Do Calvinists believe anyone has free will?

God bless!

 

The faults of others we are taught to overlook, not indeed to encourage them with flattery.

We should never insult others on account of their faults, for it is our duty to show charity and respect to everyone.

I read that last evening before going to bed.....these are John Calvin's words taken from the Golden Book of the True Christian Life. BTW, for those not familiar with this small book, it is only 96 pages & small pages at that & stresses an active Christian life rather than the Catholic contemplative other worldliness. Daniel Webster endorses it.

 

I don't know that it demonstrates wisdom or folly on my part to jump into this conversation at this point...but here goes!

I would agree. This is what Calvinism does teach. More on this in the next response.

This is, again, what Calvinism teaches. This idea stems from Augustine where he outlines 4 options of theological/soteriological anthropology:

1. Man's state before the fall: Able to sin; Able not to sin.

2. Man's state after the fall: Unable not to sin.

3. Man's state after coming to Christ: Able to sin; Able not to sin.

4. Man's state in the eternal kingdom: Not able to sin

Augustine would argue, and I'd agree, that the only true free will (which, again, is not a libertarian free will) is exhibited in those who are in Christ.

The reason for this is the will is bound by the nature--a heart that desires "only evil continually"--before one comes to Christ. There is freedom to do only that which is in concert with the will. Since the heart is totally corrupted, the will is not "free" to go against the corruption--hence the Calvinistic understanding of why regeneration must necessarily precede our coming to Christ.

The answer here is yes and no. In one sense, it is absolutely true to say that our sin goes against God's will. This is plain in the text of Scripture (that which is not done from faith is sin, etc.).

However, we must also recognize the second aspect of God's will--that He ordains our sin to suit His purposes. So, might a Christian's sin--absolutely sinful and wrong and contrary to God's will as it might be and actually is--be "ordained" for a greater purpose? Sure.

Let me give an example: Let's say a Christian man has an affair. Is that sin? Absolutely and undoubtedly it is a horrible and wretched sin. Let's say that by God's grace (and his wife's) that the relationship is restored and blossoms and is strong and proper for the rest of his life.

Might this man be able to detect the signs of a coming affair in the lives of other men? Most likely. Will he be in a unique position to offer council and help to prevent other men from falling into the same sin as he? Absolutely. Would it be God's will to "use" that sin for the greater benefit of many others? Sure.

So there are two things working here--God ordaining the free and sometimes sinful actions of human beings to serve His purposes and display His glory.

So, the answer is not either/or but both/and. But, as Paul says in Romans, this does not give us either the license or freedom to sin that "God's grace may abound."

Blessings,

The Archangel

 

Well stated. We all should be getting our theology from the Bible and not a system. Don't try to fit your theology to a system. If your theology tends to be close to a system, that's fine, but one shouldn't worry about it as long as they do their very best to line their theology with what the Scriptures teach.

 

Scripturally-driven theology OUGHT to be the only type, but alas, some find it possible to "study God" based on something other than God's only specific revelation. Not quite sure how they do it -- largely based on human philosophy and imaginings -- but it happens. But, not all who think that they are in fact doing scripturally-driven theology are in fact doing that. Many have a lens that they use first to view the Scriptures instead of coming to see what the Scriptures say, then molding their theology TO the Word of God. Either side in this debate can fall prey to that trap, and over the years, have.

 

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:
Thank You

 

Luke, this almost sounds like asking someone, which ways more, a pound of paper or a pound of lead.

 

My name is David. I am a Calvinist and I have free will.

 

My name is David, I am not a Calvinist, I have free will, and I also believe that God is Sovereign.

 

My name is not David. I am not a calvinist and I have free will

 

:laugh::laugh::laugh::

 

Right now I want to buy a new recliner. Mine is old. But at the same time I want to pay off some debt more.

I am not buying a new recliner.

All people do at any given moment what they MOST want to do.

That's not so hard to understand is it?

 

David was a calvinist,believed in the everlasting covenant,and did not believe in free will.

 

Anybody want to offer an opinion on how these verses might apply to the free will question. What does Paul most want to do?

14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature[d] a slave to the law of sin.

 

My name is not David. I am a Calvinist and I was forced against my will by a sovereign God to write this post....... or actually, I chose it on my one free will to write it and it was ordained before the foundation of the world that I would write this post. Try to understand that!

 

You had me "following" you until that last line.

 

Yes, David did have free will:


(Psalms 54:4) Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.

(Psalms 54:5) He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.

(Psalms 54:6) I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good.


(Psalms 119:45) And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.


There ya go; better Quantum?...:smilewinkgrin:

 

I think it highly unlikely that David (King David) ever heard of John Calvin.

 

Anyone who ever sacrifices for God does so freely.

Until we agree on a definition of free will this conversation is an exercise in futility.

I believe "free will" is best defined as the ability to do what one wants to do.

If anyone sacrifices unto God it is because they want to. They, thus, do it of their own free will.

What Calvin and others condemned when they spoke against "free will" was the really libertarian free will.

But no Calvinist has ever argued that men do not do what they do "freely".

God does not force anyone to get saved and worship him.

God does not force anyone to sin against him.

Men do what they most want to do at any given moment unless providentially hindered.