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Dear Arthur and Sandra:

Sandra told me that you are teaching about free will during Sunday School. We are discussing that in my class, Systematic Theology 2. The professor asked us this question: Does God allow man to say no to Him and suffer the consequences? I'm just interested to know your answer to the question.

Thanks,

p.s. FYI, my answer is yes.

Well, my answer is, "Of course!" If He didn't, Adam and Eve wouldn't have sinned, there wouldn't have been a fall, and we'd all still be in bliss, though not in heaven.

If the question is posed after the fall, then the answer is still the same. There would be no sin.

In fact, not only CAN we say "no" to God, but, in our flesh, we always DO say no!

The real question, I would say, is "Is man able to say 'yes' to God without the grace of God?" I think the overwhelming didactic Scriptural teaching is "no". For example:

Jer. 17 - the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?

Ps. 51 - David states that he was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin his mother conceived him.

Rom. 3 - There is none righteous, not even one . . . there is none who seeks for God . . . there is none who does good, not even one

Rom. 3 - all have sinned - sin doesn't come from a righteous heart.

Eph. 2 and Col. 2 - we are by nature dead (to God) in our trespasses and sins.

John 3 - Jesus says that we can't even see the kingdom of God, never mind choose the kingdom of God, unless we are born of the Spirit.

John 6 - no one can come to Jesus (and say "yes" to Him) unless the Father enables Him.

If it weren't for the unilateral grace of God in our lives, we would continue to say no to God, and sow our eternal destruction, and deservedly so.

BTW, Sandra said you said you were a one point Calvinist? I find that hard to believe. Which point? My only thought is that, perhaps, we don't understand the five points the same way.

I'd be interested to dialog with you on that.

I hope you're doing well and keeping dry!

Blessings,

Arthur

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