Expert: Edward Bode - 6/1/2007

Question
QUESTION: Why are Jewish people considered the Chosen People when the majority of those people do not accept Christ.  All of Christianity is based on the Old Testament which is a covenant between the Jewish people through Abraham and God.  Since God knows everything, why did God chose a people that would deny Him?

ANSWER: To answer your question, one would have to understand the mind and plan of God in creating.  Humans cannot do that now.
To offer some insight: Jesus, his apostles, and early followers were Jews [as we read in the gospels and the Book of Acts].  Paul was a Jew.  Many Jews have become followers of Jesus throughout the centuries.
There are many "mysteries" of God's choosing to create.  For example, Adam sinned; Judas betrayed Jesus; Peter denied Jesus.
Since God decided to create humans [with free will], He allows them to act freely.
Would that we could now fathom the mystery of evil in the world.
I hope these thoughts are of some help.  If you would like more, please feel free to write again.
Best wishes, Ann

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QUESTION: When you say "He (God) allows them to act freely", are you speaking from an Arminianism point of view.  It is my understanding that the Lutheran view is that by our own will and understanding, we cannot come to God, rather he comes to us.  If the latter is so, why would God choose some people not to come to him.  I suppose you're answer may be the same "one would have to understand the mind and plan of God in creating."  However, since you said humans are created with free will I'm thinking you are not of the Lutheran thinking.  What are your thoughts between the two differing views on free will?
ANSWER: I am not operating from the classical Lutheran perspective.  Rather, in a traditional Catholic viewpoint, human decisions can be made from a free choice of selecting among goods.  A person can choose which goods he wants to obtain.
God provides his help [grace]so that a person can attain the reward of eternal life.  1 Tim 2:3ff.  God offers sufficient help for any and all to attain salvation.
We come to God with and through His coming to us [grace].
I hope these further thoughts help to clarify my previous comments.  If you desire more, please feel free to write again.
Best wishes, Ann

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: How do you think the scriptures regarding pharaoh and the rich man play into free will?  Genesis says that God hardened pharaoh's heart.  Do you think he had any free will do act differently or did God use him because he knew he'd have a hard heart anyway?  Also, Jesus spoke a parable in which there was a rich man and a leper, Lazarus, both men died.  The rich man pleaded that someone tell his brothers his fate so that they would not have the same fate.  The answer was no, that if they didn't believe Moses and the Prophets, they wouldn't believe even someone that rose from the dead. How do you interpret this parable?  Thanks.

Answer
Pharaoh: The meaning is that God allowed the pharaoh to harden his own heart by rejecting God's overtures. To understand a biblical passage one has to check for all the passages that relate to the topic -- pharaoh hardened his own heart [see Exodus 8:15, 28; 9:34].  Also, see Mt 13:10-15.  The Semitic approach recognizes that God works through secondary [created] causes but that approach often attributes the end result to the first uncreated cause [God].  We would say that God allowed pharaoh to harden his own heart through his free choice of not responding to God's words an actions.
Lazarus: The parable points out that the rich man's brothers had divine teachings to follow; whether they did or not we do not know.  However, God worked through created causes [Moses and prophets]; no clue that a miracle would change the minds of the brothers.  The irony is that God did send his divine Son back from the death to teach the way to salvation.  Some did not believe the risen Son of God.
I hope this helps.  If not, let me know.
Best wishes, Ann.