What is Free Will?
I had a vision once. In this vision I saw Jesus hanging on the Cross. Beneath the Cross was a man, kneeling in prayer and humility. A golden light flooded the atmosphere like a golden fog. I understood the Love that Christ had for the man. Then I was that man, kneeling before Jesus as He was nailed to that Cross. And I felt His Love for me.
In response, I felt Love for Jesus. I wanted to serve Him because I could not repay Him for what He was doing/had done for me. In my relief and thanksgiving for the Salvation that He provided, I felt that I wanted to do something for Him. But there was no act I could do that would suffice.
Suddenly, I was no longer kneeling. I was standing to the side, soaking in the beauty and wonder. What I felt was the Golden Light of God’s Love. And I knew that I needed to respond through Obedience. It was through Obedience that the things I did would be “Good Works”. And I understood that I could not do any Good Works unless I was doing those things in Obedience to my Lord. I understood that I could do as I pleased, I did not ‘have’ to obey God. I was not being forced to do any particular deed. It was my choice.
However, I wanted to please my Lord, I wanted to Obey Him more than I wanted to do anything. In my vision I desired to obey God more than I desired any other possible object of desire. And I knew that my obedience would produce some wonderful Good Works.
I understand what God did in His sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, at least as far as my personal salvation goes. (Of course, I can’t understand everything He did. But I understand enough.) And it is because I understand His gift of Salvation that I desire to obey Him. Yet I still find myself desiring things and not my Lord.
I desire a winning lottery ticket. I confess that to you. And I see no real harm in buying a ticket each week. It’s only a dollar. And I would so very much love to win enough money that I would not have to worry about money. In my discussion about this with my Lord, I was told something that I had not considered: if I won, I would have to manage that money. My idea that I could just put it in the bank and live off the interest will not work. I would need to invest it and care for it. I would have to “serve” the money. I would be its “slave”. And I really do not want to do that. So, I asked my Lord if I could just win, maybe, a quarter of a million. That’s not much. I could manage that. He just laughed.
Now consider Adam and Eve listening to that Snake. They were told some things by that Snake that were contrary to their understanding. But they did not go to The Lord God and ask Him about these things. “Hey, God, the Snake says we won’t die if we eat the apple. We’re thinking that maybe you did not tell us the truth. What’s going on?” And The Lord God set them straight.
C. S. Lewis, in his novel, Perelandra, makes the implication that, had Adam and Eve obeyed God and refused to eat the fruit of that specific tree, God would have told them that they should now eat of that fruit. I have wondered if the fruit were just a plain apple and that the act of disobedience produced the knowledge of Good and Evil. I only know that when I ask God about a sin I want to commit, He tells me things that help make the decision to obey Him. Like telling me about having to manage the lottery winnings.
Oh, don’t get me wrong. I still want to win the lottery. I still want free income. But I’ve made a deal with God: I’ll buy that winning ticket when He tells me to. Now, for me, that lottery ticket is like the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. But, after buying a few tickets and wondering if playing the lottery was a good thing for me to do, I talked to God about it. And learning about the consequences of winning (that is, of me getting my own way) helped me to use my Free Will to make the right choice.
Adam and Eve had that option. They could have asked God about the Snake’s claims. Instead, they chose to listen only to the Snake. And, in listening to the Snake, they lost everything. They died spiritually (were separated from God) and, eventually, they physically died.
One of the premises of the novel, Perelandra, is that God sends someone to take out “The Snake”. So the question arises, Why did God let the Snake enter the Garden of Eden at all? The answer: I do not know. I must have faith and trust God in this. I do know that God does not create or commit any Evil. It is because I know that He would not commit any Evil that I can trust Him. I can trust Him in all things. And I am sure that many theologians and Bible commentators have mentioned the book of Job and how God allows Satan to test Job. We are told that God does test us. Perhaps it was a test of Adam’s obedience. I do not know. I must trust God in this.
So, I am standing on the edge of the ocean, my son’s ashes are being washed away by the waves as they splash against the rocks. And I don’t understand why. But I do understand that God is Good, that He loves Me. And I know that I have the ability and the power to do as I please. Where do I place my Faith? I can choose Goodness and The Real. Or I can choose their absence.
I had a vision once. In this vision I saw Jesus hanging on the Cross. Beneath the Cross was a man, kneeling in prayer and humility. A golden light flooded the atmosphere like a golden fog. I understood the Love that Christ had for the man. Then I was that man, kneeling before Jesus as He was nailed to that Cross. And I felt His Love for me.
In response, I felt Love for Jesus. I wanted to serve Him because I could not repay Him for what He was doing/had done for me. In my relief and thanksgiving for the Salvation that He provided, I felt that I wanted to do something for Him. But there was no act I could do that would suffice.
Suddenly, I was no longer kneeling. I was standing to the side, soaking in the beauty and wonder. What I felt was the Golden Light of God’s Love. And I knew that I needed to respond through Obedience. It was through Obedience that the things I did would be “Good Works”. And I understood that I could not do any Good Works unless I was doing those things in Obedience to my Lord. I understood that I could do as I pleased, I did not ‘have’ to obey God. I was not being forced to do any particular deed. It was my choice.
However, I wanted to please my Lord, I wanted to Obey Him more than I wanted to do anything. In my vision I desired to obey God more than I desired any other possible object of desire. And I knew that my obedience would produce some wonderful Good Works.
I understand what God did in His sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, at least as far as my personal salvation goes. (Of course, I can’t understand everything He did. But I understand enough.) And it is because I understand His gift of Salvation that I desire to obey Him. Yet I still find myself desiring things and not my Lord.
I desire a winning lottery ticket. I confess that to you. And I see no real harm in buying a ticket each week. It’s only a dollar. And I would so very much love to win enough money that I would not have to worry about money. In my discussion about this with my Lord, I was told something that I had not considered: if I won, I would have to manage that money. My idea that I could just put it in the bank and live off the interest will not work. I would need to invest it and care for it. I would have to “serve” the money. I would be its “slave”. And I really do not want to do that. So, I asked my Lord if I could just win, maybe, a quarter of a million. That’s not much. I could manage that. He just laughed.
Now consider Adam and Eve listening to that Snake. They were told some things by that Snake that were contrary to their understanding. But they did not go to The Lord God and ask Him about these things. “Hey, God, the Snake says we won’t die if we eat the apple. We’re thinking that maybe you did not tell us the truth. What’s going on?” And The Lord God set them straight.
C. S. Lewis, in his novel, Perelandra, makes the implication that, had Adam and Eve obeyed God and refused to eat the fruit of that specific tree, God would have told them that they should now eat of that fruit. I have wondered if the fruit were just a plain apple and that the act of disobedience produced the knowledge of Good and Evil. I only know that when I ask God about a sin I want to commit, He tells me things that help make the decision to obey Him. Like telling me about having to manage the lottery winnings.
Oh, don’t get me wrong. I still want to win the lottery. I still want free income. But I’ve made a deal with God: I’ll buy that winning ticket when He tells me to. Now, for me, that lottery ticket is like the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. But, after buying a few tickets and wondering if playing the lottery was a good thing for me to do, I talked to God about it. And learning about the consequences of winning (that is, of me getting my own way) helped me to use my Free Will to make the right choice.
Adam and Eve had that option. They could have asked God about the Snake’s claims. Instead, they chose to listen only to the Snake. And, in listening to the Snake, they lost everything. They died spiritually (were separated from God) and, eventually, they physically died.
One of the premises of the novel, Perelandra, is that God sends someone to take out “The Snake”. So the question arises, Why did God let the Snake enter the Garden of Eden at all? The answer: I do not know. I must have faith and trust God in this. I do know that God does not create or commit any Evil. It is because I know that He would not commit any Evil that I can trust Him. I can trust Him in all things. And I am sure that many theologians and Bible commentators have mentioned the book of Job and how God allows Satan to test Job. We are told that God does test us. Perhaps it was a test of Adam’s obedience. I do not know. I must trust God in this.
So, I am standing on the edge of the ocean, my son’s ashes are being washed away by the waves as they splash against the rocks. And I don’t understand why. But I do understand that God is Good, that He loves Me. And I know that I have the ability and the power to do as I please. Where do I place my Faith? I can choose Goodness and The Real. Or I can choose their absence.
