1689 London Baptist Confession, Chapter 9
Of Free Will
God hath indued the Will of Man, with that natural liberty, and power of acting upon choice; that it is neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature determined to do good or evil.
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Matthew 17:1212But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him whatever they wished. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.”
James 1:1414But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.
Deuteronomy 30:1919I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, so that you and your descendants may live,
Man in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power, to will, and to do that which was good, and well-pleasing to God; but yet was mutable, so that he might fall from it.
Scripture references for paragraph 2
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Ecclesiastes 7:2929Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
Genesis 3:66When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.
Man by his fall into a state of sin hath wholly lost all ability of Will, to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in Sin, is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself; or to prepare himself thereunto.
Scripture references for paragraph 3
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Romans 5:66For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Romans 8:77because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
Ephesians 2:11And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
Ephesians 2:55made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!
Titus 3:33For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
Titus 3:44But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
Titus 3:55He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
John 6:4444“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of Grace he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone, enables him freely to will, and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that by reason of his remaining corruptions he doth not perfectly nor only will that which is good; but doth also will that which is evil.
Scripture references for paragraph 4
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Colossians 1:1313He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,
John 8:3636So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Philippians 2:1313For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
Romans 7:1515I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do.
Romans 7:1818I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
Romans 7:1919For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.
Romans 7:2121So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
Romans 7:2323But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me.
The Will of Man is made perfectly, and immutably free to good alone, in the state of Glory only.
Scripture references for paragraph 5
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Ephesians 4:1313until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.
Source and edition
1689 London Baptist Confession. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription
Unlicense. Source transcription.
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