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White Horse Inn: Conversational Theology

In John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that unless he is born again, he can’t even see the kingdom of God. What are the implications of this idea on the popular concept of free will? Apart from God’s gracious intervention, do people have the ability to make a decision to join a kingdom which they cannot see? What does it really mean to be born again? We put some of these questions to pastors at a recent convention, and on this program the hosts will interact with their responses as they continue their series on the Gospel of John.


SHOW QUOTE

“Our cultural narrative at the present moment says, ‘You have to be your true self,’ and this has basically become the message of every Disney movie. But Jesus completely destroys that here in John chapter 3, because he tells Nicodemus: ‘The current version of you is actually wrong. You have to be born all over again.'”

Sam Allberry

TERM TO LEARN

“Free Will”

The essence of free will is choosing according to our desires. The will is free to choose whatever it desires. With regard to salvation, the question then becomes, what do fallen human beings desire? Jonathan Edwards said that as fallen human beings we retain our “natural freedom” (the power to act according to our desires), but lose our “moral freedom” (the disposition, inclination, and desire of the soul for righteousness). In the Fall, we lost all desire for God. But because we can still choose according to our desires, we choose to sin and are accountable to the judgment of God. In this sense, the freedom of our will is a curse. All human beings desire to flee from God unless and until the Holy Spirit performs a work of regeneration. That regeneration changes our desires so that we will freely repent and be saved.

This understanding of human free will is not deterministic because determinism teaches that our actions are completely controlled by something external to us, making us do what we don’t want to do. This is coercion and is opposed to freedom. How can our choices be determined but not coerced? Beause they are determined by something within — by what we are and by what we desire. They are determined by ourselves. This is self-determination, which is the very essence of freedom.

(Adapted from Essential Truths of the Christian Faith by R.C. Sproul)

More from this Series: The Gospel of John Year-Long Series

  1. A Sneak Peek at our New Series on the Gospel of John Listen Now ›
  2. Eyewitness Testimony in the Gospel of John Listen Now ›
  3. Richard Bauckham on the Reliability of John Listen Now ›
  4. In the Beginning Was the Word Listen Now ›
  5. The Jewishness of John’s Gospel Listen Now ›
  6. The Word Became Flesh and Dwelt Among Us Listen Now ›
  7. The Lamb of God Listen Now ›
  8. Climbing Jacob’s Ladder? Listen Now ›
  9. Water into Wine Listen Now ›
  10. An Interview with D.A. Carson Listen Now ›
  11. Money-Changers in the Temple Listen Now ›
  12. God in Our Midst Listen Now ›
  13. Born from Above Listen Now ›
  14. God So Loved the World Listen Now ›
  15. He Must Increase, I Must Decrease Listen Now ›
  16. The Historical Reliability of John’s Gospel Listen Now ›
  17. Living Water Listen Now ›
  18. Worship in Spirit & Truth Listen Now ›
  19. Can This Be the Christ? Listen Now ›
  20. An Early Date for John’s Gospel? Listen Now ›
  21. Jesus on Trial Listen Now ›
  22. The Scriptures Bear Witness of Me Listen Now ›
  23. The Bread of Life Listen Now ›
  24. Drawn by God Listen Now ›
  25. If Anyone Thirsts Listen Now ›
  26. The Light of the World Listen Now ›
  27. The Truth Will Set You Free Listen Now ›
  28. I Am the Good Shepherd Listen Now ›
  29. My Sheep Hear My Voice Listen Now ›
  30. I Am the Resurrection & the Life Listen Now ›
  31. Jesus’ Death Foretold Listen Now ›
  32. The Triumphal Entry Listen Now ›
  33. Who Has Believed Our Report? Listen Now ›
  34. The Servant Leader Listen Now ›
  35. The Betrayal Listen Now ›
  36. I Am the Way Listen Now ›
  37. The Spirit of Truth Listen Now ›
  38. I Am the Vine Listen Now ›
  39. Father, Son, & Spirit Listen Now ›
  40. Christ’s High Priestly Prayer Listen Now ›
  41. The Arrest & Trial of Jesus Listen Now ›
  42. My Kingdom Is Not of This World Listen Now ›
  43. The Significance of Golgotha Listen Now ›
  44. Naked, Ashamed, Despised, & Rejected Listen Now ›
  45. Reconciling Accounts of the Resurrection Listen Now ›
  46. Peace Be With You Listen Now ›
  47. The Epilogue of John’s Gospel Listen Now ›
  48. Feed My Sheep Listen Now ›
  49. The Identity of the Beloved Disciple Listen Now ›
  50. The Incarnate Word Listen Now ›
  51. The ‘I Am’ Sayings of Jesus Listen Now ›
  52. The Messiah’s Mission Listen Now ›