Is Man's Will Free?

Is Man’s Will Free?

Resources:
Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther
Willing to Believe, R.C. Sproul
Freedom of the Will, Jonathan Edwards
John Locke
John Wesley
Clarification
1. Whenever this issue is handled terms need to defined
A. Freedom
B. Will
C. Heart

A. Freedom - the quality or state of being free; as the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action; liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another: independence; the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous; freedom from care

B. Definition of the will – “That by which the mind chooses any thing. The faculty of the will, is that power, or principle of mind, by which it is capable of choosing: an act of the will is the same as an act of choosing or choice.”

C. Definition of the heart –
A. לֵב, לֵבָב in the OT.
The use of לֵב and לֵבָב1 is not promiscue. C. A. Briggs2 has shown that “the earliest documents use לב.לבב ״ ״ appears first in Isaiah.” For details cf. Briggs and Holzinger.3

1. “Heart” in the literal sense, a. in men and animals, the “neighbourhood of the heart,” “breast,” passim; סְג֥ר לֵב the “caul of the heart,” Hos. 13:8. b. “Seat of physical vitality,” vitalising (סעד) by nourishment, e.g., Gn. 18:5; “physical brokenness,” כָּל־לֵבָב דַּוָּי Is. 1:5.

2. Fig. the “innermost part of man.” Men look on the outward appearance, God looks on the heart,” 1 S. 16:7; par. to קֶרֶב Jer. 31:33; to talk to oneself, to think (אמר, דבר passim, חשׁב Zech. 7:10, ברך Dt. 29:18; Job 1:5). The heart is the seat of mental or spiritual powers and capacities.

a. The heart stands firm in bravery and courage (עמד Ez. 22:14): לֵבָך. par. כֹּחַ Da. 11:25, מָצָא אֶת־לִבּוֹ to find the heart, 2 S. 7:27, יִגְבַּהּ לִבּוֹ his courage arose, 2 Ch. 17:6, אַבִּירֵי לֵב the stouthearted, Ps. 76:5. The failure of courage רכך ׃(לֵב) e.g., Dt. 20:3, מסס e.g., Dt. 20:8, חרד e.g., 1 S. 4:13, יצא Gn. 42:28, עוב Ps. 40:12, נפל 1 S. 17:32, מוג Ez. 21:20, דִּבֶּר עַל־לֵב to encourage, e.g., Gn. 34:3. Joy: שִׂמְחַת לֵב e.g., Dt. 28:47. Of merriness of heart: βφψ e.g., Ju. 19:9, טֹוד e.g., 2 S. 13:28, שׂמח e.g., Zech. 10:7. רנן Job 29:13, רחשׁ Ps. 45:1, עלץ 1 S. 2:1. Trouble and sorrow (כְּאֵב לֵב Is. 65:14) lurk in the sides of the heart (קִירֹת לֵב Jer. 4:19). Of sorrow of heart: רעע Dt. 15:10 (רֹעַ לֵב Neh. 2:2), שׁבר ni e.g., Ps. 34:18, חיל Ps. 55:4, הפך ni Lam. 1:20, חמץ hitp. Ps. 73:21, כאב Prv. 14:13, סְחַרְחַר Ps. 38:10, זעק Is. 15:5. Pride: זְדוֹן לֵב Jer. 49:16, רֻם לֵב Jer. 48:29, גֹּבַהּ לֵב 2 Ch. 32:26. Of arrogance of heart, רום e.g., Dt. 8:14, גבהּ e.g., Ez. 28:17, נשׂא 2 K. 14:10. Inclination of heart, הָיָה לֵב אַחֲרֵי 2 S. 15:13, הִטָּה (הֵסֵב) לֵב e. g., 1 K. 8:58; Ezr. 6:22, הֵשִׁיב לֵד לֵב עֵל Mal. 3:24, נָטָה לֵב מֵעִם 1 K. 11:9. Anxious concern: אֶל or שִׁים אֶת־לֵב לְ. 1 S. 9:20; 1 S. 25:25. Sympathy: נֶהְפַּךְ לִדִּי Hos. 11:8. Incitement: חמם e.g., Dt. 19:6, קנא pi Prv. 23:17; dereliction: לֵב מַרְפֵּא Prv. 14:30. Desire: תַּאֲוַת לִבּוֹ Ps. 21:2; lusts: לֵב par. to עֵינַיִם e.g., Nu. 15:39, אַחַר עֵינַי הָלַךְ לִבִּי Job 31:7.

b. The heart as the seat of rational functions. The heart is given by God לָדַעַת Dt. 29:3. Those who have won understanding (קנה לב Prv. 19:8) are אַנְשֵׁי לֵבָב Job 34:10 or חַכְמֵי לֵב e.g., Job 37:24, with far-reaching insight (רֹחַב לֵב 1 K. 5:9). To them belongs לֵב חָכָם וְנָבוֹן 1 K. 3:12; of them may be said לֵב נָבוֹן יִקְנֶה־דַּעַת Prv. 18:15; they speak out of the treasures of their knowledge (מִלִּבּם Job 8:10). Accordingly לִבּוֹ חָסֵר: his understanding fails him, Qoh. 10:3, חֶסֶר־לֵב (or חֹסֶר־לֵב, cf. BHK2, 3) folly, Prv. 10:21, חֲסַר־לֵב: lacking in understanding, e.g., Prv. 6:22, אֵין לֵב without understanding, e,g., Hos. 7:11, גָּנַב אֶת־לֵב: to deceive someone, e.g., Gn. 31:20, wine takes away understanding יִקַּח לֵב Hos. 4:11, תִּמְהיֹן לֵבָב confusion of mind, Dt. 28:28. Thoughts dwell in the heart רַעְיוֹנֵי לֵבָב Da. 2:30; חִקְרֵי־לֵב Ju. 5:16, including evil thoughts מַשְׂכִּיּוֹת לֵבָב Ps. 73:7, fantasies תַּרְמִית לֵב e.g., Jer. 14:14, self-invented visions חֲווֹן לֵב Jer. 23:16, artistic sense חָכְמַת־לֵב Ex. 35:35 (חֲכַם־לֵב artist, e.g., Ex. 28:3). עָלָה עַל־לֵב to come into the mind, e.g., Is. 65:17, הֵשִׁיב אֶל־לֵב to remember, e.g., Lam. 3:21, שִׂים (שִׁית) לֵב to direct attention to, e.g., Hag. 1:5; Jer. 31:21.

c. From the heart comes planning and volition (תְזִמּוֹת לֵב e.g., Jer. 23:20): בִּלְבָבוֹ it is in his purpose, Is. 10:7, הָיָה עִם־לֵבָב to have a purpose, e.g., 1 K. 8:17, עָשָׂה בִלְבַב וּבְנֶפֶשׁ to act according to the will, 1 S. 2:35 (כְּלֵב 1 S. 13:14 etc.), נָתַן לֵבָב לְ 1 Ch. 22:19 or הֵכִין לֵבָב לְ Ezr. 7:10, to direct one’s purpose to, שִׂים עַל־לֵב to purpose, Da. 1:8, עָלְתָה עַל־לִבִּי it has been my purpose, e.g., Jer. 7:31. Inner impulse comes from the heart: כָּל־אִישׂ אֲשֶׂר נְשָׂאוֹ לִבּוֹ each whose heart moved him thereto, e.g., Ex. 36:2 (with מלא Est. 7:5), נְדִיב לֵב one who is willing, e.g., Ex. 35:5. לאֹ מִלִּבִּי not of one’s own impulse, e.g., Nu. 16:28. Attitude of will, or character, is rooted in the heart (comprehensively כְּלָיוֹת וָלֵב Jer. 11:20). If the will (דֶּרֶךְ לֵב Is. 57:17; יֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבֹת לֵב Gn. 6:5) is inclined in the right direction (הִטָּה לֵב Ps. 119:36, הֵכִין לֵב e.g., Job 11:13), this is renewal of heart (לֵב חָדָשׁ e.g., Ez. 18:31). The whole man with his inner being and willing is comprised in לֵב: full committal בְּכָל־לֵב (par. to בְּכָל־נֶפֶשׁ e.g., Jos. 22:5, בֶּאֱמֶת 1 S. 12:24, בְּכָל־רָצוֹן 2 Ch. 15:15, בְּכָל־מְאֹד Dt. 6:5) or בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם e.g., 1 Ch. 29:9 (par. to בְּנֶפֶשׁ חֲפֵצָה 1 Ch. 28:9, בֶּאֱמֶת 2 K. 20:3). Thus לֵב can be used for “person,” e.g., Ps. 22:26 (along with כְּלָיוֹת Prv. 23:15 f., כָּבֵד Ps. 16:9,4 שְׁאֵר Ps. 73:26, בָּשָׂר Ps. 84:2), though with a slightly different nuance.

d. Religious and moral conduct is rooted in the heart. With the heart one serves God (1 S. 12:20; par. to בֶּאֱמְת 1 S. 12:24; “with the whole heart” passim). In it dwells the fear of God, Jer. 32:40. The heart (לוּחַ לֵב) accepts the divine teachings, Prv. 7:3 (תּוֹרָתִי בְלִבָּם Is. 51:7). The heart of the righteous (יִשְׁרֵי־לֵב e.g., Ps. 7:10) trusts in God. Prv. 3:5, is faithful to Him לֵבָב נֶאֱמָן (Neh. 9:8), and is without fear אמץ hi, Ps. 27:14. We read of the defection of the heart: רחק pi, Is. 29:13, סור e.g., Dt. 17:17, סוג e.g., Ps. 44:18, פנה e.g., Dt. 29:17, פתה Dt. 11:16, זנה Ez. 6:9; of the hardening of the heart, חזק q and pi, e.g., Ex. 4:21; 7:13, כבד and hi, e.g., Ex. 9:7, 8:11, קשׁה hi, e.g., Ex. 7:3, אמץ pi, e.g., Dt. 2:30; the hardened: חִזְקֵי לֵב. 2:4 (par. to קְשֵׁי פָנִים), אַבִּירֵי לֵב Is. 46:12; obduracy: שְׁרִירוּת לֵב e.g., Dt. 29:18, מְגִנַּת לֵב Lam. 3:65. The heart of the sinner (sin is written עַל לוּחַ לִבָּם Jer. 17:1) is uncircumcised: עָרְלַת לֵבָב e.g., Dt. 10:16, עַרְלֵי לֵב Jer. 9:25. Circumcision of the heart (מול e.g., Dt. 10:16) comes with conversion of heart: שׁוב Jl 2:12, הֵשִיב אֶל־לֵב 1 K. 8:47, לֵב נִשְׁבָּר Ps. 51:17. וַיַּךְ לֵב is used for conscience smiting us at 1 S. 24:5, and מִכְשׁוֹל לֵב for a scruple of conscience at 1 S. 25:31. The righteous is pure in heart, בַּר־לֵבָב Ps. 24:4, אֹהֵב טְהָור־לֵב Prv. 22:11; cf. ישֶׁר לֵבָב Dt. 9:5, תָּם־לֵבָב Gn. 20:5, יִשְׁרַת לֵבָב 1 K. 3:6, לֵב טהוֹר Ps. 51:10. He speaks the whole truth, אֶת־כָּל־לִבּוֹ Ju. 16:17. The ungodly man has a corrupt heart, עִקְּשֵׁי־לֵב Prv. 11:20, חַנְפֵי לֵב Job 36:13; he speaks with a double tongue, בְּלֵב וָלֵב Ps. 12:3.

What does the Bible Say?
Genesis 6:5; Genesis 8:21; Numbers 15:39; Ecclesiastes 9:3; Jeremiah 11:8; Jeremiah 17:1, 5-9; Mark 7:21; Mark 10:5; Ephesians 2:1-10

What Do We Conclude?
1. Mankind is in desperate need of liberation from the bondage of sin
a. Man is under the just wrath of God
b. God does not have to save man at all
c. The flood in Genesis reminds of God’s right condemnation on fallen man
but also his great mercy to provide salvation for those he shows mercy to

2. There is nothing the fall has not touched
a. All of mankind is fallen and his best only ends in idolatry and death

3. Sin is radically evil
a. We must not be ok with our sin
b. We must not be ok with sin’s work of death in our culture
c. We must work to alleviate sin’s consequences in our culture while
preaching the Good News

4. The Gospel has never been more relevant to mankind
a. The preaching of the Gospel is the only way that a sin coerced heart can
be transformed (Romans 10:11-17)
1. The gospel is preached
2. The hearing is quickened by the preached gospel
3. Faith springs from this hearing quickened by this good news
4. Thus the inextricable link between Ephesians 2:8, 9 and Romans
10:17

5. The “Good News” is viewed as really good not just a good option on a shelf at Wal-Mart
a. Man’s evil heart cannot be awakened by any other means
b. God has not given this message to be scoffed at by evil men, but to conquer
the rebellion and restore all things through the advance of the Great
Commission

5. If we are in Christ, we have been made alive
a. We have Holy Spirit in us leading us into truth
b. We have Holy Spirit healing taking place to unchain our volition to begin
making holy decisions (sanctification)

6. In Christ, we can begin executing the sinful nature Romans 8:12-14

7. We can sell out to the preaching of the Gospel to the nation knowing that the Gospel does the work of convincing and all we have to do is preach indigenously.
a. Adoniram Judson believed this
b. William Carey believed this
c. Charles Spurgeon believed this
d. Martin Luther believed this
e. George Muller believed this
f. David Brainerd believed this
g. George Whitfield believed this
1. This belief fueled their mission fire to make sure the nations had
access to the only thing that could awaken them from their dead state.

8. We must come and rejoice in worship that we, who were incapable, have been made alive.
a. We come with Paul in Romans 11:33 at the end of his expounding on the justifying work of God in the Gospel to overcome man’s condition with this:
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who as given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.