Apologetics

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The Case for Free Will

We choose to believe, as opposed to being irresistibly compelled to believe

The New Testament is filled with references to faith as a possessive function (as in “your faith”); if it was a manifestation from God, it would be referenced in the same way as Grace (as in “God’s Grace to you”). While this is no way definitive, it certainly is indicative of the nature of its origins. In the same way, the grammar for belief is self-possessive as well, “If you believe” “whoever believes” as opposed to “If you are given the belief” or “If that belief, which comes of God”.

All this aside from the fact that the notion of having a “Faith Compelled” or a “Belief Installed” is an oxymoron and antithetical to its own definition in the first place; a “compelled” faith, is not faith. An “installed” belief, is not belief.

But that’s arguing semantics. Here we go:

First we understand that serving God is a choice, and not a compulsion.

Even in the Old Testament, we see that God chooses His people, and it is up to those that are chosen to make a choice for God. Even for those who had Abraham and the Law, it was still a choice, not a compulsion to serve God. We hear God speaking through Joshua offering a choice:

Joshua 24:22: And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.

Note also that it is recognized that there may be a subsequent turning from God, even after an initial commitment is made:

Joshua 24:27: And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.

And again, after the people began to lag in their devotion, a moment comes when a choice is called for from God through Elijah:

I Kings 18:21: And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, How long go ye limping between the two sides? if Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.

Clearly here, a choice is being set before the people, the choice being based upon who is indeed the Living God, not a function of believe according to the faith installed into you; and it is a function of those that are the chosen of God to affirm or deny belief.

It can be said, then, that God’s chosen still need to choose God for themselves. God calls Israel as His own, but it is still required of those that have been chosen to be obedient and choose to serve God, or lose the privilege of their calling.

Scripture which reinforces the Jews as God's Chosen are the following:

Deu 7:6 - For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
Deu 26:15 - Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey."

Deu 33:29 - Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you,
a people saved by the LORD ? He is your shield and helper
and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you,
and you will trample down their high places.

2 Chron 6:5-6 - 'Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built for my Name to be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be the leader over my people Israel. But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.'

II Sam 7:23-24 - And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, O LORD, have become their God.



Now we move to New Testament and the example of Thomas. Here is something at the same time astonishing and very revealing:

Here we have Thomas, who is, ironically, one of the first people to be evangelized, and told of the risen Savior, and he does not believe based upon their testimony; however, here we see him setting the criteria by which he would believe and have faith in the risen Savior. Clearly, he is in charge of what he will put his faith into, and what will make him a convert.

John 20:25:
25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

It cannot be argued that Thomas was able to name the time and circumstances by which God was going to instill into him belief and faith in the resurrected Christ. Thomas was unwilling to believe unless he physically saw Jesus, for which Jesus was obliging;

John 20:27
27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” 28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

However, knowing how Jesus felt about a generation always asking for a sign to invoke faith, we think upon his proclamation as to “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Jesus here is declaring how blessed are those that are able to have faith in him without directly seeing him; this is a function of choosing faith, not having faith installed into one; for what would matter the mechanics of faith if it was a function of it being placed into someone, as opposed to one who chooses to believe without seeing?

In any case, as with Thomas, we clearly see that he is in charge of what he believes, and how he comes to believe it, as opposed to being compelled by some Supernatural means.

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