wrestling match (part 1 of 3)

Well, I wanted to let this rest overnight, but am proving that to be unsuccessful. Earlier this evening, at nevaeH, we discussed the issue of free-will vs. predestination. This will be my first of three posts concerning this confusing topic.

Adam and Eve's sin definately affected the area of their will. It's hard for us to realize that in the Garden of Eden they could only make one wrong choice. Everything they wanted to do was okay except eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). They had the possibility of making a myriad of good choices and only one bad choice . . . only one!

Eventually, however, they made that one bad choice. As a result, we are confronted every day with tons of good and bad choices. We can choose to pray or not pray, read our Bible or not read our Bible, go to church or not go to church. We can choose to walk according to the flesh or according to the Spirit. We face countelss choices like that every day, and eventually, we make some bad ones.

Other than the Holy Spirit in our lives, I believe the greatest power we possess is the power to choose. Someone once said that pure Christianity lies in the exercise of the will. Just compare our lives to that of animals. The animal kingdom operates out of divine instinct. But we are created in the image of God, which means we have a self-operated, independent will. That's when temptation comes into play. The essence of temptation is to function independently of God.

However, as we all know, sinful behavior is often a wrong attempt at meeting our own basic needs. The issue here is, are we going to get our needs met by the world, the flesh, and the devil, or are we going to allow God to meet all our needs "according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19)? It's an issue of identity and maturity. The more we understand our identity in Christ, the more we will grow in maturity. And the more mature we become, the easier it will be for us to choose to live our lives in dependence on our heavenly Father.

Basically, what I'm getting at is this: If it's true that all of our actions are predestined and we have no real control over them, than what of Spiritual Warfare? Yes it's true that getting rid of the old self was God's responsibility, but rendering the flesh and its deeds inoperative is our responsibility (Romans 8:12). It's our choice. God has changed our nature, but it's our responsibility to change our behavior by "putting to death the deeds of the body" (Romans 8:13). Why are we instructed to put on the whole armor of God, to resist the devil, to stand firm, and to be alert? If we don't have any control over our destination, then why does Paul describe our relationship to the powers of darkness as a wrestling match? We definately have choices in confronting spiritual opposition. And they are how and to what extent we're going to wage the battle.

More to come . . .

Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve . . . As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
~Joshua 24:15