Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 07.03.1999
Freedom to choose
Your freedom to choose means that you have the responsibility of the consequences of your choices. If we would be robots of God, we could not make wrong choices. We would make always right choices, because we would be programmed to do so. Freedom of choice is the part of man. Animals have not that quality. Did you choose good or evil?
Freedom to make wrong choices
Because people have the freedom to make wrong choices, there is a lot of evilness in the world. God is the completely good God. Any badness is not from Him. God has so good self-esteem that He has been able to give us the freedom to rebel against our Creator.
How has God dared to give us so great freedom? Doesn't He care for the consequences that it can cause us? In this way some blame Him for giving this freedom. The origin of evil is not in God, but in the misused freedom.
Because people have the freedom to make wrong choices, there is a lot of evilness in the world. God is the completely good God. Any badness is not from Him. God has so good self-esteem that He has been able to give us the freedom to rebel against our Creator.
How has God dared to give us so great freedom? Doesn't He care for the consequences that it can cause us? In this way some blame Him for giving this freedom. The origin of evil is not in God, but in the misused freedom.
Origin of evil
They, who have made choices that are bad and against God's will, are guilty of the existence of evilness. Are you blaming Him for the fact that there is freedom near Him? His kindness can make you able to use rightly your freedom. God trusts in the power of goodness. The temporary victory of evilness only emphasizes the glory of kindness.
He has shown his care for us by forewarning of the consequences of wrong choices. Even God's angels have the freedom to choose their own ways. Devil is a fallen angle, who tempted the mankind to the way of evil.
They, who have made choices that are bad and against God's will, are guilty of the existence of evilness. Are you blaming Him for the fact that there is freedom near Him? His kindness can make you able to use rightly your freedom. God trusts in the power of goodness. The temporary victory of evilness only emphasizes the glory of kindness.
He has shown his care for us by forewarning of the consequences of wrong choices. Even God's angels have the freedom to choose their own ways. Devil is a fallen angle, who tempted the mankind to the way of evil.
Love doesn't force
If God would want to force the whole mankind to his will, He would able to do it. Because He is love, He wants that people would voluntarily choose goodness. He has revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ that we would understand His character. Jesus doesn't force anybody to be his follower.
When some offended with God's words and left Jesus, He said to the remaining disciples: "You do not want to leave too, do you?" John.6:67 Paul behaved according to the example of Jesus and said : "Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy." 2Cor.1:24 "I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say." 1Cor.10:15
If God would want to force the whole mankind to his will, He would able to do it. Because He is love, He wants that people would voluntarily choose goodness. He has revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ that we would understand His character. Jesus doesn't force anybody to be his follower.
When some offended with God's words and left Jesus, He said to the remaining disciples: "You do not want to leave too, do you?" John.6:67 Paul behaved according to the example of Jesus and said : "Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy." 2Cor.1:24 "I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say." 1Cor.10:15
Compulsive Christianity
This kind of freedom is considered dangerous by many leaders of churches. Therefore they have put obstacles for people that these would not make wrong choices. They want to isolate them from the sinful world and from heretical ones, so that they would not go to wrong ways. When doing this they think that they do the will of God.
Don't they understand that it is not enough for God that people externally are protected against sinful life? He wants hearts to change so that people don't want to sin anymore, even though nobody threatens with the judgements of sins. The fear of judgement can protect many against sinful life, but it is not enough for God. He wants that people learn to hate and disgust sin and therefore to be protected from it. A human heart can be changed to that kind of character only through the knowing of Jesus Christ.
Those who want to lord over the faith of believers make rules that restrict life and they determine the collections of doctrines and say: "This is how we teach and if anyone is against our faith he is not accepted in our congregation." Human prestige and lording over a congregation create the atmosphere that is against the atmosphere experienced near God.
This kind of freedom is considered dangerous by many leaders of churches. Therefore they have put obstacles for people that these would not make wrong choices. They want to isolate them from the sinful world and from heretical ones, so that they would not go to wrong ways. When doing this they think that they do the will of God.
Don't they understand that it is not enough for God that people externally are protected against sinful life? He wants hearts to change so that people don't want to sin anymore, even though nobody threatens with the judgements of sins. The fear of judgement can protect many against sinful life, but it is not enough for God. He wants that people learn to hate and disgust sin and therefore to be protected from it. A human heart can be changed to that kind of character only through the knowing of Jesus Christ.
Those who want to lord over the faith of believers make rules that restrict life and they determine the collections of doctrines and say: "This is how we teach and if anyone is against our faith he is not accepted in our congregation." Human prestige and lording over a congregation create the atmosphere that is against the atmosphere experienced near God.
Love awakes in freedom
There is the atmosphere of freedom in a real congregation of God. There all dare to be what they are. Those who are forced to a right faith become terrible pretenders, but those who have made good choices in the atmosphere of freedom become the real people of principles.
Who are those believers who dare to be followers of God so that they give people that freedom that also God gives? These are those who do willingly the will of God in their own life. They don't use their freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as the power for doing good. They know their God and also their brothers and sisters in Jesus and experience the unity between them over all borders.
You have the freedom to make wrong choices, but you also have the responsibility of the consequences of your choices. If you admit your responsibility and want to reconcile with God, you get forgiveness through Jesus, because He has paid God your sins. You can restart your life in the power of the gospel.
There is the atmosphere of freedom in a real congregation of God. There all dare to be what they are. Those who are forced to a right faith become terrible pretenders, but those who have made good choices in the atmosphere of freedom become the real people of principles.
Who are those believers who dare to be followers of God so that they give people that freedom that also God gives? These are those who do willingly the will of God in their own life. They don't use their freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as the power for doing good. They know their God and also their brothers and sisters in Jesus and experience the unity between them over all borders.
You have the freedom to make wrong choices, but you also have the responsibility of the consequences of your choices. If you admit your responsibility and want to reconcile with God, you get forgiveness through Jesus, because He has paid God your sins. You can restart your life in the power of the gospel.
The Bible version used in references is NIV