Free Willism is a A False Gospel

 

By Dr. Ken Matto

 

I would probably estimate that 95% of all churches and Christians believe in free will because it somehow makes them believe that it is they who control salvation and not God.  Have you ever heard sayings such as the following coming from free will proponents?

 

I made a decision for Christ…

I gave God permission to work in my life..

God will do things in your life if you let him…

You need to accept Christ…

It is up to you to choose, Heaven or hell….

Anybody else…..(incessant calls after a message)

Give yourself to Christ….

 

All of these pet sayings fall under the umbrella of free will.  The problem is that there is not one passage of Scripture anywhere from Genesis to Revelation which confirms the above statements.  Now in the King James Bible the word “freewill” appears 17 times. 

 

I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.  (Ezra 7:13)

 

And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:  (Ezra 7:16)

 

In these two verses in Ezra the word “freewill” is an Aramaic Word “n^edhav” which means “voluntary.”

 

Leviticus 22:18; 22:21; 22:23; 23:38

Numbers 15:3; 29:39

Deuteronomy 12:6; 12:17; 16:10; 23:23

2 Chronicles 31:14

Ezra 1:4; 3:5; 8:28

Psalm 119:108

 

The word “freewill” in these 15 verses is the word “n^edhãvãh” which carries with the meaning of “freewill offering” which denotes gifts given to build the Tabernacle or the second temple.  A sample of the usage is found below in Psalm 119:108.

 

Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.  (Psalm 119:108)

 

In all 15 usages of this word it is attached to monetary donations which has nothing whatsoever to do with salvation and the two other verses in Ezra denote “voluntary” which also has nothing to do with salvation.  These words are used only in connection with the physical and not the spiritual.  Wait you say!  A person giving themselves is volunteering to come to Christ by their own free will.  Now let us compare scripture with scripture and see if that is possible.

 

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  (Romans 3:11)

 

{1} The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.  {2} The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.  {3} They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  (Psalm 14:1-3)

 

{1} The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.  {2} God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.  {3} Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  (Psalm 53:1-3)

 

So there is no possible way that anyone can volunteer themselves into salvation.  The only way a person comes to Christ is in the following manner.

 

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.  (John 6:37)

 

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.  (John 6:44)

 

As we read previously that all the references to free will were found in the Old Testament and they all had to do with physical things not with spiritual things.  In Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3 we read plainly that there is none that seeks after God because they have all gone aside or gone back to their evil ways.  One will probably say, “yeah but that is talking about ancient Israel.”  Okay then how do you deal with Romans 3:11 where it says plainly that there is none that seeketh after God?  The reason that no one seeks after God is because man before salvation is spiritually dead.  One becomes saved by the Father giving the believer to the Lord Jesus Christ.  See what it says?  “Shall come to me” not might or maybe or after they make a decision.  This is called Irresistible grace.  Those whom the Father has named before the foundation of the world unto salvation are being handpicked and given to the Lord Jesus Christ.  No man can come to the Lord Jesus Christ unless the Father does the drawing.  The Father draws the believer and gives them to Jesus and the believer will come to Jesus.  No free will is involved because how can a spiritually dead person come to God on their own?  They can’t and that is why they have to be drawn.

 

Free Willers do not believe that Christ was dead in the Tomb!

If there is one belief that free willers share it is that they do not believe that Christ was dead in tomb after his crucifixion.  How can I say that?  It is very simple.  It goes back to the major problem within the free will camp and that is “eclectic” word meanings.  The word “eclectic” means “to choose or select.”  This is exactly what the free will movement does with the Bible and that is why I state unequivocally that Free Willism is a false gospel like Mormonism, Roman Catholicism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, or Judaism.  Each religion picks and chooses what they want to believe just like free willers and let me prove that statement.

 

The verses below show that Christ was dead in the tomb without question:

 

Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.  (Matthew 27:64)

 

And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.  (Matthew 28:7)

 

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:  (Luke 24:46)

 

For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.  (John 20:9)

 

This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.  (John 21:14)

 

And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.  (Acts 3:15)

 

And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:  (Romans 1:4)

 

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,  (Ephesians 1:20)

 

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.  (Colossians 1:18)

 

These nine verses are representative of the many verses in scripture which speak about the fact that Christ was indeed dead when he was taken from the cross and placed in the tomb.  The word behind “the dead” in all these verses is the word “nekros” which means “lifeless, dead, useless and literally a corpse.”  It speaks to the fact that a person is definitely dead without question.

 

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  (Ephesians 2:1)

 

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  (Ephesians 2:5)

 

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;  (Colossians 2:13)

 

In these three verses the Greek word behind “dead” is also “nekros” which means “lifeless, useless, dead.”  So now the free willer is in a quandary.  The question I have for them is simple.  If the word “nekros” means “dead and literally a corpse” when it is pertaining to the crucifixion of Christ, then why does it not mean “dead” when speaking about the spiritual condition of people before salvation?  It is the same word with the same meaning.  The free willer believes that a person can understand the gospel because he has enough light dwelling within him.  This is what Jacob Arminius taught who was declared a heretic by the Synod of Dort in 1618-19.

 

And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.  (Matthew 14:2)

 

And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.  (Mark 6:14)

 

Here are two passages from two different writers of the gospels showing that John the Baptist was indeed dead because he was beheaded by Herod and Herod now feared that John the Baptist had risen from the dead (nekros).

 

Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.  (Luke 9:60)

 

Here is an interesting passage which you will never hear free willers preach on.  Jesus is making a statement about the dead (nekros) burying their dead (nekros).  Was this a bunch of corpses burying other corpses?  Of course not, Jesus was pointing out in no uncertain terms that the dead who were doing the burying where those who were spiritually dead burying others who were physically dead.  It is also not beyond the scope of this passage to be referring to the fact that those doing the burying were burying those who died without salvation making them spiritually dead when they died.  It is like unbelievers in a false church who bury their unbelievers in a cemetery.

 

Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.  (John 12:1)

 

Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.  (John 12:9)

 

The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.  (John 12:17)

 

Here are three verses which state in no uncertain terms that Lazarus was indeed physically dead (nekros).  Did Lazarus come out of the tomb by his own free will or did Christ stand at the tomb and call him by name and then he came forth?  In other words, Lazarus experienced a resurrection before he came out of the tomb.

 

Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.  (Acts 5:10)

 

When Ananias and Sapphira sold a parcel of land and lied about how much they got for it, they were both killed by the Lord for they lied to the Holy Ghost.  In Acts 5:10, we read that Sapphira was killed because she was in league with her husband to perpetuate his lie.  She did not know that her husband had died for his part in the lie and here we read that Sapphira was also killed and that she was dead (nekros).

 

To make a claim that a person has enough light to see his or her need for the gospel is to completely destroy the meaning of these verses in favor of emotional and personal bias.  If they have enough light to see the gospel with the usage of the word “nekros” in the three passages then we might as well say the Bible is in error because Christ had a little life in him in the tomb and was not dead.  Then we could say John the Baptist, Lazarus, Sapphira also did not die but had enough life in them.  You see the principle must be transferred properly if a belief system is to be biblically based.  Question, how would John the Baptist, who was beheaded have any life in him?

 

Free Willism is another gospel because it is not based upon scripture but on emotions and personal beliefs.  We saw plainly that all these people were dead because the Greek word behind it teaches it openly.  We did not have to twist any verses or over justify any beliefs to make it fit this article.  Jesus plainly states “let the dead bury the dead” is probably the most open statement in scripture concerning the spiritual condition of man prior to salvation.

 

Free willers never start where they are supposed to and that is with the spiritual condition of people which is spiritually dead.  This is why God has to resurrect the soul of the believer so they are able to believe and begin their Christian walk.  Lazarus lived again when Christ raised him from the dead.  The only way a person can begin the Christian life is when God draws that person and gives them to the Lord Jesus Christ with their resurrected souls.

 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.  (John 5:25)

 

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.  (Revelation 20:6)

 

In John 5:25 we have two great events happening to the believers.  First, Jesus is stating that the hour is coming when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear shall live.  The first thing is that the spiritually dead who were chosen by God will hear the voice of the Son of God.  The word “hear” which is used twice in that verse comes from the Greek word “akouw” which means “hearing with understanding.”  They are not just physically hearing the word but they are understanding it which means they have their spiritual ears because they have become saved.  Secondly, because they hear and understand the gospel, they will live eternally because of salvation.  Notice verse 24 right before 25.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.  (John 5:24)  The life spoken of in John 5:25 is everlasting life.

 

Revelation 20:6 completes the thought of John 5:25.  The first resurrection guarantees that the second death has no effect upon those who receive it.  The first resurrection is the resurrection of the soul from being spiritually dead to spiritually alive.  The second death is eternal damnation and those who have become saved will never have to concern themselves with the second death.  The believer has been elevated to the position of priests.  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.  (Revelation 5:10)  Not only priests but also kings.  Nobody’s free will can accomplish that because it is all of the LORD.

 

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  (Hebrews 12:2)  I wish to focus in on the first part of this verse and that is the fact that Jesus is both the author and finisher of our faith.  The word “author” in the Greek carries with it the meaning of “originator or creator” of our faith.  Not only is he the author of our faith but the finisher.  Remember what he said on the cross right before he died?  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.  (John 19:30)  Here we read that Jesus finished God’s salvation plan on the cross.  We must not believe that we are the ones who finish God’s salvation plan by “accepting it.”  God’s plan of salvation was completed on the cross and that means it was done and it is not an open salvation whereby anyone can “accept Christ” because when he said “it is finished” it was the final sealing of all the believers named from the foundation of the world.

 

{21} Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;  {22} Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.  (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)

 

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  (Ephesians 1:13)

 

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  (Ephesians 4:30)

 

Here the Bible gives us three verses which emphasize the fact that the believer has been sealed and that final sealing was accomplished on Calvary as Christ stated “it is finished.”  The Greek word behind “it is finished” is also the same word behind “finisher” in Hebrews 12:2.  It is the word “teleίōs” (teleos) which carries a major meaning of “completed.”  This means that God’s salvation plan was completed on Calvary and now all he does is apply it to those named before the foundation of the world.  Since the salvation plan was completed, there is no way a person can re-complete it by “accepting Christ” in an act of anyone’s will.  Look at the verses below>>Whose will?

 

{12} But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  {13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  (John 1:12-13)

 

Summary

Those who believe and teach free will are doing from a base of nothing but emotions and personal preferences.  They have created God in their own image and expect him to act according to their dictates as we read in some of their statements stemming from their minds.  We have looked at the word “nekros” and saw that the word is used to describe the physically dead and spiritually dead.  We cannot pick and choose how we want to apply the word.  It means “dead, lifeless, useless and literally a corpse.”  How much life is left in a corpse? 10%? 5%? 3%?  Absolutely none, dead is dead!  So let us give God the glory for our salvation and take it out of the hands of the prideful and arrogant free willers who are only teaching a lie.  By the way salvation was never in their hands anyway.  Satan has placed that belief there because it appeases the pride of man believing they can command God and that God is at their beckoning call.  But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.  (Jonah 2:9)

Free Willism like Dispensationalism is unsupported by Scripture and relies totally on the forcing of false beliefs on certain Scriptures!

 

This study is available on line at:  www.scionofzion.com/fw.html 

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