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This is a difficult subject, but one that is very important. I do believe that human beings are granted some degree of free will by God, but not to the degree perhaps that most of us tend to think. I do not believe it is possible for a soul to resist God forever, for one simple reason: God has created us with a nature to seek the Divine. It is ingrained in our very nature, and this is especially evident when the soul is separated from the animalistic flesh and the desires and motivations that come with life in a physical body. One question that often remains untouched by people considering views of free will and salvation is, Why do we desire what we desire? I believe people's desires are largely unchosen, preprogrammed. In the flesh, for example, all of us have certain animal instincts: we desire to avoid pain and seek pleasure, to eat, live and reproduce, etc. Most people desire the opposite sex for copulation, but a small minority of people find themselves mysteriously desiring the same sex. This is one example of how people's desires are unchosen and preprogrammed by God or by fate. Nobody chooses to be gay. Similarly, some people find themselves from a very early age desiring certain foods while hating the taste of others, inexplicably, while other people have very different tastes for no apparent reason. There is nothing we can do to break free of these intrinsic personality traits. If a person likes the taste of a hamburger or a pepperoni pizza, those are the tastes they are stuck with and they will always crave them; and if a person is repulsed by the taste of anchovies or Limburger cheese, no amount of coaching or personal effort could ever make them enjoy those things. It's just part of who God created each unique individual to be in this life. People can fight against their desires through the power of free will, and often times we should -- but this is possible only up to a point, and the desires themselves cannot be changed by willing them away, any more than we could will the patterns of our fingerprints to change through voluntary choice. I believe humans are similarly programmed for certain spiritual desires, such as to seek a Higher Power. True, some people in this life have much less spirituality than others and more focus on materialism, but I believe that evens out in the afterlife. I believe some people simply are burdened with a more rebellious flesh than others here on earth, due to genetic tendencies or other factors. Different souls may also have somewhat different personality traits which can only be changed through experiences that mold and shape the personality in new directions. My view is that God has programmed all souls to have one thing in common: redeemability. I do not believe God gives any soul a desire to refuse forever to return to its Maker, remaining isolated and rebellious for all eternity. Such would mean that the Calvinists are correct, that God has truly predestined some souls for damnation, and they had no choice about it. I reject the Calvinist view, since I believe it is incompatible with a God of Love and Justice. I believe it is also incompatible with the basic Biblical teaching that man is created in God's image. The bottom line, as I see it, is that I do not believe God would ever create a soul with the intrinsic desire to be damned. Therefore, all souls desire to be saved. If we desire something, we will inevitably seek it -- at least eventually we will, under the right conditions. Souls that do not seek salvation in this earthly life simply are too much under the influence of the desires of the flesh; but when the flesh falls away at death and the soul is liberated, the soul will be returned to its natural preponderance of inclinations, which is on balance to seek God. Therefore, I believe in the afterlife all souls will desire to be redeemed, and will be willing to do whatever is necessary to be reconciled and reunited with their Creator. In other words, human free will is not absolute, since God has programmed us all with a will to return to Him in the end. That's a brief overview of how I understand it. You may also want to check out some of the articles in this section of my website: Salvation by God's sovereignty, not individual free will. Peace in Christ,
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Christian Universalist FAQ -- Frequently Asked Questions
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Heavenly Father, please bless this ministry, lead multitudes to this website, and help them see the truth of Your love and forgiveness for all people through the power of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the whole world. Open their eyes to Your true nature, take away their fears, and fill their hearts with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. |