Predestination And Free-Will

What Kind Of Will Is Man Born With?

 
The Bible declares that man is born with a predisposition – a will – to sin:
 

Psalm 58:3 – “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.”

 
Children go astray as soon as they are born. They do not need to be taught sin. It is their nature to sin. That is curse of Adam. It was a most horrible curse. It is like a disease, a moral contamination, that is passed on from generation to generation. It has affected every one of Adam’s descendants:
 

Romans 5:12,18,19 – “12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned … 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. … 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

 
But you say, “That is not fair. Why should I have to suffer for the sin of Adam?”. Who are you to tell an infinitely holy and infinitely intelligent God what is fair and what is not fair? Likewise, was it fair that a sinless Saviour had to be brutally beaten and then crucified and forsaken by God to purchase salvation for fallen mankind, lifelong rebels against His commandments? No, it was not fair. It was grace, amazing grace.
 
The very fact that man does not think God is fair, is confirmation that man is corrupt, because he has the idea that his Creator is defective in some way. 
 
Should you not rather assume that God is right and you, with your puny, imperfect (i.e. sin-contaminated) brain, just don’t understand the Almighty?
 
Here is further biblical confirmation that unsaved man is not free to choose what is right. He has a will indeed, a will that is certainly free to commit any and all kinds of sins and a will that delights in doing just that. Man’s will is a will that is in bondage to sin, a will that only Christ can set free:
 

John 8:31-36 – “31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

 
Let us who name the name of Christ not be like the Pharisees who protested against Christ’s declaration that they were in bondage to sin (John 8:33). Let us just humbly and honestly admit that such is the state of unsaved man, precisely as scripture proclaims. Indeed if we are reluctant to admit the total depravity of man, we need to examine ourselves to see if we are “in the faith” (really and truly saved). 
Summary: This article is a section of a much larger article on the Bible doctrines of Election and Predestination called “Who accepts Whom?“. You are urged to check out that larger article for many other thought provoking questions pertaining these “Doctrines of Grace”. — RM Kane
 

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