The Truth About Freedom

“You will know the truth and the truth will set you free....According to the purpose of the One Who is operating ALL in accord with the counsel of His will” (John 8:32; Ephesians 1:11).

God is in control of the universe and all of His creatures are in His care. He is guiding His creation across time from age to age - from the beginning when God was all there was, to the final destination where God is "All in All” of His creation.

"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn...then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death...so that God may be all in all." (1 Corinthians 15:26-29)

Along the way to this grand destiny, God has subjected all of creation to "futility".  None of us understand why He did so, but built somewhere deep inside is the hope for our eventual glorious "freedom". Only when God becomes "all in all" will we be truly free, and that "truth will set us free". Then, all creation will have been set free from this present "futility".

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free...For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” (Galatians 5:1; Romans 8:20-25)  

We see the journey only as "a dim reflection".  But don't give up hope, for it is the blessed assurance of our God, and along with faith and love, it is all that we need along the way to that final destination. 

"Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love." (1 Corinthians 13:12-13)

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. 

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.

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.

Politics and God

OK all you Christians...here is what this Christian has learned from the Bible about Politics.  No amount of ranting and raving about how godly or ungodly a candidate is will get him elected or defeated. And no amount of prayer for my guy will do so either. Whomever is elected will assume that post because God has determined to put him there.

“…the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes… for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” (Daniel 4:17; Romans 13:1)

OK God, I get it.  And one more thing, ranting and raving against President Obama, who God put in that position, will not change anything, and you will not receive a reward for doing so...but you may lose a star or two in your crown.  You may not agree with his policies, that is OK, but show a little respect for the President of the United States.  After all God voted for him and “established” him in that position, assuming you read the Bible and believe it.

Sure, we are free to vote for whomever we like - and today it would either be Trump, Cruz, Rubio or Carson for me - however, whomever is finally elected (even Hillary or Bernie) will have my respect as President, just like President Obama has it now…I hear the weeping and gnashing of teeth. J

When I start to rant and rave, or hear it from others, I begin to wonder whether the god we are following is really named Glenn Beck, or Rush Limbaugh, or Mark Levin or Charles Krauthammer, etc.

And then I mellow out because deep down in my Spirit, I really do trust God to know what He is doing….and I find peace!

Just writing my random thoughts...feel free to write your own - elsewhere J