Free Will and the Deliberate Man
God is certainly capable of causing anything He chooses to happen.
But if I believe my decisions don’t really matter because He has somehow predetermined how I’ll make them, then why would He demand my love and obedience at the same time?
What would be the point?
If the sequence of my entire life has already been programmed in advance, there’d be no need for me to develop any type of calculative process for making decisions or judgements. And without this competence to express emotional or intellectual preferences, I’d have neither the inclination nor the ability to love the One who created me for that very purpose!
Here’s something else to consider.
God created every man [and woman] in His own image. [Gen. 1:27] This means that, simply by virtue of having been born, I was made to reflect His Divine image. That image wasn’t earned or developed, like muscles and character are. It’s my purpose for being alive. And, since I’m a descendant of the first man, Adam, I’m also an imager of God. So, I also have been given a mandate to rule and subdue the Earth. [Gen. 1:28]
How, then, can I accomplish such a thing without making free will decisions?
I can’t.
Because to be obedient is to make choices. And the God who created me for the purpose of seeking fellowship with Him and others is well aware that love cannot sustain itself in a relational vacuum. Emotional awareness is what recognizes the potential of any relationship, and intentional love is what we demonstrate to confirm the real value of it.
A man’s will is the only mechanism by which he can choose to love anything.
How can God intervene in such a crucial process?
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This most likely is coming out of left field, but I have long wrestled with the interpretation of Calvinism, as concerns the loss of free will of man to embrace the work of Messiah through trust and repentance that leads to salvation. This Calvinistic understanding (as far as my simple mind understands) of predestination makes the invitation of God found in Revelation 22:17 foolish: “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Jesus expressed it this way: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am ,meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Beautiful words, but absolutely senseless… if Calvinism is true. Why should God invite the lost to come to Him if they have no free will and are to be lost anyway? Why should the lost accept God’s invitation if it would be of no benefit to them, as it has been predetermined without any election in the matter of eternal life and death? We are made in his image and have been given the power of choice and free will to say nay or yea. Thank you again for your labor in the Harvest, and your patience with my babble.
Thanks Gary. Based on your understanding of these Biblical texts, it sounds like you need not wrestle with the myth of Calvinism any more!