Man is endowed with free will ( Part 3 ) - St. Nektarios of Pentapolis

It is necessary for our free will to pave the way, for this is demanded by the conditions under which the Savior calls everyone who desires to follow Him (Lk. 14:16). Without man’s resolution, the fulfillment of the recommended conditions would be impossible, and, subsequently, salvation would also be unattainable. Grace is bestowed, but man’s decision and consent are needed in order for him to accept the grace. As a matter of fact, self-denial, self-sacrifice, and an unwavering mindset inclined toward nothing other than the
voice of the Savior, the voice of grace and truth, are also required. 
If the revealed grace of God (Tit. 2:11) alone, on it’s own, saved people, then the invitation, the conditions, and the covenant would be totally
unnecessary and redundant. However, even though
God’s grace is infinite, it does not save man on its own because it does not want to violate man’s free will. If man’s consent was not a factor of paramount importance for his salvation, then certainly God in his infinite love for man would save everyone [indiscriminately] and there would be no need for Him to invite anyone. 
However, He has invited man—even under conditions that seem difficult for sensual people who are enslaved to sin—, and He offers salvation
but also demands that people follow [Him], on
account of a great and most-significant reason: man’s rebirth and regeneration in Jesus Christ our Savior.
Because it was not possible for the “old man”
(Rom. 6:6), who had been corrupted by sin, to enter into the Kingdom of God.
Thus, it was necessary to “put off the old man”
(Col. 3:9)“along with his passions and desires”
(Gal. 5:24), and to “put on the new man, who is
renewed in knowledge according to the image of
the One Who created him” (Col. 3:10).
In order, however, for man to put off his old self, it was first necessary for him to desire to do so.
Man's collaboration is absolutely necessary in order for him to be perfected. The Savior made known to us that there are many mansions in the
home of His Father:
“In My Father’s house are many mansions” (Jn. 14:2).
People who have lived upon the earth in a befitting manner come to dwell within [these
mansions]. Hence, our life upon the earth appoints the position we will have in Paradise. This is why St. Gregory of Nanzianzus says, "
Just as there are different ways of life, similarly there are many mansions in God’s Kingdom, which are distributed according to the merit of each person. Some people carry out one specific virtue; others accomplish all the virtues. As long
as someone walks and follows in the footsteps of Him Who guides and leads well, and Who steers us through the narrow path and gate to the spaciousness of the future bliss.”
Accordingly, man is obligated to concern himself with and work toward his salvation; otherwise, he runs the risk of ultimately perishing. For there is
nothing in common between light and darkness, between good and evil:
“For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). Sin, which corrupted
man, is darkness and a most-terrible evil since it wages war against the will of God. Ethical freedom is an exceptional good; however, it carries with it exceptional responsibilities. He who is endowed with ethical liberty is obligated to become ethically free [from sin] in order to become holy. This is why God commands the following in both the Old and New Testament:
"Become holy, for I am holy" (Lev. 11:44-45; 1Pet
. 1:16). Otherwise, how is it possible for an ethical slave who is subjugated to sin to communicate with God? The Savior similarly commands,
"You shall be perfect, just as your Father in the Heavens is perfect" (Mt. 5:48), for it is necessary for the children to resemble the Father, Whom they call upon. Hence, God desires us to be holy
and perfect, because only they who are holy and perfect, as sons of the Heavenly Father, are capable of petitioning for His blessings with filial
boldness, and only they inherit the Heavenly Kingdom.
This is why the Apostle Paul wrote the following to the Corinthians:
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the Kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). This is why the Savior invites us to deny ourselves and to carry the cross upon our shoulders and to follow Him:“If anyone desires to  come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me”(Mt. 16:24). He acknowledges our ethical freedom of choice, but He simultaneously leaves our salvation to be determined by our free will. Hence, he who desires to be saved is obligated to
make an effort in order to acquire salvation; otherwise, he will be deprived of it and, instead, will be preparing to forfeit eternal life through his indifference and negligence, and he will inherit
eternal Hell.
I pray for God to deliver us all from this . Amen.

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Man is endowed with free will ( Part 2 ) - St. Nektarios of Pentapolis

On account of our ethical freedom,we are obligated to concern ourselves with our salvation; otherwise, we will perish. 

 

The Savior’s formal acknowledgment of our ethical freedom teaches us that our salvation is not achieved solely through the action of God’s grace alone, but simultaneously through man’s consent and action. Behold what the wise Holy Fathers of the Church say concerning this necessity. St. John Chrysostom states, “Even though the Grace [of salvation] is a gift, it saves them who want to be saved.”
St. Gregory the Theologian says, “
Salvation requires both us and God.”
Furthermore, the blessed Augustine says, “God Who created man without man [being involved], cannot save man if he does not want [to be saved].” Hence, we are explicitly and clearly taught that there are two factors that are
instrumental to salvation: i) man’s free will; and ii) God’s grace.

 
Indeed! God’s grace takes precedence in the work of salvation because the Savior came as a light to them in darkness.

 
He emitted the light of grace to them who were sitting in the darkness and shadow of death, He
sought the lost sheep, He recalled man who had gone astray by mystically speaking to his heart,
and He revealed to all the path to salvation. It is
Divine Grace that ultimately perfects and saves man. 

 
Even so, man’s will must be seen as the preceding
component in the chapter of salvation, because his free will is the principle lever that sets into motion the spirit which has been deactivated by sin. This is what propels man’s steps to follow the Savior. This is what provides the heart with the strength of self-denial. This is what lifts and carries the cross. Grace invites, disperses the darkness, and casts light upon every gloomy corner. 

 

It is still possible, however, for man’s free will, on account of negligence, foolishness, slothfulness and carelessness, and on account of the desire of the flesh, to disobey and to decide to close its eyes and remain in the darkness, to walk the exact-
opposite path leading to perdition, and to choose
to carry out the contrary.

 
Therefore, it is necessary for us to desire our salvation in order for us to seek it. It is necessary for us to want to hear in order to listen to the voice of Him Who calls us. It is necessary for us to want to see in order to open our eyes and allow them to be filled with immense light. It is necessary for us to take action in order to follow the Savior. It is necessary for us to want to deny the old man, along with the passions and desires, in order to lift the cross on our shoulders. It is necessary for us to want to walk along the narrow and sorrowful path
in order to enter through the narrow gate of Paradise.

 

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Man is endowed with free will ( Part 1 ) - St. Nektarios of Pentapolis

If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (Mt. 16:24) Man’s free will is inviolable.
The exact magnitude of man’s ethical freedom
becomes clearly evident in the above verse. Our Savior invites man to follow Him; however, He gives man the freedom to decide on his own about
this most-significant matter: whether he will
follow Him or turn away from Him and take his own path. 
Christ came to save man, and yet He does not
forcefully impose on man’s free will. Christ invites man to take an active part in his salvation, but He does not at all affect his free will. If man was not a free and independent being, he would never have been treated with such respect and never have been granted the great honor of
collaborating with the Savior for his own salvation.
In such an instance, man would not have been
permitted to make his own decisions; rather, as a passive and inert body, he would be pulled toward salvation and would accept [without a choice] the action of Divine Grace as it carried out his salvation. Truly! How honorable and inviolable
man’s ethical freedom is!
What an autocratic free will he possesses!
If we study the history of redemption, we will see the Son of God becoming man in order to save man. We will see Him voluntarily journeying toward the Passion in order to take away the sin of the world, to bear our bruises, to fulfill the great mystery of dispensation, and to reconcile man with God; nevertheless, never in the least forcing Himself upon man’s free will.
Behold, the closed gate of Paradise was opened, and the fiery sword that guarded its entrance was
removed, and the voice of the Lord calls and invites man (who had been previously shut out)
to enter through this gate into the place of rest; man, however, is left free to decide if he will enter or not. This freedom that permits man to act as he desires, to follow his own principles, and to
remain unaffected by even God Himself testifies to the absolute character of man’s ethical free will (which emanates from his ethical composition), and to man’s extraordinary value and the exalted position that he received within the creation. What a great honor, indeed, has been imparted to man on account of his inviolable ethical free will!
Simultaneously, however, how clearly are we
reminded of our obligations. How clearly are we informed that we are also obliged to value and
zealously covet [this ethical freedom], without at all permitting our ethical free will to be subjugated
to or our ethical freedom to become dependent
on the various shameful passions and sinful desires.


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