Trust Free Will or Trust the Lord
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
The term “free will” has gone the way of the word “love” in the English vocabulary. The terms have been so misused that few have a clue what is intended when the words are used in conveying biblical truth. Read 1 Corinthians 13 for what biblical love involves but that is not what I want to post about today.
When I use the term free will of mankind I mean those things God allows mankind to self-determine. God does not give that right to mankind for all things. Some things, especially the eternal things, God reserves for Himself.
The term “free will” has gone the way of the word “love” in the English vocabulary. The terms have been so misused that few have a clue what is intended when the words are used in conveying biblical truth. Read 1 Corinthians 13 for what biblical love involves but that is not what I want to post about today.
When I use the term free will of mankind I mean those things God allows mankind to self-determine. God does not give that right to mankind for all things. Some things, especially the eternal things, God reserves for Himself.
For instance it is clear to me in studying Scripture that man does not self-determine his birth nor does he self-determine his eternal destiny. God is solely responsible for both. It is also clear to me that the choices we make after our birth and before our death have consequences that play out in this present life. The bad choices we make the bible calls SIN, and death is the result for even one sin,,,thus the term sinners.
The Scripture is also clear that death, the penalty for being imperfect, was determined by God alone. Since we all sin, we all die, and that is the will of God. Only the timing of our death can be influenced by our own choices.
And what follows death God has reserved Himself and that is what the Bible terms the Gospel. The term refers to the GOOD NEWS that God has determined to give mankind a new life after death. And not just the same old imperfect mortal life, but a perfect and immortal new life.
The Scripture is also clear that death, the penalty for being imperfect, was determined by God alone. Since we all sin, we all die, and that is the will of God. Only the timing of our death can be influenced by our own choices.
And what follows death God has reserved Himself and that is what the Bible terms the Gospel. The term refers to the GOOD NEWS that God has determined to give mankind a new life after death. And not just the same old imperfect mortal life, but a perfect and immortal new life.
And since the bible teaches that God is no respecter of persons, He gives the gift of life to all for free, not by a choice we make, but according to His grace and love for us. He created us imperfect, and it is His responsibility to save us from that imperfection...and He says in the Bible that He will do so....
"It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things." (1 Timothy 4:9-11)
Again, life and death are determined by the sovereign choice of our Creator. He determines when, where and to whom we are born an imperfect and mortal living soul, and He alone has determined that soul’s perfect immortal destiny.
All of us will give account for how we responded to the various circumstances we encounter in our imperfect, mortal body. Some of our responses will get rewarded and some tossed on the garbage heap. But all of our circumstances were allowed and directed by God from birth to death. Along the way some of us choose to trust God, some choose to trust man, and others choose to trust one religion or another. But when all are resurrected and look back on this life, we all will realize that trusting God is always a good thing, trusting men and their religions not so much.
"It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things." (1 Timothy 4:9-11)
Again, life and death are determined by the sovereign choice of our Creator. He determines when, where and to whom we are born an imperfect and mortal living soul, and He alone has determined that soul’s perfect immortal destiny.
All of us will give account for how we responded to the various circumstances we encounter in our imperfect, mortal body. Some of our responses will get rewarded and some tossed on the garbage heap. But all of our circumstances were allowed and directed by God from birth to death. Along the way some of us choose to trust God, some choose to trust man, and others choose to trust one religion or another. But when all are resurrected and look back on this life, we all will realize that trusting God is always a good thing, trusting men and their religions not so much.