In an article entitled, “The Illusion of a Gentleman God,” Robert Bernecker shows why those who say “God is a Gentleman and would never violate human free will” have not been reading their Bibles very closely at all.

“I frankly confess that, for myself, even if it could be, I should not want “free-will” to be given me, nor anything to be left in my own hands to enable me to endeavour after salvation; not merely because in face of so many dangers, and adversities and assaults of devils, I could not stand my ground ; but because even were there no dangers. I should still be forced to labour with no guarantee of success. But now that God has taken my salvation out of the control of my own will, and put it under the control of His, and promised to save me, not according to my working or running, but according to His own grace and mercy, I have the comfortable certainty that He is faithful and will not lie to me, and that He is also great and powerful, so that no devils or opposition can break Him or pluck me from Him. Furthermore, I have the comfortable certainty that I please God, not by reason of the merit of my works, but by reason of His merciful favour promised to me; so that, if I work too little, or badly, He does not impute it to me, but with fatherly compassion pardons me and makes me better. This is the glorying of all the saints in their God.”

– Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will (Grand Rapids: Revell, 1957), 313-314

The “Joy Quartet” at Pensacola Christian College teach us about the Arminian doctrine of free will. Actually, it may even be the Pelagian doctrine.

I must say, my “free will” did not get me past the first 90 seconds!

Here is a short article I wrote on the subject of the will which is followed by a lively discussion in the comment section.

HT: Justin Edwards