Tares Among the Wheat - Part 7 - Positive and Negative Volition

Positive and Negative Volition

In this lesson, Dr. Cook continues his study of positive and negative volition as it's revealed in Scripture. Below are examples of negative and positive volition in the Bible. 

Examples of negative volition include

1. The antediluvian generation (Gen 6:5-13; 2 Pet 2:5)
2. The city of Sodom (Gen 13:13)
3. The first generation of Israelites after the Exodus (Num 32:10-13; Deut 1:35)
4. Israel during the Judges (Judg 17:6; 21:25)
5. Solomon when he turned away from God and worshipped idols (1 Ki 11:1-10)
6. Israel under the leadership of Jeroboam (1 Ki 12:26-33)
7. Israel under the leadership of Ahab (1 Ki 16:29-33)
8. Judah’s pre-exilic leaders (Jer 25:3)
9. Jesus’ generation who rejected Him (John 3:19; 12:37; cf. Matt 23:37-38)
10. The last generation of the church age (2 Tim 3:1-5)
11. Unbelievers living during the Tribulation (Rev 9:20-21; 16:8-11).
12. The last generation of the millennial kingdom (Rev 20:7-9).

Examples of positive volition include

1. Enoch, who walked with God (Gen 5:21-24)
2. Noah, who obeyed the Lord (Gen 6:22)
3. Moses, who led Israel out of Egypt (Ex 3:1—14:31)
4. Joshua, who led Israel into the Promised Land (Josh 1:1-18)
5. The Ninevites who responded positively to Jonah’s preaching (Jon 3:1-10)
6. Elijah, who turned Israel back to the Lord (1 Ki 18:17-40)
7. King Josiah, who delayed God’s judgment against Judah (2 Ki 22:1-20)
8. The apostles (Matt 19:27-28)
9. Saul, who believed in Jesus and spread the gospel (Acts 9:1-20).

Conclusion

     Every person we meet is either positive or negative to God and His Word. Though we are not neutral and try to persuade people to believe the gospel (John 3:16; 20:31; Acts 4:12; 1 Cor 15:3-4; Eph 2:8-9), and live righteously (Rom 6:11-14; Tit 2:11-14), each person must choose to accept or reject the offer. Those who believe in Jesus will be forgiven all their sins (Eph 1:7), given eternal life (John 10:28), and will spend forever in heaven (John 14:1-4); and believers who pursue righteousness will be rewarded in eternity (1 Cor 3:10-15). Those who reject the gospel have no other way to be saved and will forever be separated from God in the Lake of Fire (John 3:18; Rev 20:11-15).