The Bible teaches that free will, as commonly understood, does not exist; rather, humans are enslaved to sin and cannot choose God without His intervention.
Scripture asserts that man by nature is spiritually dead and unable to choose God. In John 6:44, Jesus states, 'No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.' This indicates that any desire or ability to seek God must come from God Himself. Furthermore, Ephesians 2:1 emphasizes that we are dead in trespasses and sins, which highlights our complete inability to make a choice that honors God without divine assistance. The concept of free will is often misunderstood; true freedom only comes when God's grace enables us to desire Him and follow His will.
Scripture References:
John 6:44, Ephesians 2:1, Ephesians 2:1-5, Proverbs 21:1, Exodus 4:21, Romans 9:14-18, Ephesians 2:1-3, Jeremiah 13:23, Romans 9:16, Ephesians 1:4-5, Romans 8:28-30, John 15:16, Romans 8:6-8, 1 Samuel 28, Ephesians 1:4-5; Romans 9:16, Romans 9, John 8:33, Romans 9:15, Jeremiah 10:23, 1 Timothy 6:15, Ephesians 1:11, James 4:15, John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:10-12, John 6:37, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Ephesians 2:1-6, 2 Thessalonians 2, Genesis 3, Matthew 8:32, John 5:40
Commentary