Free Will

[Craig]

 Hi Mr Smith

My name is charles i read your matrial quite often and i have few things that i don't yet understand and hoping that you can clarify them.Since the scriptures say that man has no free will,why does then God hold us accountable when we do things that He himself has caused us to do in the first place i mean how does He reward man for doing things that He Himself caused them to do.Mr in your exposing those who contradict you keep saying "free will" "hell torture" and "eternal punishment" are an idol of the heart and must be given up.In all of your materials you make it sound like it's up to man to repent and give up all these teachings.Am i right in saying that? I mean you keep saying give it up,repent of these evil teaching why expect them to give it up and repent if it's not up to them to to do that?Finally since all is of God including evil and He causes us to will and to do,why does He then tell people not to sin when He himself created us in that stat e of being weak to resist sin?


Dear Charles:
I answer ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS in my four-part series on "The Myth of Free Will." Have you read the paper carefully?  No, I have never suggested in my writings that it is all up to us to do the impossible.  Why do I and the Bible writers tell our readers to do this and not do the other?  Because they have such abilitgies independent of God?  NO.  But rather because "God uses the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."  Only God can cause you to "believe."  Belief is faith--they are used interchangeably in the Scriptures, and it is all a gift from God (Eph. 2:8-10).

Re-read the series on Free Will. It is abundantly clear oln all of your issues.
God be with you,
Ray