--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A natural man hath no such thing as…" description: "\"A natural man hath no such thing as free-will at all, if you take it for a power of doing that which is good and well-pleasing unto God in things spiri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/john-owen-1415_free-will_a-natural-man-hath-no-such-thing-as-free_2303271.png" --- # A natural man hath no such thing as free-will at all, if… ![“A natural man hath no such thing as free-will at all, if you take it for a power of doing that which is good and well-pleasing unto God in things spiritual.” quote by John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/john-owen-1415_free-will_a-natural-man-hath-no-such-thing-as-free_2303271.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/john-owen-1415_free-will_a-natural-man-hath-no-such-thing-as-free_2303271.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/john-owen-1415_free-will_a-natural-man-hath-no-such-thing-as-free_2303271.png) > “A natural man hath no such thing as free-will at all, if you take it for a power of doing that which is good and well-pleasing unto God in things spiritual.” [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human freedom is limited to acting according to God's will, not autonomous choice. **In simple terms:** Free will is defined by divine purpose. Key Takeaway Align actions with higher purpose. Themes theology free will divine sovereignty Mood reflective serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal decisionmaking - spiritual practice - ethical dilemmas - leadership - null Key Concepts Calvinism determinism Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile personal responsibility with divine will? - Can moral accountability exist without free will? A Different Perspective This view may ignore human agency and responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Free will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-will/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) ## Related quotes > [The natural man "cannot see or discern that divine excellency in the Scripture, without an apprehension whereof no man can believe it aright to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/the-natural-man-cannot-see-or-discern-that-divine-excellency-in-the/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [To be free is not to have the power to do anything you like; it is to be able to surpass the given toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/to-be-free-is-not-to-have-the-power-to-do-anything-you-like-it-is-to/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [“In discussing the subject of free will, the question is not, whether external obstacles will permit a man to execute what he has internally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/in-discussing-the-subject-of-free-will-the-question-is-not-whether/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [“The power to veto or negate is the power of free will. Free will is “free won’t.”9 This connects neatly with information theory, which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-dembski/the-power-to-veto-or-negate-is-the-power-of-free-will-free-will-is/) [William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) > [If the word has the potency to revive and make us free, it has also the power to blind, imprison, and destroy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/if-the-word-has-the-potency-to-revive-and-make-us-free-it-has-also-2/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [Free will is the power of choosing good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/origen/free-will-is-the-power-of-choosing-good-and-evil/) [Origen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/origen/) > [We will not leave this place until our comrades are free. We are the power here. We are the power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-udaltsov/we-will-not-leave-this-place-until-our-comrades-are-free-we-are-the/) Sergei Udaltsov > [For in every particular of the Word there is an internal sense which treats of things spiritual and heavenly, not of things natural and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/for-in-every-particular-of-the-word-there-is-an-internal-sense-which/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [All things are spiritual. It doesn't matter what you do or who you are or what kind of blue jeans you wear, or whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/all-things-are-spiritual-it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-do-or-who-you-are/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” 1Co 2:13 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-houge/these-things-we-also-speak-not-in-words-which-man-s-wisdom-teaches/) [Adam Houge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-houge/) > [“I don't argue things being spiritual vs scientific, because I've never met anyone who knows enough about either to be convincing--including myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/i-don-t-argue-things-being-spiritual-vs-scientific-because-i-ve-never/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“Methinks that in looking at things spiritual, we are too much like oysters observing the sun through the water, and thinking that thick water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/methinks-that-in-looking-at-things-spiritual-we-are-too-much-like/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Since then, my approach to all things spiritual is rather cynical you could say. When somebody present something to me as spiritual, my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/since-then-my-approach-to-all-things-spiritual-is-rather-cynical-you/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Isn't there any statute of limitation in things spiritual? I don't believe any large mind dwells on its sins, any more than on its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-deland/isn-t-there-any-statute-of-limitation-in-things-spiritual-i-don-t/) [Margaret Deland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-deland/) > [ “\[O\]ur primary job as Christians is to love people, and we can't love from behind a barricade. But we have other God-given responsibilities too—to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-harris/o-ur-primary-job-as-christians-is-to-love-people-and-we-can-t-love/) [Alisa Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-harris/) ## More by John Owen > [God hath work to do in this world; and to desert it because of its difficulties and entanglements, is to cast off His authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/god-hath-work-to-do-in-this-world-and-to-desert-it-because-of-its/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in temptation. Let this be one aspect of our daily intercession: "God, preserve my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/if-we-do-not-abide-in-prayer-we-will-abide-in-temptation-let-this-be/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [The least grace is a better security for heaven than the greatest gifts or privileges whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/the-least-grace-is-a-better-security-for-heaven-than-the-greatest/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [“Our belief of the Scriptures to be the word of God, or a divine revelation, and our understanding of the mind and will of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/our-belief-of-the-scriptures-to-be-the-word-of-god-or-a-divine/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [How can we possibly believe the promises concerning Heaven, immortality, and glory, when we do not believe the promises concerning our present life? And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/how-can-we-possibly-believe-the-promises-concerning-heaven/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [It must be observed, that the best of men, the most holy and spiritually minded, may have, nay, ought to have, their thoughts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/it-must-be-observed-that-the-best-of-men-the-most-holy-and/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [I will not judge a person to be spiritually dead whom I have judged formerly to have had spiritual life, though I see him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/i-will-not-judge-a-person-to-be-spiritually-dead-whom-i-have-judged/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [“And those who pretend to be teachers of others, and yet despise his teaching assistance, will one day find that they undertook a work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/and-those-who-pretend-to-be-teachers-of-others-and-yet-despise-his/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [Spiritual wisdom consists in finding out the subtleties, policies, and depths of any indwelling sin... to trace this serpent in all its turnings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/spiritual-wisdom-consists-in-finding-out-the-subtleties-policies-and/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [Christ by his death destroying the works of the devil, procuring the Spirit for us, hath so killed sin, as to its reign in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/christ-by-his-death-destroying-the-works-of-the-devil-procuring-the/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [A man may easier see without eyes, speak without a tongue, than truly mortify one sin without the Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/a-man-may-easier-see-without-eyes-speak-without-a-tongue-than-truly/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [Christ's blood is the great sovereign remedy for sin-sick souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/christ-s-blood-is-the-great-sovereign-remedy-for-sin-sick-souls/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [Sin aims always at the utmost; every time it rises up to tempt or entice, if it has its own way it will go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/sin-aims-always-at-the-utmost-every-time-it-rises-up-to-tempt-or/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [Never was sin seen to be more abominably sinful and full of provocation than when the burden of it was upon the shoulders of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/never-was-sin-seen-to-be-more-abominably-sinful-and-full-of/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [He, then, that would really, thoroughly, and acceptably mortify any disquieting lust, let him take care to be equally diligent in all parts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/he-then-that-would-really-thoroughly-and-acceptably-mortify-any/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) [Explore all 244 John Owen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) ## More Free will quotes > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Failing to meet your true destiny is a tragic act of free will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/failing-to-meet-your-true-destiny-is-a-tragic-act-of-free-will/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Only when he voluntarily chooses that which he inexorably must do, has man any free will at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-when-he-voluntarily-chooses-that-which-he-inexorably-must-do-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The goal of the Creator is for each entity to make a conscious choice to again seek Oneness, out of our own free will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wilcock/the-goal-of-the-creator-is-for-each-entity-to-make-a-conscious-choice/) [David Wilcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wilcock/) > [“The answer to the question raised in the title of this essay - Is salvation a matter of divine determination or human responsibility? -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layton-talbert/the-answer-to-the-question-raised-in-the-title-of-this-essay-is/) [Layton Talbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layton-talbert/) > [“Mastema prefers absolutes. He wants fences on the world and everything in its place, neat and tidy as a churchyard garden. God is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-crow/mastema-prefers-absolutes-he-wants-fences-on-the-world-and-everything/) Kirby Crow > [“There is a big park in the middle of the locality. Surrounded by at least 50 houses. That those residents got to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-paula/there-is-a-big-park-in-the-middle-of-the-locality-surrounded-by-at/) [Andy Paula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-paula/) > [I believe in free will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessa-crispin/i-believe-in-free-will/) [Jessa Crispin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessa-crispin/) > [“Most people live life on the path we set for them. Too afraid to explore any other. But once in a while people like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-adjustment-bureau/most-people-live-life-on-the-path-we-set-for-them-too-afraid-to/) The Adjustment Bureau > [They either attach themselves to God's will, which results in their continuous progress, improvement and advancement, or they oppose God's will, are justly subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-palamas/they-either-attach-themselves-to-god-s-will-which-results-in-their/) [Gregory Palamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-palamas/) > [I know we can each do something, however small that act may seem to be. We can pay an honest tithe and give our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/i-know-we-can-each-do-something-however-small-that-act-may-seem-to-be/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [“We are built to desire free will and to choose our own destiny. It's not about being right or wrong; it's about the celebration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deiamor-verus/we-are-built-to-desire-free-will-and-to-choose-our-own-destiny-it-s/) DeiAmor Verus > [Your true nature doesn't come out. So the gods let you do what you want because free will would be compromised if they showed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarsem-singh/your-true-nature-doesn-t-come-out-so-the-gods-let-you-do-what-you/) [Tarsem Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarsem-singh/) > [“Christianity would be helpless without the idea of free will and the idea of free will would be helpless without incongruity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/christianity-would-be-helpless-without-the-idea-of-free-will-and-the/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) [Browse all 877 Free will quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-will/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A natural man hath no such thing as free-will at all, if you take it for a power of doing that which is good and well-pleasing unto God in things spiritual.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Owen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/a-natural-man-hath-no-such-thing-as-free-will-at-all-if-you-take-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Free will" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/a-natural-man-hath-no-such-thing-as-free-will-at-all-if-you-take-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/john-owen-1415_free-will_a-natural-man-hath-no-such-thing-as-free_2303271.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/john-owen-1415_free-will_a-natural-man-hath-no-such-thing-as-free_2303271.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/john-owen-1415_free-will_a-natural-man-hath-no-such-thing-as-free_2303271.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A natural man hath no such thing as free-will at all, if you take it for a power of doing that which is good…” — John Owen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Owen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A natural man hath no such...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/a-natural-man-hath-no-such-thing-as-free-will-at-all-if-you-take-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/a-natural-man-hath-no-such-thing-as-free-will-at-all-if-you-take-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```