Monday Munchies...food for thought: Predetermination v. Free will
So…something to think on for today. I was thinking I was gonna write on alcohol and ask some questions for yall to ponder about on that, but I figure most people already think about that at least some, so that will be for another time maybe. Instead I’m gonna write on something that might be a little more complicated, the concept of predetermination vs. freewill. Buckle up, it might be a bumpy ride.
In reading my bible it is very hard to argue against the concept of predetermination. If God is omniscient and omnipotent and therefore knows what is going to happen it must already be determined what is going to happen, right? And if the future is predetermined then there is no freewill, because freewill would mean we have a choice and that things can’t be predetermined, right?
I suggest both. I believe that God is omniscient and omnipotent and does know exactly what’s going to happen. I also believe that God was gracious enough to give us freewill. It works like this. (I think it works like this, this isn’t exactly taken straight from the bible, it’s a combination of things I’ve learned (I hope through the Holy Spirit) and some of C.S. Lewis’ (or Dewy as I like to call him) writings.) God doesn’t see time as we do, God sees all of time at once. To dive into geometry, let’s think about a line. Let’s even say it’s between two points. Geometry says that there are infinite points on that line, yet we have no problem seeing the whole line. It’s like that with time to God. He sees us making choices, the consequences of those choices and the overall outcome all at the same time. He sees me thinking about this blog, writing this blog, posting this blog, and forgetting about this blog two weeks later, all right now! From our prospective where we can only see the point on the line, it seems as if predetermination is the only answer. In fact it is free will that wins out. God can just see our choices already. Some cool implications if I am right, like I said, this isn’t gospel, its just something cool to think about, in fact, in the grand scheme of things, this really isn’t even all that important. Anyway, some of these implications include the fact that Jesus was able to see me being born, live, sin, repent, struggle, be worthless, and die all at the same time that He was dieing on the cross. Despite being able to see everything wrong I was gonna do, He died for me. Another implication is that this helps to explain the whole idea of God’s elect and His desire to save the entire world. Anymore and I would stop reading someone else’s blog, so I think I’ll quit here. Think about it, pray about it, and let me know what you think.
Put all things to the test: keep what is good and avoid every kind of evil.
1 Thess. 5:21-22
5 comments:
Well Aaron I think you may be on to something here. I definitely agree that God knows all, he knows time from the very beginning till the very end. I think he has infinite wisdom and can see the entire "line" if you will. So I agree with all that. And now just to propose a thought I had, does that mean that Jesus knew every little thing, while he was a God-man on earth? Not sure. I don't disagree with you that he knew you and your sins when he was dieing on the cross but I'm not sure enough to make a claim on that one. The one thing that is putting a wrench in my monkey is the verse where it says "36"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[a] but only the Father. (Matthew 34:36) So if Jesus doesn't know the day or hour of the Second Coming, would that mean he can see the entire line? Hmm, complex stuff that doesn't really matter. Well to put a bigger wrench in your monkey, if you look in that verse, that little "[a]" is a footnote and it says that not all manuscripts have the "nor the Son" part. So which manuscript is right? I think that maybe the "nor the Son" part wasn't there and maybe only added later, or possibly it was the other way around and taken away later. In fact the only thing I do know is that Jesus is Lord, Jesus is God, Jesus is the Word of God, and if he is everything the Bible claims him to be then yes he could be sitting at the right hand of God and knowing the eternal time frame or "the line" just the same as the Father. Wow, deep stuff. So what about when he was on earth in human form?.... It is apparent in Scripture that he felt the whole weight of the world's sin on his shoulders and new that he was going to be crucified for "mankind" which includes me and you and all the other billions of people. So I guess in all this rambling I'll have to agree with ya Aaron, because I'm definitly not going to dare take away any of Jesus' power and majesty, and say well, Jesus didn't know this... or He didn't know that.. that would be a stupid thing for me to do. Good blog by the way. Just some thoughts.
I think you mean Matthew 24:36.
Yeah, sorry that was suppossed to be Matthew 24:36. My mistake.
A few thoughts right quick. The bible teaches that Jesus was in a humbled state while He was a man on Earth.
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.(Philippians 2:5-11)
9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. (Hebrews 2:9)
Because of this state he was subject to the law (Gal. 4:4), and he was subject to his Fathers will (John 5:30) (John 6:37) (John 8:28).
"Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner." (John 5:19)
And that he performed his miracles from the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt 12:22-32)
I think that His humbled state doesn’t mean that he wasn’t still God, but that he had limitations on Earth and could only know or do what the Father wanted him to know or do, or what was in the Fathers will. He became a man (which includes all of the limitations of man) so that he could be under the Law and fulfill it, and to ultimately die for our sins. If it was not the Father’s will for Jesus to know the time of his return, then Jesus obeyed, it is not that He couldn’t if He wanted to know. I think that not knowing all things comes from being in His humbled state.
In “The Case for Christ” Dr. D.A. Carson makes some good points. Lee Strobel asks him, in reference to Jesus’ humbled state in Philippians 2: 5-1, what Jesus exactly emptied himself of? Carson says that if he emptied himself of his deity he would no longer be God. He goes on to say that Jesus voluntary emptied himself of the independent use of his attributes. This explains why Jesus didn’t exhibit the attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence, even though the New Testament clearly states He has them. This basically means that Jesus functioned like God when his Father gave him authorization to do so.
I think this explains why Jesus didn't know all things and could not perform miracles sometimes. Jesus was God, but he was still under His Father’s will and could know and do only what the Father allowed him.
Some good thoughts there Walk, that makes good sense. I would have to agree that Jesus did have the whole power of God but by choice humbled himself on this earth to obey his Father. Mr. Walker, I think we may have another theologian on our hands, if ya keep it up. We'll have to change your post name to Dr. Walk. Have a good one man.
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