For all my beloved friends who extol man’s ‘free will’ and the part it plays in his salvation:
Paul grasped being a nothing. A zero. A placeholder. Just a ‘mouthpiece’.
Some might say a puppet, a thing manipulated; and say so with some scorn or derision. He understood as none before (but the Christ), and few after. Yet he plainly lays it out…even to those who quote him weekly from pulpits, yes…even to those who extoll a thing of man’s own ‘free will’ and the glory of it; those who must endlessly churn within themselves to ‘come up with something’ to present (even as to God), and would have others no less engaged.
And he knew the offense of it among men. He knew, came to know, came to understand…was taught, and learned (as he was appointed to) of how men love holding to their own discretionary power as the demonstration of their sovereignty and authority. Each ‘will do’ as he wills. That is, such thinking persists erroneously until they may meet the Christ of God. And yet, and even then, some may persist in the glorying of their will, as though they had chosen the one who has first (if He has) chosen them.
Glorying in one’s will and choice(s) is rarely seen as clearly as the pride it is when it comes to the Lord and His matters. Who could be against glorying in such a ‘good choice’?
But, just as pride is such a subtle actor and prone to all manner of even pious façade to keep a foothold, the Lord sees. God knows how devoted man is to his own will and to what he might attribute as some goodness, or good acting to it. As though his ‘will to righteousness’ is sufficient to save, not only his own soul, but by publication, encourage others to do the same. He treats repentance and/or having faith toward God as an option presented in the gospel of which men might avail themselves by a ‘wise choice’. Even their own wise choice.
And when such is their beginning ‘in the faith’ (if it is indeed their beginning) how much and many lessons are needed to disabuse the soul of any notion of its own inherent superiority in recognizing the righteousness of Christ. Out of such comes so silly of phrases often repeated “I made Jesus Christ…the Lord of my life”, as though He were an app, an add on that helps a navigator wend their way through the thing they think is their own life.
He is Lord, not of any man’s making, He is life, so that anything else claiming to be be is shown false, He is not ‘made’ anything of man or by man, He is either recognized by the gift of grace through a faith to see that, or it is not being seen. And all any man need understand in this regard, even if he delights in some form of exalting man’s free will, and to understand in regards to Paul particularly, is to hear without distraction of pride, Paul’s own testimony. How Paul (then Saul)…was awakened.
What does anyone see of ‘man’s’ choice there, on that road to Damascus? Man’s will toward anything (other than more mischief aimed at disciples)? Or of a man ‘opting’ to believe? And yet how many, how very many yet…preach as if in some knowing of Paul, of his writings, of his testimony(s)…even from quoting his very words…imagine that what was his most startling entry, is now somehow not of some basis, some foundational understanding…that he would then go on to embrace something that upholds, supports, or extolls what man would call ‘his own free will’? It is not in my power to sit any man down to quietude, but God remains able.
Paul knew “I was struck down!” I was blinded! I didn’t ‘opt’ to hear a voice. I didn’t even decide to call the intervenor “Lord” (finding out in a moment it is Jesus!)…what else would a man, could a man do, when faced with such presentation of knowing power over himself?
Now, obviously, some may easily think there is a gross neglect of certain of Paul’s other accounts or words. Yes, he is the man who came to also write, in no less conviction and verity:
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Such tone seems to undercut all the previous, no? Seems, no? A beseeching, a plea, a praying for…that appears to belie any bold or strident declaration(s). Even command.
This ‘appealing’ as it were, this assumption of character as in need of something from another or others, was only worked in him according to that mighty power that stripped him of thinking anything of himself. But even more notable, or at very least as notable, is this: this is written to nominal believers. The church at Corinth. This is not a transcript or outline of some preaching or preaching methods to be aimed at ‘unbelievers in general’ this is a man making appeal to believers: Be reconciled to God.
God.
Who of all people are appointed to know, even perhaps ‘should’ know (if any can bear what could be my own presumption in writing ‘should’) not only what that word itself means as a word, but the very nature and character of the one whom we claim occupies in all fullness the very meaning of that word? ‘Should’ we at least have some knowledge of that which we tend so freely to speak, and, if so as the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, even some personal understanding of whom and how He is in His exercise of authority and power?
Whose will is not subject, but source of all that is; even so that any word born of that will can not only not be resisted except by His will of allowance for whatever time He appoints, but also, must come to pass. Even the ‘allowing for’, the preservation of, the provision for a reserving…that will ultimately display the glory and power of the name above all names.
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
God forbid I deny man has a will. But just as surely God forbid I deny some knowing of His speaking in and by absolute. When Jesus says not only ‘free’…but reiterates with ‘free indeed’, one ‘should’ not pretend such exists to any measure of even to such absolute, outside of His saying how and where, and by this is accomplished. “Whom the son sets free, is free indeed.”
This is an act of will, not by or of man, not implied as latent nor inherent to himself, but something given, made as act of will by Christ toward His own…if they continue in His word, showing themselves His disciples indeed.
And yes, God forbid I or anyone deny God as able to preserve those who, to such point as this continue thinking following Christ’ was their better choice, or choosing, as though being given faith and enlightening was contingent upon their agreement or exercise of will…and who have not YET heard the Lord in “you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you”.
Yes, for God’s purpose and good pleasure there is no doubt that some continue thus, at least to this point. For had He not appointed this allowance, it could not be. And God knows (as I do, but only in part) how much mercy has both been needed by me, in order to be shown to me. And how much remains of that, for nothing less than all the mercy there is…could save me.
But, or yet, or and,
as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
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