The Orthodox Study Bible: Free will

The Orthodox Study Bible: Free will

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

Preface

Published January 2, 2019, I was disappointed and surprised to see that originally I did not provide in the main text, the free will citation from the Orthodox Study Bible. I will revise and republish this article on March 4, 2024 and also provide an entry on academia.edu.

Cited from the Orthodox Study Bible, Glossary:

'Free Will

The freedom to choose between good and evil, between God and sin, which is one aspect of humanity created in the image of God. According to Orthodox teaching, sin stains the image of God but does not destroy it. Human beings may choose to reject the gospel, but must suffer the consequences of their decision (see Gen. 3:22, 23, Rev 3:20).' (799).

Based on my MPhil/PhD and website work:

Indeterminism is equated with incompatibilism which states that God, or any other being, cannot cause by force or coercion any human action, nor can any action be simultaneously willed by God or any other being, for the human action to remain significantly free. Also known as libertarian free will.

I would consider the Orthodox view a form of incompatibilism, philosophically. Theologically it would be generally known as free will or libertarian free will. This is also the case with classic viewpoints within the Roman Catholic Church, the evangelical church (movement) and typically within charismatic and Pentecostal churches. From the citation, I agree that human beings are created in the image and I will add, likeness of God (Genesis 1: 26-27). I agree that the image and likeness of God within the human nature is tainted, but not destroyed through fallen human nature and human embracing of sin. I differ in that I reason, as Reformed, that any free will theology/philosophy of a human being freely choosing or rejecting the gospel in some autonomous way is not accurate.

By default no human being will freely choose the gospel, due to the universal sinful nature of humanity described in Romans, Chapter 3, where it is mentioned that there are none righteous in verse 10, and none that seek God in verse 11. C.E.B. Cranfield states that this passage (vv. 10-18) indicates that without exception, all people are sinners. Cranfield (1992: 66). Cranfield further writes that the idea being put across is that human beings live as if they have no reckoning with God, and are practical, even if not actual atheists. Cranfield (1992: 67). Robert H. Mounce notes concerning this passage that although some may seek a religious experience, it is not the same as seeking the true God. Mounce (1995: 109). To Mounce, God seeks the Christian believer, and not the other way around. Mounce (1995: 109). Therefore with this interpretation of the Romans passage, if libertarian free will was true, no one would ever come to Christ through the gospel, because God would not simultaneously will that a person believe it.

Within a Reformed theology and philosophy...

Philosophically, compatibilism (soft determinism) would agree with incompatibilism that God or any other being cannot cause by force or coercion any significantly free human action, for which there would be significant moral accountability, but contrary to incompatibilism reasons that God can simultaneously will significantly free human actions for which there is significant human, moral accountability.

J.S. Feinberg explains that compatibilism does not allow for coercion or force, but holds that God, or some outside force, can simultaneously determine with the use of persuasion, that an action will or will not take place. Feinberg (1986: 24). Feinberg writes that certain nonconstraining conditions could strongly influence actions, in conjunction with human free will performing these actions. Feinberg (1994: 60). With this viewpoint, there will be no contradiction in stating that God would create human beings who were significantly free, unconstrained, and yet committed actions that God willed. Feinberg (2001: 637). If a human being is forced or coerced, the moral accountability is significantly diminished (at least) and would be considered determinism/hard determinism, not compatibilism/soft determinism. 

In my compatibilistic model, at least, through a theoretical chain of human nature, consciousness, desires, will and choice, a person embraces as secondary cause, what was caused, willed and allowed by the primary cause. This in regard to human thoughts, choice, acts and actions. This first cause would be God, in a biblical view. This would be the case in regard to both human salvation and a continued rejection of God, outside of salvation. A person cannot simply on his/her own, choose the gospel but must first be chosen by God (Romans 8-9, Ephesians 1, as examples) regenerated (John 3, Titus 3, 1 Peter 1, as examples) through the Holy Spirit, and the atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ, applied to him/her. From my Reformed, biblical perspective, God causes regeneration in the chosen person (s).

Page 799

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