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

<p style="text-align:center;">Positive and Negative Volition</p> <p>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. </p> <p>Examples of negative volition include</p> <ol><li>The antediluvian generation (Gen 6:5-13; 2 Pet 2:5)</li> <li>The city of Sodom (Gen 13:13)</li> <li>The first generation of Israelites after the Exodus (Num 32:10-13; Deut 1:35)</li> <li>Israel during the Judges (Judg 17:6; 21:25)</li> <li>Solomon when he turned away from God and worshipped idols (1 Ki 11:1-10)</li> <li>Israel under the leadership of Jeroboam (1 Ki 12:26-33)</li> <li>Israel under the leadership of Ahab (1 Ki 16:29-33)</li> <li>Judah’s pre-exilic leaders (Jer 25:3)</li> <li>Jesus’ generation who rejected Him (John 3:19; 12:37; cf. Matt 23:37-38)</li> <li>The last generation of the church age (2 Tim 3:1-5)</li> <li>Unbelievers living during the Tribulation (Rev 9:20-21; 16:8-11).</li> <li>The last generation of the millennial kingdom (Rev 20:7-9).</li> </ol><p>Examples of positive volition include</p> <ol><li>Enoch, who walked with God (Gen 5:21-24)</li> <li>Noah, who obeyed the Lord (Gen 6:22)</li> <li>Moses, who led Israel out of Egypt (Ex 3:1—14:31)</li> <li>Joshua, who led Israel into the Promised Land (Josh 1:1-18)</li> <li>The Ninevites who responded positively to Jonah’s preaching (Jon 3:1-10)</li> <li>Elijah, who turned Israel back to the Lord (1 Ki 18:17-40)</li> <li>King Josiah, who delayed God’s judgment against Judah (2 Ki 22:1-20)</li> <li>The apostles (Matt 19:27-28)</li> <li>Saul, who believed in Jesus and spread the gospel (Acts 9:1-20).</li> </ol><p>Conclusion</p> <p>     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