Does every unregenerate man have a free will in the sense that he can choose to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation? Is every unregenerate man free to cooperate with God in this way in order to bring about his own salvation? The Biblical and historic Baptist answer to these questions is an emphatic “NO!” The unregenerate man does not have free will in the sense that he can choose to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. As long as he is in that unregenerate state, he can choose only to reject the Lord Jesus Christ. The unregenerate man is not free to cooperate with God, but free only to rebel against Him (Jn. 8:34; Rom. 6:17-20; II Tim. 2:26; Jn. 8:32,36).

I. The unregenerate man is not able to do that which is truly good in God’s sight.

A. An unregenerate man cannot bring forth any good fruit (Mat. 7:17-18).

B. An unregenerate man does not abide in the vine---the Lord Jesus Christ---and cannot, therefore, bring forth any good fruit (Jn. 15:4-5).

C. An unregenerate man is not indwelt by the Holy Spirit and cannot, therefore, say from his heart that Jesus is the Lord (I Cor. 12:3).

D. An unregenerate man is carnal and fleshly and cannot, therefore, inwardly and outwardly subject himself to God’s Law and cannot please God (Rom. 8:7-8).

II. The unregenerate man is not able to discern that which is truly good in God’s sight.

A. An unregenerate man sees with his physical eyes but cannot see with spiritual eyes, and hears with his physical ears but cannot hear with spiritual ears (Mat. 13:13-14).

B. An unregenerate man cannot know, receive, or believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:10-13).

C. An unregenerate man cannot understand Christ’s speech or hear Christ’s word (Jn. 8:43,47).

D. An unregenerate man cannot understand the truth until God does a special work in his heart (Acts 16:14).

E. An unregenerate man cannot receive, know, or discern spiritual truth (I Cor. 2:14).

F. An unregenerate man has a mind that is blinded by Satan and cannot, therefore, understand or believe the gospel (II Cor. 4:3-4).

III. The unregenerate man is not able to desire that which is truly good in God’s sight.

A. An unregenerate man cannot see or enter into the kingdom of God (Jn. 3:3,5).

B. An unregenerate man cannot come to the Lord Jesus Christ in repentance and faith unless he has been given to Christ by God the Father (Jn. 6:37) and until God the Father effectually draws him to Christ (Jn. 6:44,65).

C. An unregenerate man cannot and does not seek God (Rom. 3:10-12).

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