All people freely and voluntarily and willingly reject the gospel because it is their heart’s desire to do so. A person’s freedom consists in the ability to act according to one’s desires and inclinations without being compelled to do otherwise by something or someone external to himself. So long as one’s choice is the voluntary fruit of one’s desire, the will is free. This is what I mean when I say, “Yes, all people are free moral agents.” On the other hand, to say that a person has free will is to say that he has equal ability or power to accept or reject the gospel. It is to say that he is as able to believe as to disbelieve, and that this ability springs from his own making and is native to him notwithstanding his fallen and sinful state. If this is what you mean when you ask me, “Is man free?” my answer, or rather, the answer of the Bible, is “No.” A man’s will is the extension and invariable expression of his nature. As he is, so he wills. A man is no more free to act or to will or to choose contrary to his nature than an apple tree is free to produce acorns.
Sam Storms

The Third Epistle of John

The Third Epistle of John

{1:1} The elder unto Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth. {1:2}Beloved, I pray that in all things thou mayest prosper and be inhealth, even as thy soul prospereth. {1:3} For I rejoiced greatly, whenbrethren came and bare witness unto thy truth, even as thou walkest intruth. {1:4} Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my childrenwalking in the truth. {1:5} Beloved, thou doest a faithful work inwhatsoever thou doest toward them that are brethren and strangerswithal; {1:6} who bare witness to thy love before the church: whom thouwilt do well to set forward on their journey worthily of God: {1:7}because that for the sake of the Name they went forth, taking nothingof the Gentiles. {1:8} We therefore ought to welcome such, that we maybe fellow-workers for the truth. {1:9} I wrote somewhat unto thechurch: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them,receiveth us not. {1:10} Therefore, if I come, I will bring toremembrance his works which he doeth, prating against us with wickedwords: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive thebrethren, and them that would he forbiddeth and casteth [them] out ofthe church. {1:11} Beloved, imitate not that which is evil, but thatwhich is good. He that doeth good is of God: he that doeth evil hathnot seen God. {1:12} Demetrius hath the witness of all [men], and ofthe truth itself: yea, we also bear witness: and thou knowest that ourwitness is true. {1:13} I had many things to write unto thee, but I amunwilling to write [them] to thee with ink and pen: {1:14} but I hopeshortly to see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace [be] untothee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name.

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