Toward A Christian Worldview - Faith Presbyterian Church Reformed

Chapter 3: A Biblical Theodicy
“freedom of indifference.” His freedom to choose is always governed
by factors: his own intellections, habits, and so forth. Of course, all
choices are subject to the eternal decrees of God.
As mentioned, this is not only true of man after the Fall. It was
also true of Adam prior to Genesis 3. The major difference is that
post-fall man, who still maintains his free moral agency, has lost that
which Adam originally possessed: the ability to choose what God
requires. Fallen man, in his state of “total depravity,” always chooses
to do that which he desires, but his sin nature dictates that he always
chooses evil (Romans 3:9-18; 8:7-8; Ephesians 4:17-19). The “ability”
to choose good is only restored through regeneration (John 3:3-8;
2 Corinthians 3:17).
Man, then, is never indifferent in his willing to do anything. God
has determined all things that will ever come to pass. Yet, this does
not undermine the responsibility of man. There is no disjunction here.
The Westminster Confession of Faith (3:1; 5:2,4) correctly states that:
God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel
of His own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever
comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of
sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the
liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather
established.
Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of
God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and
infallibly; yet, by the same providence, He orders them to fall
out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily,
freely, or contingently.
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