Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 9, sections 1-3
Westminster Larger Catechism Q. 149
Chapter IX. Of Free Will
I. God has endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that is neither forced, nor, by any absolute necessity of nature, determined to good, or evil [a].
[a] Matthew 17:12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.
II. Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power to will and to do that which was good and well pleasing to God [b]; but yet, mutably, so that he might fall from it [c].
[b] Ecclesiastes 7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
[c] Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: Ver.17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
III. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, has wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation [d]: so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that good [e], and dead in sin [f], is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto [g].
[d] Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
[e] Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. Ver.12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
[f] Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Ver.5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).
Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.
[g] John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. Ver.65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Ver.3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Ver.4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Ver.5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;).
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. Ver.4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Ver.5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Q. 149. Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
A. No man is able, either of himself [h], or by any grace received in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God [i]; but doth daily break them in thought [k], word, and deed [l].
[h] James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
[i] Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Ver.10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Romans 7:18-19 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. Ver.19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
[k] Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; etc.
[l] Romans 3:9-19 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; Ver.10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Ver.11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. Ver.12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Ver.13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Ver.14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Ver.15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: Ver.16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: Ver.17 And the way of peace have they not known: Ver.18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. Ver.19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
James 3:2-13 For in many things we offend all, etc. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Ver.3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Ver.4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Ver.5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! Ver.6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. Ver.7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: Ver.8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Ver.9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Ver.10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Ver.11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Ver.12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Ver.13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
End of Lesson, Day 36
For Further Study:
Commentary on Chapter Nine, Westminster Confession by Gordon Clark
An Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith by Robert Shaw
Commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith by A.A. Hodge
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