I'd like to see a handful -- say, between five and ten -- quotes from
the Bible addressing the theme of free will. Specifically, I'm
thinking of sentiments reflecting the notion, "God's greatest gift to
man is free will."

Please reference Chapter and Verse.

Hello Cribcage,
This may be a lot, and I haven't explained each of them in detail, but
I hope these verses and items I've found on the net will give you all
the information you need supporting your notion. I have mentioned the
websites and quoted the Scriptures that they use.


Bible Life Ministries - God's Election and Man's Free Will:
http://www.biblelife.org/election.htm

Quoting:
"Deuteronomy 30:11 "For this commandment which I command you today
[is] not [too] mysterious for you, nor [is] it far off. 12 "It [is]
not in heaven, that you should say, `Who will ascend into heaven for
us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' 13 "Nor [is] it
beyond the sea, that you should say, `Who will go over the sea for us
and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' 14 "But the word
[is] very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do
it.

Deuteronomy 30:15 "See, I have set before you today life and good,
death and evil, 16 "in that I command you today to love the Lord your
God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes,
and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your
God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 "But if
your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and
worship other gods and serve them, 18 "I announce to you today that
you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong [your] days in the land
which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 "I call
heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, [that] I have set
before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose
life, that both you and your descendants may live.

John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 15:7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask
what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

Romans 2:10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is
good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no
partiality with God.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all
run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain
[it]. 25 And everyone who competes [for] [the] [prize] is temperate in
all things. Now they [do] [it] to obtain a perishable crown, but we
[for] an imperishable [crown].

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal
life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good
confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the
sight of God who gives life to all things, and [before] Christ Jesus
who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you
keep [this] commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus
Christ's appearing.

2 Timothy 2:21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter,
he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master,
prepared for every good work.

1 John 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God,
and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of
Him."


Scriptural refutation of "Irresistible Grace":
http://www.bible.ca/cal-I-refutation.htm

Quoting:
"- Passages that prove man has a free will and God expects man to
choose to do right
- Deut 30:15-18; Josh 24:15; Jn 15:6-7; 3:16 
- Man can "resist the Holy Spirit": Acts 6:10; 7:51-55
-    2. Without free will, many of Bible statements make no sense: 
> "Why do you call me Lord & don't do what I say" Lk 6:46 Why? God
willed it that way!
> "Whosoever believes shall be saved" Jn 3:16 (Rather whosoever God
makes a believer)
> "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Re 22:17
> "And whosoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city,
shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them."
Lk 9:5 (Testimony against God you mean)
> "Come to me you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest" Mt 11:28 


I've also thought of looking for essays that discuss the place of free
will in man's relationship to God. They do mentions applicable
scriptures:


The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod - Free Will
http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=2652
"Additional Scripture passages which may be helpful as you study and
discuss this issue are: John 1:12-13; 15:16-19 (You did not choose
me); Rom. 10:14-17; Eph. 1:4; 2:1-9; Col. 3:12; 2 Thess. 2:13."


Do Human Beings Have a Free Will? by John Hendryx:
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/questions/freewill.html
- Here is an essay which explains the treatment of free will in
Christian Theology and mentions important scriptures.


GIRS Summary Studies in Reformed Theology: Free Will:
http://www.girs.com/library/theology/syllabus/subjsotr1.html
- Another essay on free will.


Man doesn't really have free will
http://www.behindthebadge.net/osas/osas5.html
- A Q&A page on the topic of free will. The host answers someone who
believes that free will is a myth.


Google Search Terms used:
bible verses "free will"
scripture "free will"
scripture passages "free will "


I hope this has been a most helpful answer. If you need something
clarified, or have a problem with the answer, do please post a Request
for Clarification before rating and I shall respond as soon as I can.
Thank you.

Thanks!!

There aren't that many in the Bible, but here are a few that suggest
that we have free will, i.e., that we have the ability to choose our
actions (as opposed to the strict doctrine of predestination).

Genesis 2:16--And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every
tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.

Joshua 24:15--And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose
you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers
served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will
serve the LORD.

Deuteronomy 30:19--I call heaven and earth to record this day against
you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and acursing:
therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

The Book of Mormon, another book of scripture that testifies of Jesus
Christ's mission, offers additional insights.

2 Nephi 2:27--Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all
things are given them which are expedient unto man.  And they are free
to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all
men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and
power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable
like unto himself. (http://scriptures.lds.org/2_ne/2/27#27)

2 Nephi 10:23--Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye
are free to act for yourselves?-to choose the way of everlasting death
or the way of eternal life. (http://scriptures.lds.org/2_ne/10/23#23)

Helaman 14:30--And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever
perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth
it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for
yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he
hath made you free. (http://scriptures.lds.org/hel/14/30#30)

1. Leviticus 1;3..at the entrance of the tent of meetinghe should
present it of his own FREE WILL before Jehovah [ god`s name]
2. [ Quote by King Nebuchanezzar referring to God`s power, after
regaining his sanity] Daniel 4;35.."And all the inhabitants of the
earth are being considered as merely nothing, and he is doing
according to his own WILL among the army of the heavens and the
inhabitants of the earth. And there exists no one that can check his
hand, or that can say to him, "What have you been doing?".
3. Hosea 14;4.."I shall heal their unfaithfulness, I shall love them
of my own FREE WILL. because my anger has turned back from him".
4. Philomen 14. But without your consent, I do not want to do
anything, so that your good act may be, not as under compulsion, but
of your own FREE WILL".
5.First Peter 4;3..."For the time that has passed by is sufficient for
you to have worked out the WILL of the nations, when you proceeded in
deeds of loose conduct, lusts, excesses with wine, revelries, drinking
matches, and illegal idolatries".
6. Second Peter 1;21..For prophecy was at no time brought by man`s
WILL, but men spoke from God, as they were borne along by holy
spirit".
Many other scriptures in the Bible plead with people to always do
God`s will, what He wants.

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD
God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not
eat from any tree in the garden'?"

Romans 13:3
For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do
wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then
do what is right and he will commend you.

Ephesians 6:8
because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good
he does, whether he is slave or free.

Job 20:29
Such is the fate God allots the wicked, the heritage appointed for them by God.

Job 8:13
Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. 

Proverbs 3:31
Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways

John 15:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and
bear fruit?fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you
whatever you ask in my name.

John 8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

http://bible.gospelcom.net/

The Skeptik's Annotated Bible is a slightly more cynical resource:
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/says_about/free_will.html

and the question "do humans have free will"
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/free.html

Owain

You are incorrect about God's geatest gift being free will, Gods
greatest gift to man was sending Christ to die on the cross and pay
the price for our sins.

Free will comes naturally with being alive, if we were simply mindless
zombies that could not choose what we do or don't do, then the
concepts of good/evil right/wrong would not be in effect.

Eve, the first woman ever to live excercised her free will to disobey
God, and convince Adam to also disobey God. Because of this sin, God
cursed the world and put death into the world as punishment. But
because Christ came to Earth as a sacrafice, to die on the cross for
mans sin, we have an escape from death, but only if we
choose/excercise our free will to confess him as lord and savior, and
love him with all our hearts.

http://www.livingwaters.com <><

for Answersguy. More is required than just believing in Jesus. Jesus
himself said that his disciples [ as separate from the Apostles, who
were doing what Jesus directed anyway] MUST follow his example. First
Peter 2;21.."In fact, to this course you were called, because even
Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow his
steps closely". Jesus, as God`s son, was sent to earth by God to
preach the "Kingdom" [ Matthew6;9,.10] He taught the Apostles to do
the same, and they continued to do so after Jesus` death. They in turn
taught the disciples and Christianity grew. My point is, they did not
just sit back and do nothing and say...It is sufficient to JUST
believe in Jesus. If we do not individually preach..or teach.. others,
about God`s purpose, we are letting Jesus down.

My thanks to you as well, Cribcage, for the five-star rating! :)