Reformation Theology Blog

The story of the rich young ruler is one that many people are familiar with. In this story, Jesus tells the man that if he obeys the commandments, he will have eternal life. However, this story was not intended to demonstrate the man's obedience. Instead, it was meant to expose his inability to obey perfectly. The rich young ruler mistakenly believed that he had kept the commandments since his youth. Jesus, knowing his heart and where he would stumble, instructed him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow him.

The Arminian affirms total human moral inability and utter helplessness of the natural man in spiritual matters and the absolute necessity for supernatural prevenient grace. Furthermore, he posits that all individuals receive prevenient grace from God, which enables them to choose whether or not to believe in Christ. However, this notion implies that the person who chooses to believe is wiser, smarter, and more humble than the one who rejects Christ. This would mean it cannot be attributed solely to grace since both received grace.

The Westminster Confession offers a comprehensive analysis of the human will, providing one of the most insightful explanations to date. It takes great pains to depict the human will in its four-fold state: 1) before the fall, 2) after the fall, 3) after regeneration, and 4) in glory. Prior to describing the will in each state, the Confession highlights a crucial aspect of man's will that remains consistent across all four states.