If freewill doesn’t exist then why does it say in both Exodus 35:29 and Lev. 22:23 that there was once a freewill offering? I know the new covenant did away with sacrifices as offerings by the completing of the old covenant, but didn’t that give us more freedom instead of take away freedom? Why would God take away a gift through the blood of His Son? If we never had a freewill to begin with, then why is there mention of a freewill offering? It just doesn’t add up.
Answer this question: How does the Trinity work? No one can explain it other than it being three separate beings that are really one in the same. It’s a mystery of God that you can only really experience but can’t explain. Just like how God spoke everything into existence. What’s my point in bringing this up? The fact that God withholds certain things our finite minds can’t comprehend this side of Heaven is why. Would we be as attracted to God without any mystery? I really doubt it. Besides His goodness, it’s the fact that He is so mysterious that we’re attracted to Him. Without mystery, there would be nothing to get to know; no growth in a relationship with Him. So, it would make perfect sense that predestination and freewill would work together.
Sin is a result of freewill. If we had no freewill there would be no sin because we would just be doing what God told us to do, all of the time! Adam and Eve would never have fallen from grace if there was no freewill. If sin is the rebellion against God then, if we had no freewill and God made us do everything, then there would be no rebellion. Therefore, we would never be sinning. You can’t rebel without making a decision to. I know God’s Word says He ordains all things. To ordain means to order something, but that doesn’t mean you make it happen. You could say that God’s commandments are ordinations from Him. Meaning, He wants us to do these things, but it’s when we go against those commands that we sin. Only freewill would allow us to go against God. God allows certain things to happen that He doesn’t like. He does it because He gives us the freedom to choose. He’s given us the freedom to choose Him and to choose to do the right thing.
If God is a just God, He wouldn’t force people to sin and then turn around and punish them for it. Think about it like this: if a cop puts a gun in someone’s hand, makes them pull the trigger, then arrests that person for murder, is that justice? No, that’s setting them up to fail. We fail on our own, we don’t need God’s help to fail.
God is perfect in all ways and hates sin. If God sinned, then one of two things would happen. One: that sin would no longer be a sin because God would change it to be okay, which He would never do because then he would be an imperfect being who contradicts Himself. Two: God would cease to exist and all things would fall apart. Since neither of those things has happened, then I am forced to believe that sin is caused by a freewill act of rebellion against God.
What about those who don’t know something is sin? That’s not possible without the disappearance of a conscience. The Law is written upon our hearts. That’s why there are non-believers who know right from wrong. They just call it morality.
There are many reasons I could come up with why freewill exists, but the most important reason is love. If you force someone to love you or to be with you, is that really love? If love is an action and a choice to make and not a feeling, then how is it possible without freewill?
God pursues us but doesn’t force us to love Him. He pursues all people but most reject Him. Rejection is another act of freewill. By rejecting God we are condemned to an eternal punishment. If God made people reject Him then punish them for it, that would just make Him a jerk and it would contradict His character. In the same way, if He forced us to love Him, it wouldn’t be love. It would just be a mindless reaction to His prompting, and that would go against His command to love Him with all our hearts, strength, soul and minds. Loving Him with our whole mind is choosing to love Him. Without freewill, we are mindless drones or robots.
Doesn’t He also call us to die to self? That would mean to give up our freewill to Him and follow Him. That requires a conscious effort on our part to put our desires aside and align ourselves with His. So, by using freewill, we give up our will to follow His will, we become one in the same as we mature. Due to our imperfection, though, we need to make that effort to follow His will instead of our own. When we slip up and do our own thing, we sin against Him. Funny how He doesn’t take away what we give Him, huh? He allows us to keep our freewill knowing full well that we will stumble because we’re still not perfect. We are still totally depraved creatures who can’t do the right thing without His help. But it’s still up to us to follow His will.
I feel like I’m talking in circles now, but it’s because I’m trying to explain something that just simply can’t be explained. The only thing I can really say is; all good things come from the Lord. So, anything good we do is with His help. Predestination in a way. But all sinful acts are because we walked away from His will. Freewill. I guess that’s the best way I can explain how the co-exist.
Some of you will agree with me, others will tear me apart trying to prove me wrong. Just don’t misquote Scripture or try to tell me I’m not saved because of what I’ve written. If I’m wrong, God will show me Himself. If I’m right, then we will all find out in Heaven. I know in my heart that I am a wretched sinner saved by grace given to me through the blood of Christ. I choose to love Him everyday even though I am imperfect. If is not your place to judge my salvation. I am firm in His grip and have no doubt that I am in His hand.
I think it would be wise to define the term "free will". When I say free will I am saying the ability to choose God apart from His drawing us initially. The ability to choose to do good and avoid evil in our own power with the implication that Adam's sin is not universally encompassing in it's effects and that we are not born into sin, but rather we are sinners due to our actions. With the further implications that we are able to do good in and of ourselves, because we are inherently good people.
ReplyDeleteWith that being said, I had a few points that I disagree with.
The first is freewill offerings. Freewill offerings were offerings offered to God based a number of things. A vow to God, an offering to be used in the work of the Lord or an offering of thanksgiving. Also, I think it should be noted, that these were not things that resulted out of the hearts of men initially, but were commanded by God. (Exodus 35, Leviticus 22, etc.)
I'm glad that you brought up the hidden things of God (Deuteronomy 29:29), that is a rarity in our generation of science where many would say all things can be explained with either enough time or knowledge. I love that you hold to that; I wish more people would.
The second issue I have is where you say "Sin is a result of freewill. If we had no freewill there would be no sin because we would just be doing what God told us to do, all of the time!" I agree that Adam and Eve had free will, but that does not imply we still do. They had free will because they were sinless and able to make a perfect/flawless choice. With us being born sinful (Psalm 51:5), that is no longer an option. Also, (at least in the way you presented it) you make it sound as though it is negative or against God's will that we always obey Him (James 2:10). If that was the case, a large portion of our hope in heaven is removed as well (Philippians 1:6, Revelation 21:4, Matthew 5:4).
Also, you say that "Only freewill would allow us to go against God." which isn't true. The inherent sinfulness of man is the reason we constantly live in rebellion against God (our sin). The ability to sin requires no ability to do good.
You said "The Law is written upon our hearts," but if you read those passages, the Lord says that it is specifically directed towards Israel. Not only that, but He also says "I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10) This is not an all encompassing statement about humanity, but rather a promise to Israel after they returned from their exile/captivity.
You said that God pursues all people, but that is not true. God does not seek out all people in his perfect will because otherwise He is not all-powerful and He also states that He hated Esau before Esau ever did anything (Romans 9:13-19)
You said "If God made people reject Him then punish them for it, that would just make Him a jerk and it would contradict His character.", but Paul says, "Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" (Romans 9:18-19)
You said "Doesn’t He also call us to die to self?", but that is in reference to our own carnal desires in order to walk by the spirit. That in itself implies that unless we deny our own desires we cannot do what God wills. Implying that our own desires are evil and not good. (Genesis 6:5)
Also, I would like you to consider the following verses:
ReplyDeleteEphesians 1:3-8
"He chose us", "predestined us", "adoption", "His will", "His grace", "He made us", "according to...His will", "His grace", "He made us", "His grace" and "He made"
Ephesians 2:1-5
"He made alive], who were dead", "were by nature children of wrath", "His great love with which He loved us" and "made us alive"
Romans 3
Romans 8:29-30
"foreknew", "predestined", "conformed", "called", justified" and "glorified"
Romans 9
Ephesians 2:8-9
"Faith is a gift from God"
Philippians 3:9
"not having my own righteousness", "but that which [is] through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith"
Colossians 2:13
"dead in your trespasses" and "He has made alive together with Him"
John 6:65
"no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."
Romans 4:5-6
"But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,"
Hebrews 11:6
"without faith [it is] impossible to please [Him],"
Hebrews 12:2
"the author and finisher"
and finally the words of Jesus Himself John 15:16
"You did not choose Me, but I chose you"
I see numerous time that God makes it clear that he chooses us, predestines us, authors us and finishes us. We see that he says we are strictly saved by faith and that faith is a gift from Him and not based on something we did or were capable to do. Throughout the entire bible I see God making it clear that He saves us, but I never see in reference to salvation that He ever implies that we choose Him.