Choices: Our Own Free Will!

^” And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30 (NIV)

Based on the above scripture - a television preacher recently said, “There is no such thing as absolute free will. God gives us a degree of our own free will – and if He allows a mistake, He will turn it too good.”

First, this preacher is speaking from a predestination stance/position. In just a few words – predestination is said to mean God picks and chooses who will be saved and who won’t! Man doesn’t have the right to make his own choices – man has no free will.

I am NOT here to argue scripture with anyone – I am here to attempt a fresh perspective in accordance with the character and nature of God.

This is a perfect example of why it is so important to learn to sit and hear the voice of God! This is important to how you work out your Salvation and it is VERY important to what choices you make! Your choices dictate the life you live!

Jesus explained it this way to His disciples:

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” John 12:15 (NIV)

Each one of us has been predestined by God for a special purpose. We are predestined to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus! Therefore, we must be free to make that choice! God did not create us to be puppets! God will not force His will on us! We must want Him – and want His will working in our lives! He will not force us to love Him – we must choose to love Him and want what He wants in our lives. Each one of us has been called to have a working and active relationship with God.

God doesn’t play favorites! If God set on His throne in Heaven and said, “Okay, this one will be saved and this one won’t; this one will be part of my family and this one won’t.” God would be setting people up for failure. He would be creating some people to fail before they ever had a chance!

Let me say again, God doesn’t play favorites. He is a loving and merciful God! How arrogant of anyone who would think that he or she were hand picked to be better than all the others!

“Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” Acts 10:34-35

Never forget: God is the perfect parent – and He doesn’t set any of us up to fail! Let me give you an example:

Upon arriving in Egypt God told Moses how to handle Pharaoh. He was told God would harden Pharaoh’s heart. (Exodus 7:3) A well-known Rabbi, Rabbi Akiva taught, “All is foreseen and free will is given.” God foresees all possibilities, and yet the free will He has given is still in place for an individual to do the right thing or the wrong thing.

Pharaoh still could have chosen to do the right thing. Pharaoh was given five (5) chances to repent (in connection with the first five (5) plagues). He hardened his own heart to the requests of God. It was only after that did God confirm Pharaoh’s decision by hardening Pharaoh’s heart. (Exodus 9:12). God does not harden the heart of anyone but a confirmed rebel – He wants all to turn from sin unto Him.

God made a choice to show His love for His creation by having an awesome plan like this in place before the foundations of the world. At some point every individual born will eventually make the choice of all choices!

^“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” Ephesians 1:3-6 (NIV)

“But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” I John 2:5-6 (NIV)

If we do not have our own free will to choose – then why did Joshua pose the following question to the people of Israel?

^“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 (NIV)

If we do not have our own free will to choose – why did Adam and Eve choose to disobey God in the manner, they did? They talked to God face to face every evening! The Bible tells us in Genesis 3:8: Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

^“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so, they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Genesis 3:6-7 (NIV)

Adam and Eve’s choice changed the whole world in more ways than can be written! God’s perfect plan for then and for all creation was ruined! God gave Adam and Eve the freedom to choose! And if they hadn’t chosen the wrong way – one of us would have!

If we do not have our own free will to choose – why did King David, make so many wrong choices? God said of David that “he was a man after God’s own heart”. Having an affair with Bathsheba was not the only wrong choice David made – he also set her husband up to be murdered! God’s law for leaders of Israel stated: “Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away…” (Deuteronomy 17:17) (NASB) Because of David’s choice to have many wives, there was an abundance of problems between his children. Bottom line David’s choices created havoc in his family. Therefore, there was havoc in Israel! David’s favorite son Absalom revolted against him and turned the people against David. David had to pack up and leave the country and hide! One of David’s sons raped his sister and Absalom had his bother killed! David did not follow the laws God had laid down regarding murder and the revolt began. David made choice after choice out of his own free will.

If we do not have our own free will why did Jonah disobey God and refuse to go to Nineveh to preach? Out of his own freewill he chose to run from the Lord! He chose to board a ship heading for Tarshish! Upon boarding the ship Jonah not only put himself in danger – he endangered everyone on the whole ship! They knew why! Jonah knew he was endangering everyone on board, and he jumped off the ship right into the mouth of a great fish! He was in the belly of the great fish for three days! He repented and in God’s timing the fish threw up and Jonah landed on the shoreline! (Jonah 1:3) (NIV)

There are numerous examples of how people of old made wrong choices. And the written Word shows how badly it affected others and the entire world. When we make wrong choices, it affects those around us - it causes a ripple effect!

I wonder how many people really know God. How much time do they spend with Him in a day? How much time have they taken to sit and learn to hear His voice? No one has the right to speak on behalf of someone they do not really know! They should not be speaking on behalf of God unless they spend more time one on one with Him instead of reading about Him! I don’t just want to know about God from the Bible – yes that is needed for sure. However, I want to listen to Him and know Him by spending time with Him – just he and I. That is what a relationship is – it is being one on one with someone. In short, I want to know God experientially! Jesus put it this way:

"You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. John 5:39-40 (NIV)

No matter what anyone says – so called big choices are not the only important ones! I have heard people say over and over, “This is my choice, and it has no effect on anyone but me!” Wrong! Big or small, choices cause a ripple effect that can bless or curse people into future generations. (Exodus 20)

God allowed Adam and Eve to make a choice that would affect the entire population of this world – generation after generation. He could have stopped them, but He didn’t! He didn’t set them up to fail! They set their selves up for failure by their choice!

LIFE TOOL: Some wrong choices can be turned around. However, there are choices that can’t be fixed! If a person is walking closely with God sometimes restoration can come. Then again one person may desire restoration – and the other may not! Everyone has their own right to choose – right or wrong!

Yes, we can learn from our mistakes if we choose too. When we seek God’s direction through listening, He can in turn teach us how to do things better the next time. Make no mistake there are choices that change lives and more times than not they can’t be fixed! Think about it.

God gives us complete freedom to make our own choices – if we do not make those choices from God’s perspective, then we are working out of our own selfish nature. That is when possible unfixable, hurtful, painful, events can happen! They can change the course of our lives and because we have chosen to do it our way – we have taken the situation/circumstance out of God’s hands!

‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)

(sw-h)

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