Term
free will
Divine choices made without necessity, and human choices that are real, effective, and carry moral responsibility.
Filed underAnthropology & HamartiologyTheology Proper
Definition
a) With respect to God: All things that God decided to will but had no necessity to will. b) With respect to human beings: The ability to make choices that are real and have genuine effects, and for which people are morally responsible.
Connections
Follow this entry through the Lexicon.
- Related to
- See also
- Broader than
Sources
- 1.Wayne A. Grudem Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. 2nd ed.. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020). 13B.1Original citation: Grudem, Wayne A. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020, 13B.1.
Last revised August 14, 2026