Summary Answer: Since Adam’s sin, all mankind, as sons and daughters of Adam, are born into the world NOT with a “free-will” but a will held in “bondage”. The only “free- will” possessed by the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve upon their natural birth is the “will is completely held in bondage” to follow after the Deceiver, the Devil, and to follow the Deceiver’s will of rebellion against Creator God.
Upon natural birth, which the Bible declares is from the “will of the flesh”, the will is immediately inclined to reject God. It is ONLY upon the Second Birth [being born-again by the “will of God”] is the WILL FREED to be able to choose to come into the right relationship with God. This right relationship results from being born into a new position as a Child of God and restored into a place of perfect love, joy and peace which Adam experienced in the Garden of Eden before his sin.
John 1: 12-14 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
[Jesus was born to a virgin [not with the blood of Adam] as a truly, fully human being. God the Son became the Son of Man. Jesus was born a human being, BUT without the sin-damaged nature of Adam, thus was truly God and truly Man in one body. Jesus, uniquely, fully held the perfect Spirit of God within His human body]
Answer: Jesus was completely filled with the Holy Spirit of God from conception. Since Adam’s sin, Jesus possessed the ONLY TRULY FREE WILL. Jesus never had the slightest inclination to sin against God’s holy commandments, nor any inclination to do ANYTHING of any WILL apart from God the Father’s perfect will. Jesus NEVER thought, spoke or acted in any capacity apart from perfect obedience to the Father’s will and commands.
– John 5:30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
Truth No. 1: Jesus Christ possessed the ONLY “free-will” of all humanity. Because Jesus was totally filled with the Holy Spirit, He only desired to do the Father’s will.
Jesus possessed NO INCLINATION to sin, rebel or disobey the Father’s will. After Adam sinned, Jesus was the only one who had an unhindered “free-will” to do what was eternally BEST, the Father’s will, in all His words and actions.
Truth No. 2: Upon Adam’s sin, the tragic “sin-virus” entered the bloodstream of ALL human beings, except Jesus. Man was originally given an INNOCENT spirit and emotions to voluntarily will to be able to choose to love and obey his Creator or to reject God’s revealed will. When Adam voluntarily chose to reject God’s single command, Adam’s spirit [the Holy Spirit of God] left his body, mind and soul. What was left after God’s Spirit withdrew from Adam?
Adam was left with a CAPTURED WILL. This will had become a CAPTIVE of the Deceiver, the Devil, and Adam became a child of the devil and was no longer a child of God. Adam could NOW ONLY SIN! Adam’s “free-will” had been captured and changed into a “will which could only sin and continue to rebel against Holy God, his Creator.
Everything Adam said or did from that original moment of sin was now POLLUTED and SIN-DAMAGED. Even his attempts to do “good / right” things had now become tinged and infected with SELFISHNESS as he would always choose to put first his corrupted desire to “do his own will”. When the human being is corrupted, ALL of his/her thoughts and actions carry the ORIGINAL SIN of “NO! I want to do it MY WAY, the way I think is best which pleases my emotions EVEN though it contradicts and continually rebels against God’s declared will.”
Your Great Question: How does the concept of “free will” contribute to the understanding of human nature in relation to God?
Commentary: Only when one understands that the ONLY FREE-WILL we possess, since Adam’s sin, is the FREEDOM to continue to sin and follow the Deceiver, the Devil, as our new master, will we be able to comprehend exactly what had to HAPPEN TO US to be able to again have the CAPACITY to choose the good, best and right thing of believing, loving and trusting in Jesus Christ.
In and through Adam’s sin, our relationship to God was corrupted and damaged beyond repair. This is the truth about our human nature in relation to God.
This damaged relationship and our captured “free-will” which humanity can NOW ONLY use to sin is explained so simply by the following:
– Romans 3:10-12, 23 “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”; [23] . . for all have sinned and fall shortof the glory of God.
Dear Friend, the above commentary can be reduced to one simple unbreakable principle, the true Definition of SIN:
– Isaiah 53:6- All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way . .
This is truly why all human beings, to be reconciled to Holy God and again become His children, MUST have a Savior outside of ourselves to reconcile us back to Holy God. There is NOTHING we can do or offer to wipe away our sin debt which requires death as payment. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death…
The love of God determined ONLY ONE POSSIBLE way for sin-damaged mankind to be restored back into the presence of Holy God in perfect joy, peace and holiness.
God would become a Man, the God-Man Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, would live a perfect sinless life and offer Himself as a SUBSTITUTE in death for the sins of any person, who would by faith simply believe, trust and choose to love Jesus.
Miraculously, how does this happen to us?
Jesus explained this supernatural miracle as a “rebirth” of the LOST SPIRIT OF GOD which departed from Adam upon his sin and rebellion.
- John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
- John 3:14-16 even so must the Son of Man be lifted up [death by
crucifixion], that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
- John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
What is this greatest love story ever told that Jesus Christ the Perfect Son of God will voluntarily, willingly with a heart overflowing with love for His creation, choose to suffer death for you and for me?
We produced a video, 3 Crosses . . only 2 Criminals. In this video we used God’s own words to explain Jesus’ supernatural love.
Isaiah 53:6-7 And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
This brings up a final question to help tie together our answer back to your question. Have you been born again?
If the answer is, “YES!”, we rejoice with you and ask that you send us a note with that encouragement. If the answer is “NO!”, we gently, clearly and with the greatest possible affection draw your attention to the words of Jesus, who as God, CANNOT POSSIBLY LIE:
– John 6:37 All [this includes you and me and all the entire human race] that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
If you feel your heart / emotions attracted to these great truths, you are being CALLED to Jesus. This is exactly where you have been “freed in your human will” to be able to choose to come to Jesus and follow Him.
Remember though, love MUST be voluntary. At this point, just like the 2 criminals on the crosses on either side of Jesus, each one had a choice to make: Will I believe, trust and follow Jesus as my Lord, Savior and Friend or will I reject Him?
Your eternal destiny, just like the 2 criminals who died next to Jesus, depends on your “free- will” choice. Will you receive the love of Jesus into your heart or will you reject His offer to pay for your sins and death by His own death?
We prayed for you as we sent this note in answer to your great question. If you would like us to continue to pray for you, please note that in your reply.
All our love to All,
In Christ – Jon + Philis + Friends @ WasItForMe.com
3 Crosses . . only 2 Criminals – https://vimeo.com/687983931
