Topical Bible: Man: Possessed of Will

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The concept of human will is a significant theme in the Bible, reflecting the capacity of individuals to make choices and decisions. This ability to choose is a fundamental aspect of being created in the image of God, as described in Genesis 1:27: "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." The possession of will is integral to human nature and is evident throughout Scripture.

Free Will and Moral Responsibility

The Bible presents humans as moral agents with the ability to choose between good and evil. This is first illustrated in the account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God commands them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, giving them the freedom to obey or disobey (Genesis 2:16-17). Their choice to eat the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6) demonstrates the exercise of free will and the resulting moral responsibility.

Deuteronomy 30:19 further emphasizes the concept of choice: "I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, so that you and your descendants may live." Here, God presents the Israelites with a choice, underscoring the importance of will in determining one's path.

The Will in Salvation

The New Testament continues to affirm the role of human will in the context of salvation. In John 7:17, Jesus states, "If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own." This verse highlights the necessity of a willing heart to discern divine truth.

Moreover, the call to repentance and faith in Christ involves an act of the will. In Acts 2:38, Peter urges the crowd, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." Repentance requires a conscious decision to turn away from sin and toward God.

The Struggle of the Will

The Apostle Paul vividly describes the internal struggle of the will in Romans 7:15-20, where he writes about the conflict between the desire to do good and the reality of sin at work within him. This passage illustrates the tension between the human will and the sinful nature, a struggle that believers experience as they seek to live according to God's will.

Divine Sovereignty and Human Will

While the Bible affirms human will, it also teaches the sovereignty of God. Proverbs 16:9 states, "A man's heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." This verse reflects the balance between human decision-making and divine guidance, acknowledging that while humans make plans, God's purposes ultimately prevail.

Philippians 2:12-13 further encapsulates this relationship: "Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now even more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose." Here, the interplay between human effort and divine action is evident, as believers are called to actively pursue their salvation while recognizing God's enabling power.

Conclusion

The biblical portrayal of man as possessed of will underscores the dignity and responsibility inherent in human nature. Through the exercise of will, individuals are called to choose obedience, embrace salvation, and navigate the complexities of life in alignment with God's purposes.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Corinthians 9:17
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed to me.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Peter 1:21
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Men are Possessed of Free Will, and Endowed with the Faculty of ...
... But because man is possessed of free will from the beginning, and God is possessed
of free will, in whose likeness man was created, advice is always given to ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxxvii men are possessed of.htm

The Manner in which Man Conducted Himself for Fulfilling the First ...
... But the end of the devil was the aversion of man from his God ... to the antecedent
condition of creation, which had made men possessed of free will, and for ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/disputation xxx the manner in.htm

State in which Man was Created. The Faculties of the Soul --The ...
... reason. In this upright state, man possessed freedom of will, by which,
if he chose, he was able to obtain eternal life. It were ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 15 state in which.htm

On the Creation, and Chiefly that of Man
... in his primeval state Adam neither received or possessed a Proximate ... still have been
to be created within man himself.8. The liberty of the will consists in ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/on the creation and chiefly.htm

True Hearing
... Supposing a man possessed all the world, and gave it back to God intact just ... And
supposing there were another man who had nothing but a good will, and he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/eckhart/meister eckharts sermons/iv true hearing.htm

Man is Endowed with the Faculty of Distinguishing Good and Evil ...
... with pure gold and silver, and He will adorn thee to ... up children to Abraham; [4424]
but the man who does ... have been created free agents, and possessed of power ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxxix man is endowed with.htm

The Doctrine of Man
... e) The Original Man Possessed Moral and Spiritual Faculties. ... Both the Bible and science
agree in making man the crowning work of God, and that there will be no ...
/.../evans/the great doctrines of the bible/the doctrine of man.htm

Conclusion
... Church or University, (for who is sufficient for these things,) I will, without
reluctance, resign my situation, and give place to a man possessed of greater ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/conclusion.htm

The Threefold Kind of Man Feigned by These Heretics: Good Works ...
... Heresies: Book I Chapter VI."The threefold kind of man feigned by ... the Saviour came
to the animal substance (which was possessed of free-will), that He ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter vi the threefold kind of.htm

The Faculty of Faith.
... There is no man possessed of the faith faculty but the ... Nor is there a man using this
qualification, actually ... in danger"and your slumbering love will at once ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxviii the faculty of faith.htm