Will people go to hell because of their own free will
Free will. My goodness this is a subject that has been the heart of philosophical thought since Adam begin.
Like many atheists and materialists I don’t believe in free will, although of course for differing reasons to them!
As my post about election shows man hardens his own heart, but that is because God has removed his hand of restraint from him.
I don’t believe that we have a choice to accept Jesus Christ or not to accept Jesus Christ. I totally believe in His irresistible grace.
Why? Because God, forbids us to judge one another. Therefore I do not believe that He would allow us to judge Him and His plan for humanity. Let alone judge His Son and His all encompassing atonement for us, and for us to decide whether He is worthy or not. We do not have the right to judge God. I think that the belief that we have chosen Him, can be perceived as works and adding to the Cross.
The thought of God allowing us weak, sinful, pathetic humans to judge the Christ is just not the YHWH I know of. God chooses, period.
Throughout the Scripture God chooses us, not the other way round. He chooses, Abel, not Cain, Jacob not Esau, Isaac not Ishmael The nation of Israel and of course young David from all his brothers.
However, we do have to respond by loving Him, with our all our heart, soul and mind and dedicating our lives and living a life of worship. Rom 12:1
Does God chose to allow millions to go to damnation?
No, everyone should and deserves to go to damnation.
But He has chosen millions for salvation.
When I step back and look at the history in scripture. I see God was fully prepared to kill off the whole mankind once before at the Flood, but by His grace He didn’t.
Even when Jesus came, He came for the Jews, first and foremost.
This was obvious from the Greek woman who repeatedly asked for the demon to be cast out of her child, Jesus said” Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs” (the gentiles were called dogs by the Jews, but I guess you know that).
But God had a plan not only for Israel but to take people from every tribe and nation (John 3:16). If He really, really wanted to save every single person, He could, period.
However, He has chosen people for Himself to live with him for eternity.
The really big question is – How will we live our life here? Do we live this life with our eternal life as our main focus?
Because what we do in this life determines how we will live our eternal life.
Many will be there ….but by the skin of their teeth..not too regrettable for them, as better to sweep the streets of the New Jerusalem with God…
Will we built upon the foundation of Jesus with gold, silver and precious stones or we will build with hay and stubble? This is our choice!
We will live forever, Praise God, predestined before the foundation of the world, chosen to live with Him, because of His grace and mercy. However this is only because of God will give us immortal and incorruptible new bodies. He will sustain us by His Spirit and by partaking of the living waters and the tree of life.
This was why the Garden of Eden was closed off from Adam and protected by angels. The eating of the fruit from the tree of life continually gives immortality and if Adam had partook of the fruit after sin had entered him, we would have all been doomed.
I also believe that the spirit (essence) of man is eternal. However, I do not believe that the soul is eternal, animals have souls and yet scripture shows us that they are not eternal.
From physics we know that energy is indestructible and only transferable. The essence or spirit returns to God, from whence it came.
There is also so much scripture supporting the eventual destruction of the soul, and also the references to the second death (Rev 2:11, 20:6, 20:14, 21:8)
The lake of fire is however, everlasting as quoted in Rev 20:14
“Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” This is repeated in Rev 21:8 and the wicked “with have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
However, Rev 20:10 says that satan and his brethren are tormented for ever and ever.
Just wanted to add what Charlie Spurgeon said
“I do not come into this pulpit hoping that perhaps somebody will of his own free will return to Christ. My hope lies in another quarter. I hope that my Master will lay hold of some of them and say, “You are mine, and you shall be mine. I claim you for myself.” My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not from the freedom of the will.”
Blessings
Tags: Christian Life