FREE WILL
Many Christian churches and denominations have different views on free will. While it's easy to become confused on how God's control and our own free will interact, we can trust the Word of God and know that what He has told us in the Bible is true. These Bible verses about free will show us that we have the ability to choose and have faith in God, being secure in our eternal life in heaven, or we can choose to turn from God and live apart from Him. Use these movies, sermons, and scriptures to help you make wise 'choices'!
The next video was filmed when over 50 inmates gathered in the small old chapel to hear what Rabbi Manis Friedman had to say. The room was hot and stuffy with the windows permanently sealed shut, and nothing but two large fans to fight the heat. The talk was to be only an hour and a half but was running over when the prison chaplain interrupted to announce that the showers were about to close, and so if anyone wanted to shower that day, they should go immediately. One or two men left, but the rest were not going anywhere. This excerpt of 14 or so minutes has been put here for all of us to learn 'WWJD' in practical matters and simple English.
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John 7:17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Typically, you might see the scriptural verse "as for me and my house" adorning someone’s doorway at home, or as a plaque they keep in the kitchen or as in our case, a tapestry over the mirror in our dinning room. It’s a recognized verse of the Bible that many attribute to their belief in how they should live individually and as a family.
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” were the concluding remarks given by Joshua, one of the two spies who encouraged the Israelites to proceed into Canaan, despite the giants that lived there, and who was appointed the Israelites’ new leader after Moses’s death.
It’s a bold proclamation made that many Christians even today seek to follow in their daily lives, but what should be realized is that a meaningful declaration made centuries ago can be lived out today as though it were just spoken yesterday.
This verse comes as Joshua tells the Israelites about what God has done for them since the beginning: bringing Abraham into a new land and sending the Jewish people out of Egyptian bondage, through Moses and Aaron, to where they were presently—following Joshua to God’s Promised Land.
Joshua had witnessed several shameful behaviors exhibited by the Israelites as they wandered the wilderness with Moses, from the creation of the Gold Calf to what he had seen prior to his statements from the Lord in Joshua 24. He pleads with his people to turn away from the 'gods' their fathers worshiped while in Egypt and while traveling in the wilderness (Josh. 24:14). His hope was to show them through his re-visited history about God’s love and provision in their lives and in their ancestors’ lives, that it was better to serve the Lord who took care of them than false 'gods' who “demanded” unholy sacrifices but did nothing to help.
His concluding statements to the Israelites are for this day of his speech to mark who will be following God in service and who will continue the treacherous path of serving false gods, boldly claiming his family would be serving the Lord (Josh. 24:15).
The people choose the path of righteousness by telling Joshua they would serve the Lord and forsake their former gods, re-dedicating themselves to the covenant with the Lord. This prompts Joshua to call them all witnesses for their verbalized allegiance to the holy God (Josh. 24:22).
So, we learn from this revolutionary speech that Joshua brought awareness to the Israelites, reminding them that all their provision and survival in the wilderness over the past several years was from a loving God who had done the same, generations before them, and would continue for generations to come.
That declaration from Joshua and the Israelites centuries ago is still relevant today, as we examine and honestly assess whether we are living lives in service to God.
For the Israelites, the Law was what governed them the most: the proclamations made to Moses from God at Mount Sinai that brought forth the Ten Commandments, the Tabernacle, and laws appointing the proper attire and actions of the priests and demeanor of the people.
Through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus, we, as Christians, no longer need to go to a holy priesthood to interact with the Lord, as we have direct access to God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Instead, we can go to God at anytime, anywhere, and share with Him our hearts’ desires, our pains, our questions, and our praises to the Lord who loves us (Hebrews 10:19-22).
Yet, just as Joshua admonished the Israelites for continuing to embrace their fathers’ 'gods' and the traditions of men, we are still at fault for doing as they did without learning what the Bible says and blindly following others. Blindly following 'false gods', 'pagan celebrations', 'fairy tales' and 'myths' who promise us comfort, understanding, and love (social media, other religions, careers, even our family and friends). Truth be told, several of us have chosen to go to straddle the fence, Thinking it will be okay with God to be lukewarm on this matter, and with others who know less about our situations than the Father who created the heavens and the earth and set down the 'house rules'.
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and man” (Matt. 6:24).
This speech from Joshua calls for us to be witnesses just as he calls the Israelites: that we have to not just speak these words so we “look” like Christians, but proclaim them boldly to ourselves that, from this day forth, our houses, our families, and ourselves will serve only the one, true Lord, no mater the cost.
If we don’t want to endure the same hardships of the Israelites from years ago (forty years of traveling aimlessly), we need to take to heart what it means to have one’s home in service to the Lord.
Firstly, it does not mean that you only present yourself and your family as “surface” Christians, which means that you walk, talk, and interact as Christians but deep down live for oneself or in pledges to other gods/idols. Just because you are adorning the walls of your home with beloved scripture verses and end your statements with, “I’ll be praying for you,” doesn’t mean that your service to the Lord is true and evident.
Secondly, being in service to the Lord in your home doesn’t mean that you only serve the Lord when it is convenient for you or when you are in a period of blessings from God. God doesn’t listen to your prayers or intervene in your life when it’s convenient for Him or when He will receive benefits from you; God helps mankind because it is part of a greater plan that will benefit and grow us in faith and in love for Him.
What does it mean, then, to live out this verse of “for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”?
It means being the Christian that Jesus describes in Matthew 6, not doing deeds or saying prayers with the goal for others to see and be proud of you. If you are in true pursuit of worshiping the Lord through service, Jesus says that you are performing a good service for the Lord and not others: “… do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others.” (Matt. 6:2)
When you pray, it is okay to pray with others and seek petitions from God for the things you need and/or the needs of others, however; the “hypocrites” Jesus depicts in the Scriptures are those who speak words in repetition to sound more scholarly and self-righteous, wanting more the applause of others than the appreciation of God. He advises, instead that, “when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matt. 6:6)
For those of us who are parents, making the choice to follow God’s decrees in raising your children and leading your household is standing firm on the belief that serving the Lord is important. Teaching our children why we do not follow the world is a command about training them up in the way they should go. (Prov. 22:6a) Being “slow to anger” produces greater understanding (Prov. 14:29), so they will not depart from this path when they are adults (Prov. 22:6b).
The bottom line is that we, as Christians with free will, need to know that deciding to be one who is serving the Lord isn’t for glorification from man, falsely joining in on the traditions of men for the pleasures it gives or for our “good deeds;” it is serving in thankfulness for all the Lord has done, is doing, and will do when we leave these earthly homes for an eternal one. It is also for the pleasure of serving Him and following His will, in that we can help others draw closer to God and 'make the choice' to allow Him into their lives through the 'acceptance' of Jesus.
You serve a dual role as both example and witness to this proclamation to serve the Lord, as Joshua said to the Israelites long ago, so 'make the choice', exert your 'free will' to put your service to God before everything else and know He will be greatly pleased with His good and faithful servants!
Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Typically, you might see the scriptural verse "as for me and my house" adorning someone’s doorway at home, or as a plaque they keep in the kitchen or as in our case, a tapestry over the mirror in our dinning room. It’s a recognized verse of the Bible that many attribute to their belief in how they should live individually and as a family.
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” were the concluding remarks given by Joshua, one of the two spies who encouraged the Israelites to proceed into Canaan, despite the giants that lived there, and who was appointed the Israelites’ new leader after Moses’s death.
It’s a bold proclamation made that many Christians even today seek to follow in their daily lives, but what should be realized is that a meaningful declaration made centuries ago can be lived out today as though it were just spoken yesterday.
This verse comes as Joshua tells the Israelites about what God has done for them since the beginning: bringing Abraham into a new land and sending the Jewish people out of Egyptian bondage, through Moses and Aaron, to where they were presently—following Joshua to God’s Promised Land.
Joshua had witnessed several shameful behaviors exhibited by the Israelites as they wandered the wilderness with Moses, from the creation of the Gold Calf to what he had seen prior to his statements from the Lord in Joshua 24. He pleads with his people to turn away from the 'gods' their fathers worshiped while in Egypt and while traveling in the wilderness (Josh. 24:14). His hope was to show them through his re-visited history about God’s love and provision in their lives and in their ancestors’ lives, that it was better to serve the Lord who took care of them than false 'gods' who “demanded” unholy sacrifices but did nothing to help.
His concluding statements to the Israelites are for this day of his speech to mark who will be following God in service and who will continue the treacherous path of serving false gods, boldly claiming his family would be serving the Lord (Josh. 24:15).
The people choose the path of righteousness by telling Joshua they would serve the Lord and forsake their former gods, re-dedicating themselves to the covenant with the Lord. This prompts Joshua to call them all witnesses for their verbalized allegiance to the holy God (Josh. 24:22).
So, we learn from this revolutionary speech that Joshua brought awareness to the Israelites, reminding them that all their provision and survival in the wilderness over the past several years was from a loving God who had done the same, generations before them, and would continue for generations to come.
That declaration from Joshua and the Israelites centuries ago is still relevant today, as we examine and honestly assess whether we are living lives in service to God.
For the Israelites, the Law was what governed them the most: the proclamations made to Moses from God at Mount Sinai that brought forth the Ten Commandments, the Tabernacle, and laws appointing the proper attire and actions of the priests and demeanor of the people.
Through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus, we, as Christians, no longer need to go to a holy priesthood to interact with the Lord, as we have direct access to God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Instead, we can go to God at anytime, anywhere, and share with Him our hearts’ desires, our pains, our questions, and our praises to the Lord who loves us (Hebrews 10:19-22).
Yet, just as Joshua admonished the Israelites for continuing to embrace their fathers’ 'gods' and the traditions of men, we are still at fault for doing as they did without learning what the Bible says and blindly following others. Blindly following 'false gods', 'pagan celebrations', 'fairy tales' and 'myths' who promise us comfort, understanding, and love (social media, other religions, careers, even our family and friends). Truth be told, several of us have chosen to go to straddle the fence, Thinking it will be okay with God to be lukewarm on this matter, and with others who know less about our situations than the Father who created the heavens and the earth and set down the 'house rules'.
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and man” (Matt. 6:24).
This speech from Joshua calls for us to be witnesses just as he calls the Israelites: that we have to not just speak these words so we “look” like Christians, but proclaim them boldly to ourselves that, from this day forth, our houses, our families, and ourselves will serve only the one, true Lord, no mater the cost.
If we don’t want to endure the same hardships of the Israelites from years ago (forty years of traveling aimlessly), we need to take to heart what it means to have one’s home in service to the Lord.
Firstly, it does not mean that you only present yourself and your family as “surface” Christians, which means that you walk, talk, and interact as Christians but deep down live for oneself or in pledges to other gods/idols. Just because you are adorning the walls of your home with beloved scripture verses and end your statements with, “I’ll be praying for you,” doesn’t mean that your service to the Lord is true and evident.
Secondly, being in service to the Lord in your home doesn’t mean that you only serve the Lord when it is convenient for you or when you are in a period of blessings from God. God doesn’t listen to your prayers or intervene in your life when it’s convenient for Him or when He will receive benefits from you; God helps mankind because it is part of a greater plan that will benefit and grow us in faith and in love for Him.
What does it mean, then, to live out this verse of “for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”?
It means being the Christian that Jesus describes in Matthew 6, not doing deeds or saying prayers with the goal for others to see and be proud of you. If you are in true pursuit of worshiping the Lord through service, Jesus says that you are performing a good service for the Lord and not others: “… do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others.” (Matt. 6:2)
When you pray, it is okay to pray with others and seek petitions from God for the things you need and/or the needs of others, however; the “hypocrites” Jesus depicts in the Scriptures are those who speak words in repetition to sound more scholarly and self-righteous, wanting more the applause of others than the appreciation of God. He advises, instead that, “when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matt. 6:6)
For those of us who are parents, making the choice to follow God’s decrees in raising your children and leading your household is standing firm on the belief that serving the Lord is important. Teaching our children why we do not follow the world is a command about training them up in the way they should go. (Prov. 22:6a) Being “slow to anger” produces greater understanding (Prov. 14:29), so they will not depart from this path when they are adults (Prov. 22:6b).
The bottom line is that we, as Christians with free will, need to know that deciding to be one who is serving the Lord isn’t for glorification from man, falsely joining in on the traditions of men for the pleasures it gives or for our “good deeds;” it is serving in thankfulness for all the Lord has done, is doing, and will do when we leave these earthly homes for an eternal one. It is also for the pleasure of serving Him and following His will, in that we can help others draw closer to God and 'make the choice' to allow Him into their lives through the 'acceptance' of Jesus.
You serve a dual role as both example and witness to this proclamation to serve the Lord, as Joshua said to the Israelites long ago, so 'make the choice', exert your 'free will' to put your service to God before everything else and know He will be greatly pleased with His good and faithful servants!