DID NOAH HAVE FREE-WILL? by steve finnell

Did Noah and his family have free-will? Did the rest of mankind living in the time of Noah have free-will? The answer is yes, and yes.

John Calvin said men do not have free-will. If men do not have free-will, then God either forces them to obey Him or forces them to sin.

Did Noah have free-will?

Did God force Noah to be a preacher of righteousness.(See:2 Peter 2:5)NASB

Did God force Noah to be righteous and blameless. Genesis 6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. 9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time, Noah walked with God.(NKJV)

If Noah did not have free-will, then how could he find favor in the eyes of the Lord. If God forced Noah to be a righteous preacher, forced him to be blameless, and forced him to walk with Him, then why would God find that favorable conduct?

DID THOSE WHO PERISHED IN THE FLOOD HAVE FREE-WILL?

Genesis 6:5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.(NASB

If these men did not have free-will, how could they have intent of thoughts of their hearts to be only evil? You need free-will to be evil. If they were evil without free-will, then God forced them to be evil. God does not force people to sin.

Genesis 6:6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. (NASB)

If God created these men as sinners without free-will, then why was He grieved in His heart? If God forced them to sin, then why would He destroy them?

Men do have free-will. They can obey God or disobey.

If all men are born sinners and without free-will, then why was Noah and his family spared from the flood?

Yes all men do sin, however, it is by choice. That is why all men need a Savior. Adam and Eve sinned by choice, as do all men. No man will go to hell because of Adam's sin; it will be because of their own unforgiven sin.

Men have the free-will to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior or reject Him.

God wants all men to be saved, however, it is an individual choice. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (NKJV)

REPENTANCE: Luke 24:47, Acts 2:38, and Acts 3:19.