Expert: Marilyn - 2/23/2008

Question
Hello Marilyn...let me admit in first place that I belong to "Hindu" Religion, yet principles of other religion are not taboo to me and I always eager to read and study the expertise from scholars like you. So, in that tune, please enlighten me on this question, please...It is said that Nothing can be done without the will of the God, then how & why the people are blamed for their doings sins/virtues?

Thanks.
Raj (from India)

Answer
Hello Raj;

Throughout Judaism and into Christianity--even more profoundly within Christianity--is the concept that God has given human beings free will--that is the ability to choose day by day, moment by moment, how to behave.  In Deuteronomy 28-30, Moses explains to the Israelites (persons who will eventually be known as "Jews") what to expect if they are obedient to God's Laws and what to expect if they are disobedient.  In Deuteronomy 30:19 & 20 Moses says, "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him."

Moses says, "against you" in case they fail.  But the point, in our discussion is that he admonishes them to "choose life." To God's mind, "choosing life" means to obey God.  If persons can choose life, they also have the option to choose death and disobey God.

Freely, without conditions or restrictions, God has given to human beings certain god-like powers.  He will never over rule these foundational gifts for they are the essence of what it means to be created in His Image.  Among these god-like powers are language, the ability to create art and music, to invent and to discover the laws that underlie the universe.  And free will.  God will never over-rule a person's free will; it is His will that each person have free will.  Sometimes this means a person will disobey God or reject Him completely, but this is the price He pays in order to have human beings who freely choose to obey and love Him without coercion.

Joshua says in Joshua 24:14 & 15, "Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness.  Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.  But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

In Proverbs 8 Wisdom is personified and speaks to the reader.  In verse ten and eleven Wisdom says, "Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her."

Again, this concept that human beings may choose, choose who to serve and what to value.

Because God has given each person free will, He has willed that each person choose.  But He has also given each person a choice and explained the results for those choices.  Having given persons the free will to choose and explained the results, God then holds each person responsible in the sense that they will receive the results, or reap what they have sown.  

God gave the earth to man, Psalm 115:16, this is God's will.  Because He has given the earth to man, because He has given man free will, a person may say, "Nothing happens that isn't God's will."  Here's an example:  Perhaps you allow your child to go into a garden to play.  It is your will that he enjoy himself and you have given him implied dominion in that garden for the time he is there.  If that child cuts down the trees, you may not have willed that particular action, but because you gave him free will to play in the garden, you have in a sense "willed" that he cut down the trees.  Perhaps you even told your child, "If you misbehave while you are in the garden, I will be forced to punish you," and he still cut down the trees.  If you are a decent father, you will punish him as promised.  You are ultimately responsible for the child.  You will have to pay for the trees.  It was your will he enjoy himself and you gave him free will to decide what "enjoy himself" meant, but it wasn't your will that he cut down the trees, though a court will judge you responsible--in essence, having willed the child cut down the trees.

A similar thing has happened to God.  He placed human beings in a garden and they disobeyed Him.  He warned Adam and Eve that the penalty for disobedience was death, but they still disobeyed.  The desire to sin entered Adam and into all potential human beings he carried in his sperm.  From that point on, all the children are disobedient--even the ones who struggle to be good.  

Recognizing that because of Adam's disobedience, all human beings are now given to disobedience, God sent His Word to become a human being, live a sinless life and take our death penalty.  Even one sin merits death, such is God's perfection.  Like a good Father, He punishes us for sin, but also, as a Good Father, He has taken responsibility for us and provided payment for our disobedience through His death on the cross.

Therefore, God shows His mercy to human beings in this:  that if anyone will say aloud, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in his heart Jesus rose from the dead, that person will be "saved," meaning that person will be spared death, the final death which is eternal separation from God, Romans 10:1-9.

The same principle would be if you were in prison for murder.  And if I were to come to the prison, innocent of murder, and say to you, "Look friend, you will not die because I will take your place."  Or if you were do to this for me--this is what Jesus has done for all human beings who will receive His gift.  

Sincerely,

Marilyn