will.
We see this all throughout God’s dealings with Israel. He does not ever say, “They disobey me because they cannot obey me”. Neither does He say, “They cannot obey me because I took away their free will when Adam sinned.” God never says that Israel could not obey, but that they would not obey. He accuses them of not being willing to obey, which is the nature of rebellion.
“Notwithstanding ye WOULD NOT go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God” (Deut. 1:26).
“So I spake unto you; and ye WOULD NOT hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord…” (Deut. 1:43)
“As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye WOULD NOT be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God” (Deut. 8:20).
“And yet they WOULD NOT hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord: but they did not so” (Judges 2:17).
“Notwithstanding they WOULD NOT hear, but hardened their necks, like the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God” (2 Kings 17:14).
“Because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and WOULD NOT hear them, nor do them” (2 Kings 18:12).
“That whosoever WOULD NOT seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death…” (2 Chronicles 15:13).
“Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they WOULD NOT give ear” (2 Chronicles 24:19).
“And the Lord spake to Mannasseh, and to his people: but they WOULD NOT hearken” (2 Chronicles 33:10).
“And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdraw the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and WOULD NOT hear. Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet WOULD they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands” (Nehemiah 9:29-30)
“Because they turned back from him, and WOULD NOT consider any of his ways” (Job 34:27).
“But my people WOULD NOT hearken to my voice; and Israel WOULD none of me” (Psalms 81:11).
“To whom he said, this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they WOULD NOT hear” (Isaiah 28:12).
“For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quitness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye WOULD NOT” (Isaiah 30:15).
“Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? For they WOULD NOT walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law” (Isaiah 42:24).
“For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord, that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they WOULD NOT hear” (Jeremiah 13:11).
“Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by my servant the prophets, rising up early and sending them, but ye WOULD NOT hear, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:19).
“But they rebelled against me, and WOULD NOT hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt…” (Ezekiel 20:8).
“Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they WOULD NOT hear, so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 7:13).
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered they children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye WOULD NOT” (Matthew 23:37).
“To whom our fathers WOULD NOT obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt” (Acts 7:39).
It could not be any clearer that the problem God has with sinners is not that they could not obey Him, but that they would not obey Him. God wants men to obey Him, but men do not want to obey God. My point is that a sinner’s problem is not constitutional; otherwise he could blame God who forms us in the womb. The sinner’s problem is moral. Sin is his own fault because it is his own choice. God has given us the ability to obey or disobey Him. That is our own choice and therefore it is our own fault if we do not use our ability to obey Him. If the sinner’s problem is constitutional, he would be a cripple – someone who cannot obey God. But if the sinner’s problem is moral, he is a criminal – someone who doesn’t want to obey God. If sinners are cripples, they deserve pity. If sinners are criminals, they deserve punishment. It is abundantly clear from the Bible that God views sinners as criminals who are worthy of eternal punishment. Therefore God must view sinners as moral beings who are capable of obeying His law, but who refuse to do so.
2. GOD’S MEANS OF SOLVING THE PROBLEM
It is a self-evident truth that the nature of the desired object determines the nature of the means which will secure that end. Otherwise, there would be no relation between ends and means. If the end is spiritual, the means must be spiritual. If the end is moral, the means must be moral. If the end is physical, the means must be physical. The nature of the desired object determines the nature of the means which must be employed to secure that end. The desired object, or the end God has in mind, is a holy people (Eph. 1:4) who willingly obey Him. Therefore the means necessary to secure this end must respect the free will of man. If the means used to secure this end do respect man’s free will, then the end itself of free obedience would not be reached or secured.
God never wanted Heaven to be full of beings that have to love, worship, and serve Him. God wanted Heaven to be full of beings that want to love, worship, and serve Him. Love, worship, and service are only true and genuine if they are voluntarily. If the law of necessity, instead of the law of liberty, were the law of Heaven, than Heaven would empty, void, and barren of all true and genuine love, worship, and service. God could have created beings that were incapable of vice, but in doing so, He would have created beings that were incapable of virtue. Vice is when a being could do right, but chooses to do wrong. Virtue is when a being could do wrong, but chooses to do right. For this reason God took the risk of giving men and angels free will.
It does not glorify God’s nature and character to have beings serve Him who are nothing more than machines or puppets. But if beings, which have free will, choose to love, worship, and serve Him, when they don’t have to, than this truly magnifies and glorifies His nature and His character! How awesome of a God He must be, if free beings choose to love, worship, and serve Him! He must be truly worthy! For that reason he granted both men and angels free will and gave them the freedom to choose to be loyal to Him or to rebel against him.
With the freedom or liberty that God granted mankind, we have revolted. Now God wants to transform disobedient men, who have rebelled against Him out of their own freedom, and turn them into obedient men, who are faithful to Him out of their own freedom. Mankind’s freedom must be regarded by God when He employs means to bring them back to Him. God regards man’s free will in conversion, for the same reason that God granted man free will at creation.
It is only logical that the nature of the problem determines the nature of the solution. Since the sinners problem is not constitutional, but moral, the solution to this problem must not be constitutional, but moral. That is, man does not need a constitutional change in order to come to God, because his constitution is not keeping him back from God. Man needs moral influence to be brought to God, because it is his own unwillingness that is keeping him back.
Gordon Olson said, “Man cannot be regenerated or controlled by sheer force or by Divine omnipotence, but only by the application of appropriate means. We have seen that God's great love has moved Him to make plans for man's full reconciliation to Himself. Man is complete in his constitutional faculties by creation, so does not need any new ability to be added to his personality. But man has used his endowments wrongly and has brought defilement to his whole inner being…. We were to be "created" anew in the sense of being transformed or completely changed, the word meaning to make habitable, to reduce from a state of disorder to order. This great change is a moral change in which the subject himself has an active part. It is not a simple act of God's power without man's agency. Therefore some means must be brought into existence that both God and man can use in this complete inner renovation of personality.” 7
If regeneration were constitutional, it would be by force. The same type of power that God used in creating the universe, He would use in recreating man’s constitution. A constitutional change (making the incapable capable) would be brought about by irresistible force. God would be recreating the constitutional faulty of the will, granting him new abilities. But if regeneration is moral, it would be by moral influence or by moral force. If it is moral, it would by resistible influence. Since regeneration is a moral change, it is brought about by moral means.
Catherine Booth said, “The laws of mind are the same when operated upon by either God or man. This is not laying any necessity upon God any more than He has laid upon Himself. He has made us with a certain mental constitution, and therefore He must adapt the conditions and means of our salvation to that mental constitution, otherwise He would reflect upon His own wisdom in having given it to us at the first. Therefore when he purposes to save man He must save him as man, not as a beast or a machine!” 8
Man, as a moral being, is moved by motive not force. God does not govern moral beings the same way that he governs matter. God governs matter by cause and effect, but God governs minds by influence and response. In regeneration, God regards and treats men as moral beings. Therefore regeneration is not by cause and effect, or by force, but it is by influence and response, by truth. Regeneration is a moral change and therefore must include the will of man and must be brought about by moral means, which regard the will of man.
The means that God uses in saving souls from the practice and penalty of sin is the truth. Regeneration is through revelation. The Holy Spirit presents the truths of sin and the Savior to the mind of man, and these truths are what influences man to change his ways and follow Jesus Christ.
“Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he TEACH sinners in the way.” (Psalms 25:8);
“Then will I TEACH transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be CONVERTED unto thee.” (Psalms 51:13);
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all TAUGHT of God. Everyman therefore that hath HEARD, and hath LEARNED of the Father, cometh unto me.” (John 6:44-45);
“And ye shall KNOW the TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall make you FREE.” (John 8:32);
“Now ye are CLEANE THROUGH THE WORD which I have SPOKEN unto you.” (John 15:3);
“SANCTIFY them THROUGH THY TRUTH: thy WORD is TRUTH.” (John 17:17);
“For though ye have ten thousand INSTRUCTORS in Christ, yet have yet not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have BEGOTTEN you through the GOSPEL.” (1 Corinthians 4:15);
“For the grace of God that BRINGETH SALVATION has APPEARED unto all men, TEACHING US that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” (Titus 2:11-12);
“Of his own will BEGAT he us WITH THE WORD OF TRUTH, that we should be a king of firstfruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18);
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted WORD, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS. But be ye DOERS OF THE WORD, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:21-22);
“Seeing ye have PURIFIED your souls in OBEYING THE TRUTH through the Spirit. Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but of the incorruptible, BY THE WORD OF GOD, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Peter 1:22-23);
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 2:20);
Regeneration is through revelation. Transformation is through the renewing of the mind (Rom. 12:2). This is precisely why we must be full of the Holy Spirit to effectively preach the Gospel (Luke 24:47-49), and why preaching the Gospel is so important (Romans 10:14), because is it the precious truths of the Gospel that the Holy Spirit uses to brings sinners to repentance. “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19). “Show thy marvelous loving-kindness, O thou that savest” (Ps. 17:7). “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4). “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). It is a revelation of Jesus Christ, and what He has done for us, that turns the unwilling into the willing, that turns the rebellious into the submissive and obedient. The strongest moral influence that could ever be exerted upon the will of man is when the revelation of Jesus Christ, and what He has done for us, is presented to the mind of man. Truth presented to the mind influences the will. Regeneration is when the Holy Spirit brings men to repentance and faith through the means of the truth of the Gospel.
Harry Conn said, “The only means in all the universe to subdue the rebellious heart and uphold the moral government of God is the love shown for us on Calvary. It was the greatest and most profound event of all history. The death of the Lord Jesus did not render God merciful but was an expression of his mercy… It seeks to bring back wanderers by expressing God’s love and forgiveness, and that salvation is free for all men if they choose to available themselves of it.” 9
Charles Finney said, “The Spirit takes the things of Christ and shows them to the soul. The truth is employed, or it is truth which must necessarily be employed, as an instrument to induce a change of choice.” 10 He also said, “Truth; this must, from the nature of regeneration, be employed in effecting it, for regeneration is nothing else than the will being duly influenced by truth.” 11
Souls are won, not through the wisdom of words, but by the powerful influence of the preaching of the cross (1 Cor. 1:17). God brings men to repentance through the revelation of the truth. By presenting truth to their minds, God influences their will. “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves: if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth” (2 Tim. 2:25). It is through the instruction of the truth that God brings men to repentance. There is an “if”, not because there is any unwillingness on God’s part, but because there is a freedom of man’s part. Man may or may not obey the truth which God grants; therefore God may or may not bring men to repentance through the truth.
In Matthew 11:20 we read, “Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his might works were done, because they repented not.” The might works Jesus had done should have brought them to repentance. Jesus went on to say in Matthew 11:21, “ Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the might works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” The mighty works of Jesus Christ, healing the sick and preaching the Gospel, gave men a revelation of God, giving them knowledge of God’s heart or character. This revelation is the influence God uses to bring us to repentance. Jesus rebuked these cities for not repenting, which implies that they had the ability, opportunity, and influences necessary to repent. Again, their problem was unwillingness, not inability. And it was through influence (the mighty works) which gave revelation of God which ought to have brought them to repentance.
God is trying to save all men (Jn. 3:16, 6:44-45, 12:32; 16:8; Mk. 16:15; Acts 17:30-31, 2 Pet. 3:9). That is why God gives light to all men (Jn. 1:9), why He is convicting all men (Jn. 16:8), why He is drawing all men (Jn. 6:44-45, 12:32), why is calling all men (Matt. 11:28, 22:9; Lk. 5:32; Acts 17:30; Rev. 22:17) and why His grace has appeared to all men (Rom. 5:15; Tit. 2:11-12). But many are unwilling to accept His offer (Isa. 30:9; 30:15-16; Jer. 8:5; Eze. 20:7-8; Matt. 11:20-21; 23:37, Mk. 6:6; 7:30; 13:34; 14:17-18; 19:14; 19:27; Lk. 14:16-24; Jn. 5:40; Acts 7:51; 17:27; Rev. 2:21). God is doing everything that He can for men to know Him, so if men do not know Him, it is their own fault (Acts 17:26-27; Rom. 1:19-21). Through the means of giving light, convicting, calling, and teaching, God is trying to bring man back to Himself.
My point is that sinners need the work of the Holy Spirit, not to make them capable since God has already done that at creation, but to make them willing. The Spirit makes men willing to do what God has already made them capable of doing. Sinners need the grace of God, not to make them able, but to make them willing.
Augustine said "I have tried hard to maintain the free choice of the human will, but the grace of God prevailed." 12 This is because Augustine viewed the grace of God as bringing a constitutional change, instead of a moral change. He viewed grace as being a force, not an influence. The existence of free will is by no means inconsistent with the necessity of grace, as Augustine supposed. Grace is defined by Thayer as “his holy influence upon souls”13 and Strong’s defines grace as “the divine influence upon the heart”14. Grace is not a force that changes our constitution (making the incapable capable) but grace is the divine influence of God that changes our character (making the unwilling willing). Regeneration is not the constitutional change of a helpless cripple. Regeneration is the moral change of a deliberate criminal. The Holy Spirit brings us to a place where we start to use our free will rightly. Through the powerful influence of the truth of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit brings us to a place of total submission and surrender. That is true regeneration or true conversion.
Catherine Booth said, “God did not require to make any change in the make of us. A scheme of theology has been thrust upon mankind which implies that God must alter human nature in order to save it. I do not mean altering it in its moral quality – making it righteous instead of sinful – but altering its constitution, saving us not as men and women, having all the capacities, propensities, and affections of humanity; that we must, so to speak, be reorganized before God can save us. If I understand the Gospel, it makes no such assumptions, and comes to us with no such requirements.” 15
H. O. Wiley said, "Regeneration is a moral change wrought in the hearts of men by the Holy Spirit. This change is neither physical nor intellectual, although both the body and the mind my be affected by it. It is not a change in the substance of the soul, nor is it the addition of any new powers. Regeneration is not a metamorphosis of human nature. Man does not receive a new ego. His personal identity is the same in essence after regeneration as before. He has the same power of intellect, feeling and will, but these are given a new direction. God does not undue in the new creation what He did in the first creation. The change is, therefore, not in the natural constitution of man, but in his moral and spiritual nature. Furthermore, it is important to believe that the whole man, and not merely certain powers of his being, is the subject of this spiritual renewel." 16
It is worth noting that holy men obeyed God before the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given (Job 1:8; Luke 1:6). The Holy Spirit at Pentecost gave men supernatural ability to do supernatural things (Acts 2:17-18; 1 Cor. 12:4-11), but God had already given men natural ability to do natural things. Obedience to God is a state of the will. The power to choose between obedience and disobedience is a normal ability. This is a normal function of the faculty of the will. Obedience to God does not require supernatural ability. It is not superhuman to obey God. But obedience to God does require supernatural or spiritual influence. The Holy Spirit does not give us gracious ability, but the Holy Spirit does give us gracious influence. Sinners could obey God, but they don’t obey God and they won’t obey God, therefore there is a necessity for grace and the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings correction and conviction (John 16:8), illumination, enlightenment, and instruction (John 6:13, 15:26), encouragement and comfort (John 15:26; Ephesians 3:16), and guidance (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18). Again, the Holy Spirit does not change our constitution but changes our character. The Spirit changes our heart. He does not change our natural abilities; He changes how we use them. The Holy Spirit does not make men capable of obeying God, the Holy Spirit makes men willing to obey God. He does this by giving them a knowledge of Jesus Christ, a revelation of the Gospel.
The moral states of man have to do with the response of his will to the knowledge that his mind has. A sinner is someone who disobeys the knowledge that they have, specifically the knowledge of the law (John 9:41; Romans 1:19-21; James 4:17). Being a sinner is not a passive state, it is an active state. Sinfulness is not an involuntary state of our nature which we are helplessly born into. Sinfulness is a voluntary state of our will which we have all deliberately decided to have, by disobeying the natural knowledge we have of God’s moral law. Sinfulness is a selfish state if mind, which is contrary to the demands of the conscience. A Christian is someone who has been brought to repentance by the truth of the Gospel (Romans 2:4, 6:17; 1 John 4:19), they are someone who obeys the knowledge of the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Peter 4:17). A Christian both believes and obeys the truth with all of their heart. A reprobate is someone who has fully and continually disobeyed and rejected the knowledge of the law and the knowledge of the Gospel, someone who has rejected a great deal of light (Hebrews 6:4-6). The reason that a person who has rejected a great deal of light is reprobated is because it is the light that God uses as a means to bring us to repentance. If a person resists all the light that God uses to bring men to repentance then their cause is hopeless, their salvation is impossible. God wisely gives up on them, for why should He waste His time and energy anymore, and thus they are reprobated. God can do nothing more to save them. They have reprobated themselves by hardening their heart so much against the truth, and God has reprobated them by ceasing to draw them through the increase and influence of the truth. They resist the truth and therefore God gives them over to a delusion (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). They resist the “truth”, through which they “might be saved”, and are therefore hopeless and abandoned.
Now that I have presented my case for what the sinner’s problem really is and what the solution is that the Holy Spirit brings, this will help you understand my view of the passages you have asked about.
3. NO MAN CAN COME TO THE SON WITHOUT TEACHING FROM THE FATHER
“No man can come to me, except the Father which sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:44
This passage must not be isolated or left alone because the following verse explains what it means. It is a sound principle of hermeneutics to allow the Bible to interpret itself. The context of a passage helps us to understand the passage itself. The following verse says, “It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” John 6:45
How then are men drawn by the Father? Are men drawn by a constitutional change? No. Men are drawn by moral means. Coming to Christ is a choice of the will, therefore the means used to bring about this choice are means which respect and regard the will of man. Coming to Christ is a choice of the will; therefore God brings men to Christ by influencing their will. God teaches men and this is what influences men to come to Jesus. The drawing of God is through revelation. This is no doubt how the Apostle Paul was converted (Acts 9:4), by a revelation of Jesus Christ. The Father draws men to His Son, by granting them a revelation of His Son and what He has done for us on the cross. “And if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32).
If verse 44 was talking about a constitutional change, it could not be brought about by teaching as verse 45 says. Teaching has no tendency or ability to change the constitution of man. But if the drawing is brought about by teaching, as verse 45 says, than the drawing in verse 44 must be an influence upon the will of man. Truth influences the will and therefore teaching the truth has the ability to change the will of man.
I was pleased to find out that Albert Barnes also interpreted this passage the same way that I do. He said, “In the conversion of the sinner God enlightens the mind John 6:45, he inclines the will Psalms 110:3, and he influences the soul by motives, by just views of his law, by his love, his commands, and his threatenings; by a desire of happiness, and a consciousness of danger; by the Holy Spirit applying truth to the mind, and urging him to yield himself to the Saviour. So that, while God inclines him, and will have all the glory, man yields without compulsion; the obstacles are removed, and he becomes a willing servant of God”17. He goes on to say, “Shall be all taught of God - This explains the preceding verse. It is by the teaching of his Word and Spirit that men are drawn to God. This shows that it is not compulsory, and that there is no obstacle in the way but a strong voluntary ignorance and unwillingness.” 18
Regarding man’s natural ability, man is only able to obey the truth that he knows. If a man does not know about Jesus, he is not able to believe in Jesus or to follow Jesus. Natural ability is not the ability to obey truth that you do not know; natural ability is the ability to obey the truth that you do know. Natural ability is not the ability to do the impossible (obey what is not known) but it is the ability to do the possible (obey what is known). Natural ability is the ability to obey, or disobey, the light or revelation that has been revealed or given. This is clearly stated by the Apostle Paul, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14). This shows, not only the necessity of open air preaching, but also the necessity for the work of the Spirit who takes the truth preached and presses it powerful upon the minds of men to influence their will to believe and call upon the Lord.
The point is that those who have not heard cannot believe, which explains why those who have not been taught by the Father cannot come to the Son. This perfectly explains why no man can come to the Son, unless He is drawn by the Father. Unless the Father first teaches sinners about His Son, they are not capable of believing in, coming to, or following the Son. And unless the Father first convicts men of their sin, they will not see their need of coming to the Savior. Teaching must always come before obedience. Knowledge, or truth, is a precondition or requisite for obedience. The will of man can only obey, or disobey, the knowledge that the mind has. Does man have the natural ability to believe in Jesus, whether they know about Jesus or not? The answer is of course not. Natural ability cannot do the impossible. But does man have the natural ability to believe in Jesus, come to Jesus, and follow Jesus, once the truth about Jesus is revealed to them? The answer is yes.
I would also quickly add that the mind operates under the law of necessity, but the will operates under the law of liberty. That is, the mind must affirm truth when it is presented, but the will can obey or disobey the truth that is affirmed by the mind. We see this with the crowd that Stephen preached to. “And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake” (Acts 6:10). Their minds, by necessity, affirmed the truth of what he preached. Their minds could not resist it. But it goes on to say, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit, as your Fathers did, so do ye” (Acts 7:51). Their will operated under liberty. Their will disobeyed and resisted the truth that their minds affirmed. The revelation that God grants is irresistible. Men cannot help but to know the truth, when God reveals it. But sinners reject and suppress the truth that they have (Romans 1:18). Yet, according to John 6:45, those who not only hear the truth, but actually learn from it, come to Jesus Christ. Those who do not learn from what they hear from the Father will not come to the Son. But those who hear from the Father, and choose to learn from it, will come to the Son. Men resist or yield to the drawing of God by choosing to learn from, or not learn from, the teaching that He gives them.
4. SPEAKING BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD
“Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” 1 Corinthians 12:3
The question with this passage is, what does “speaking by the Spirit of God” mean? Does it mean that the Holy Spirit gives us a constitutional enabling? Or does it mean that men can speak under the influence of the Holy Spirit? I would say the latter. When a man is under or submitted to the influence of the Holy Spirit they will not call Jesus accursed. If a man calls Jesus accursed, that is proof that they are not submitted to the influence of the Spirit of God. But if a man truly confesses Jesus Christ as Lord, this is done under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Without the influence of the Holy Spirit, revealing to man the truth about Jesus Christ, man would never and could never confess Him as Lord. Man could never because without the Spirit revealing Jesus as Lord, how can they confess Him to be Lord? The Spirit must first reveal to man that Jesus is the Lord, before man could be capable of confessing Him as such. And man would never because man, on his own or without the influence of God, would never submit to the truth but would continue on in deception. Man is unwilling to obey God and to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Therefore man needs an influence, outside of himself, to bring him to submission and obedience. That outside influence is the working of the Holy Spirit. When a man is brought to submission to the Lordship of Christ, it is because of the working and influence of the Holy Spirit in his life.
The Spirit makes us willing to do, what God has already made us capable of doing. That is, the Holy Spirit makes us willing to obey God, by presenting powerful truths to our minds. And at creation, God made us constitutionally capable of obeying the truth that we know and receive, when He granted us a free will and made us in His image. At creation, God made us capable of obedience. At conversion, the Spirit makes us willing to obey.
5. TAMING THE TONGUE
“But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.” James 3:8-9
Let’s take for granted or suppose as you said that the “expressed limitation must refer to the unregenerate”. If that is the case, here are my thoughts.
First, it is very worthy noting that this passage describes “men” as being “made after the similitude of God”. The so called “inability” of man is typically credited to the sin of Adam, saying that when Adam sinned the image of God in man was lost. Since the image of God in man was lost, man no longer has a free will. This is the common argument. However it is clear from this verse that the image of God in man has not been lost. Therefore any free will that man had at the beginning, because he was made in God’s image, he still has now. There are other passages, after Genesis 1:26-27, which describe man as being in the image of God, such as Genesis 9:6 and 1 Corinthians 11:7. That is because it is God who is still our maker, who still forms each individual in the womb (Gen. 4:1; Ex. 4:11; Isa. 27:11; 43:7; 49:5; 64:8; Jer. 1:5; Ps. 95:6; 139:13-14, 16; Ecc. 7:29; Job 10:9-11; 31:15; 35:10; Jn. 1:3). We are born precisely the way God wants us to be born. God is responsible for the condition that we are born into (Exodus 4:11). Since God forms us in the womb, God still forms us in His image.
Consider how God spoke to Cain, after the fall of Adam, has one who had the power of choice between obedience and disobedience. “And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him” (Gen. 4:6-7). Whatever the results upon all of mankind are, because of Adam’s sin, the loss of the image of God and the loss of free will certainly are not part of it.
Second, no man (no sinner) can tame the tongue unless he first changes his heart. “O generation of vipers, how CAN ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). The reason that they cannot speak good things, according to Jesus, is because they have evil hearts. Again, “For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doeth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit… A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:43, 45). The roots must change before the fruit can change. It is impossible to change the fruit if you do not first change the root. A sinner cannot tame his tongue. He must first change his heart. As long as He remains a sinner, that is, as long as he remains sinful in his heart, he cannot tame his tongue. That is because the heart is the cause, the action is the effect. You cannot change the effect without changing the cause. As long as the cause is the same, the effect will be the same. It is absolutely impossible to change the effect without first changing the cause. A sinner cannot speak differently, or act differently, until his heart is different. A sinner may, for a time, seem to control his tongue. But the overflow of his evil heart will eventually come out. Words and actions are nothing more but the outflow of the heart. Jesus said, “cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also” (Matthew 23:26). That is why the Bible says, “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die…” (Ezekiel 18:31).
6. THE CARNAL MIND CANNOT OBEY
“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:7)
This passage would be completely without meaning or understanding if we do not define what the carnal mind is. Many have taken the liberty to define the carnal mind on their own but good hermeneutics says that we must allow the Bible to interpret itself, context gives us great insight. This verse is very commonly taken by itself when it was never meant to be. The two previous verses say: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6
The word “mind” in verse 5 and 6 is “phroneō” and according to Strongs means “intensively to interest oneself in (with concern or obedience): - set the affection on”19. The word “mind” is verse 7 is “phronema” and it means “to purpose”20. Therefore the carnal mind is when a person is choosing to interest themselves in carnality, to set their affections on their flesh, when they purpose to live for the gratification of themselves. It is when a sinner chooses to “mind the things of the flesh”, that is, when they choose to serve themselves and their own pleasures rather then serving God. The carnal mind is nothing more than a selfish state of mind.
The carnal mind is not a passive state but an active state. It is not a state that we are passively born into. It is a state that men choose to be in. The word “enmity” is “echthra” and means hostility or opposition 21. Hostility or opposition is an active state. The carnal mind is a mind that is in active hostility or opposition to God. It is when an individual is purposely and intentionally minding the things of the flesh. That is, they are living to please themselves in stead of living to please God.
Albert Barnes commented, “it means that the minding of the things of the flesh, giving to them supreme attention, is hostility against God”22. Charles Finney said, “The proper translation of this text is, the minding of the flesh is enmity against God. It is a voluntary state of mind. It is that state of supreme selfishness, in which all men are, previous to their conversion to God. It is a state of mind; in which, probably, they are not born, but into which they appear to fall, very early after their birth. The gratification of their appetites, is made by them, the supreme object of desire and pursuit, and becomes the law of their lives; or that law in their members, that wars against the law of their minds, which the apostle speaks. They conform their lives, and all of their actions to this rule of action, which they have established for themselves, which is nothing more nor less, than voluntary selfishness or a controlling and abiding preference of self-gratification, above the commandments, authority, and glory of God. It should be well understood, and always remembered, that the carnal mind, as used by the apostle, is not the mind itself but is a voluntary action of the mind. In other words, it is not any part of the mind, or body, but a choice or preference of the mind. It is a minding of the flesh. It is preferring self-gratification, before obedience to God.” 23
According to Thayer’s definitions, “echthra” could mean the “cause of opposition”24. In other words, the carnal mind is the cause of a sinners opposition to God. It is with the mind that choices are made. The will is a faculty of the mind. Because a sinner is choosing to serve his flesh, to “mind the things of the flesh”, he is in opposition to God, who commands him to deny himself (Matthew 16:24) and serve God (Exodus 20:3; 1 Corinthians 10:31). The cause of his enmity with God is his carnal mind, his choice to serve himself, his choice to be selfish. A sinner is in opposition to God and is in a state of hostility towards God’s law, because he is choosing to be selfish, he is minding the things of his flesh.
While a person is in this selfish state of mind, they cannot please God and they cannot obey the law. That is because God is not pleased with selfishness (Psalms 5:4) and the law requires benevolent motives, not selfish motives (Luke 10:27; Romans 13:10; Galatians 5:14). Therefore those who are carnally minded cannot please God and they cannot obey the law. As long as they are in this selfish state of mind, they cannot be pleasing to God, nor can they be in submission to the law.
It is impossible for a person, who has a carnal mind, to be pleasing to God or to be in submission to God, while they are in such a state of mind. They need to repent. Repent is “metanoeo” and it means to change your mind. To repent of your sin means that you change your mind about sinning, you make up your mind to obey the law of God. True repentance is when a person goes from being in a selfish state of mind (carnally minded) of choosing to serve him self (to live for self-gratification), to a loving state of mind of choosing to serve God supremely and love his neighbor equally. As long as a man is carnally minded, he cannot please God and he cannot obey the law. But if he changes his mind (repent), so that he is no longer choosing to live for himself but chooses to live for God, then he can be pleasing to God and he can obey the law. When the cause of his hostility towards God and His law is removed (the carnal mind), then He can be pleasing to God and in submission to His law. But if the cause of his hostility is not removed, he can do neither. As long as the will (a faculty of the mind) is in opposition to God, the will cannot be in submission to God. As long as the will of man is selfish, that man cannot be pleasing to God, because God cannot be pleased with selfishness.
This verse does not deal with the question of whether or not the carnally minded can change their mind, or whether they have the natural ability to repent. This verse simply says that while a person is in such a state of mind of carnality and selfishness, they cannot please God and they cannot truly obey the law. It would be equivalent to saying, “Those who have disobedient hearts cannot please God and they cannot obey the law.” That is, while their heart is disobedient, they cannot do such things. But if they change their heart, then they can. Such a statement does not say that they cannot change their heart, but it says that while their heart is in such a state, they cannot do such things. Likewise the statement about the carnally minded does not say that they cannot change their mind, it simply says that while their mind is in such a state, they cannot do such things.
I was pleased after writing the above to find that Albert Barnes and Charles Finney said that precise same thing. It is always a great relief to find out that you are not alone in your interpretation and understanding of the word of God. Charles Finney said, “The apostle does not affirm, that a sinner cannot love God, but that a carnal mind cannot love God; for, to affirm that a carnal mind can love God, is the same as to affirm that enmity itself can be love.”25 Albert Barnes said in his commentary, “But the affirmation does not mean that the heart of the sinner might not be subject to God; or that his soul is so physically depraved that he cannot obey, or that he might not obey the law. On that, the apostle here expresses no opinion. That is not the subject of the discussion. It is simply that the supreme regard to the flesh, to the minding of that, is utterly irreconcilable with the Law of God. They are different things, and can never be made to harmonize; just as adultery cannot be chastity; falsehood cannot be truth; dishonesty cannot be honesty; hatred cannot be love. This passage, therefore, should not be adduced to prove the doctrine of man’s inability to love God, for it does not refer to that, but it proves merely that a supreme regard to the things of the flesh is utterly inconsistent with the Law of God; can never be reconciled with it; and involves the sinner in hostility with his Creator.”26
Every call to repentance in the Bible which is directed towards man implies that man has the ability to change his mind. If the call to repentance does not imply that man can repent, then what in the entire Bible could ever imply that men could repent? Nothing could imply the ability to repent more than the command to repent. Why command men to do something if it is impossible? If men were incapable of repentance, God would have no reason to command them to repent. If God is good, why command repentance and punish impenitence, if repentance is impossible for some and impenitence is unavoidable for some? If God commands men to do something, He gives them the ability to do it. God calls all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30-31), which means that all men everywhere have the ability to change their mind. None need to change their mind but the carnally minded. Those who are spiritually minded do not need to change their mind, therefore God does not call the spiritually minded to repentance. It is only the carnally minded that God calls to repentance. Every call to repentance is directed to, and only to, the carnally minded. Therefore the carnally minded have the ability to change their mind.
Here is a logical syllogism:
- The command to repent implies the ability to repent (change your mind)
- The carnally minded are commanded to change their mind (repent)
- Therefore the carnally minded have the ability to change their mind (repent)
Men are commanded in the Bible to change their hearts, which implies that they have the ability to change their hearts. God, being a loving Ruler, does not command the impossible at the threat of severe punishment. The command of the ruler, without the ability of the subject, is tyranny. The command, if it comes from a good, just and reasonable Ruler, presupposes the power of choice. God commands men in the Bible to change their hearts, which implies that they have the ability to do so. “Wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved” (Jeremiah 4:14). “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8). “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die…” (Ezekiel 18:31). If men are incapable of obeying these commands, why give these commands at all? If these commands cannot be obeyed, they are useless, and God must never have even intended on them being obeyed at all. If God never intended on these commands being obeyed, then God does not really want them to be obeyed. And if God does not really want them to be obeyed, He is insincere in commanding them. If God wants these commands to be obeyed, and if He is sincere in His command, then these commands must be possible for men to obey.
The Bible also says, “Set your affections as things above, not on the things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). “Set your affections” is the same Greek word used for “mind” in Romans 8:5-7. Men have the choice of minding the flesh or of minding the spirit, of setting our affections on things above or things beneath. It is within our natural ability to choose who we will serve (Joshua 24:15), whether we will serve ourselves or serve God. We have the natural ability to choose what we will set our affections on, either on the flesh or on the Spirit.
Charles Finney said, “Some one may ask, Can the carnal mind, which is enmity against God, change itself? I have already said that this text in the original reads, “the minding of the flesh is enmity against God.’ This minding of the flesh, then, is the choice or preference to gratify the flesh. Now it is indeed absurd to say, that a choice can change itself; but it is not absurd to say, that the agent who exercises this choice, can change it. The sinner that minds the flesh, can change his mind, and mind God.” 27
TO OBEY THE LAW & THE GOSPEL
Explained & Defended
By Jesse Morrell
The sections of this article are as follows:
- Natural ability defined & explained
- God’s problem with sinners
- God’s means of solving the problem
- Explain John 6:44
- Explain 1 Corinthians 12:3
- Explain James 3:8-9
- Explain Romans 8:7
- Explain Jeremiah 13:23
- Man’s ability to obey the law
- Man’s ability to obey the Gospel
- Other verses that imply & teach man’s ability
Without definition there can be no effective or meaningful communication. Speaking, without being understood, is meaningless or pointless. Speaking, without being understood, defeats the purpose of speaking. Therefore definitions are where every discussion must start.
NATURAL ABILITY DEFINED & EXPLAINED:
Natural ability is the power of choice God has given man to obey or disobey His will, to embrace or reject the light that He gives us. It is the ability to determine whether you will submit to God or whether you will revolt or rebel against Him. It is the freedom or liberty to choose between two alternate or opposite choices.
Natural ability is synonymous with free will. Free will is not the ability to do whatever you want. That is omnipotence. Many seem to think that man does not have a free will because man is not omnipotent, because man is not free or does not have the power to do whatever He wants. I cannot fly to Mars just because I have a free will. But because I have a free will, I am free to want to fly to Mars. Free will has to do with the ability to want, no the ability to do or perform. It is the ability to will, not the ability to do. The ability to want or to will is moral; the ability to do or perform is physical. Free will is the power of contingent choice, the ability to determine what you want and what you do not want. Free will is not the physical ability to do whatever you want. Free will is the moral ability to decide what you want.
Free will includes the ability to obey the law of God, which requires us to love (a state of the will) God supremely and our neighbor equally. If we do not have the physical ability to promote the well-being of our neighbor, if we are handicapped for example, if we want to or if we will their well-being and would promote it if we could, we have fully obeyed our obligation. Physical inability does not bar a being from fulfilling their moral obligation of love, since love is an attitude of the heart; it is a committal of the will. The law requires us to have a certain state of will (benevolence) and free will or natural ability is the ability to be in that state or not.
Likewise, if a person does not have the physical ability to commit adultery, say they are in prison, but they want to commit adultery, they are already guilty of it (Matt. 5:28). The law commands and forbids states of the will, and free will is the ability to will what the law commands or to will what the law forbids.
Free will is also the ability to obey the Gospel. The Gospel commands men to repent of their sin and trust in Christ. Repentance and faith are choices of the will, or more specifically, they are states of the will. Free will, in regards to the ability to obey the Gospel, is the ability to choose to repent or remain in impenitence, and the ability to choose to believe or to remain in unbelief.
In summary, free will or natural ability is the power of choice to obey or disobey the requirements and demands of the law and the Gospel.
1. GOD’S PROBLEM WITH SINNERS
I want to start by arguing and stating that a sinner’s problem is not inability but unwillingness. A sinner’s problem is rebellion. The nature of rebellion is not inability but unwillingness. Rebellion or sin is moral not constitutional. The problem with a sinner is not his constitution; the problem with a sinner is his will. His problem is not the abilities that he has, but how he uses the abilities that he has. A sinner is a rebel because while he could obey God, he refuses to do so. The problem that God has with sinners is not that He has made them unable to obey (a problem with their nature), but that they have made themselves unwilling to obey (a problem with their will).
"If anyone is truly religious, he is a man of God; but if he is irreligious, he is a man of the devil, made such, not by nature, but by his own choice." Ignatius 1
“The Scriptures…emphasize the freedom of the will. They condemn those who sin, and approve those who do right… We are responsible for being bad and worthy of being cast outside. For it is not the nature in us that is the cause of the evil; rather, it is the voluntary choice that works evil.” Origen 2
God’s problem with men is not with their constitutional abilities, but with how they are using their constitutional abilities. We see this in Luke 19:14, “But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, we WILL NOT have this man to reign over us.” They had rebellious hearts, that is, they had disobedient wills. Their problem was not their nature (their constitutional abilities). Their problem was their will. It is not that they could not obey God, but that they would not obey God. It was a moral not a constitutional problem. Men are sinners through the liberty of their will, not through a necessity of their nature.
We also read in Luke 19:27, “But those mine enemies, which WOULD NOT that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.” Jesus said that their problem was their will, not their nature. Their problem was not inability, but how they were using their ability. Jesus didn’t say that they “could not” but that they “would not”. That is precisely why it is just for Jesus to slay them. They could submit to his reign, but refuse to. Therefore they rightly and justly deserve punishment. But if they could not obey, it would not be right or just to command them to obey or to punish them for not doing so. It would be as cruel as punishing the lame for not walking, or the blind for not seeing. Sinners are objects of God’s wrath for sinning, because they choose to sin when they don’t have to. “As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye WOULD NOT be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God” (Deut. 8:20). Sinners are punishable, not because they were not capable of obeying God, but because they were not willing to obey God.
Justin Martyr said, “We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishment, chastisement, and rewards are rendered according to the merit of each man’s actions. Otherwise, if all things happen by fate, then nothing is our own power. For if it is predestined that one man be good and another man evil, then the first is not deserving of praise and the other to be blamed. Unless humans have the power of avoiding evil and choosing good by free choice, they are not accountable for their actions – whatever they may be … for neither would a man be worthy of praise if he did not himself choose the good, but was merely created for that end. Likewise, if a man were created evil, he would not deserve punishment, since he was not evil of himself, being unable to do anything else than what he was made for.” 3
Theodorite said, “For how can He punish [with endless torments] a nature which had no power to do good, but was bound in the hands of wickedness?” 4
Irenaeus said, “Those who do not do it [good] will receive the just judgment of God, because they had not work good when they had it in their power to do so. But if some had been made by nature bad, and others good, these latter would not be deserving of praise for being good, for they were created that way. Nor would the former be reprehensible, for that is how they were made. However, all men are of the same nature. They are all able to hold fast and to go what is good. On the other hand, they have the power to cast good from them and not to do it.” 5
John Fletcher said, “As to the moral agency of man, Mr. Wesley thinks it cannot be denied upon the principles of common sense and civil government; much less upon those of natural and revealed religion; as nothing would be more absurd than to bind us by laws of a civil or spiritual nature; nothing more foolish than to propose to us punishments and rewards; and nothing more capricious than to inflict the one or bestow the other upon us; if we were not moral agents.” 6
Consider God’s dealings with Israel. “But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people” (Romans 10:21). Why would God do this if they were not capable of obedience? Why would God make the effort of reaching out to them unless they were capable of doing what He wanted? Their problem was not that God didn’t want them to obey, or that God didn’t give them the ability to obey, but that they were choosing to be disobedient out of the freedom that God had granted them. Disobedience is not the fault of someone’s nature (inability). God determines what type of nature we have. Disobedience is the fault of someone’s will (unwillingness). They determine what type of choices they make. Rebellion is not a constitutional problem, cause by a fault in our design. Rebellion is a moral problem, caused by our own will.
We see this all throughout God’s dealings with Israel. He does not ever say, “They disobey me because they cannot obey me”. Neither does He say, “They cannot obey me because I took away their free will when Adam sinned.” God never says that Israel could not obey, but that they would not obey. He accuses them of not being willing to obey, which is the nature of rebellion.
“Notwithstanding ye WOULD NOT go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God” (Deut. 1:26).
“So I spake unto you; and ye WOULD NOT hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord…” (Deut. 1:43)
“As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye WOULD NOT be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God” (Deut. 8:20).
“And yet they WOULD NOT hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord: but they did not so” (Judges 2:17).
“Notwithstanding they WOULD NOT hear, but hardened their necks, like the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God” (2 Kings 17:14).
“Because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and WOULD NOT hear them, nor do them” (2 Kings 18:12).
“That whosoever WOULD NOT seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death…” (2 Chronicles 15:13).
“Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they WOULD NOT give ear” (2 Chronicles 24:19).
“And the Lord spake to Mannasseh, and to his people: but they WOULD NOT hearken” (2 Chronicles 33:10).
“And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdraw the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and WOULD NOT hear. Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet WOULD they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands” (Nehemiah 9:29-30)
“Because they turned back from him, and WOULD NOT consider any of his ways” (Job 34:27).
“But my people WOULD NOT hearken to my voice; and Israel WOULD none of me” (Psalms 81:11).
“To whom he said, this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they WOULD NOT hear” (Isaiah 28:12).
“For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quitness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye WOULD NOT” (Isaiah 30:15).
“Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? For they WOULD NOT walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law” (Isaiah 42:24).
“For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord, that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they WOULD NOT hear” (Jeremiah 13:11).
“Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by my servant the prophets, rising up early and sending them, but ye WOULD NOT hear, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:19).
“But they rebelled against me, and WOULD NOT hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt…” (Ezekiel 20:8).
“Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they WOULD NOT hear, so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 7:13).
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered they children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye WOULD NOT” (Matthew 23:37).
“To whom our fathers WOULD NOT obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt” (Acts 7:39).
It could not be any clearer that the problem God has with sinners is not that they could not obey Him, but that they would not obey Him. God wants men to obey Him, but men do not want to obey God. My point is that a sinner’s problem is not constitutional; otherwise he could blame God who forms us in the womb. The sinner’s problem is moral. Sin is his own fault because it is his own choice. God has given us the ability to obey or disobey Him. That is our own choice and therefore it is our own fault if we do not use our ability to obey Him. If the sinner’s problem is constitutional, he would be a cripple – someone who cannot obey God. But if the sinner’s problem is moral, he is a criminal – someone who doesn’t want to obey God. If sinners are cripples, they deserve pity. If sinners are criminals, they deserve punishment. It is abundantly clear from the Bible that God views sinners as criminals who are worthy of eternal punishment. Therefore God must view sinners as moral beings who are capable of obeying His law, but who refuse to do so.
2. GOD’S MEANS OF SOLVING THE PROBLEM
It is a self-evident truth that the nature of the desired object determines the nature of the means which will secure that end. Otherwise, there would be no relation between ends and means. If the end is spiritual, the means must be spiritual. If the end is moral, the means must be moral. If the end is physical, the means must be physical. The nature of the desired object determines the nature of the means which must be employed to secure that end. The desired object, or the end God has in mind, is a holy people (Eph. 1:4) who willingly obey Him. Therefore the means necessary to secure this end must respect the free will of man. If the means used to secure this end do respect man’s free will, then the end itself of free obedience would not be reached or secured.
God never wanted Heaven to be full of beings that have to love, worship, and serve Him. God wanted Heaven to be full of beings that want to love, worship, and serve Him. Love, worship, and service are only true and genuine if they are voluntarily. If the law of necessity, instead of the law of liberty, were the law of Heaven, than Heaven would empty, void, and barren of all true and genuine love, worship, and service. God could have created beings that were incapable of vice, but in doing so, He would have created beings that were incapable of virtue. Vice is when a being could do right, but chooses to do wrong. Virtue is when a being could do wrong, but chooses to do right. For this reason God took the risk of giving men and angels free will.
It does not glorify God’s nature and character to have beings serve Him who are nothing more than machines or puppets. But if beings, which have free will, choose to love, worship, and serve Him, when they don’t have to, than this truly magnifies and glorifies His nature and His character! How awesome of a God He must be, if free beings choose to love, worship, and serve Him! He must be truly worthy! For that reason he granted both men and angels free will and gave them the freedom to choose to be loyal to Him or to rebel against him.
With the freedom or liberty that God granted mankind, we have revolted. Now God wants to transform disobedient men, who have rebelled against Him out of their own freedom, and turn them into obedient men, who are faithful to Him out of their own freedom. Mankind’s freedom must be regarded by God when He employs means to bring them back to Him. God regards man’s free will in conversion, for the same reason that God granted man free will at creation.
It is only logical that the nature of the problem determines the nature of the solution. Since the sinners problem is not constitutional, but moral, the solution to this problem must not be constitutional, but moral. That is, man does not need a constitutional change in order to come to God, because his constitution is not keeping him back from God. Man needs moral influence to be brought to God, because it is his own unwillingness that is keeping him back.
Gordon Olson said, “Man cannot be regenerated or controlled by sheer force or by Divine omnipotence, but only by the application of appropriate means. We have seen that God's great love has moved Him to make plans for man's full reconciliation to Himself. Man is complete in his constitutional faculties by creation, so does not need any new ability to be added to his personality. But man has used his endowments wrongly and has brought defilement to his whole inner being…. We were to be "created" anew in the sense of being transformed or completely changed, the word meaning to make habitable, to reduce from a state of disorder to order. This great change is a moral change in which the subject himself has an active part. It is not a simple act of God's power without man's agency. Therefore some means must be brought into existence that both God and man can use in this complete inner renovation of personality.” 7
If regeneration were constitutional, it would be by force. The same type of power that God used in creating the universe, He would use in recreating man’s constitution. A constitutional change (making the incapable capable) would be brought about by irresistible force. God would be recreating the constitutional faulty of the will, granting him new abilities. But if regeneration is moral, it would be by moral influence or by moral force. If it is moral, it would by resistible influence. Since regeneration is a moral change, it is brought about by moral means.
Catherine Booth said, “The laws of mind are the same when operated upon by either God or man. This is not laying any necessity upon God any more than He has laid upon Himself. He has made us with a certain mental constitution, and therefore He must adapt the conditions and means of our salvation to that mental constitution, otherwise He would reflect upon His own wisdom in having given it to us at the first. Therefore when he purposes to save man He must save him as man, not as a beast or a machine!” 8
Man, as a moral being, is moved by motive not force. God does not govern moral beings the same way that he governs matter. God governs matter by cause and effect, but God governs minds by influence and response. In regeneration, God regards and treats men as moral beings. Therefore regeneration is not by cause and effect, or by force, but it is by influence and response, by truth. Regeneration is a moral change and therefore must include the will of man and must be brought about by moral means, which regard the will of man.
The means that God uses in saving souls from the practice and penalty of sin is the truth. Regeneration is through revelation. The Holy Spirit presents the truths of sin and the Savior to the mind of man, and these truths are what influences man to change his ways and follow Jesus Christ.
“Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he TEACH sinners in the way.” (Psalms 25:8);
“Then will I TEACH transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be CONVERTED unto thee.” (Psalms 51:13);
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all TAUGHT of God. Everyman therefore that hath HEARD, and hath LEARNED of the Father, cometh unto me.” (John 6:44-45);
“And ye shall KNOW the TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall make you FREE.” (John 8:32);
“Now ye are CLEANE THROUGH THE WORD which I have SPOKEN unto you.” (John 15:3);
“SANCTIFY them THROUGH THY TRUTH: thy WORD is TRUTH.” (John 17:17);
“For though ye have ten thousand INSTRUCTORS in Christ, yet have yet not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have BEGOTTEN you through the GOSPEL.” (1 Corinthians 4:15);
“For the grace of God that BRINGETH SALVATION has APPEARED unto all men, TEACHING US that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” (Titus 2:11-12);
“Of his own will BEGAT he us WITH THE WORD OF TRUTH, that we should be a king of firstfruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18);
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted WORD, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS. But be ye DOERS OF THE WORD, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:21-22);
“Seeing ye have PURIFIED your souls in OBEYING THE TRUTH through the Spirit. Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but of the incorruptible, BY THE WORD OF GOD, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Peter 1:22-23);
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 2:20);
Regeneration is through revelation. Transformation is through the renewing of the mind (Rom. 12:2). This is precisely why we must be full of the Holy Spirit to effectively preach the Gospel (Luke 24:47-49), and why preaching the Gospel is so important (Romans 10:14), because is it the precious truths of the Gospel that the Holy Spirit uses to brings sinners to repentance. “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19). “Show thy marvelous loving-kindness, O thou that savest” (Ps. 17:7). “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4). “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). It is a revelation of Jesus Christ, and what He has done for us, that turns the unwilling into the willing, that turns the rebellious into the submissive and obedient. The strongest moral influence that could ever be exerted upon the will of man is when the revelation of Jesus Christ, and what He has done for us, is presented to the mind of man. Truth presented to the mind influences the will. Regeneration is when the Holy Spirit brings men to repentance and faith through the means of the truth of the Gospel.
Harry Conn said, “The only means in all the universe to subdue the rebellious heart and uphold the moral government of God is the love shown for us on Calvary. It was the greatest and most profound event of all history. The death of the Lord Jesus did not render God merciful but was an expression of his mercy… It seeks to bring back wanderers by expressing God’s love and forgiveness, and that salvation is free for all men if they choose to available themselves of it.” 9
Charles Finney said, “The Spirit takes the things of Christ and shows them to the soul. The truth is employed, or it is truth which must necessarily be employed, as an instrument to induce a change of choice.” 10 He also said, “Truth; this must, from the nature of regeneration, be employed in effecting it, for regeneration is nothing else than the will being duly influenced by truth.” 11
Souls are won, not through the wisdom of words, but by the powerful influence of the preaching of the cross (1 Cor. 1:17). God brings men to repentance through the revelation of the truth. By presenting truth to their minds, God influences their will. “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves: if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth” (2 Tim. 2:25). It is through the instruction of the truth that God brings men to repentance. There is an “if”, not because there is any unwillingness on God’s part, but because there is a freedom of man’s part. Man may or may not obey the truth which God grants; therefore God may or may not bring men to repentance through the truth.
In Matthew 11:20 we read, “Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his might works were done, because they repented not.” The might works Jesus had done should have brought them to repentance. Jesus went on to say in Matthew 11:21, “ Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the might works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” The mighty works of Jesus Christ, healing the sick and preaching the Gospel, gave men a revelation of God, giving them knowledge of God’s heart or character. This revelation is the influence God uses to bring us to repentance. Jesus rebuked these cities for not repenting, which implies that they had the ability, opportunity, and influences necessary to repent. Again, their problem was unwillingness, not inability. And it was through influence (the mighty works) which gave revelation of God which ought to have brought them to repentance.
God is trying to save all men (Jn. 3:16, 6:44-45, 12:32; 16:8; Mk. 16:15; Acts 17:30-31, 2 Pet. 3:9). That is why God gives light to all men (Jn. 1:9), why He is convicting all men (Jn. 16:8), why He is drawing all men (Jn. 6:44-45, 12:32), why is calling all men (Matt. 11:28, 22:9; Lk. 5:32; Acts 17:30; Rev. 22:17) and why His grace has appeared to all men (Rom. 5:15; Tit. 2:11-12). But many are unwilling to accept His offer (Isa. 30:9; 30:15-16; Jer. 8:5; Eze. 20:7-8; Matt. 11:20-21; 23:37, Mk. 6:6; 7:30; 13:34; 14:17-18; 19:14; 19:27; Lk. 14:16-24; Jn. 5:40; Acts 7:51; 17:27; Rev. 2:21). God is doing everything that He can for men to know Him, so if men do not know Him, it is their own fault (Acts 17:26-27; Rom. 1:19-21). Through the means of giving light, convicting, calling, and teaching, God is trying to bring man back to Himself.
My point is that sinners need the work of the Holy Spirit, not to make them capable since God has already done that at creation, but to make them willing. The Spirit makes men willing to do what God has already made them capable of doing. Sinners need the grace of God, not to make them able, but to make them willing.
Augustine said "I have tried hard to maintain the free choice of the human will, but the grace of God prevailed." 12 This is because Augustine viewed the grace of God as bringing a constitutional change, instead of a moral change. He viewed grace as being a force, not an influence. The existence of free will is by no means inconsistent with the necessity of grace, as Augustine supposed. Grace is defined by Thayer as “his holy influence upon souls”13 and Strong’s defines grace as “the divine influence upon the heart”14. Grace is not a force that changes our constitution (making the incapable capable) but grace is the divine influence of God that changes our character (making the unwilling willing). Regeneration is not the constitutional change of a helpless cripple. Regeneration is the moral change of a deliberate criminal. The Holy Spirit brings us to a place where we start to use our free will rightly. Through the powerful influence of the truth of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit brings us to a place of total submission and surrender. That is true regeneration or true conversion.
Catherine Booth said, “God did not require to make any change in the make of us. A scheme of theology has been thrust upon mankind which implies that God must alter human nature in order to save it. I do not mean altering it in its moral quality – making it righteous instead of sinful – but altering its constitution, saving us not as men and women, having all the capacities, propensities, and affections of humanity; that we must, so to speak, be reorganized before God can save us. If I understand the Gospel, it makes no such assumptions, and comes to us with no such requirements.” 15
H. O. Wiley said, "Regeneration is a moral change wrought in the hearts of men by the Holy Spirit. This change is neither physical nor intellectual, although both the body and the mind my be affected by it. It is not a change in the substance of the soul, nor is it the addition of any new powers. Regeneration is not a metamorphosis of human nature. Man does not receive a new ego. His personal identity is the same in essence after regeneration as before. He has the same power of intellect, feeling and will, but these are given a new direction. God does not undue in the new creation what He did in the first creation. The change is, therefore, not in the natural constitution of man, but in his moral and spiritual nature. Furthermore, it is important to believe that the whole man, and not merely certain powers of his being, is the subject of this spiritual renewel." 16
It is worth noting that holy men obeyed God before the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given (Job 1:8; Luke 1:6). The Holy Spirit at Pentecost gave men supernatural ability to do supernatural things (Acts 2:17-18; 1 Cor. 12:4-11), but God had already given men natural ability to do natural things. Obedience to God is a state of the will. The power to choose between obedience and disobedience is a normal ability. This is a normal function of the faculty of the will. Obedience to God does not require supernatural ability. It is not superhuman to obey God. But obedience to God does require supernatural or spiritual influence. The Holy Spirit does not give us gracious ability, but the Holy Spirit does give us gracious influence. Sinners could obey God, but they don’t obey God and they won’t obey God, therefore there is a necessity for grace and the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings correction and conviction (John 16:8), illumination, enlightenment, and instruction (John 6:13, 15:26), encouragement and comfort (John 15:26; Ephesians 3:16), and guidance (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18). Again, the Holy Spirit does not change our constitution but changes our character. The Spirit changes our heart. He does not change our natural abilities; He changes how we use them. The Holy Spirit does not make men capable of obeying God, the Holy Spirit makes men willing to obey God. He does this by giving them a knowledge of Jesus Christ, a revelation of the Gospel.
The moral states of man have to do with the response of his will to the knowledge that his mind has. A sinner is someone who disobeys the knowledge that they have, specifically the knowledge of the law (John 9:41; Romans 1:19-21; James 4:17). Being a sinner is not a passive state, it is an active state. Sinfulness is not an involuntary state of our nature which we are helplessly born into. Sinfulness is a voluntary state of our will which we have all deliberately decided to have, by disobeying the natural knowledge we have of God’s moral law. Sinfulness is a selfish state if mind, which is contrary to the demands of the conscience. A Christian is someone who has been brought to repentance by the truth of the Gospel (Romans 2:4, 6:17; 1 John 4:19), they are someone who obeys the knowledge of the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Peter 4:17). A Christian both believes and obeys the truth with all of their heart. A reprobate is someone who has fully and continually disobeyed and rejected the knowledge of the law and the knowledge of the Gospel, someone who has rejected a great deal of light (Hebrews 6:4-6). The reason that a person who has rejected a great deal of light is reprobated is because it is the light that God uses as a means to bring us to repentance. If a person resists all the light that God uses to bring men to repentance then their cause is hopeless, their salvation is impossible. God wisely gives up on them, for why should He waste His time and energy anymore, and thus they are reprobated. God can do nothing more to save them. They have reprobated themselves by hardening their heart so much against the truth, and God has reprobated them by ceasing to draw them through the increase and influence of the truth. They resist the truth and therefore God gives them over to a delusion (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). They resist the “truth”, through which they “might be saved”, and are therefore hopeless and abandoned.
Now that I have presented my case for what the sinner’s problem really is and what the solution is that the Holy Spirit brings, this will help you understand my view of the passages you have asked about.
3. NO MAN CAN COME TO THE SON WITHOUT TEACHING FROM THE FATHER
“No man can come to me, except the Father which sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:44
This passage must not be isolated or left alone because the following verse explains what it means. It is a sound principle of hermeneutics to allow the Bible to interpret itself. The context of a passage helps us to understand the passage itself. The following verse says, “It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” John 6:45
How then are men drawn by the Father? Are men drawn by a constitutional change? No. Men are drawn by moral means. Coming to Christ is a choice of the will, therefore the means used to bring about this choice are means which respect and regard the will of man. Coming to Christ is a choice of the will; therefore God brings men to Christ by influencing their will. God teaches men and this is what influences men to come to Jesus. The drawing of God is through revelation. This is no doubt how the Apostle Paul was converted (Acts 9:4), by a revelation of Jesus Christ. The Father draws men to His Son, by granting them a revelation of His Son and what He has done for us on the cross. “And if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32).
If verse 44 was talking about a constitutional change, it could not be brought about by teaching as verse 45 says. Teaching has no tendency or ability to change the constitution of man. But if the drawing is brought about by teaching, as verse 45 says, than the drawing in verse 44 must be an influence upon the will of man. Truth influences the will and therefore teaching the truth has the ability to change the will of man.
I was pleased to find out that Albert Barnes also interpreted this passage the same way that I do. He said, “In the conversion of the sinner God enlightens the mind John 6:45, he inclines the will Psalms 110:3, and he influences the soul by motives, by just views of his law, by his love, his commands, and his threatenings; by a desire of happiness, and a consciousness of danger; by the Holy Spirit applying truth to the mind, and urging him to yield himself to the Saviour. So that, while God inclines him, and will have all the glory, man yields without compulsion; the obstacles are removed, and he becomes a willing servant of God”17. He goes on to say, “Shall be all taught of God - This explains the preceding verse. It is by the teaching of his Word and Spirit that men are drawn to God. This shows that it is not compulsory, and that there is no obstacle in the way but a strong voluntary ignorance and unwillingness.” 18
Regarding man’s natural ability, man is only able to obey the truth that he knows. If a man does not know about Jesus, he is not able to believe in Jesus or to follow Jesus. Natural ability is not the ability to obey truth that you do not know; natural ability is the ability to obey the truth that you do know. Natural ability is not the ability to do the impossible (obey what is not known) but it is the ability to do the possible (obey what is known). Natural ability is the ability to obey, or disobey, the light or revelation that has been revealed or given. This is clearly stated by the Apostle Paul, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14). This shows, not only the necessity of open air preaching, but also the necessity for the work of the Spirit who takes the truth preached and presses it powerful upon the minds of men to influence their will to believe and call upon the Lord.
The point is that those who have not heard cannot believe, which explains why those who have not been taught by the Father cannot come to the Son. This perfectly explains why no man can come to the Son, unless He is drawn by the Father. Unless the Father first teaches sinners about His Son, they are not capable of believing in, coming to, or following the Son. And unless the Father first convicts men of their sin, they will not see their need of coming to the Savior. Teaching must always come before obedience. Knowledge, or truth, is a precondition or requisite for obedience. The will of man can only obey, or disobey, the knowledge that the mind has. Does man have the natural ability to believe in Jesus, whether they know about Jesus or not? The answer is of course not. Natural ability cannot do the impossible. But does man have the natural ability to believe in Jesus, come to Jesus, and follow Jesus, once the truth about Jesus is revealed to them? The answer is yes.
I would also quickly add that the mind operates under the law of necessity, but the will operates under the law of liberty. That is, the mind must affirm truth when it is presented, but the will can obey or disobey the truth that is affirmed by the mind. We see this with the crowd that Stephen preached to. “And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake” (Acts 6:10). Their minds, by necessity, affirmed the truth of what he preached. Their minds could not resist it. But it goes on to say, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit, as your Fathers did, so do ye” (Acts 7:51). Their will operated under liberty. Their will disobeyed and resisted the truth that their minds affirmed. The revelation that God grants is irresistible. Men cannot help but to know the truth, when God reveals it. But sinners reject and suppress the truth that they have (Romans 1:18). Yet, according to John 6:45, those who not only hear the truth, but actually learn from it, come to Jesus Christ. Those who do not learn from what they hear from the Father will not come to the Son. But those who hear from the Father, and choose to learn from it, will come to the Son. Men resist or yield to the drawing of God by choosing to learn from, or not learn from, the teaching that He gives them.
4. SPEAKING BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD
“Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” 1 Corinthians 12:3
The question with this passage is, what does “speaking by the Spirit of God” mean? Does it mean that the Holy Spirit gives us a constitutional enabling? Or does it mean that men can speak under the influence of the Holy Spirit? I would say the latter. When a man is under or submitted to the influence of the Holy Spirit they will not call Jesus accursed. If a man calls Jesus accursed, that is proof that they are not submitted to the influence of the Spirit of God. But if a man truly confesses Jesus Christ as Lord, this is done under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Without the influence of the Holy Spirit, revealing to man the truth about Jesus Christ, man would never and could never confess Him as Lord. Man could never because without the Spirit revealing Jesus as Lord, how can they confess Him to be Lord? The Spirit must first reveal to man that Jesus is the Lord, before man could be capable of confessing Him as such. And man would never because man, on his own or without the influence of God, would never submit to the truth but would continue on in deception. Man is unwilling to obey God and to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Therefore man needs an influence, outside of himself, to bring him to submission and obedience. That outside influence is the working of the Holy Spirit. When a man is brought to submission to the Lordship of Christ, it is because of the working and influence of the Holy Spirit in his life.
The Spirit makes us willing to do, what God has already made us capable of doing. That is, the Holy Spirit makes us willing to obey God, by presenting powerful truths to our minds. And at creation, God made us constitutionally capable of obeying the truth that we know and receive, when He granted us a free will and made us in His image. At creation, God made us capable of obedience. At conversion, the Spirit makes us willing to obey.
5. TAMING THE TONGUE
“But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.” James 3:8-9
Let’s take for granted or suppose as you said that the “expressed limitation must refer to the unregenerate”. If that is the case, here are my thoughts.
First, it is very worthy noting that this passage describes “men” as being “made after the similitude of God”. The so called “inability” of man is typically credited to the sin of Adam, saying that when Adam sinned the image of God in man was lost. Since the image of God in man was lost, man no longer has a free will. This is the common argument. However it is clear from this verse that the image of God in man has not been lost. Therefore any free will that man had at the beginning, because he was made in God’s image, he still has now. There are other passages, after Genesis 1:26-27, which describe man as being in the image of God, such as Genesis 9:6 and 1 Corinthians 11:7. That is because it is God who is still our maker, who still forms each individual in the womb (Gen. 4:1; Ex. 4:11; Isa. 27:11; 43:7; 49:5; 64:8; Jer. 1:5; Ps. 95:6; 139:13-14, 16; Ecc. 7:29; Job 10:9-11; 31:15; 35:10; Jn. 1:3). We are born precisely the way God wants us to be born. God is responsible for the condition that we are born into (Exodus 4:11). Since God forms us in the womb, God still forms us in His image.
Consider how God spoke to Cain, after the fall of Adam, has one who had the power of choice between obedience and disobedience. “And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him” (Gen. 4:6-7). Whatever the results upon all of mankind are, because of Adam’s sin, the loss of the image of God and the loss of free will certainly are not part of it.
Second, no man (no sinner) can tame the tongue unless he first changes his heart. “O generation of vipers, how CAN ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). The reason that they cannot speak good things, according to Jesus, is because they have evil hearts. Again, “For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doeth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit… A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:43, 45). The roots must change before the fruit can change. It is impossible to change the fruit if you do not first change the root. A sinner cannot tame his tongue. He must first change his heart. As long as He remains a sinner, that is, as long as he remains sinful in his heart, he cannot tame his tongue. That is because the heart is the cause, the action is the effect. You cannot change the effect without changing the cause. As long as the cause is the same, the effect will be the same. It is absolutely impossible to change the effect without first changing the cause. A sinner cannot speak differently, or act differently, until his heart is different. A sinner may, for a time, seem to control his tongue. But the overflow of his evil heart will eventually come out. Words and actions are nothing more but the outflow of the heart. Jesus said, “cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also” (Matthew 23:26). That is why the Bible says, “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die…” (Ezekiel 18:31).
6. THE CARNAL MIND CANNOT OBEY
“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:7)
This passage would be completely without meaning or understanding if we do not define what the carnal mind is. Many have taken the liberty to define the carnal mind on their own but good hermeneutics says that we must allow the Bible to interpret itself, context gives us great insight. This verse is very commonly taken by itself when it was never meant to be. The two previous verses say: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6
The word “mind” in verse 5 and 6 is “phroneō” and according to Strongs means “intensively to interest oneself in (with concern or obedience): - set the affection on”19. The word “mind” is verse 7 is “phronema” and it means “to purpose”20. Therefore the carnal mind is when a person is choosing to interest themselves in carnality, to set their affections on their flesh, when they purpose to live for the gratification of themselves. It is when a sinner chooses to “mind the things of the flesh”, that is, when they choose to serve themselves and their own pleasures rather then serving God. The carnal mind is nothing more than a selfish state of mind.
The carnal mind is not a passive state but an active state. It is not a state that we are passively born into. It is a state that men choose to be in. The word “enmity” is “echthra” and means hostility or opposition 21. Hostility or opposition is an active state. The carnal mind is a mind that is in active hostility or opposition to God. It is when an individual is purposely and intentionally minding the things of the flesh. That is, they are living to please themselves in stead of living to please God.
Albert Barnes commented, “it means that the minding of the things of the flesh, giving to them supreme attention, is hostility against God”22. Charles Finney said, “The proper translation of this text is, the minding of the flesh is enmity against God. It is a voluntary state of mind. It is that state of supreme selfishness, in which all men are, previous to their conversion to God. It is a state of mind; in which, probably, they are not born, but into which they appear to fall, very early after their birth. The gratification of their appetites, is made by them, the supreme object of desire and pursuit, and becomes the law of their lives; or that law in their members, that wars against the law of their minds, which the apostle speaks. They conform their lives, and all of their actions to this rule of action, which they have established for themselves, which is nothing more nor less, than voluntary selfishness or a controlling and abiding preference of self-gratification, above the commandments, authority, and glory of God. It should be well understood, and always remembered, that the carnal mind, as used by the apostle, is not the mind itself but is a voluntary action of the mind. In other words, it is not any part of the mind, or body, but a choice or preference of the mind. It is a minding of the flesh. It is preferring self-gratification, before obedience to God.” 23
According to Thayer’s definitions, “echthra” could mean the “cause of opposition”24. In other words, the carnal mind is the cause of a sinners opposition to God. It is with the mind that choices are made. The will is a faculty of the mind. Because a sinner is choosing to serve his flesh, to “mind the things of the flesh”, he is in opposition to God, who commands him to deny himself (Matthew 16:24) and serve God (Exodus 20:3; 1 Corinthians 10:31). The cause of his enmity with God is his carnal mind, his choice to serve himself, his choice to be selfish. A sinner is in opposition to God and is in a state of hostility towards God’s law, because he is choosing to be selfish, he is minding the things of his flesh.
While a person is in this selfish state of mind, they cannot please God and they cannot obey the law. That is because God is not pleased with selfishness (Psalms 5:4) and the law requires benevolent motives, not selfish motives (Luke 10:27; Romans 13:10; Galatians 5:14). Therefore those who are carnally minded cannot please God and they cannot obey the law. As long as they are in this selfish state of mind, they cannot be pleasing to God, nor can they be in submission to the law.
It is impossible for a person, who has a carnal mind, to be pleasing to God or to be in submission to God, while they are in such a state of mind. They need to repent. Repent is “metanoeo” and it means to change your mind. To repent of your sin means that you change your mind about sinning, you make up your mind to obey the law of God. True repentance is when a person goes from being in a selfish state of mind (carnally minded) of choosing to serve him self (to live for self-gratification), to a loving state of mind of choosing to serve God supremely and love his neighbor equally. As long as a man is carnally minded, he cannot please God and he cannot obey the law. But if he changes his mind (repent), so that he is no longer choosing to live for himself but chooses to live for God, then he can be pleasing to God and he can obey the law. When the cause of his hostility towards God and His law is removed (the carnal mind), then He can be pleasing to God and in submission to His law. But if the cause of his hostility is not removed, he can do neither. As long as the will (a faculty of the mind) is in opposition to God, the will cannot be in submission to God. As long as the will of man is selfish, that man cannot be pleasing to God, because God cannot be pleased with selfishness.
This verse does not deal with the question of whether or not the carnally minded can change their mind, or whether they have the natural ability to repent. This verse simply says that while a person is in such a state of mind of carnality and selfishness, they cannot please God and they cannot truly obey the law. It would be equivalent to saying, “Those who have disobedient hearts cannot please God and they cannot obey the law.” That is, while their heart is disobedient, they cannot do such things. But if they change their heart, then they can. Such a statement does not say that they cannot change their heart, but it says that while their heart is in such a state, they cannot do such things. Likewise the statement about the carnally minded does not say that they cannot change their mind, it simply says that while their mind is in such a state, they cannot do such things.
I was pleased after writing the above to find that Albert Barnes and Charles Finney said that precise same thing. It is always a great relief to find out that you are not alone in your interpretation and understanding of the word of God. Charles Finney said, “The apostle does not affirm, that a sinner cannot love God, but that a carnal mind cannot love God; for, to affirm that a carnal mind can love God, is the same as to affirm that enmity itself can be love.”25 Albert Barnes said in his commentary, “But the affirmation does not mean that the heart of the sinner might not be subject to God; or that his soul is so physically depraved that he cannot obey, or that he might not obey the law. On that, the apostle here expresses no opinion. That is not the subject of the discussion. It is simply that the supreme regard to the flesh, to the minding of that, is utterly irreconcilable with the Law of God. They are different things, and can never be made to harmonize; just as adultery cannot be chastity; falsehood cannot be truth; dishonesty cannot be honesty; hatred cannot be love. This passage, therefore, should not be adduced to prove the doctrine of man’s inability to love God, for it does not refer to that, but it proves merely that a supreme regard to the things of the flesh is utterly inconsistent with the Law of God; can never be reconciled with it; and involves the sinner in hostility with his Creator.”26
Every call to repentance in the Bible which is directed towards man implies that man has the ability to change his mind. If the call to repentance does not imply that man can repent, then what in the entire Bible could ever imply that men could repent? Nothing could imply the ability to repent more than the command to repent. Why command men to do something if it is impossible? If men were incapable of repentance, God would have no reason to command them to repent. If God is good, why command repentance and punish impenitence, if repentance is impossible for some and impenitence is unavoidable for some? If God commands men to do something, He gives them the ability to do it. God calls all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30-31), which means that all men everywhere have the ability to change their mind. None need to change their mind but the carnally minded. Those who are spiritually minded do not need to change their mind, therefore God does not call the spiritually minded to repentance. It is only the carnally minded that God calls to repentance. Every call to repentance is directed to, and only to, the carnally minded. Therefore the carnally minded have the ability to change their mind.
Here is a logical syllogism:
- The command to repent implies the ability to repent (change your mind)
- The carnally minded are commanded to change their mind (repent)
- Therefore the carnally minded have the ability to change their mind (repent)
Men are commanded in the Bible to change their hearts, which implies that they have the ability to change their hearts. God, being a loving Ruler, does not command the impossible at the threat of severe punishment. The command of the ruler, without the ability of the subject, is tyranny. The command, if it comes from a good, just and reasonable Ruler, presupposes the power of choice. God commands men in the Bible to change their hearts, which implies that they have the ability to do so. “Wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved” (Jeremiah 4:14). “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8). “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die…” (Ezekiel 18:31). If men are incapable of obeying these commands, why give these commands at all? If these commands cannot be obeyed, they are useless, and God must never have even intended on them being obeyed at all. If God never intended on these commands being obeyed, then God does not really want them to be obeyed. And if God does not really want them to be obeyed, He is insincere in commanding them. If God wants these commands to be obeyed, and if He is sincere in His command, then these commands must be possible for men to obey.
The Bible also says, “Set your affections as things above, not on the things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). “Set your affections” is the same Greek word used for “mind” in Romans 8:5-7. Men have the choice of minding the flesh or of minding the spirit, of setting our affections on things above or things beneath. It is within our natural ability to choose who we will serve (Joshua 24:15), whether we will serve ourselves or serve God. We have the natural ability to choose what we will set our affections on, either on the flesh or on the Spirit.
Charles Finney said, “Some one may ask, Can the carnal mind, which is enmity against God, change itself? I have already said that this text in the original reads, “the minding of the flesh is enmity against God.’ This minding of the flesh, then, is the choice or preference to gratify the flesh. Now it is indeed absurd to say, that a choice can change itself; but it is not absurd to say, that the agent who exercises this choice, can change it. The sinner that minds the flesh, can change his mind, and mind God.” 27