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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Religion / The Illusion Of "Free Will" (part 3). Who Has Resisted "GOD'S WILL"? (541 Views)
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The Illusion Of "Free Will" (part 3). Who Has Resisted "GOD'S WILL"? by destiny4luv(m): 8:21am On Nov 17, 2013 |
WHO HAS RESISTED GOD’S WILL? So God has mercy upon whom He will have mercy and whom He wills, He hardens. But when I tell people that this is how God operates, they find fault with it. They say that isn’t fair. They say we are mere puppets if this is the way God operates. How can God blame and punish people for doing what God Himself caused them to do in the first place? The Apostle Paul got the same carnal- minded criticisms of God’s plan: "You will say then unto me, Why does He [God] yet find fault? For who has resisted His will [Greek: boulema—‘resolve, purpose, a deliberate intention’]?" (Rom. 9:19). This is an amazing Scripture. This Scripture shows the difference in attitude between those who understand God’s plan and will and those who do not. After explaining to the Romans that God raised Pharaoh up for a specific purpose in God’s plan, Paul foresees the attitudes of his listeners. They will reason that if God is the One behind our actions, and we are totally incapable of doing other than what He determines we will do, then WHY DOES HE FIND FAULT WITH US WHEN WE SIN? First it is most important that we look at and understand the word translated "will" in Rom. 9:19. It is not the usually Greek word, which is translated "will" hundreds of times in the New Testament. This Greek word boulema is used but twice in the Bible, here in Rom. 9:19 and in Acts 27:43 where it is translated "purpose." So the question that Paul is setting up is not "… who has resisted His will?" but rather, "who has resisted His purpose [His plan, His intention]?" To the question, "…who has resisted His will?" the answer is: EVERYONE! But when properly translated, to the question, "who has resisted His purpose?" the answer is: ABSOLUTELY NO ONE! God has a will and God has a plan and purpose to reach that will. And no small part of reaching His desired will is to set men against His will, just as He did with Pharaoh. But no one has ever hindered God’s plan and purpose in reaching that goal and stated will. God’s will, will be done in His time. So back to Paul’s questioners: If God causes us to do what we do, and no one ever has or ever can go against or resist that purpose of God, why does He blame us when we sin? And again, I will let Paul answer, since the question was directed to him. But you know what? Paul does not even deign to answer their question. That’s right, Paul proposes the question and then does not directly answer it. He considers the very question itself too demeaning, if not blasphemous to answer. Instead He says this: "Nay but, O man, WHO ARE YOU that replies against God? Shall the thing formed [that’s us] say to Him that formed it, [that’s GOD] Why have You made me thus? Has not the Potter [GOD] power over the clay [man], of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" (Rom. 9:20-21). GOD IS THE POTTER AND WE ARE THE POT Could anything be plainer? God, the Potter, does not owe an explanation to the pot as to why He made the pot the way He desired! And God desires to make some pots honorable and some pots dishonorable. Why? Because He is a mean and nasty God? No, because He has a plan, a purpose, intentions, to save all humanity in the end. That IS THE "WILL" OF GOD. And if you will continue reading chapters 10 and 11 of Romans, you will plainly see that those who are lost along the way in God’s plan will all be saved in the end. What is the conclusion of the whole matter—and I mean THE WHOLE MATTER? How good of a Potter is God? Will He have to destroy most of His pots for all eternity? If God is the Potter and we are the pot, how can the pot be responsible for ANYTHING? This is God’s analogy, not mine. Seriously, can a pot be responsible for anything? GOD WILL SAVE ALL OF HIS "POTS" Not only will "ALL Israel be saved" after God brings them back from the dead, but also all of the Gentiles as well will be saved. Let’s read it together and believe: "For God has concluded them all [both the Israelites and the Gentiles—see verses 25-31] in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon ALL. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God? How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who has first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen" (Rom. 11:32-36). And so God knew exactly what was needed to make all of the disciples change their wills, just as He knew with Pharaoh. God said that they would change their wills and forsake Jesus, and God was not about to be made a liar. Peter did not even know what it was that caused him to deny Christ until the "cock crew." In our above example with the disciples, not only did they change their emphatically stated will, but, they did so against their stated will. Even when they willed to change their will, they did so against their original desired will. Peter did not want to deny Christ. But he was made to deny Christ by the mere fact that the alternative (fear) was greater than his desire to remain loyal. And so, how was he "free" to remain loyal? He wasn’t. Peter was no more "free" to not deny Jesus any more than he was "free" to be loyal in his original choice. Both choices were caused, and once something is caused to happen, it could never had been otherwise. Once the cause is set in motion, the effect must follow. This is true Science and this is the truth of Scripture. Clearly God brought about circumstances that caused, made, forced, Peter to do what he didn’t want to do. How then, can such a forced will, be free? Peter did not will to deny Jesus, but he was clearly caused to do so. This is an example of how God causes men to change their will even when it is against their initial will to do so. How much easier and unrecognizable are the millions of choices we make in which we very willingly make the decisions we do, because they often appear to be pleasant, profitable, and desirable choices? GOD NEVER CHANGES But doesn’t God change the way He operates from time to time with regards to man’s will? Let God’s Word answer: "And as a vesture shall Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but THOU ART THE SAME…" (Heb. 1:12). "For I am the Lord, I CHANGE NOT…" (Mal. 3:6). "Jesus Christ the SAME yesterday, and today, and for ever" (Heb. 13:. Now, had God supernaturally strengthened Peter’s resolve to remain loyal despite the tremendous fear to give in, he would have remained loyal, because the greater power will always be dominant. And since God is ALL mighty and ALL- powerful He can ALWAYS dominate. One does not need to be a rocket scientist to see what God did in this situation and all such situations in the history of the human race. First, Jesus told His disciples what they would do. Then God brought about the circumstances by which they would have to do what He said they would do. Where is the "free will" argument against these facts? GOD USES OUR STUPID WISDOM TO SHOW US OUR FOLLY Before conversion Peter thought he possessed free will: "Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all men shall be offended because of you, YET WILL I NEVER BE OFFENDED" (Matt. 26:33). Famous last words. Jesus responded that Peter had no more freedom of the will to stick by such a statement than a donkey: "Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, YOU SHALL DENY ME thrice" (Ver. 34). Peter again responds from the pinnacle of his presumed free will and CORRECTS Jesus to His face: "Peter said unto Him, Though I should DIE WITH THEE, YET WILL I NOT DENY THEE. Likewise also said ALL THE DISCIPLES" (Ver. 35). And the rest is history. When Peter was confronted the third time we read this: "Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I KNOW NOT THE MAN. And immediately the cock crew… And he went out, and wept bitterly" (Matt. 26:74 & 75b). Free will? Where? Give it up. What about all of the other disciples who also thought they possessed this power of free will and self-determinism? "But all this was done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then ALL THE DISCIPLES FORSOOK HIM, AND FLED" (Matt. 26:56). Free will? FREE will? FREE WILL? Where? If you still believe man has a will that is "free" from external and internal causes, beyond his control, then your arguments are not with me, but with God’s Word. To be continued. SHALOM. 1 Like |
Re: The Illusion Of "Free Will" (part 3). Who Has Resisted "GOD'S WILL"? by Swiftboy(m): 8:43am On Nov 17, 2013 |
Hmmm! True what you said but not in entirety.God still gave humanity free will but just like a computer programme,the condition is there for if human will will clash with God's will,its the devine will of God that'll super impose the former.Thats just the best logical explanation.GOD even empower human will not to sin but dont people still commit sins? Recall its written that God does not allow us to be tempted such that there wont be a way out! My opinion...thanks |
Re: The Illusion Of "Free Will" (part 3). Who Has Resisted "GOD'S WILL"? by destiny4luv(m): 8:53am On Nov 17, 2013 |
Swiftboy: Hmmm! True what you said but not in entirety.God still gave humanity free will but just like a computer programme,the condition is there for if human will will clash with God's will,its the devine will of God that'll super impose the former.Thats just the best logical explanation.GOD even empower human will not to sin but dont people still commit sins? Recall its written that God does not allow us to be tempted such that there wont be a way out! My opinion...thanksYour analogy is not bad, but unfortunately it's not correct. Read the part 1&2 of this same topic i posted and also watch out for upcoming installment. God bless u sir. |
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