Saturday, April 08, 2006
Free-will to Make Choices
“Come now. Let us reason together, says the Lord” ~Isaiah 1:18
“If you eat [the fruit] from the Tree of Conscience, you will be doomed to die.” ~God (Gen. 2:17)
Genesis 3:1, Satan blindsides Eve with, “Really? None of the fruit in the garden? God says you mustn’t eat any of it?”
The words spoken here are the same tempting thought we fight with in this century. That GOD of yours is SO EXTREME! You mean He won’t let you have ANY FUN? NO FUN in your WHOLE LIFE? So first, Satan brings in the picture if God as thoroughly unreasonable…a tyrant. Even though Eve KNOWS God personally as a reasoning, fair Ruler Who is not in fact trying to starve them out, the seed has been planted.
Then Satan waters the seed by hurling the accusation which Eve CANNOT refute based on her LIMITED experience. “That’s a lie! …”You’ll not die!” (3:4) God is a liar!
In freedom, Eve could not rely on human reasoning alone. She needed to trust her heart. God was hoping she would trust Him as her heart was being opened for trial. Under an oppressive ruler god, Eve’s heart could never be tested for loyalty to her King and Creator. Terror would rule her decisions. A previous post on Christian freedom explains further. Fear the Lord, the Judge of all. But our fear is a personal choice in obedience because of God's mercy, not soul shattering fright of a dark figure haunting our every quaking choice. God stood back and watched Eve. He was rooting for her, “C’mon girl!” If Eve had cried out to Him, “Lord, what should I do?” He would have been there slapping that snake around like the worm he was! God is our Hero. Our Help in time of trouble.
In freedom, God has established a means for us to govern ourselves. The God of Light, and Hope. and Love tells us He is also the God of Righteousness. In love, the first Adam was directed. In obedience, the second Adam (Jesus) loved. God desires for us to love ourselves, taking care…and to love our neighbor as ourselves. God’s law is good and right. Perfect. Pleasing.
“Jesus said… ‘You are truly My disciples if you live as I tell you to, and you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.’” ~John 8:31,32
In free society, there is openness to sharing needs and abundance, but never evenly…freedom is sloppy, says Steve Forbes as quoted in Imprimis last month! Freedom and strength are symbiotic. You must be strong to be free. You must be free to be strong.
I'm on a roll so stop back soon for more of this stuff.
“If you eat [the fruit] from the Tree of Conscience, you will be doomed to die.” ~God (Gen. 2:17)
Genesis 3:1, Satan blindsides Eve with, “Really? None of the fruit in the garden? God says you mustn’t eat any of it?”
The words spoken here are the same tempting thought we fight with in this century. That GOD of yours is SO EXTREME! You mean He won’t let you have ANY FUN? NO FUN in your WHOLE LIFE? So first, Satan brings in the picture if God as thoroughly unreasonable…a tyrant. Even though Eve KNOWS God personally as a reasoning, fair Ruler Who is not in fact trying to starve them out, the seed has been planted.
Then Satan waters the seed by hurling the accusation which Eve CANNOT refute based on her LIMITED experience. “That’s a lie! …”You’ll not die!” (3:4) God is a liar!
In freedom, Eve could not rely on human reasoning alone. She needed to trust her heart. God was hoping she would trust Him as her heart was being opened for trial. Under an oppressive ruler god, Eve’s heart could never be tested for loyalty to her King and Creator. Terror would rule her decisions. A previous post on Christian freedom explains further. Fear the Lord, the Judge of all. But our fear is a personal choice in obedience because of God's mercy, not soul shattering fright of a dark figure haunting our every quaking choice. God stood back and watched Eve. He was rooting for her, “C’mon girl!” If Eve had cried out to Him, “Lord, what should I do?” He would have been there slapping that snake around like the worm he was! God is our Hero. Our Help in time of trouble.
In freedom, God has established a means for us to govern ourselves. The God of Light, and Hope. and Love tells us He is also the God of Righteousness. In love, the first Adam was directed. In obedience, the second Adam (Jesus) loved. God desires for us to love ourselves, taking care…and to love our neighbor as ourselves. God’s law is good and right. Perfect. Pleasing.
“Jesus said… ‘You are truly My disciples if you live as I tell you to, and you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.’” ~John 8:31,32
In free society, there is openness to sharing needs and abundance, but never evenly…freedom is sloppy, says Steve Forbes as quoted in Imprimis last month! Freedom and strength are symbiotic. You must be strong to be free. You must be free to be strong.
I'm on a roll so stop back soon for more of this stuff.
