I made a brief post on Free Will before Pelegius once. I decided that I didn't need much of a separate post proving Free Will Biblically because those Church Fathers themselves quoted Scripture in those quotes.
Since then I've become a Universalist. And in the Evangelical Universalism group on Facebook I joined, there seems to be a lot of hostility towards Free Will. My differences from a lot of other modern Universalists I think has a lot to do with my not being as fond of Origen and closer to agreeing with the Antiochian school. Though at the same time Origen did refer to Free Will. It is still the Platonic influence on the Early Church he reflects that allows rejection of Free Will to seep in.
The Pagan Greek mindset always rejected Free Will. The Oedipus Legend is all about how Man can't escape the Fate that the gods decreed for him.
I do believe there is a difference between those who Believe in Jesus in this Life and those who didn't. I believe only those who enter a Covenant Relationship with Him become Citizens of His Kingdom, and eligible to become Co-Rulers. Revelation 21-22 refers to "Nations of the Saved" outside New Jerusalem.
The idea that you must be rejecting Free Will if you don't think God is going to punish unbelievers eternally for their choice I think is an abuse of what Free Will means. Traditional Arminians believe in theoretical Free Will, but they don't actually believe God respects it, because they say if you make the Wrong Choice he will either annihilate or eternally torment you for it.
My point is, True Free Will is ONLY believed in by those who reject Eternal Punishment. The same passages in The Bible that I consider the strongest proofs of Unviersalism, also clearly show that people will make different Choices. Like Sodom being Restored (Ezekiel 16), and that verse from John 12 I made a post on recently.
It is God's Will that none should Perish. I unlike Calvansits and Amrinians believe that can be accomplished without rejecting Man's Free Will. We won't Perish, but we do have choices.
I believe in what I call "limited free will." Surely God knows what will happen, but He doesn't force us through any particular doors. He opens a variety of doors (options) equally closes doors once opportunities have passed. I believe we're all created for a specific purpose, but the path we take there is own our to blaze and we either do it smartly or stupidly.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Comment. Have you also read my more recent post about Free Will and Presdestination?
DeleteI haven't, but I'll give it a read.
ReplyDelete