BONDAGE OF THE WILL vs THE BIBLE

An Introduction

 🏛️ The Calvinist Claim:
Man’s will is in bondage due to total depravity. He cannot choose God, contribute faith, or respond unless regenerated first.

 🔍 The Biblical Rebuttal:
While man is fallen, the Bible shows him being invited to respond, to believe, and to choose life.

 ⚖️ Biblical Truth: The Will Is Weakened (Romans 5:6), Not Abolished

1. **God’s Call Is Genuine—and Resistible** 
Deuteronomy 30:19; Isaiah 1:18; Acts 17:30; Matthew 23:37

2. **Faith Comes Before Regeneration** 
John 1:12–13; Galatians 3:2; Ephesians 1:13

3. **God’s Sovereignty Includes Human Freedom** 
Joshua 24:15; Revelation 22:17

4. **Bondage to Sin Is Broken by the Gospel** 
John 8:32–36; Romans 6:16–18

🔗 The Bondage of the Will – A Biblical Critique

🏛️ The Calvinist Claim:

Rooted in Augustine and systematized by Luther and Calvin, the doctrine of the bondage of the will teaches that mankind, due to total depravity, has no ability to choose God. The will is not merely impaired—it is enslaved to sin. Salvation, therefore, must be entirely the work of God, from election to perseverance. Man contributes nothing—not even a free response. He must first be regenerated before he can believe.

This belief is the unifying thread running through all five petals of TULIP:

  • Total Depravity – Man is incapable of choosing God.

  • Unconditional Election – God chooses without regard to anything in man.

  • Limited Atonement – Christ died only for the elect.

  • Irresistible Grace – The elect are drawn irresistibly to faith.

  • Perseverance of the Saints – The elect are kept without fail.

Together, these form a closed system where God's sovereignty overrides human freedom, making salvation not a relationship but a unilateral decree.

🔍 The Biblical Rebuttal:

The Bible affirms that man is fallen, corrupted, and incapable of saving himself—but it does not teach that the will is incapable of responding to God. Instead, it reveals a God who calls all men to repent, who grants grace to those who humble themselves, and who seeks relationship, not robotic submission.

⚖️ Biblical Truth: The Will Is Weakened, Not Abolished

1. God's Call Is Genuine—and Resistible

“I have set before you life and death… therefore choose life.” — Deuteronomy 30:19

Scripture is replete with invitations, warnings, and appeals that would be meaningless if the human will were incapable of response.

  • Isaiah 1:18–20 – “Come now, let us reason together… if you are willing and obedient…”

  • Acts 17:30 – “God now commands all people everywhere to repent.”

  • Matthew 23:37 – Jesus weeps over Jerusalem: “How often I would have gathered… but you would not.”

God’s genuine longing and grief over rejection show that His will does not override human will—He respects it, even when it breaks His heart.

2. Faith Comes Before Regeneration

Calvinism reverses the biblical order by claiming that regeneration precedes faith. But Scripture states:

  • John 1:12–13 – Those who received Him… were given the right to become children of God.

  • Galatians 3:2 – “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?”

  • Ephesians 1:13 – “When you heard the word of truth… and believed… you were sealed with the Holy Spirit.”

Belief is the condition; regeneration is the result. The Holy Spirit does convict, draw, and enable—but He does not believe for you.

3. God's Sovereignty Includes Human Freedom

God is absolutely sovereign—but that sovereignty includes the creation of moral beings with real agency. Love, faith, obedience—these only have meaning if they are given freely.

  • Joshua 24:15 – “Choose this day whom you will serve.”

  • Revelation 22:17 – “Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.”

God’s sovereignty and man’s freedom are not enemies—they are woven together in a way that respects both divine initiative and human responsibility.

4. Bondage to Sin Is Broken by the Gospel

Yes, man is in bondage to sin—but the gospel breaks the chains. When the Word is preached and the Spirit moves, a choice is placed before every heart.

  • John 8:32–36 – “The truth will set you free… if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

  • Romans 6:16–18 – “You who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart…”

Salvation is not forced freedom—it is offered freedom. The will, though enslaved to sin, can still cry out for rescue when truth and grace are made known.

🪞 A Real Encounter, Not a Rigged System

The biblical model of salvation is not a machine of predestination—it is a relational encounter between a holy God and a humbled sinner. The Lord initiates, invites, convicts, and empowers—but He does not coerce. The human will must surrender, trust, and continue abiding.

🔚 Conclusion:

The bondage of the will, as Calvinism teaches it, is a distortion. It replaces the heartfelt responsiveness God desires with a deterministic system that undermines love, justice, and the very nature of faith.

God’s love is universal.
His grace is available.
His salvation is powerful—but not imposed.
The choice to believe is not a work—it is the opening of a door to receive a gift.

Next: > DOUBLE PREDESTIINATION –The Root of TULIP

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