A fatalist is one who sees God as sovereign without understanding the authority that God gave man. With such an unbalanced view, the fatalist can always blame God for everything and take no responsibility upon himself for his actions. He can always justify any sin that he does by saying, “Well, God is sovereign; therefore, I had no choice but to do it.” Fatalists do not really understand that there is a judgment to come, where every man will be judged according to his works (Rom. 2:6; Rev. 20:12, 13).To keep from being a fatalist, one must clearly understand the difference between the will and the plan of God. This is best illustrated by the real-life example of Pharaoh, who could and did resist the will of God by his authority, but could not resist the sovereign plan of God. Secondly, we have the example of Israel being held accountable for refusing to enter the Promised Land, even though God had withheld from them a heart to know, eyes to see, and ears to hear (Deut. 29:4). In that case, the judgment was limited to 40 years—the extent of their authority.Seeing this distinction will keep us in balance, so that we do not justify sin and claim that it was God's “will.” Sin is NEVER God's will , even though it is ALWAYS part of the plan.Though we should strive to understand the overall plan of God and recognize His sovereignty, we must also recognize the limitations of our authority. In a practical sense we cannot live our lives according to the plan of God. That is God's level, not ours. Our daily lives should consist in striving to know and do the will of God. That means being obedient to the divine law, both the principles that were written to others in the Bible as well as that which God tells us to do today.If we live lawlessly and refuse to be held accountable for our own actions, we merely prove to all that we are not part of God's “barley” remnant. If we refuse to be obedient and submit to the divine will, we prove that we will not receive immortality in the first resurrection, but must await a later resurrection.It really comes down to the old adage of “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Is a man lawless because God blinded his eyes? Or did God blind his eyes because he was lawless? Men may debate the issue, but in the end, it does not matter. If your eyes are blinded, and if you refuse to submit to Christ and His law, then it is self-evident that you are not one of the remnant that will inherit the first resurrection.Is this the reward that you desire? Then so be it. Be it far from me to try to change your heart. I am not the Holy Spirit and cannot do His job. But if it is in your heart to be an overcomer of the remnant company, the barley company, then He will put it in your heart to be obedient. The tree is known by its fruit (Matt. 7:20).Thus, in a practical sense, your actions are a manifestation of your heart. If God has given you eyes to see and ears to hear, then it will be evident in your actions, because “hearing” and “obedience” come from the same Hebrew word, shema. If God has truly given you ears to hear, then it will be reflected in your obedience to His voice. If God has called you to be an overcomer, then act like one. An overcomer is NOT one who merely professes to be one, but a person whose actions reflect his words (James 2:18).Fatalism is an unbalanced view of God's sovereignty. The main symptom of fatalism is using God's sovereignty as an excuse for sin or for doing nothing at all. Don't make excuses for bad behavior. Blaming God's sovereign will for your sins will not reduce your liability at the great white throne. God has already taken responsibility on His level by ensuring the salvation of all men at the final Jubilee. If you are content to receive your gift of immortality at the end of time, then it is apparent to all that He has not called you to be an overcomer that will inherit life at the first resurrection.But if God has enlightened the eyes of your understanding and made you His obedient servant, you are proven to be on the path of the overcomer. I encourage you to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12).Recognize God's sovereignty, but live as if you have total free will. Recognize that your authority is limited, and that you can do little to change your heart, but pray that God will lead you into whatever circumstances are necessary to show you truth, to overthrow every idol in your heart, and to teach you the art of obedience. Then be vigilant to respond to all that the Lord brings your way. This is the path of life.Logabe