Customer Reviews

Freedom of the Will (The Works of Jonathan Edwards Series, Volume 1) (v. 1)

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Jonathan Edwards is one of the greatest thinkers in American history, and while "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God" has become his most famous work, "The Freedom of the Will" is his best. Two and a half centuries after Edwards wrote it, this book is still the premiere and most thorough argument for the complete sovereignty of God.

"The Freedom of the Will" is a challenging read and might be too hard for people new to the debate between Calvinists and Arminians. It would take too long to outline the entire argument Edwards makes or recap every point he touches on, but what follows are some examples of the ideas and questions raised by Edwards in this book.

1) It is alleged by Arminian belief that a person or action cannot be morally good (or bad) if the agent performing the action is incapable of doing otherwise. But can God be evil? The Bible teaches that He is not only holy, just, and perfect, but that He knows everything that has happened and everything that is to come. So can He do or be evil, or is His will and nature necessarily determined to be perfectly good? If God is capable of doing evil, and not necessarily good, then how can He assure us that He will be perfect for all eternity (if one day, He might choose not to be)? And if He is necessarily determined to be perfectly good forever and cannot be otherwise, does this make God any less holy, perfect, and morally virtuous? As a corollary to this, if He is no less praise-worthy by being necessarily holy, are we, as fallen human beings born into sinfulness, any less blame-worthy if we are necessarily inclined to evil, incapable of willing what is truly good?

2) Another area Edwards focuses on is discussing the Arminian contention that the will actually is free. Edwards takes this idea on by challenging what exactly is meant by the will, and therefore our actions, being "free". His reasoning would lead to questions along these lines: If a starving man is placed at a table with an appetizing pizza on his right, and an utterly foul concoction (insert your own horror) on his left, is he really free in what he wills to eat? What could possibly make this man choose to eat what was on his left rather than the pizza, other than some overriding, external threat? The only way this man might choose what was on the left, barring the overriding threat, would be his will being utterly indifferent to the two choices, and in this case, what kind of man would this be? (Imagine him eating the concoction with no care in the world, much as human beings so often can be seen going about sinning.)

Now, say humans were deceived and fell into a state where what appeared to be appetizing to us was really what made us sick whereas what was truly holy and good, appeared as unappetizing to us as the horrible concoction. (This deceptive state is what we fell into with the Fall of our original parents through their sin.) What would ever make us will to eat that disgustingly wretched concoction on the left? Even after we've tried it and seen how wonderful it is despite how it may appear to our sinful natures, we still go back to the poisonous pizza of sin over and over again. (And whereas the pizza and the concoction of this analogy are so clearly different, sin and God's holiness are infinitely more opposite to each other.) Why do we continue returning to what makes us sick? Why do we continue to see these things as beautiful and appetizing while the holiness of what God has commanded appears so unattractive? Someone says, "Just eat the nasty thing... you know it is good for you, ignore its appearances," and I cry out, "But I just can't!" (Or, as the Apostle Paul put it, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" - Romans 7:24)) Not only can't I eat what is so repulsive to me, but in actuality I don't want or will to, whereas I will to eat the "pizza" because I delight in my sins. It is only by some supernatural changing of my heart and mind that I will ever choose what is truly holy and good. But, oh, how wonderful to know that there is someone who makes this change for us, contrary to our corrupted will.

These questions touch on just a few of the topics concerning the human will and God's sovereignty that Jonathan Edwards discusses in "The Freedom of the Will". I've heard it explained that the Calvinist doctrine on these matters is like a candy with a hard exterior but a soft, delicious center, and I believe that's an accurate way to put it. With this book, Jonathan Edwards comes as close to helping Christians break through that hard exterior as any man ever has.

This is truly one of the greatest works written. Daniel Webster wrote: "The Freedom of the Will" by Mr. Edwards is the greatest achievement of the human intellect." The London Quarterly Review wrote about this work: "His gigantic specimen of theological argument is as near to perfection as we may expect any human composition to approach. He unites the sharpness of the scimetar [sic] and the strength of the battle-axe." A former President of Princeton said that Edwards was "The greatest thinker that America has produced."

We are free to do what we desire - but our desires are enslaved to sin ensuring that our "will" is no longer truly free. So argues Jonathan Edwards, considered by many to be America's premier philosopher and theologian. Few have given this difficult topic the kind of attention and logical sophistication that Dr. Edwards did in this treatise. Whether we are students of Calvin, Luther, Augustine, or Aquinas, there is much in this work we can appreciate from this giant of American intellects. This is not for the casual theological/philosophical mind but requires a great deal of concentration to grasp. The somewhat anachronistic 18th century language gives the work even more challenge. But the deeper appreciation of God's providence and grace will be it's own reward. These are not the doctrines of fatalism as another reviewer has described. These are the doctrines of a God who reaches out to mankind in our helpless state. It is by grace and grace alone that we can know and serve God only by the movement of His Holy Spirit in our lives. There may be subtle differences between the great thinkers on this topic (mentioned earlier) but none deny the essential truth that mankind is lost and finds no rest until it rests in Him. Essential reading for philosophers and theologians alike.

I'm not a very smart guy. It took every ounce of my resolve to get through this book. I didn't understand all the arguments. However, I have a far better understanding of the Calvinist position on predestination. I learned a lot about how to construct logical argument. One of his main techniques is precisely defining his terms; for example, what exactly is "the will." He then shows how Arminians define the term in self-contradictory ways. I found "Religious Affections" much more convicting and accessible, but Edwards demonstrates his penetrating intellect more in "Freedom of the Will.". I would suggest planning to spend a lot of time trying to understand the arguments in this book.

This particular edition has a lot of typos. Something about "Cod's majestic glory" made me chuckle. Another problem is that there is no explanation by the publisher. Footnotes go on for pages and then are signed by "-W" Is this Edwards? Is this somebody else?

Great book. I don't know if it would convince a die hard Arminian, but the book makes me meditate on the nature of God and his relationship with creation and his creatures. Is God the author of evil? How can we be held responsible for moral choices when we are morally deficient to make good choices? What is human will?

I definitely need to go through the book again.

This wonderful work is a good tool in learning of the greatness of Christ's grace, in overcoming our minds and hearts, and loving us to the uttermost. This should be in the library of every Christian family.

This is indeed a fine work. A rather detailed work as well (without getting to gripped by techinicality). If you haven't read it..beware it is not the easiest read, but it isn't a difficult one either. Prepare to spend a little time with it to grasp its full message. If you don't have this one...you need it. Grace and peace.

Freedom of the Will is packed full of information, useful to every Christian. A little hard to read due to it's age, but very helpful. Maybe not for the new Christian.

A must read but definitely one to be read with much care. Edwards is phenomenal and his insight and depth is unmatched. Prepare to be challenged.

It is a book that takes getting used too as you start reading. One needs to underestand the rhythm of the writer as well as the detailed method used back then. It is well worht the effort to read.

I FOUND THIS BOOK VERY DIFACULT TO COMPREHEND. PROBABLY NOT THE AUTHORS FAULT BUT MINE.