Predestination assumes that people are totally depraved, have no desire for God, or His word, nor a will capable of following God. That we prefer to sin. Although man’s nature indeed follows after sinful desires when left to itself, we are not Totally Depraved.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Jesus told His disciples to remain connected to God, for in doing so God’s Spirit would strengthen them. God’s Spirit would make them willing to obey.
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
But to prove that the unregenerate man is not totally depraved, but rather has a will capable of following God, we only have to look at what Paul said of the unregenerate man.
Rom 7:14-23 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
We see that the unregenerate man can still “delight in the law of God according to the inward man”, and “for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find”. We see the human will is very much intact, we can still make strides to follow after God, to walk in His direction, even in our sinful state.
