freely chooses only evil because it is held captive by sinful
those regenerated by the Spirit experience only partial freedom, how much more are unregenerate people wholly in bondage to sin?
Thus, I argue that when people insist on calling our will "free," they are speaking differently than how the Holy Spirit speaks through Scripture.
If scholars agree on the meaning of "free will," I will not argue over the use of the term, provided its true nature is clarified. But since Pighius often confuses "necessity" and "coercion"—two very different concepts—I want to make these distinctions clear:
1. Free Will – People usually think of a free will as one that can choose either good or evil. Pighius defines it this way too.
2. Coerced Will – A coerced will is one that's forced by an external power to act in a particular way, without any personal choice. True will and coercion are incompatible.
3. Self-Determined Will – This means the will directs itself, choosing its path willingly, not under force or against its desire.
4. Bound Will – This refers to a will corrupted by sin, which freely chooses only evil because it is held captive by sinful desires. It still chooses on its own, but it cannot seek good.
Based on these definitions, we can say:
People have choice, and they choose freely in the sense that they are not forced by any external power. Thus, if they choose evil, it is because they willingly desire it.