Free Will

Everyone is born with a sinful nature, which means all people are born under the authority of Satan. This is the result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. (apart from Jesus Christ, who never had a biological/human father, but Heavenly Father)

Satan tempted them to do something OPPOSITE to what God told them to do. They gave him the power over their decision-making (the authority) by DOING what he told them to. The devil CONTROLLED THEIR ACTIONS.

It happened because they DID NOT BELIEVE what God told them. They believed the lies of the devil, who blinded them to the Truth.

2 Corinthians 4:4 
“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. THEY ARE UNABLE TO SEE the glorious light of the Good News. THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”

DOES FREE WILL EXIST?

Yes, it does. But we are not “free agents.” We are slaves, but we can pick who our Master is—THIS IS OUR ONLY “FREE CHOICE.”

So the question is WHOM DO WE SERVE? 

GOD OR THE DEVIL

Romans 6:16
“Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever YOU CHOOSE TO OBEY? You can be a SLAVE TO SIN, which leads to death, OR YOU CAN CHOOSE to obey God, which leads to RIGHTEOUS LIVING.” 

• Clearly, having a CHOICE tells us we have the freedom to pick between the two!

TO SERVE THE DEVIL = SLAVERY TO SIN

Since we are born with sinful nature by default, no action is required, if that’s what you choose. It’s our nature to sin, and as long as people sin – they do what the devil wants them to. This is NOT “free will,” but the will of the devil.

1 John 3:8 “But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But THE SON OF GOD CAME TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.”

TO SERVE GOD = SLAVERY TO RIGHTEOUS LIVING 

To get RIGHT WITH GOD AND DO HIS WILL = the sinful nature must be DEFEATED; put to death. It’s only possible through Faith in the one who DEFEATED sin and death – JESUS CHRIST. People with their sinful nature have no power over Satan, so they can never overcome their sinful nature on their own.

This is why Jesus Christ came to save those WHO BELIEVE and REPENT – by calling on His Name, confessing all their wicked deeds, denouncing their service to the devil, and giving authority over to God, promising to do His Will instead. This is a formal, conscious event. It requires sorrow, grief, and remorse. God searches hearts and knows everyone’s hidden motives.

Matthew 12:29 “For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? ONLY SOMEONE EVEN STRONGER—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.”

When He sees that a person is genuine, He then REMOVES the sinful nature by His divine power and takes control over that person’s actions – by giving them the Holy Spirit. The devil no longer controls them. This is being BORN AGAIN of the Spirit. Whoever goes through this process NO LONGER SINS, because they now BELONG TO GOD, and DO HIS WILL. He is the one in control of them.

If you think you are “born again,” but you keep sinning = you are NOT “born again.” You are still under the control of your sinful nature – the devil. You may have intentions to do good but you end up doing wrong. The devil is more powerful, and he controls you. You are still his slave.

Romans 7:21–25
“I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. BUT THERE IS ANOTHER POWER WITHIN ME THAT IS AT WAR WITH MY MIND. THIS POWER MAKES ME A SLAVE TO SIN THAT IS STILL WITHIN ME. Oh, what a miserable person I am! WHO WILL FREE ME from this life that is DOMINATED BY SIN AND DEATH? THANK GOD! THE ANSWER IS IN JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am A SLAVE TO SIN.” 

Paul was NOT speaking about himself. God already made him new in Christ. Paul was explaining HOW SINFUL NATURE WORKS, and HOW IT IS DEFEATED. He wrote it in this style of the first person “I” because that would help the reader self-reflect; for their benefit. He wouldn’t have explained it unless he already experience the change of heart after witnessing Jesus. 

1 Corinthians 9:21-23 “When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.”

Romans 8:12-17
“Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have NO OBLIGATION TO DO WHAT YOUR SINFUL NATURE URGES YOU TO DO. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For ALL WHO ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD ARE CHILDREN OF GOD.
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”

Galatians 5:1 “SO CHRIST HAS TRULY SET US FREE. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”

When Jesus Christ sets someone free from sin and death, they become slaves of Christ.

1 Corinthians 7:22 “And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.“

Therefore RIGHTEOUSNESS and HOLINESS are possible only through Jesus Christ.  

Isaiah 45:24-25
“The people will declare, “THE LORD IS THE SOURCE OF ALL MY RIGHTEOUSNESS AND STRENGTH.” And all who were angry with him will come to him and be ashamed. In the Lord all the generations of Israel will be justified, and in him they will boast.”

2 Thessalonians 2:13 “As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that GOD CHOSE YOU to be among the first to experience salvation—A SALVATION THAT CAME THROUGH THE SPIRIT WHO MAKES YOU HOLY AND THROUGH YOUR BELIEF IN THE TRUTH.”  

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Don’t you realize that your body is THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO LIVES IN YOU AND WAS GIVEN TO YOU BY GOD? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” 

Luke 16:13
“NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

Luke 18:24-30
“When Jesus saw this, he said, “HOW HARD IT IS FOR THE RICH TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD! IN FACT, IT IS EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE THAN FOR A RICH PERSON TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD!”
Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?”
He replied, “WHAT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD.”
Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.”
“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, FOR THE SAKE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”

To Summarize: NO ONE IS A FREE AGENT.

We cannot opt-out from serving.