Top 20 Bible Verses About Free Will (With Commentary)

Free will is a divine gift that grants us the ability to make choices and shape our destinies. The Bible offers insights into the concept of free will and its implications for our lives. In this blog post, we will explore a collection of Bible verses that speak about free will. These verses will inspire and challenge you, reminding you of the responsibility and power inherent in the choices you make. Whether you’re pondering the significance of free will or seeking guidance for decision-making, these verses will serve as a compass on your journey of personal agency. So, let us journey through the pages of the Bible, where free will intersects with God’s sovereignty.

Bible Verses About Free Will

Joshua 24:15

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

This verse emphasizes the power of choice and the free will to serve God or not. Joshua urges the people to choose whom they will serve, highlighting the importance of individual decisions in matters of faith.

Deuteronomy 30:19

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live”

Moses encourages the people of Israel to choose life and blessings, providing the option of free will. It emphasizes the power of choice and the importance of choosing the path that leads to life and prosperity.

Ezekiel 18:30-32

“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!”

This verse highlights the importance of repentance and turning away from sin. It shows that although God desires obedience, he ultimately gives us the free will to choose the path we take and encourages us to choose life.

Galatians 5:13

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

This verse highlights the freedom we have in Christ, reminding us to use it wisely by serving and loving others instead of indulging in our fleshly desires.

James 1:13-15

“When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

James emphasizes the role of personal desire and free will when it comes to sin. He encourages us to resist temptation and instead choose to follow God’s will, highlighting how our choices ultimately affect our own spiritual lives.

1 Corinthians 10:13

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

This verse provides assurance that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. It reminds us that we have the power to resist temptation and make choices that honor God, highlighting the importance of our free will even in the face of temptation.

John 6:37

“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”

Jesus emphasizes our freedom to choose to come to him. He invites all who choose to come to him, demonstrating that our choices have an impact on our relationship with God.

Joshua 1:7

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”

Joshua emphasizes the importance of obedience and the freedom to choose to follow God’s law. He encourages us to be strong and courageous in our obedience, highlighting the power of our individual choices in determining our success.

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

This verse highlights the consequences of our choices, emphasizing the power of free will. It shows that we have the choice to follow sin and face death, or choose the gift of eternal life in Christ.

John 3:16-17

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

This verse shows the love and grace of God in giving us the choice to believe and choose eternal life in Christ. It emphasizes the personal decision we have to make in accepting salvation.

2 Peter 3:9

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

2 Peter emphasizes God’s desire for all to come to repentance and experience salvation. It highlights the power of our personal choice to turn to God and choose repentance.

Proverbs 1:29-31

“Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.”

This verse emphasizes the role of choice in seeking knowledge and fearing the Lord. It highlights the consequences of rejecting God’s advice and rebuke, demonstrating the importance of our personal choices in determining our fate.

Jeremiah 21:8

“Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the LORD says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.”

Jeremiah emphasizes the power of choice and the gravity of choosing the path of life or death. He reminds us that our choices ultimately determine our fate.

1 Peter 2:16

“Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.”

This verse highlights the freedom we have in Christ and the responsibility that comes with it. It emphasizes the importance of using our free will to serve God and avoid evil.

Acts 13:46

“Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: ‘We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.’”

This verse highlights the power of personal choice in determining our worthiness for eternal life. It emphasizes the responsibility we have to accept or reject the word of God.

Matthew 24:12-13

“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

This verse emphasizes the choice we have to stand firm in our faith and avoid the temptation to let wickedness affect our love for God. It shows that our personal decisions have the power to determine our salvation.

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

This verse highlights the importance of trusting in the Lord and submitting to his ways, emphasizing the choice we have to follow God’s guidance or our own understanding.

John 8:32

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

This verse highlights the power of free will in seeking the truth. It emphasizes that the truth has the power to set us free, but it is up to us to seek it.

Matthew 7:13-14

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

This verse emphasizes the power of choice in determining the path we take. It shows the importance of choosing to follow the narrow road that leads to life, highlighting the gravity of our personal decisions.

What does the Bible say about free will?

The Bible does not explicitly use the term “free will,” but it does contain numerous passages that suggest the existence and importance of human choice and responsibility. One of the foundational stories that illuminate the concept of free will is found in the book of Genesis, with the account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 2:16-17, God gives Adam a choice regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, saying:

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 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.’”

This passage highlights God’s granting of autonomy to Adam, allowing him to make a decision regarding his actions. Here, we see the essence of free will in the ability to choose between obedience and disobedience.

Where in the Bible does it say free will to choose?

The Bible emphasizes free will and the ability to choose throughout its texts. Another significant example is found in Deuteronomy 30:19, where Moses addresses the Israelites, presenting them with a clear choice:

“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.”

This passage demonstrates the idea of free will in the context of making moral decisions. The Israelites are given the responsibility to choose between life and death, with the implication that their decisions will have consequences for themselves and their descendants.

In the New Testament, Jesus also spoke about the importance of individual choice and decision-making. In Matthew 7:7, He encourages His followers to actively seek and make choices:

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

This verse illustrates the belief in free will as it implies that individuals have the agency to seek and ask for things in their lives.

What is God’s gift of free will?

God’s gift of free will can be understood as the divine bestowal of the ability to make choices and decisions independently. This gift is an expression of God’s love and respect for humanity, granting them the freedom to act according to their desires and convictions. It is a demonstration of God’s desire for genuine relationships with His creation, rather than forcing them into obedience.

The idea of free will aligns with the concept of humans being created in the image of God. In Genesis 1:27, it is stated:

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

As beings made in God’s likeness, humans possess attributes such as reason, emotions, and the capacity to make choices – elements essential for the exercise of free will.

Did God believe in free will?

In the Bible, there is evidence to suggest that God does indeed believe in free will. As the passages mentioned earlier demonstrate, God consistently presents choices before humanity and expects them to exercise their freedom in making decisions.

Additionally, throughout various biblical accounts, God holds humans accountable for their choices and actions. In the story of the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land, they frequently exercised their free will by choosing disobedience, which resulted in consequences. Despite their waywardness, God did not eliminate their free will but allowed them to experience the results of their decisions, both positive and negative.

Moreover, the Bible often speaks of God’s desire for people to choose righteousness and follow His ways voluntarily. In Joshua 24:15, Joshua famously declares:

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

This statement emphasizes the idea of making an active choice to serve God, which implies that God values the authenticity and sincerity that comes from voluntary decisions.

In conclusion, the concept of free will is a fundamental aspect of the biblical narrative. Though the Bible does not use the specific term “free will,” it consistently presents the idea that God grants humans the freedom to make choices, holds them accountable for those choices, and desires a genuine relationship that involves voluntary love and obedience. God’s gift of free will is an integral part of His divine plan and reflects the uniqueness of human beings as created in His image.

Through free will, humans have the opportunity to participate in their spiritual growth and respond to God’s love and grace with sincere hearts.