Jesus did not make many explicit statements about free will, but some of his teachings touch on the concept indirectly. Here are a few relevant sayings:
## Choice and Responsibility
Jesus often emphasized personal choice and responsibility in his teachings. For example:
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."[1]
This implies individuals have the ability to choose whether or not to follow Jesus.
## Invitation and Response
Jesus frequently issued invitations that people could accept or reject:
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."[1]
The invitation suggests people have the free will to respond.
## Consequences of Choices
Jesus taught that people's choices have consequences:
"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock."[1]
This parable indicates people can choose to heed or ignore Jesus' teachings.
While Jesus did not explicitly discuss free will as a philosophical concept, his teachings generally assumed people have the capacity to make meaningful choices regarding faith and behavior[2]. However, he also emphasized God's role in drawing people to himself, suggesting a complex interplay between divine sovereignty and human free will[3].
Sources
[1] 18 Top Bible Verses About Free Will - Encouraging Scriptures https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-free-will/
[2] Can someone help me find scripture that show humans have free will? https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueChristian/comments/10y34qn/can_someone_help_me_find_scripture_that_show/
[3] What Does the Bible Say About Free Will? https://www.openbible.info/topics/free_will
[4] Bible Verses about Free Will - Bible Lyfe https://www.biblelyfe.com/blog/bible-verses-about-free-will
[5] What Does the Bible Say About Free Will? Is God in Control? https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/free-will-in-the-bible/