Monday, August 25, 2008

Are our lives predetermined?


People tend to take sides when confronted with this question. Some believe that everything is predetermined. They assume this means that we have no free will as a result.

Others believe that we have total free will and deny determinism as a result.

I believe that both are true and that many people choose sides because it is so difficult to understand how the two can co-exist. It may be difficult to understand, but is it also difficult to imagine?

I believe in God. I believe that He knew every choice that I'd make before I ever made them. I believe that He preplanned my life in advance, knowing those choices.

He predestined (determinism) me to be a musician, YET I chose music as well.

He knew the choices that you would make to get to this point and He knows the choices that you will make. You can't surprise Him. He has planned your life according to the choices that you will make. Whether we choose wisely or foolishly, His plan will unfold.

It may be difficult to understand, but not to imagine....

1 comment:

Clarence said...

Experience has caused me to believe that our lives are determined by outside conditions which we have no control over. We are either in subjection to the lusts of our flesh, Satan or God's Spirit, but we are definitely not in control of our selves even though our fleshly ego would like us to think so. Everything we do is governed and determined by our fleshly lusts, Satan or God's Holy Spirit. For example, we did not choose our parents, where we were to be born, or our looks. We did not choose what we would be talented in, or interested in or what foods we would like to eat. That was God's doing. We were taught a language by those over us.
For example, Adam and Eve only thought thoughts that were pure and Godly because God placed these thoughts in them until Satan showed up and placed new thoughts in them, thoughts that were contrary to God's thoughts which He had given them. They did not have a free choice at that time. They had no choice but to do what Satan said because Satan appealed to their nature which was full of lust and they had to succumb to their nature as a cat does when a mouse runs by. The story says God was not around. If God was present, He could have overpowered their nature by speaking His Word of Truth which would have persuaded them to obey Him but God wanted them and us to realize that we have no control over ourselves and that we are either in subjection to our evil nature, Satan or to God's Holy Spirit at any given moment.
Scripture even states that we did not choose Christ when we were in our sinful natural state and neither could we but rather He chose us. Jesus says no man comes to me unless My Father in heaven draws them. Oh yes, it does say that God says chose today whom you will serve but God already knew the action they would take because He caused them to have a heart to do so. When He said choose, He was not asking them to make a choice, He was telling them to take action and He knew the action they would take. Does this cause me to be disappointed? No way, I have learned that it is wonderful to be controlled by God's Holy Spirit than my flesh or Satan.