Online Sermons
Words of Life - Freewill
Series: Words of LifeWORDS OF LIFE
“But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand….” / Jude 17
FREEWILL
fre wil
1. The power of discretion to choose; free choice.
2. The belief that man’s choices ultimately are or can be voluntary, and not determined by external causes.
3. Done of one’s own accord; voluntary.
All three of the above definitions apply to today’s study.
> Questions & Observations For Discussion ?
1. Is God OMNIPOTENT - - all powerful?
While God is all-powerful, does He allow His creatures to make their own choices? – Deut.30:19
God has not created humans as automatons or robots! We are not puppets in some cosmic game.
Joshua final words to the nation of Israel was, “Choose for yourselves” – Josh.24:15
2. Is God OMNISCIENT - - all knowing?
1Jn.3:20 - He knows all things and Ps.147:5 – His understanding is infinite (limitless)
God is the great “I AM” (Ex.3:14) and unlike false gods He is quite capable of seeing the future (Isa.41:21-24 & 45:6)
Isa.46:10 – Jehovah God knows all, declaring the end from the beginning.
3. God has FOREORDAINED (determined in advance) His plan of salvation – Jer.29:11; Acts 2:23 and Rom.8:29
In His infinite wisdom, God has devised a plan whereby man(kind) can be saved (Rom.8:1 / no condemnation IN CHRIST JESUS).
4. The question for today is, “How does the FOREKNOWLEDGE & FOREORDINATION of God interact will man’s FREEWILL?”
Some see this “tension” as an unsolvable dilemma that cannot be harmonized.
If God has total knowledge, then He has foreknowledge of the events in our future.
But if the future is already set in God’s mind, and God cannot be wrong, then we must act in the way God foresees.
But if that is the case, then it is God, and not us, that directs our actions.
At this juncture it is important to note that God’s foreknowledge does not demand God’s foreordination.
God can see in advance how we might behave in a certain circumstance, but He does not program us against our own freewill.
5. Consider the case of Judas Iscariot - - did he act of his own volition or was he simply a pawn in the hand of God?
Prophecies show that God clearly foresaw the choice that Judas would make. cf. Ps.41:9; 109:8; Zech.11:12-13 and Acts 1:16-20
Yet, WE MUST NOT AFFIRM THAT GOD MADE JUDAS DO WHAT HE DID - - this is a case of “God gave (him) over…” cf. Rom.1:24ff
While God foresaw what Judas would do, Judas himself was responsible for his own actions.
~ Christ chose Judas as one of the twelve (Mt.10:4). Judas was appointed “treasurer” and became a thief (Jn.12:4-6 & 13:29).
~ Judas became “unclean” by his own desires (Jn.13:11) and chose to ally himself with Satan (Jn.6:70-71).
~ Jesus warned of greed & covetousness and hypocrisy (Mt.6:20: Lk.12:1-3 & 15ff; and Mk.7:21-22 - - cf. 1Tim.6:10).
~ Mt.27:3-5 – After his betrayal, Judas acknowledged his sinfulness and tried to undo what he had done.
~ As to the genuineness of Judas’ remorse, that is for God to discern.
God foresaw this action on Judas’ part and chose to let him act according to his fallen freedom.
“The preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.” (Ecclesiastes 12:10)
