Monday: Free Will, the Basis for Love
Read 1 John 4:7-16. What does this passage tell us about free will as a condition to cultivating love?
Artificial flowers can be gorgeous, but they do not grow and bloom as do real ones. Robots are pre-programmed to talk and to perform many tasks, but they have neither life nor emotions. In reality, life and free will are indispensable conditions for someone to receive, cultivate, and share love.
Image © Jeff Preston at Goodsalt.com
So, our loving God created angels (including Lucifer) and human beings with freedom to make their own choices, including the possibility of following a wrong path. In other words, God created the whole universe as a perfect and harmonious environment for His creatures to grow in love and in wisdom.
In 1 John 4:7-16, the apostle John underscores that “God is love,” and that He manifested His love to us by sending His own Son to die for our sins. As a result, we should express our gratitude for His infinite love by loving one another. Such love, divinely originated, would be the most convincing evidence that God abides in us and that we abide in Him. This appeal to reflect God’s love to one another makes sense only if addressed to creatures who can choose to cultivate and express that love or, in contrast, to live a self-centered life. However, freedom of choice can easily be misused, a sad fact demonstrated in the tragic rebellion of Lucifer in heaven.
Even recognizing the importance of free will, some people still wonder, If God knew that Lucifer would rebel, why did God create him? Does the creation of Lucifer not make God ultimately responsible for the origin of sin?
That can be a very difficult question to speculate about, because it depends upon many factors, including what exactly is meant by the word “responsible.” The origin and nature of sin are mysteries that no one can fully explain.
Even so, God did not ordain sin to exist; He only allowed its existence, and then, at the cross, He took upon Himself the ultimate punishment for that sin, thus enabling Him, ultimately, to eradicate it. In all our painful musings about evil, we must never forget that God Himself paid the highest price for the existence of sin and of evil (see Matthew 5:43-48, Romans 5:6-11), and that He has suffered from them more than any of us ever will.
| Free will, a gift from God, is sacred, but comes heavy laden with powerful consequences, not only for yourself but for others, as well. What important decisions are you, using this gift, about to make, and what will be the consequences of whatever choices you make? |
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Free Will - what does it mean?
Do we have free will to choose whom we worship & obey?
Do we have free will to harm other people?
What are the consequences of disobeying the LORD's Principles? Prior to and under Moses' laws? Did the LORD set up civil governments in addition and subsequent to Moses' laws?
(Rom 13:1-4; Acts 5:29; Dan 2:19-22,4:17)
JJ Rousseau said all men are free but everywhere in chains. Unfettered freedom is utter chaos. Our free will is bounded by love. I'm hurt by what my neighbor has said to me. My first inkling is to respond with something more hurtful, but on deeper through, I choose to ignore my hurt and forgive him/her. That's an expression of free will.
And that is the “principle” of love in action! When my love is lacking for that person (because of my human nature) I will act from (God’s) principle of love alone that says, I will chose to love you and treat you kindly (fruits of the spirit).
Many question why a loving God would permit sin while not questioning the free will that as sentient beings they can opt to chose God or not, obey God or not. Total control of sin by God would mean total control of humans. It is this freedom that permits sin. It is our capacity for love when submitted and obedient to God that is the other side of our capacity for evil when not submitted and obedient to God.
Is free will necessary for love? I do not think so. I can love my car, a child can love her favourite teddy bear, and non of these can love back. It is painful when these are taken from our lives. So, it may be a one-sided relationship, but these inanimate things can still bring joy and make us love them, even though they cannot express love.
What do you think?
It depends on your definition of love - is it a feeling or a principle?
Check the 4 options of love which one applies to "love the LORD with all your heart, mind, soul and body"? Mark 12:29-31
Jacob, you may be on to something.
Expanding on what you started, I would say that "Love" always comes with a "gift". A gift of a teddy bear to a child. We give gifts to ourselves, a "car" or a new tech gadget. But those gifts are just as you said, part of a "one-sided relationships".
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10. Jesus came to give to us, and to have a two-sided relationship with us. And Paul wrote "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.", Romans 6:23. (Also, note that the first part of these scriptures is the contrast situation.)
As part of our scripture for today says,
"12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit."
"No one has seen God", but when you show Love for one another, you show what God is, "God is Love".
What am I saying? I'm saying that when we show Love, it is like we are showing God to the world; we are reflecting the Love of God back to the world. I challenge you all to give a nice gift, a flower or a book, to a person that has wronged you or abused you. This will tell them that "even though you mistreat me, I still love you because you are a child of God too". You will see a change in your enemy, because you did the opposite of what he/she expected you to do.
But somehow, we have twisted the concept of Love, and made it into a selfish thing, a "give me", whimsical gift giving thing, to feed our appetites. Instead of us showing and giving Love to one another as a "reflection of God", it has been warped into some kind of idol worship, "idolatry", that can never with satisfied. Gifts were supposed to be used an expression of our love to our children, and their gratitude back to us, as the giver, a two-sided relationship.
A good example of Love is nature. All the plants and animals in the wild are dependent on God; thankfully so, because we are expanding so much into their territories that many wild animals cannot find food. But God in His amazing Love, takes care of them all. In return, the plants and animals obey God by knowing instinctively not to cross over their borders, into the human's environment. We take this for granted, but if the animals did not obey God, they would have the strength and the strategy to take over our environment. For example, in the hills of Tennessee, there are mountain lions and bears, that could tear a man in half if they wanted to. But unlike us, they do not have the mental capacity to think and choose to do right or wrong, their act purely on instinct. But I believe that they are superior to us, because they listen and obey God.
Also, you don't see animals carrying around with all of their "idols and trinkets". In the wild, animals only eat what is needed to sustain themselves or they will store the exact amount they need for the winter. The rest, they share with the others in their tribe or flock. But somehow, we as humans forgot to only eat what we need (we overeat), we buy trinkets we rarely wear or use, and storing them up to be used later; and finally, we definitely do not share our surplus with others. If we did some of the things that wild animals do, then this world would be a better place for all of us.
I'm beginning to ramble, but here's my last thought. The enemy is doing a great job of tricking us into believing that we need to "get while the getting is good", or to "live it up", "Live life to the fullest" or "live your best life". Don't fall for these tricks of the enemy; they are the same Lies that he told Eve in the garden, and we all can see what happened with that lie. Choose to "Live your life through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ"; listen and obey Him, and He will guide you into the abundant life.
Let's show Love by listening and obeying God. God will teach us how to Love.
God's blessing to all of you.
I feel like true love must go both directions. I feel the love a child has for a teddy bear or the love we might have for an object is closer to appreciation.
Even God needs an object of love, hence the Godhead.
Jacob Mangal Daniel, can your love be commanded by another under threat of punishment for not loving?
That’s an interesting question. Please expound on this.
Let me wonder a bit. Jesus carrying the price of sin shows among others that He is the only that can take sin away. He bore responsibility for it, even though He didn't originate it. It was in His power to preemptively stop sin, but the whole universe understands sin's cost and pain. Sin won't rise a second time in part because the redeemed beings and the holy angels won't wish this pain of sin anymore on created beings.
We speak about using our God given free will to choose. We rarely discuss the virtue of the 'locked in' principle. I can be 'locked in' to my gas therm rate for six months to a year. It is my choice. No matter how high the price goes up during that time period, I still pay the price that I 'locked in'.
Are there similarities with the choice to follow Jesus? I am not locked in to my decision, though there are times I may want to be. I can also use my free will to follow or to stop following Jesus during my life.
Hopefully, we will use our will to choose Him again and again. We are not robots.
Based on love? What does that mean?
Our society is full of messages to "love" and accept everyone. But it seems society's definition on how to show one loves the "sinner" means one needs to love the sin. To define something as sin, is considered unloving and cruel.
But is this the love scripture is talking about?
Yes, God loved us sinners so much He gave His Son to take our sins upon Himself and die a horrible death so we can be forgiven and have eternal life. All the resources of heaven are poured out to redeem and reclaim mankind for God. That is wonderous love !!!But God does NOT love sin. Sin seriously mars His Creation and disrupts His relationship with His created.
And yes, God wants a relationship with us based on love and a desire on our part to walk and talk with Him! In Eden, Christ came in the cool of the evening to walk and talk with Adam and Eve. There was an intellectual relationship as well as a deep spiritual and loving friendship. God desires us to have a love that communicates, shares experiences, interacts in positive ways. None of that can happen in any meaningful relationally way with robots.
Loving one another is very important, but there is another "love" God desires to see growing in our hearts as well. A love for His ways, His righteousness and a love for the His law and all the principles that it holds.
Like David our love needs to include:
119:75 I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right,
119:97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
In order to have created beings whose hearts and minds were delighted to be in close friendship and relationship with Him, God had to give freedom of choice.
But in the beginning no one, except God, knew the chaos, pain and utter misery and desperation, which rejecting God's ways and law would bring.
Thus we see Satan, and Eve under his influence, thinking God's rules were arbitrary and that God had made them only to benefit Himself at their expense. They could see that God made beautiful things, but why? Were they themselves, and all these pretty things made to be just objects for God's amusement, or was God actually desiring a close and loving, relationship with His created beings.
So God puts a perfect pair of people in the garden and gives them freedom of choice. God allows sin to wreck its havoc in the world and demonstrate the results of sin, while pouring out all the resources of heaven to open wide the door to salvation for all who will respond.
The reason sin will never again rise its head, is because everyone in that grand kingdom will have made the choice full convinced...
1. God's ways are righteous and perfect and we love His law!
Satan's lies are LIES! There is no happiness outside God's way, and law.
2. God is a god of love, and with hearts full of love, the saved have one desire which is to be with Him, serve and obey Him forever!
Is freewill the basis for love? Or is love the basis for freewill?
Love is the basis of free will. It is God's love that initiated free will
Not one of any of the "Ten Commandments" show specifically any of "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit." Jesus is the only one that manifested these in His sinless, holy, flawless, life. Even if we choose "with our free will" to manifest these, we fall very short to accomplish it on a moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day basis. This is "The Work for our life time," until we are given a glorified sinless, flawless, body when Jesus returns in the clouds of Power and great Glory.
1John4:7-16 tells us that we live through and in Jesus Christ. The Spirit He followed shows everyone how to love, but it requires the heart and His spirit to understand its full meaning. The Love of Jesus Christ took away our sins; His Love shows us the way of Life according to God's will!
Again and again His Spirit spoke through those appointed by Him to tell of His Love and to admonish all who could hear to chose to live accordingly. He sent His Son, knowing that only a few could hear His voice and 'know' Him.
Our Maker has created such a perfect, inter-reactive, perfectly balanced system to sustain His Creation, that nothing can disrupt or destroy it. It is the Creator's spirit expressed by our's and the heavenly host's free will which the Creator's Love seeks to manifest.
When our free will rejects the way of the world, God’s Way becomes clear – Matt.5:3-12 written for man to know the spiritual effect when living heavenly Love. By practicing His Love, we expose ourselves to the Refiner's fire.
Hello Ferguson.
It is my submission that love is the basis for freewill. "Freewill" is an adjective in the sense that it describes an abstract gift offered to an agent. "Love" is proper Noun in the scriptural sense. Love begets so immensely an offering that saves man from being mere automatons, qualifies God as God and not an imaginary and an arbitrary cosmic force
Only when a human can get to where he or she manifests the "Fruit of the Spirit" flawlessly and sinlessly and perfectly can it be said of that person that he or she "loves" as God Loves. And God's Son Jesus did this for you and for me and for the entire world 2,000 plus or minus years ago in Israel.
What i know is our fight does not involve material possession .Gift ,money and elsewhere is spiritual war let us ask the authoritative name of Jesus to play part by praying, reading some verses which had authority to that sin and let God himself reveals that sin like the time of Abram to the King of Egypt. What we have is a living God Elshadai, Eloim and Yeaw
When we read at Act 3:13 is portrays how the name of Jesus has power to sin than anything else .Jesus is the only one who die for us and only one who connect us with God if we love him nothing goes wrong let us see how he living with jude the betrayal