Mans will is never free from Gods Sovereign will, even when men freely choose, they chose what Gods will predetermined for them to freely choose.
John 5:40 – "Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life."
Greek: καὶ οὐ θέλετε ἐλθεῖν πρός με ἵνα ζωὴν ἔχητε.
Analysis: The verb θέλετε
(thelō, "you are not willing") indicates an active refusal, demonstrating the volitional capacity of unbelievers to reject Christ.
Matthew 23:37 – "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!"
Greek: καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε (ēthelēsate, aorist of thelō,
"you were not willing").
Analysis: Christ expresses a genuine desire (θέλω) to gather Jerusalem,
but they exercise free will in rejecting Him.
Acts 7:51 – "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you."
Greek: ἀεὶ τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ ἀντιπίπτετε (antipiptete, "you always resist").
Analysis: The present active verb ἀντιπίπτω means
"to oppose, resist," showing continuous opposition by the unbelievers
Romans 1:21 – "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened."
Greek: γνόντες τὸν θεὸν οὐχ ὡς θεὸν ἐδόξασαν ("although they knew God, they did not glorify Him").
Analysis:
This shows a conscious decision to reject acknowledging God despite having knowledge of Him.
Luke 7:30 – "But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him."
Greek: τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἠθέτησαν (ēthētēsan, "rejected, nullified").
Analysis
: The Pharisees actively resisted God's will, demonstrating that human rejection of God's calling is possible.
John 3:19 – "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil."
Greek: ἠγάπησαν γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι μᾶλλον τὸ σκότος ἢ τὸ φῶς (ēgapēsan, "they loved" darkness).
Analysis:
The imperfect verb ἀγαπάω (to love) shows a deliberate preference for darkness rather than light.
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 – "And with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
Greek: τὴν ἀγάπην τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἐδέξαντο (ouk edexanto, "they did not accept the love of the truth").
Analysis:
The verb δέχομαι (to receive, accept) is in the aorist middle, indicating a personal choice to reject the truth.
Hebrews 3:15 – "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
Greek: μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν (mē sklērunēte, "do not harden your hearts").
Analysis:
The imperative verb σκληρύνω (to harden) implies human volition in resisting God's voice.
Deuteronomy 30:19 – "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live."
Hebrew: וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים (ubacharta bachayyim, "you shall choose life").
Analysis:
The verb בחר (bachar, "choose") is imperative, showing the necessity of human decision.
Proverbs 1:24-26 – "Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you."
Hebrew: וַתְּמָאֲנוּ שׁוּב (vat’ma’anu shuv, "you refused to return").
Analysis:
The verb מאן (ma’an, "refuse") is a clear indication of volitional rejection.
Each of these passages shows that unbelievers exercise free will in responding to God's revelation, either by rejecting, resisting, or refusing to heed His call.
Acts 17:11-12 ESV Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.
—-[from προθυμια proth-oo-mee’-ah, meaning predisposition. See also – 2Co 8:11, 12, 19, 9:2;] The Calvinist may endeavor to suggest this willing predisposition of the Bereans was a result of regeneration, which they think is before faith is expressed. It is very difficult to convince them otherwise when their loyalty to Calvinism is so strong that they refuse to see the gospel of John clearly teaches light is freely received before faith which is before new birth life is given. See John 1:4-13, 12:35-36, 20:30-31.
Other NT verses to consider that speak to the issue of freewill are these –
1Cor 7:37 ESV But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. —-from μη ἔχων ἀνάγκην , literally – “not having a necessity”, which would be impossible if everything was predetermined eternally and immutably, making every event a necessary result of God’s decree. Notice also the verse says this man “having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart.”
1Cor 9:17 ESV For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. —- from εχων hek-own’ meaning willingly.
2Cor 8:3 ESV For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, and 2Cor 8:17 ESV For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. —-from αυθαιρετος ow-thah’-ee-ret-os – meaning self-chosen, and by implication – voluntary.
2Cor 9:7 ESV Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. —- from προαιρεομαι pro-ahee-reh’-om-ahee – meaning to choose for oneself before another thing, to prefer and by implication, to intend.
Phlm 1:14 ESV but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. —- from εκουσιος hek-oo’-see-on – meaning willingness.
1Pet 5:2 ESV shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; —-from εκουσιον hek-oo-see’-ose – meaning willingly.
The existence of a free will, even post regeneration, runs counter to the idea of an eternally immutable divine will that had completely determined everything forever into the future before creation began. Calvinism is based upon that philosophical premise, making the exercise of any free-will for God or man impossible, before creation and especially after it. That premise makes a falsehood out of these clear Scriptures shared here. These Scriptures and many others clearly show that free will does exist and is being exercised by God and man.
You are stumped brother.
J.
