On this occasion, we will explore the concept of human free will and its power and impact. The will—or desire—of a person has extraordinary power. When we read the Bible, particularly in Genesis 3, we can see the great power, impact, consequences, and role of human will.
God established this foundation earlier in Genesis chapter 2, when He said:
“You may freely eat from every tree in the garden, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that is in the middle of the garden, you must not eat, for on the day you eat of it, you will surely die.”
Here, God gave a choice: all the trees in the garden could be eaten from—except one, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. For on the day that man (in this case, Adam and Eve) ate from it, they would surely die. In this case, God established the foundation or order of life. He set forth the law of life—that humanity itself determines its own condition: whether to choose life or death.
In Genesis 3, we read a tragic story—the moment when human free will was exercised in the arena of choice. And tragically, humanity chose to eat the fruit that God had forbidden them to. The result was death. Romans 3:23 records that because of Adam’s sin, all human beings—including us—have fallen short of the glory of God, and this means that humanity can no longer attain the nature or state that God originally intended: the divine nature, the ability always to make decisions and exercise the will in harmony with the mind and heart of God.
Yet God did not fail. His plan was not cancelled—it was only delayed. God designed a plan of salvation for humanity. From the very beginning, God intended to have a creation that would be His delight—beings who shared His nature, His way of thinking, and His heart.
From these two components—the mind and the heart—humans can think, feel, and will, which is what makes human beings possess free will. The quality of a person’s will is determined by the quality of their mind and heart, as to whether their will aligns with God’s will or not. Romans 12:2 teaches that we must be transformed by the renewal of our minds so that our will becomes increasingly aligned and precise—so that we may discern what is good, pleasing, and perfect in God’s sight.
Concerning this perfection, the Lord Jesus said:
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” — Matthew 5:48
This statement is not mere decoration in the Bible; it reveals God’s plan to have a creation that He calls His children. For the spirit that dwells in human beings comes from God Himself.
James 4:4–5 tells us that Scripture does not say in vain that “the Spirit He caused to dwell in us longs jealously.” This jealousy speaks of ownership—God’s rightful claim. The human spirit belongs to God. That is why Scripture says that the body will return to the dust, but the spirit will return to God who gave it. However, if a human will is not aligned with God’s will—producing evil deeds—then that person’s spirit will not return to God.
Salvation in Jesus Christ is meant to restore humanity to God’s original design—that is, for human beings to possess the glory of God. The glory of God within a person is reflected in their ability to act in complete harmony with God’s will, embodying moral holiness.
When the Bible says,
“Be holy, for I am holy” — 1 Peter 1:16
It means that we must have a will that always aligns with God’s will—not one that opposes it. Therefore, it is understandable that in Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus declares that those who do not do the Father’s will will be rejected by Him.
For the very essence of a believer’s life is not merely to know the will of God, but to live in total obedience to it.