The Human Will: It's Origin and Demise

The Will

                The “will” is of paramount importance in scripture. It may be the deciding factor in whether one is saved or not. For the time being consider “saved” as the instant in time when one is delivered from catastrophe. Ask yourself right now: from what are Christians saved? The answer to that question is in John 3:16 but one must examine that verse in context, and in it’s literal meaning which is:

And as Moses did lift up the serpent in the wilderness, so it behoveth the Son of Man to be lifted up, that everyone who is believing in him pay not perish, but may have life age-enduring, for God so loved the world, that His Son – his only begotten – He gave, that everyone who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-enduring. (John 3:14-16; Young’s Literal Translation).          

                Therein lies the answer: believers are saved from perishing. Perish is of course destruction. It could be taken as annihilation if the concept of Hell was not explained: “Fear rather him who can destroy both soul and body in gehenna.”  (Mat 10:28; YLT). Gehenna in English is “Hell” as can be seen in other versions. Thus, salvation is the moment in time when believers are saved from Hell – the “catastrophe” mentioned above. 

                God’s will is that mankind have “life age-enduring” or without end. Most commonly that is referred to as “eternal life”. Since God “wills” that, then it must be asked: what is the "will"? Will is a faculty of the mind. Faculties are powers of the mind which influences behavior. When a decision is presented, the will is that power which at that time considers the choices and makes the one of the strongest desire. For God, He has three choices from which to decide:(1) do I desire that none should perish, (2) some should perish, or that (3) all should perish? If the literal translation is examined it seems that God desires that those who fail to believe in Him to perish.  It is implied that God surely wants all to believe in Him. Thus, in context God’s will is that none should perish but since Satan’s will is that all perish - some will. 

                There is a contest between good and evil; whose will has the strongest influence over human will? God’s or Satan’s? Of course, all mankind’s will is that they not perish. Some are deterministic, believing that all will perish, not in punishment but annihilation; they will just cease to exist. In their minds, eternal non-existence is inevitable. Their will is to live forever but believe it is impossible to do so. Essentially, their will coincides with God’s but their unbelief will prevent them from salvation. They won’t trust God to do what He promises because for them God is not real. 

                The will of everyone is to live forever. They may have stressful times when they think they wish they were dead but non-existence is terrifying even if there is no Hell. Annihilation is terrifying even without the fire and brimstone! 

                Because of pleasure, although most will that they be saved, sub-consciously those not born-again desire to be saved at the last moment. God’s will is that they be “born again” which provides the “hope of salvation” which is each day nearer than when Christians first believed (Rom 13:11).

                God’s will is that everyone be born-again. That experience is a change in thought which is lifting up Jesus as stated in the passage above. How high must Jesus be lifted? Higher than ourselves! Man stands upright. The serpent, representing Jesus, was lifted up much higher than man. Thus, man’s will must be subject and sub-servient to God’s will. Born-again is when men and women, given two choices: either (1) lift up Jesus, or (2) be their own master, that lifting-up Jesus is the choice. That decision is exercising human will. 

                God’s will is pure. He desires that all trust Him for eternal life. Man’s will is confounded. He desires eternal life but enjoys pleasure. That causes the spirit to be willing but the flesh weak. (Mat 26:41). There is a dualism in man’s will; two opposing principles within the will, of good verses evil. Psychopaths have one will – to be evil. That opposes God’s will that mankind be righteous. Hence, they are reprobate or damned. Psychopaths don’t care because their will is apathetic. The rest of us are dualistic in our will. Mankind continually makes choices, exercising their will: shall I do good or shall I do evil. Because of the influences of the world, most people desire to do good but fail because of the pleasure principle. They are willing but weak. 

                Trusting God strengthens mankind’s will. When one’s faith is strong enough, the willingness to do and be right with God is there. When faith is weak, doubt is great, and people are unwilling to do and be right. Thus, obedience (works) demonstrates faith. (Tit 3:8). If one is not obedient, it is a good sign that there is much doubt and little faith. Obedience is a measure of faith and requires continually making right choices. Men’s wills are constantly in use, and that is imperative for the assurance of salvation. When the born-again person’s will is in harmony with God’s, His Holy Spirit Comforts and guilt is relieved. (Psychopaths do not require relief because they don’t feel remorse).

                The human will was given to humans because we were made in the image of God (Gen 1:26). Since God’s will requires mind, God has Mind, and so does His creation. God’s Mind is not dualistic. His Will is always right(eous). Mankind was created with a right mind without dualism. Temptation invoked dualism and still does. Adam and Eve were presented with two choices: (1) respect God or (2) be irreverent. Pleasure from the forbidden tree required a decision. God did not prevent them from making their two choices. He did not force His Will on them. God wanted companions who loved Him of their own volition. 

To test that, it was necessary to provide competition for love. Satan said, “I can be that.” God said, “that’s why I allow you to exist!” With original sin, humans became Satan’s proxies. Since Satan is not available, mankind was given free will to decide whether to respect Satan or God. Satan offered pleasure and God offered life. Which shall it be? Eve was tricked into selecting pleasure but Adam did so willingly. Thus, Adam is credited with the first intentional sin which was greater than Eve’s act of manipulation. Since then, mankind has become “as gods” in competition with God: shall it be to love God or love ourselves by appeasing one or the other. Sinners appease themselves and ignore God. Each time sin is selected, free will is exercised because God did not create automatons!

The born-again experience is when one makes a choice: continue to elevate oneself or lift up God. When the choice is made, what would God expect? For one to demote themselves and promote God. That is a reasonable expectation and is referred to as a “living sacrfice” (Rom 12:1) or crucifying the self. What is sacrificed? Our will in favor of God’s! What is God’s will? That we trust him which is faith. Mankind is “saved by faith” (Ephes 2:8). Faith is not merely a cross-section in time. Faith is “trust and loyalty” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Loyalty implies enduring or steadfast faith (Col 2:5). 

Then how long must one have faith? Until salvation. When Christians are saved from Hell is after faith comes to an end by death. If faith withers before then, there is no faith. It seems that “the salvation experience” is death of the believer but those born-again have a changed life looking forward to the prize (1 Cor 9:24). Seeing the “prize” is maintaining the “hope of salvation” (1 Thes 5:8). Because one trusts God so greatly and the will is in harmony with God’s will, that “prize” is so certain that it is essentially already obtained. Living person’s who are so assured of the prize that they are certain of their salvation. They have that assurance because they have freely sacrificed their will in favor of God’s. Their will before being born-again was to sin. The expected outcome of a new creature is that they return their will to the One who created it in the first place. Those born-again willfully do God’s will, and were like Adam and Eve in their innocence. 
Willingness to obey and love God is what He seeks, Him knowing full-well that the flesh desires appeasement. Mankind’s will is their God, and the flesh their idol. That idol must die and it is the will which kills it. Born-again persons allow God’s will to supersede their own. Obedience is the evidence that that has happened.