Are we free to choose Christ Jesus?

 

Some folk believe that man is totally depraved and without the ability to choose to believe on Jesus Christ or to do any good thing. That he has no free will and that he lives a life scripted by God for good or for bad. When I think about this I wonder what would the world look like if we knew there was a God but we had no divine guidance in the form of the bible. If we had no authoritative source of information to tell us about the history of the people of God. Nothing to lead us to Christ Jesus or to show us about His redemptive work on the Cross and His resurrection from the dead. What would the world be like?

The apostle Paul told us that the all of mankind knows right from wrong in their hearts. God has put that knowledge in the souls of all humanity (Romans 1:19-20). Satan tells mankind that there is no God and a man should do whatever he desires to do. Do what you want in other words. However, the conscience that God has given you informs you that there is a path that is wicked and a path that is righteous. You have the knowledge and you have the choice.

So, if we look at our depravity from the God’s point of view we simply don’t measure up. Romans 3:10 tells us that “There is non righteous not even one.” Romans 3:22 says “All have sinned and all fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 puts it this way “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” So when stand before God we are clearly deficient or as the prophet Isaiah states “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” KJV

If we consider our situation from a human point of view where we are considering our good deeds or our sinful acts in comparison to our equally fallen brothers and sisters. May be we can be more merciful to our fellow men and women. We all know at least someone who is not a Christian but who is a good person when judged by human standards and as I mentioned before we all have a heart felt knowledge of right and wrong. Christians are saved but are not perfect in this life and this is also the case with non believers who are often decent folk but not perfect in this life. Non Christians may choose to be as righteous as they can be because they have the free choice. They may not have heard the gospel or read the bible but often they try to be as righteous as they can as people who don’t know God. This does not apply to all as some people are just wicked but that is often a choice they make for themselves.

However, The fallen and unsaved do good things every day. Mothers and Fathers love their children. They feed and care for them and even give their lives for them in many places around the world. Are these not righteous acts. We hear tales of valor from wars and from disasters and often these are from people who are not Christian. If we cannot do any good thing with out the grace of God, how is it that the unrighteous can do these things at all?

I believe that much of the thinking that underpins ideas like “We are so depraved we can do no good thing without the grace of God,”comes from legalism and church tradition. It is the traditions of men based in the arrogance that we know better than those around us. It is so easy to be saved and credit the grace of God for our salvation while condemning the lost for their depravity. Interesting in the light of what Jesus says in John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (NKJV). If God does not condemn the world then why do we?

Ezekiel chapter eighteen is interesting reading when it comes to learning about God’s attitude to sin and repentance. In paraphrase, Ezekiel speaks here of how God views the sins of the fathers and the impact they have on the righteousness of their sons. The end of the chapter, verses thirty through thirty two says this: “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”

Here, the prophet speaks to the reader as though they are able to hear his message and react to to it. There appears to be no question of them being unable to respond to his instructions because of their depravity. God who inspired the prophet, seems to expect them to repent and return to Him as though the course is open to them and they are completely able to comply with His request. It is as though He views them as free will beings with the freedom to choose.

It is interesting that the people are being told to repent and turn from their transgressions in a similar way to that which the apostle Peter proclaims in the book of Acts chapter three verses seventeen through twenty: “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers also did. But the things which God previously announced by the mouths of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has fulfilled in this way. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you..” (NASB).

Now, if you read Ezekiel chapter eighteen and the passage from Acts chapter three you will see that the people are given a clear vision of sin and repentance and God has given them a clear choice, and He gives it with the expectation that you will obey and live. The choice is yours my friends. It always has been and it is a choice given to free will beings created in the image of God. Whom God hopes will choose His Son, Jesus Christ, that they might have eternal life and live forever with Him in the kingdom of heaven.

So let the bible which is the divinely inspired word of God have the last say.

Two Peter chapter three verses eight and nine:

“But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance..” (NASB).

John chapter three verse sixteen:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV)