(2) Free Will

Author: STEVE
To: John, Bob listening

        Much of what you state in your “I believe” section is not that far afield of Biblical teachings. I’m also surprised by how far you’ve come on the “Jesus question.” I find it somewhat incongruous that you believe “Father, why has thou forsaken me” (evidence of Jesus’ humanity), but not claims of his divinity or “Behold my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” We’ll save that topic for another time.

        Today’s response is on free will, since that is a theme running throughout your credo.

Two basic choices at the crossroads of free will: sin and ___ (to be revealed in a minute).

The desire to go our own way, departing from God’s guidance and will, is “sin.” (A politically incorrect word in today’s “anything goes,” relativism society in which there is no absolute right or wrong.) But, yes, God grants us free will and this is a choice.

        So what’s the opposite of sin? It’s not perfection or righteousness. These are not human possibilities. So what is the other fork in the road? Faith!!

        Strange dichotomy. How can that be? Think of life – the exercise of our free will – in these dichotomous terms: What pleases God and what displeases Him?

        Sin displeases God, but what pleases Him? Hebrews 11:6 gives the answer, “We can never please God without depending on him – without faith.” Hebrews 11:1 further defines faith, “Being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

        What are the consequences of these two free will choices? Sin . . . death. Faith . . . life. If we knowingly and deliberately go our own way, apart from God, we will get just that – separation from God in this life (and yes) the next.

        But if we regret our “sinful” choices and humbly ask for forgiveness, then we will draw closer to God -- in this life and even more so in the next. Why is that? Is it because we are good? No. It is because when we ask for forgiveness and trust that God forgives, we have taken the path of faith.

And God rewards that faith. In this life, He grants us his strength (the Holy Spirit) to assist us in avoiding those free will choices that will draw us away from Him. In the life hereafter, he grants us eternal forgiveness (or pardon) -- if we trust (have faith) that the sacrifice of his Son was his ultimate act of love to reunite us with Him.

        This sounds so hard. Why doesn’t God make it easier on us? Why doesn’t He either (1) bend our will to his? (because that doesn’t work with free will) or (2) reveal Himself to us in all his glory so that we would have no doubts? (because that doesn’t work with faith). Remember, depending on God -- having faith -- pleases him.

        You want free will. You got it. That’s life.

        That free will extends to believing or distrusting Biblical evidence of God’s power, grace, sacrifice, and love. Time for another trip into Biblical accuracy.

        Was Jonah swallowed by a fish or not? A trick question – a trap for those who believe in Biblical accuracy. If yes . . . not possible . . . the Christian must have take leave of his senses. If no . . . then the Bible can’t be trusted. This “gotcha” attitude misses the richness of this Biblical account of (1) a self-centered man who goes to extremes to avoid helping others, (2) a mighty God who urges the reluctant servant to help a wayward city, and (3) a loving God who spares the city, and in the process (4) works on the heart of the man in a way that will help him see his self-centeredness.
        (As an aside, many traps were similarly laid for Jesus by the religious and intellectual elite of his time. Is it right to work on the Sabbath (Matthew 12: 9-14)? By whose power have you healed this man (Matthew 12: 22-32)? Is it right to pay taxes to a wicked emperor (Matthew 22: 15-22)? If a person has been married to different persons during their lifetime, who will they be married to in the life hereafter (Matthew 22: 23-32)? A look at Jesus’ answers are quite instructive – a lesson on how to answer the curious in a way they might understand. We’ll save these for another time.)
        How about the inconsistencies in the gospels? Matthew (27: 38-44) says the two men crucified next to Jesus both mocked him. Luke (23: 39-43) says only one did, the other asked for forgiveness. A debate on this misses the richness of Jesus’ response – the most wonderful promise in the Bible (spoken to a man moments away from death). “Truly I say unto you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
        The debate on this inconsistency might go: “How can I trust that Jesus even said this?” Here’s the key. There is a preponderance of evidence – substantial agreement – in Jesus’ message of forgiveness here and elsewhere. (Examples that come to mind include the prodigal son who squanders his life but when he repents he is welcomed back by his loving father; or Zacchaeus, the dishonest tax collector who vows to turn over a new leaf of honesty.)
A general warning (trite as they are). If you pick the nits, you’ll miss the magnificence of the message. Don’t get lost in the trees, you miss the wonder of the forest.
        I’m almost to the end of this detour (but an important part of free will.)
        Would a God who loves us, demonstrated by the sacrifice of Jesus, leave us with major gaps in the evidence, or worse yet, major conflicts in the evidence? Certainly not. Will he give us 100% proof in this life? No. Why not? Because he wants us to depend on Him – he wants us to have faith.
        Is every Biblical statement, every account, provable? Of course not. (Note: that doesn’t mean that it is not true, just not provable.) Is there substantial agreement among all the teachings of the Old Testament and the New Testament? Yes.
        Can we prove that Jesus is the Son of God, sent to demonstrate the depth of his love and willingness to forgive us when our free will choices draw us away from him? No. Is there a preponderance of evidence to suggest that he is who he (and others) says he is? Yes. It is consistent with a God who says, “Trust me to fulfill my promises. I have given you more than sufficient evidence of my goodness and trustworthiness.”
        Exercise your free will. Seek the path that pleases God. Trust him. Believe the preponderance of evidence, even though it is not 100% provable. That is faith.
        You’re getting close, very close. Don’t spend too much more time searching. Start enjoying. Then start sharing -- with your sons. They will not be at home many more years.

Footnote on Faith:
        “For I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels won’t, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God’s love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, or where we are – high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean – nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when he died for us.” (Romans 8: 38, 39)

        Now that's faith!