The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Gods Character??

Joe,

Here is yet another example of your confusing terms and doctrines. Remember the little illustration I gave you about the young child who "wills" not to sit down when told to do so? An adult can without question physically force the child to sit down in a chair. But on the inside, i.e., his preference, desire, will remains to stand. So, the "will" isn't altered, violated, coerced, forced, etc.... only the circumstances can be changed which will present a situation which will restrict or expand which decisions can be made. In the case of those men being "dragged" before a Judge, even though they were compelled to do what they originally desired not to do, as they stood before the Judge, their preference was to not be there. Thus their "will" was not forced only their physical body was forced.

Now, in the case of the unregenerate, they CANNOT be forced to hate sin, repent of it and seek Christ by faith. They are incapable of such acts BECAUSE their nature prevents it. They have no ABILITY to repent and/or believe. Their natural hatred of God and all that is good is what controls their will. Thus their problem is a "moral inability" to do what is required of them in order to be saved. God does NOT "force" them to believe, but again as I have stated over and over again, God "re-creates" the will by implanting spiritual life in them. This "new birth" is a radical changing of their nature which involves an ability to comprehend truth (intellect) and a love for God and righteousness (affections). These two elements are what CONTROL the will. All decisions made are the result of either or a combination of these two elements of man. To change what a man "wills" you must either change how he thinks about something or feels about something or both. And until that happens, the will simply can't be changed.

So.... where does that bring us in the matter of the unregenerate and their will and salvation? The Holy Spirit "makes them alive" spiritually, i.e., their minds and affections are changed which then directly effects their will. Once they possess this new nature/disposition, the overtures of the Gospel are irresistible, forceful, compelling to their intellect and affections. And THIS is what is meant in John 6:44, where Jesus says that "No man CAN come to me UNLESS the Father Who sent me draw him." The word "draw" is in reference to the "inward call", aka: irresistible grace which applies only to one who has been regenerated, i.e., they have the ABILITY to hear, comprehend and desire the message of salvation. Their new nature "hungers" for God such as a man who is starving to death. This is the "forcing of the will" but as is always the case, it is in complete accord WITH the will and not contrary to it.

Sorry, but I simply cannot change what Scripture teaches about the nature of man in his unregenerate state or regenerate state nor the doctrines of grace which have been the foundation of the historic Protestant churches. What has been given you is truth. Whether you choose to embrace it or reject for something other which you deem "better" is your choice. I cannot force you to accept the truth. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

In His grace,