Philippeans and Freewill

The letter to the Philippeans is filled with examples where God and man are both working to bring about man's salvation. Calvin and Augustine tended to pit God's work and Man's work in opposition to each other in some cases.

Augustine did a good job of proving freewill in some cases, such as proving man's freewill led to disobedience leading to condemnation. Augustine misunderstood some facets, however.

Calvin would draw the conclusion that God working in us would mean we have no freewill, since God was producing in us the will to obey. Calvin would conclude all obedience is somewhere being empowered by God's grace. In his mind justification was empowered by God, therefore it is by God's work we are justified. Augustine took a similar position.

"Nevertheless, lest the will itself should be deemed capable of doing any good thing without the grace of God, after saying, His grace within me was not in vain, but I have laboured more abundantly than they all, he immediately added the qualifying clause, Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. "

Augustine went a step to far by concluding the ability to do good by man was absent without some grace provided to empower it. Augustine misunderstood the example of Paul because he wasn't speaking of his fulfillment of personal justification, but his work as an Apostle as it was enabled through miracles and acts of providence and inspired words delivered by Paul.

Yes the Apostles received grace for their work, but not all received the same grace. His phrase, "any good thing", is way beyond the example cited.

He isn't far from right, but misses that God made man with natural affection. Men who succumbed to idolatry could give up such affection.

Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Men, as Pelagius argued,  were born with the ability to love. Yet, they could be removed from that love through false teaching and untoward imaginations. Calvin and Augustine argued we could only love after God empowered us through grace.

Man could love God before being empowered through Christ. Man was introduced to God from creation and taught of God from Adam down through his offspring.

Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Exodus proves love was possible before Christ came into the world.

Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

This verse actually admits man's will is intact even with God working in us. God by working in us gives us a sense of direction concerning his will by the example of Christ.

This nowhere says God takes over the will of man, it is by man's own will that obedience comes. Man must consent of his own mind and strength.

If you go back up a few verses it tells us man must consent to the mind of Christ.

Php 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

The mind of Christ is a state man must fulfill. Love of our brethren is that which we must consent to.

Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Having the mind of Christ is something man must let happen. God it seems works in us through the Gospel as it teaches the life of Christ and gives us examples to learn and understand.

Augustines' mistake was in dismissing freewill after grace was given to us.

Even after being gifted in I Corinthians 12, they were commanded to exercise the gifts with wisdom in I Corinthians 14. Thus freewill was part of the exercise of gifts.

1. Augustine argued love was a grace from God, therefore love was not of freewill.

2. Augustine argued faith was from grace, therefore not of freewill.

3. Obedience was through God's grace, therefore not freewill.

He failed to acknowledge that freewill was in the exercise of love, faith, and obedience.

The exercise of these gifts comes after being gifted. Thus mankind exercises freewill in applying the gifts after receiving them.

In Philippeans understanding Christ's humility in Chapter 2 was a gift from teaching, a grace, yet they had to exercise this knowledge in life.