SONSHINE: THE ILLUSION OF FREE WILL

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"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees the Father do" John 5:19

I can only think of how many times I counsel others when faced with a difficult situation to go into it empty and relying only on His strength, wisdom and power. "When we are weak He is strong." How much better things work out when we take this approach rather than worrying and setting a pre-conceived game plan that never seems to meet the need no mater how many different scenarios we prepare for. This is the every day practicality of resting in His sovereignty and realizing how futile are our soulish/mindful plans and efforts.

I hope to close this series of messages on the "free will/sovereignty" issue with a couple of messages on "sovereignty from friends on the forum Joian and I participate on. These are in layman's terms and I hope they help you to see how the idea of us possessing "free will" is but an illusion. I have also added part of a forum message by me addressing this issue. This is a truth that is a difficult one to see and I pray Christ who carries all the keys would open you up to realize that we can rest from our efforts of choice and allow Him to give us all we need.

God bless,

Jack

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I was always taught that God, although retaining His absolute sovereignty over all things, nevertheless sovereignly gave us the freedom to choose within the limits set by His sovereignty. That made pretty good sense to me at the time, as was the idea that my salvation was also included in that freedom to choose. And that it was God's foreknowledge of what I would do that determined His plan for my life.

But when faced with the challenge of tying that freedom in with what the Bible says about God's sovereignty over the affairs of men, I couldn't make them fit together. I still have trouble with it, but I can't see how man can do anything that is not fully and completely controlled and governed and guided by God. To say that God's dealings with me are determined by MY choices rather than the other way around, just did not jive with God doing all things according to His own counsel. That would put me in charge rather than Him. And if He did ANYTHING according to MY counsel, no matter how small or insignificant it was, then He could not be said to do ALL things according to His own counsel.

Most of Christendom chocks it all up to being a "paradox". But, eventually, I came to hate that word because it was used to explain away the unexplainable. And I couldn't see the difference between a paradox and blind faith. So, when I looked at what the Bible said about God's absolute sovereignty, I saw that it was very clear on that point. When I looked at man's ability to choose, it was not so clear. Free will was strongly "implied" but not absolutely clearly stated.

So right there, I leaned toward the clearly stated answer rather than the not clearly stated, but strongly implied, answer. I still lean toward that. All that a man is, is due to where God placed him in his individual life and times. The man had no choice in any of it. Even the way he thinks is due to all that went before him. His "choices" are based on what he knows, so he is unable to choose what he doesn't know. There is no freedom of action in that. It's purely RE-action if anything.

The only answer I can come up with (so far) is that man APPEARS to have the ability to make choices. And it is this self-awareness of choice that he is accountable for in a sense. What do I mean by "self-awareness of choice"? I am aware that I deliberately chose to believe in Christ as my Savior. BUT I also know that that is not the case at all. It only APPEARED to be my choice, when in reality, it was God's choice in me.

But I, the me who is an individual created by God, I am the one who benefits from God's choices in me. And I will continue to benefit from every experience that God takes me through while I'm in this body, because He will choose the best way for me to grow and learn and experience Him. But He chooses it all, while I get to benefit from it all. And part of that benefit is His instilling in me the ability to learn from the choices that I APPEAR to be making by myself, but in reality are His doing.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that, Yes, my mind thinks that I'm making decisions on my own, but it's God actually doing it in me. So in that sense, God has put it in me to make choices. Say what??? (LU)

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I think it is the flesh side of us that makes us think we are making decisions. It deceives us into believing we have free will.

Our will is one of the hardest things for man to surrender to God. I guess us humans just can't grasp the fact that we can do nothing, even though Jesus Himself being the Son of God said He could do nothing on His own. When it comes down to it, God has to open our minds to understand and surrender our will to Him. (Charlotte)

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I have been in prayer over this whole Sovereignty subject for what seems like ages. It is such an important one and so costly ......... lots of separating and bringing together ......... much killing and making alive. There is wailing and gnashing of teeth with this one and the rich man walks away to be dealt with on another day. He can't help himself and thus we can't blame him ....... some of us are just sorry that not all have been chosen now to suffer as servant sons. I have been made to recognize that I have children that may not receive the call in this age so these words are not empty. I would certainly give my place up for them ............ and maybe in the long run this what I am doing.

It pains me to see many wrestle with it but I know of no other way. I know there is a painful practical part of seeing His sovereignty that is not like anything else I have been through. There is a great freedom on the other side though so you share this message with Hope.(Jack)

Now I will try and encourage my blog partner to relinquish her bourgeoisie life style for an hour or so and make a contribution in the way of a message or two ;-) LOL

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Joian Ruth Schroff

God is good. And Joian, more than any of us, knows this. Our sister, and my best friend, rests in the Father's bosom, today. Dear Joian's sojourn, on earth, ended early last winter, after a period of illness.

Together, Joian and myself began "SONSHINE" in "07". Last June, we took our rest from the blog.

Great battles, were waged this last year, by both Joian and myself. One was taken and one was left. Neither, the taking, nor the leaving, lacks in His perfect providence, afforded each. I can't explain, nor fully understand, how each can be perfect. Never the less, I do know, Joian understands it perfectly.

Today, Joian, more than any, knows God is good.

Jack

PS. Thoughts of your joyful rest relieve my tears, tonight. I miss you, my friend. I'll see you soon.

Great Quotes

Those who believe they believe in God but without passion in the heart, without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even at times without despair, believe only in the idea of God, and not in God, Himself. Madeleine L' Engle
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"If anything about my salvation or right standing with God depends on my faithfulness, I'm toast, damned to hell." Gavazzoni
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Any infinite Being who feels it is their duty to torture me for eternity, should switch to decaf. Joe
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Everyday people are straying away from the church and going back to God. -- Lennie Bruce
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"He took responsibility for all the evils that have befallen man that day He gave His life. This has never been adequately appreciated by religion. It needs to be appreciated." (Roy)
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"Isn't that what man always wants- a divine force he can control? That's actually the definition of witchcraft." (Florian)
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"Christianity is not about polyester and pot roast. It's about Christ and what He's doing in you and me at the moment." (Holly)
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"It's his life for ours. We die, he lives, and then the mystery is that we live again." (Joian)
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"God's Spirit, is a pure motive" (Cardinal)
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"I would rather train twenty men to pray, than a thousand to preach. A minister's highest mission ought to be to teach his people to pray." (H. MacGregor)
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Pretty soon, everybody will get what they deserve, which is Salvation, Reconciliation, Restitution, Restoration, Immortality and Incorruption - now ain't that the coolest thing! (Keith)
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The bible is not an owners manual and trying to apply it to our lives reeks of salvation by works. (Cam)
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I live all the daytime
In faith and in might
And in holy rapture
I die every night (Novalis)
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Where shall we find an abandonment that is as comprehensive as the will of God. (Fenelon)
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He wanted no one but God to witness what he did, just as the only reward he expected was God Himself.(description of Bro. Lawrence)
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The humility of the cross became more desirable to him than all the glory the world had to offer. (description of Bro. Lawrence)
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Prayer is helplessness casting itself upon power; it is misery seeking peace; it is unholiness embracing purity; it is hatred desiring love. Prayer is corruption panting for immortality; it is the eagle soaring heavenward; it is the dove returning home; it is the prisoner pleading for release; it is the mariner steering for the haven amid the dangerous storm; it is the soul, oppressed by the world, escaping to the empyrean, and bathing its ruffled plumes in the ethereal and the divine.(unknown)