It seems that the natural heart of man has an extreme proclivity towards the idea that man is inherently endowed with a free will; that is, to freely, and by his own volition, accept, or either reject what is offered to him (By God). One that loves this doctrine can never be severed from it in their heart until Divine Grace enters there, and makes a radical change; so that they now love the doctrine of God's Supreme Free Will and Grace in the work of salvation in contradistinction to man's free will, and love to declare it's glory and power in the salvation of His people as being spiritually and infinitely greater than man's will.
The love (or rejection) of these principles are not merely in the mind; for many sometimes profess to embrace the doctrines of free grace in their minds, and after awhile it is shown that they have received and held these doctrines in their intellect only. Even the devils can receive truths in the knowledge, but never in their affections; "The devils believe also and tremble" James 2:19. "I know Who thou art, Thou Holy One of God. Art Thou come to destroy us? " Luke 4:34, Matt 8:29. " And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" Acts 19-15.
Those that are given to rest in the doctrine of man's free will, on the other hand will invariably attempt to deny God's Free Grace and Sovereign Will, although they may resort to many specious arguments to disguise this fact - and even when they are ignorant that they are doing so. One can peruse the endless theological discussions found on the Internet, and this will become very apparent to anyone of any degree of religious intelligence and savvy. In most of these discussions, the participants will concede, admit and sometimes even seem to love the doctrine of God's Free Grace and Sovereignty, while at the same time manifest a terrible aversion to the doctrine that man has no free will whatsoever to exercise at his own option. I lately followed a discussion on predestination of this type between a Catholic and Anglican theologian. Although they differed on "how the events of time were caused," (or might be caused, if they were caused at all) for one at times even brought up the question of whether God caused the events of time or not; the other said God determined them, but His predestination had nothing to do with them (coming to pass), then one advanced the idea that they may not be caused by any power whatsoever, but they merely may come to pass fortuitously and accidentally. Yet, both of these debaters kept the sacred free will of man enthroned in it's palace, (In the delusion that fallen man is not inherently evil and depraved, but rather, is basically good, and just needs some reformation work performed on him - for his free will is ever there to begin the remedy for all of his situation and thus lead him in the way of salvation.) Also in their discussion -when even human logic would seem to press too close in on God's Absolute Sovereignty, and so encroach upon the free will of man - even then one or the other would erect this idol, and bring the discussion to an empasse. This is typical when man attempts to question God in His Absolute Sovereignty.
Theologians have invented many terms which tend to pervert the common and original meaning of many words, because of the twist they would put upon them in order to advance their point. For example, and pertinent I think, to this discussion is the term determinism; If we look this up in a modern dictionary, we will find it says this, or something close to it: "doctrine that events, acts, or changes are determined by causes. Now every fifth grader would think that the words determination and determinism had some very close connection; but Lo! when we look up the definition of determination (a more basic word, derived from still a simpler form,) determine, we thus find: determine -1: decide on, establish, settle 2: find out 3: be the cause of. I have used a collegiate dictionary, and am sure that larger dictionaries have more extensive meanings. (I am not attempting here to define scriptural terms from their original language - we need a Strong's concordance and dictionary for that; but would point out how common thought and popular usage of terms tends to change their ordinary meaning. Who, but an avowed or virtual atheist would deny any form of the doctrine of determinism as defined above? Many will argue that God did (does) not cause(d) any of the events of time, While others (who still hold to man's free will) will say that God predestinated the events of time, but did not cause them to take place. Now I would like to ask everyone that passed the fifth grade:
"If God determined, predestinated, ordained, fixed, appointed the events of time, did he not also cause them to take place? What do the fathers mean in their confessions when they say "God is the first Cause of all causes, and then turn around and say, (as some would interpret them) "God is not the Cause of sin"? Aquinas and Molina (Catholic theologians) argued these points, but both of them missed the mark greatly because both bogged themselves down endeavoring to keep man's free will upon it's sacred throne.
It is simple enough for my simple mind to understand that if God determined all the events of time, then He also predestinated them; It is also simple enough for my poor mind to conceive, that if He predestinated them, then He also caused them to take place. Why do men invent such an inconsistent play upon words, seemingly to basically deny God's Free and Absolute Sovereignty over all things, including sin.
Have to rest awhile, Hope to write more on this subject later.
