Perhaps One Day They'll Call This: Volleism!

(A message written to a friend in response to a question asked)

Dear Friend,

I hope to not add more confusion into the boiling pot of thoughts and opinions you're working through. I hope to simply offer what I have learned and read from the truth of the Scriptures. And I pray that the Holy Spirit might be taking over these fingers.

What a wonderful thing to wrestle with! I am really encouraged to see others struggle through this topic -- predestination and free-will. I find it intriguing when people talk about the idea of predestination and use the term: Calvinism. I have read what Calvin wrote about "the elect." He would have lovingly sat down with someone nowadays who calls themselves a Calvinist and directed them to the point. See, readers of Calvinism -- or Neo-Calvinists -- are really the leaders of this "Calvinism" group who so strongly talk about predestination. It makes me laugh and also sad. Calvin himself did not know. He simply was asking questions. One cannot deny the existence of terms like: "the elect" and "predestination" or "those who the Father gave me" in the Bible. They are there and so we must not shove them aside so quickly. So Calvin set out to begin the discussion.

My first question is this: Is God Omni-potent enough? That is a silly question. What many people within the Predestination vs. Free-will debate don't realize is that the real question is this: who is God and is He strong enough, smart enough, or good enough to be: whatever I am arguing for. I believe that God is all-powerful, all-present, and the Lord of all. There is nothing less that I can attribute to the creator of the universe. I believe that God has the power to affect the realm of free-will: just read the first 10 chapters of Exodus to see how God "hardened Pharaoh's heart." Over and over again God affects. And He is Lord of all things: Colossians 1:15-20. If God wants something to happen, He will make it happen. And because He is good (and hasn't read our dictionary to find out our definition of what it means to be good), His plan is always perfect. Who am I to say that God simply sits back and lets things happen? God is not a God of chaos (I believe there is a verse regarding this). And I'm sure you've heard many times the verse in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I know you've heard this passage before (sometimes we hear it too often, but without the proper context), but go back and read the entire context of what God is saying and to whom and why. All throughout the scriptures I believe God is trying to get something across -- from Genesis to Revelation -- God has a plan and purpose. And I think Revelation is a great book to speak to the point of God having a plan, as the entire book is about God sharing His plan with His people. To give hope. His power in plans and purposes gives a source to the hope that we have. Jesus was a plan. Salvation was a plan. In the words of Joker in Dark Knight: "It's all part of the plan."

I do not quite agree with what this pastor-friend said. At least from what I understood you say -- "God may or may not have a sovereign plan for our lives, but we should live as if he doesn't." If we were to live as if God didn't have a plan or purpose, then we are denying the pure existence of God -- for that is part of His essence. Man has always struggled understanding God. The Israelites over and over forget that God had a plan and purpose for their little excursion through the desert. I have often questioned God's plan. When my dad was diagnosed with possible terminal cancer, I questioned God's plan. We have to wrestle with these things. We have to ask questions -- and that is why I am so thrilled that you're struggling with this. When we question, even God, answers begin to come in many different ways, and over the course of our lives.

As far as Acts 16 is concerned, it is this beautiful story of this struggle. Man -- Paul and his companions -- wanted and felt "called" to Asia, to preach the Good News there. A noble charge indeed. God should be thrilled that they want so badly to preach His message there. But God had other plans. He had a place for them where the gospel was to be preached and heard. I believe this history story is in a perfect place in the book of Acts, because the writer is reminding the readers that this movement of the gospel did not come by human power or will, but by God's power and will. God has a plan. Again, Jesus was a plan. The Cross a plan. Even Jesus, God in human flesh, carried out a plan. Saying over and over again that He was doing what the Father told Him to do. A few times when He heals someone, He tells them not to say anything to anyone. Why? Because He knew that the Jews wanted to make Him their earthly, conquering king and that wasn't part of the plan. So He would tell these people who had seen His power to not say anything. His time had not come yet. Jesus shows us how to live in relationship to God. And Jesus life was one of obedience to the Father. And this I believe, is how God intends for all of us to live -- to live obedient to the Father. To pray and seek His will. To die to ourselves and our "plan" and to fill up in ourselves God's plan. Because, over and over again God affects. And God is good.

I hope this was of some help. Keep praying and asking God to give you wisdom on the matter. And keep searching the scriptures.

In Christ,
Nat