Is Your Will Really Free?

Friday morning, May 16, 2008
Your response to my previous perspective, the one having to do with our having been chosen according to God’s foreknowledge, requires that I write this one. Hopefully, it will cause a “stir” within your soul.
Obviously, I do not have the results of any scientific study (none have been done to my knowledge) that I could use to back this up; however, it is clear to me that the vast majority of believers are absolutely convinced that man has a free will. Well, before I go any further with this, let me say that I surely hope that they are wrong, as in incorrect! It scares me to death to think that for even one millisecond God would allow one of us, much less all of us, to make choices that were outside the parameters of His providence. If God should relinquish control for even an instant there is no telling what would happen.
One of the reasons I hear most often in support of this idea of “free will” is this: God wants people to love Him because they choose to love Him, not because He persuaded them to do so by refusing to allow them to make the choice on their own. Although, I clearly understand what they are saying, they are missing this very important point: because of the redeeming power of the blood of Jesus, those who love God do so because they eagerly choose to love Him. He set the stage in such a manner that the ONLY choice we can conceive of making is the choice to love Him!
Another of the reasons is a bit more covert (most do not admit it) and it is this: man is so self-centered that he cannot imagine living under the complete control of another, where he is not free to do what he pleases, when he pleases, how he pleases, even if that “other” is God. Just for the fun of it, pretend for a moment that God decided to turn you loose to do what you please, when you please, and how you please for the next 30 days, with no intervention on His part. Honestly, do you really want Him to do that? I think not, unless you are more self-centered than I thought (and I gave you credit for much self-centeredness).
Of course, there is this reason, albeit, somewhat lame: God allows us the freedom to make wise choices and foolish choices, and He does so to bring us to maturity. It is true—very true—that God allows us to make wise and foolish choices (more foolish than wise for the most part; thankfully, He has a sense of humor) but isn’t it obvious that, if He allows us to make them, He is still the One in control and our wills are not free. Satan thought his will was free when he was harassing Job but the truth is his will was subject to the limitations and parameters of God’s providence, as is evidenced by the fact the he could do ONLY what God allowed Him to do—period.
To be sure, if you are a believer today, you are not because your will is free, but because He chose to intervene in your life, interrupt your will, and drag you to Himself completely against your will. Of course, when He gave you the gift of faith and the inclination for Jesus, your will changed and you chose to love Him.
To be honest, I am very thankful that He did this in my life; otherwise, I would still be wandering, following my own will, and refusing to have anything to do with Him.
Take the day off and enjoy allowing Him to make your decisions for you!