Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 6
The speaker repeatedly says God doesn’t want “robots” and that commands in Scripture imply real human responsibility; how would you respond to the uncomfortable pushback: “If God commands what humans can’t do without supernatural help, is that still ‘free will’?” using only the reasoning the speaker gives here?
Another way to ask: The speaker says God doesn’t want robots and that commands mean we’re responsible. Using only his reasoning, how would you answer: “If we can’t obey without God’s help, is it really free will?”
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
Using the speaker’s reasoning, yes—because needing God’s help doesn’t erase choice; it shows dependence. God supplies what we cannot create (mercy, Christ’s atonement, the Spirit’s power), but He still calls us to genuinely respond (repent, believe, obey, cleanse ourselves), which is why commands, praise, and blame make sense.
- He argues God “doesn’t want a bunch of robots,” and says Romans 9:16 doesn’t mean we “shouldn’t have a will” or “shouldn’t run,” since “he tells us to run the race.”
- He says we “cannot save ourselves” and without God’s mercy “we would be lost,” centering salvation on “Christ’s blood.”
- Yet he stresses human action: “we have to repent and believe. God doesn’t do our repenting for us… we have to crucify our own flesh… submit to his will.”
- He frames Spirit-help as enablement, not replacement: “He will give us power to obey, but we have to” act.
- He appeals to the logic of commands: if humans had no real ability to choose, God’s commands and prohibitions would be nonsensical; praise of faith and condemnation of unbelief would be absurd.