We need to qualify what the will is free from, when we assert a free will. Who can understand what it means if it's not qualified?
I understand what a self-will is. That is why I posted this:
Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned
everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Notice that there is no term "free" being used in Isaiah 53:6. Isaiah 53:6 is talking about being self-willed. You are using John 8:44 above to describe being self-willed.
Please note that 2 Peter 2:10 is saying that to be self-willed is to walk in servitude to the flesh.
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they,
selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
Self-willed = carnal-willed = the will of the flesh.
John 1:13
Which were born, not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but
of God.
This we can agree on --> the children born of the devil have the same character as their father --> evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immorality, thefts, false testimonies, slanders.
The children born of the Spirit of God have the same Character as their Father. --> But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control;
John 1:13
Which were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man, but
of God. <-- God is Spirit.
The tares like obscurity and darkness because they don't want to be found.
The wheat like clarity and Light because they want to be found.
Therefore, it's wrong to use unqualified terms that obscure rather than clarify.
The devil will use semantics to obscure the truth. For example, below are two opposite meanings of free wills using this dichotomy Free/slave, but only one is truly free and the other is a lie.
(1) A will that is free from righteousness and is therefore a slave to unrighteousness.
(2) A will that is free from unrighteousness and is therefore a slave to righteousness.
Jesus said these words below so as to indicate that people will do/act according to the inner character of the soul which implies a pre-disposition. Hence the carnal will/self-will serves the desires of the flesh, and those desires are not voluntary.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
You see the above underscored in bold? Now look at this -->
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free.
People who are blinded by lies do not represent intelligence nor an ability to act freely of their own.
One's own desires are predicated upon one's image of God/god in their heart. The angel that became Satan had a corrupt image of god and so do his children.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
This scripture is referring to a voluntary offering. It is an adverb, not a noun as in a man's will.
I see
Paul conveying that he does NOT volunteer to preach the Gospel.
He does NOT preach the Gospel willingly. He does it because he has to --> (a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me).
This is a choice/option to either do these commandments or die. It is the exact opposite of unforced.
This is exhorting us to be liberal concerning our being charitable. Charity is a fruit of the Holy Spirit of Truth, it is not self-willed.
This scripture is simply saying Paul doesn't want Philemon to feel forced about receiving Onesimus.
This is why we need to qualify what the will is free from when we assert free will. Here you're now saying it means we have two options to choose from Life or death which now means it's NOT voluntary --> Do these commandments or be cursed and die.
Below is the Merriam Webster definition for volition. If you will notice #1, the term WILL standing alone without the adjective "FREE" added, already denotes the ability to reason and make choices/decisions.
volition
vo·li·tion
vō-ˈli-shən
və-
Synonyms of volition
1
: the power of choosing or determining
: will
2
: an act of making a choice or decision
also
: a choice or decision made
will
2 of 3
ˈwil
1
: a legal declaration of a person's wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property or estate after death
especially
: a written instrument legally executed by which a person makes disposition of his or her estate to take effect after death
2
: desire,
wish: such as
a
: disposition,
inclination
where there's a will there's a way
b
: appetite,
passion
c
: choice,
determination
3
: the act, process, or experience of
willing : volition
4
a
: mental powers manifested as wishing, choosing, desiring, or intending
b
: a disposition to act according to principles or ends
c
: the collective desire of a group
the will of the people
5
: the power of control over one's own actions or emotions
a man of iron will
6
a
: something desired
especially
: a choice or determination of one having authority or power.
I don't know why you would think Adam desired to disobey God. The scriptures actually show that Adam didn't volunteer to eat, he was persuaded by the woman who was deceived --> And unto Adam he said,
Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
No, this above is incorrect. God is Spirit. The True worship of God is drawn out by the object of worship, it's not a choice/decision. When we become fully convinced that God's Spirit is the Light of the soul and the only goodness in our soul that keeps us from becoming abominations, then we will worship Him in Truth.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control;
2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this
treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
In this post I'm responding to you've identified 4 different meanings of "free" will:
(1) Being "self"-willed (a carnal will, a noun).
(2) You've identified a "willingness" (an adverb) as proof of a "free" will, when in fact It only requires a will (noun) to have willingness (adverb).
(3) A "voluntary" or "freewill" choice (an adjective).
(4) The presence of a choice/option to either do these commandments or die was claimed as proof of a free will even though it's not voluntary. In fact, the presenting of a choice/option to either do these commandments or die is NOT even a product of man's will,
it is a situation where a choice/decision must be made out of necessity.