Doctrine #36: Free Will

¹¹For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off.

¹²It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?

¹³Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?

¹⁴But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

¹⁵See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; ¹⁶in that I command thee this day to love Jehovah thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, that thou mayest live and multiply, and that Jehovah thy God may bless thee in the land whither thou goest in to possess it.

¹⁷But if thy heart turn away, and thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; ¹⁸I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish; ye shall not prolong your days in the land, whither thou passest over the Jordan to go in to possess it.

¹⁹I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed; ²⁰to love Jehovah thy God, to obey his voice, and to cleave unto him; for he is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which Jehovah sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

¹¹For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.

¹²It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

¹³Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

¹⁴But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

¹⁵See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;

¹⁶In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

¹⁷But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;

¹⁸I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.

¹⁹I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

²⁰That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

⁴And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which Jehovah commanded, saying, ⁵Take ye from among you an offering unto Jehovah; whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, Jehovah’s offering: gold, and silver, and brass, ⁶and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, ⁷and rams’ skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood, ⁸and oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense, ⁹and onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate.

⁴And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,

⁵Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,

⁶And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,

⁷And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,

⁸And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,

⁹And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.

¹⁴but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will.

¹⁴But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

¹⁷And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely.

¹⁷And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

¹⁴And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; ¹⁵that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life.

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.

¹⁴And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

¹⁵That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practise the same things.

¹Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

¹²Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father.

¹³And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

¹⁴If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do.

¹⁵If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.

¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

¹²Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

¹³And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

¹⁴If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

¹⁵If ye love me, keep my commandments.

¹Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, ²in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times eternal; ³but in his own seasons manifested his word in the message, wherewith I was intrusted according to the commandment of God our Saviour; ⁴to Titus, my true child after a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.

¹Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

²In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

³But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

⁴To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

¹⁷Wherein God, being minded to show more abundantly unto the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath; ¹⁸that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us:

¹⁷Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

¹⁸That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

⁵And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

⁵This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

²⁸And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two possessed with demons, coming forth out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man could pass by that way.

²⁹And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

³⁰Now there was afar off from them a herd of many swine feeding.

³¹And the demons besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine.

³²And he said unto them, Go. And they came out, and went into the swine: and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep into the sea, and perished in the waters.

²⁸And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

²⁹And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

³⁰And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.

³¹So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

³²And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

⁷Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you.

⁸And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹of sin, because they believe not on me; ¹⁰of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye behold me no more; ¹¹of judgment, because the prince of this world hath been judged.

⁷Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

⁸And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

⁹Of sin, because they believe not on me;

¹⁰Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

¹¹Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

¹³Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

¹⁴But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment, than for you.

¹⁵And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt be brought down unto Hades.

¹⁶He that heareth you heareth me; and he that rejecteth you rejecteth me; and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me.

¹⁷And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name.

¹⁸And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven.

¹³Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

¹⁴But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

¹⁵And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

¹⁶He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

¹⁷And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

¹⁸And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

¹Again it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Jehovah.

²And Jehovah said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

³And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil: and he still holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

⁴And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

⁵But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce thee to thy face.

⁶And Jehovah said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; only spare his life.

¹Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.

²And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

³And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

⁴And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

⁵But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

⁶And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

¹In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

²Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto Jehovah, saying, ³Remember now, O Jehovah, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

⁴And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the city, that the word of Jehovah came to him, saying, ⁵Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the prince of my people, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of Jehovah.

⁶And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

¹In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

²Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,

³I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

⁴And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

⁵Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.

⁶And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

¹Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

²Or know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world is judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

³Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life?

¹Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

²Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

³Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?