David Glenn Misner wrote:
> Do we REALLY have free will or is it an illusion? My dad says we
> really do not have free will but I say that we do but I can't find
any
> place in the Bible that says we do
>

Well, your dad has probably shocked you a bit. And if somebody says
something that seems shocking, a good question to ask is, "Why did
he say that? Why would he say that we don't really have free will?"'

I will assume that your dad is a Calvinist, so I can slightly switch
topics
and ask, 'Why do Calvinists seem to deny free will?"

At first glance, anybody who denies free will seems like a raving
lunatic.
But as a Calvinist myself, I would like to try and explain why a
Calvinist
might want to do such a thing.

So, here goes:

1. Calvinists do not deny free will totally, but only partially. The
vast majority
of Calvinists allow for free will as a general rule, and only deny free
will in certain
very restricted regions of our lives.

2. Although SOME Calvinists totally deny free will, I consider them to
be fringe
Calvinists. And their total denial of free will may be based on
semantics rather
than substance.

3. Now, here is the main question: WHY do Calvinists deny free will
even PARTIALLY?
Here is why: because we do not want to ascribe goodness to ourselves,
when
that goodness rightfully ought to belong to God alone.

4. Nuts and bolts: THERE ARE TWO PARTICULAR AREAS THAT CALVINISTS DENY
FREE
WILL IN, and they are:
a. good works
b. faith that leads to salvation

5. Essentially, a Calvinist will tell you that neither your "good
works" nor your "good faith"
comes out of your free will. Your free will is NOT the
source/fountainhead of either
your good works or your faith in Jesus Christ.

6. What is the source/fountainhead of your good works and good faith?
Nothing but
the Holy Spirit operating with love upon your heart. Augustine calls
this "grace."

So you see, the short answer for "why would those crazy Calvinists say
that we don't totally possess
a complete free will" is this:
Our free will, such as it is, is "broken" and must be healed by the
grace of the Holy Spirit to
do ANYTHING GOOD.

WHATEVER we do that is "good" is, therefore, not the result of our free
will, but the result
of the Holy Spirit pouring grace into our heart and soul.

So whenever you do a "good" action, or whenever you think about the
fact that you "have faith
in Jesus," be sure and thank God for giving you the GRACE for both of
these things.

Thank you God, for your wond