Scripture says in Matthew 22: 37 “…Love the lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and all your mind.” That directive encompasses EVERYTHING; the emotions in our hearts, the depth of our souls and all the truth, knowledge and steadfastness we can find in the recesses of our mind. It calls us to quite a commitment….but what is ironic is that this commitment, which usually implies “obligation” actually brings us freedom. With this in mind, let’s read the passage below to get a crystal clear understanding of this blessed and gracious freedom of ours!
“One Beauty of God’s creation is this: if you’re not willing to accept Christianity,
then you’re free to reject it. This Freedom to make choices-even the freedom to
reject truth –is what makes us moral creatures and enables each of us to choose
our ultimate destiny. This really hits at the heart of why we exist at all,
and why God might not be as overt in revealing himself to us as some would like.
For if the bible is true, then God has provided each of us with the opportunity to make
an eternal choice to either accept him or reject him.
And in order to ensure that our choice is truly free, he puts us
in an environment that is filled with evidence of his existence,
but without his direct presence-a presence so powerful that it could
overwhelm our freedom and thus negate our ability to reject him. In other words,
God has provided enough evidence in this life to convince anyone willing to believe,
yet he has also left some ambiguity so as not to compel the unwilling.
In this way, God gives us the opportunity either love him or to reject him
without violating our freedom. In fact, the purpose of this life is to make that choice
freely and without coercion. For love, by definition, must be freely given.
It cannot be coerced. That’s why C.S. Lewis wrote,
“the Irresistible and the Indisputable are the two weapons which
the very nature of {God’s} scheme forbids Him to use.
Merely to over-ride a human will (as His felt presence in any but the faintest
and most mitigated degree would certainly do) would be for Him useless.
He cannot ravish. He can only woo.” 1,2
then you’re free to reject it. This Freedom to make choices-even the freedom to
reject truth –is what makes us moral creatures and enables each of us to choose
our ultimate destiny. This really hits at the heart of why we exist at all,
and why God might not be as overt in revealing himself to us as some would like.
For if the bible is true, then God has provided each of us with the opportunity to make
an eternal choice to either accept him or reject him.
And in order to ensure that our choice is truly free, he puts us
in an environment that is filled with evidence of his existence,
but without his direct presence-a presence so powerful that it could
overwhelm our freedom and thus negate our ability to reject him. In other words,
God has provided enough evidence in this life to convince anyone willing to believe,
yet he has also left some ambiguity so as not to compel the unwilling.
In this way, God gives us the opportunity either love him or to reject him
without violating our freedom. In fact, the purpose of this life is to make that choice
freely and without coercion. For love, by definition, must be freely given.
It cannot be coerced. That’s why C.S. Lewis wrote,
“the Irresistible and the Indisputable are the two weapons which
the very nature of {God’s} scheme forbids Him to use.
Merely to over-ride a human will (as His felt presence in any but the faintest
and most mitigated degree would certainly do) would be for Him useless.
He cannot ravish. He can only woo.” 1,2
This passage is so full of candor I don’t know where to begin; maybe with the irony that God is not literally as detectable as we would like…or the fact that the very freedom Christ offers includes the freedom to reject Him! Amazing! Or, perhaps the statement that points to the fact that we have been placed in an environment that is filled with powerful evidence of His existence and with only the humbleness our Lord can muster, He waits for humanity to recognize Him as Creator, God! Or maybe I should start with the well-known truth that love must be freely given and that we have free-will to choose whether we agree that God is, indeed, worthy of loving as our Creator and Savior!
I call these truths gracious and merciful! Actually, I call it fascinating! Honestly, has the night sky, in all its majesty never overwhelmed you? Have you not ever just stopped in your tracks to behold the sunset streaming across the sky? Really, from the blazing sun to the tiniest light from a firefly….God is saying… “Here am I” and all we have to do is simply stand in the presence of the everyday to recognize God for who He is. With all of creation He pursues us and yet gives us the freedom to recognize Him or not.
We do not have his direct presence, but we have nature that entices. We are not forced to love God…or even each other-for we have the ability to choose whom we love. We are not in bondage to God, for that is not His nature; but we are in bondage to sin….and it’s a burden that can we liberated from if we realize that this sinful world is exactly wherein we find freedom in Christ.
1 Timothy 1: 15-17
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-
of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason
I was shown mercy so that in me,
the worst of sinners,
Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example
for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God,
be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-
of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason
I was shown mercy so that in me,
the worst of sinners,
Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example
for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God,
be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Music Download Recommendation:
All of Creation
by: MercyMe
All of Creation
by: MercyMe
1- Norman L. Geisler/Frank Turek, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois)
2- C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Westwood, N.J. Barbour, 1961)
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