How Much Control Do We Actually Have?
What does the idea of “free will” meant to you? A popular belief is that we can determine if something will fulfill a personal need or not. Yet the Bible shows us that we do not have the control over our lives that we may think we have. I have written several papers that relate to “free will” or “free moral agency”. But just recently I heard a message that has prompted me to write another one on the subject. God’s Word does tell us that we were made in such a way that we will follow after futile or worthless ways. This time I would basically like to limit a response to that message to two of the most, in my opinion, revealing verses in the “word of God”. They both were used previously but I wrote a paper called “Single Verses Imbued With Great Importance” and I believe these two verses top the list. Before I speak of them I would like to say something else that is important. I find it so useful to use Biblical helps to get as full an understanding of a subject as possible. Strong’s Concordance, Thayer’s Greek Definitions (for the New Testament) and Brown-Driver-Briggs (for the old Testament) are helpful to try to establish a more accurate understanding of Biblical teachings. That especially goes for various questionable words that we may encounter.
The first verse, that I referenced, has with it three following verses that clearly give the context of this verses importance. They provide absolute proof of how our self-serving human nature and has been created. As I said in one of the papers; “There is a statement in the eighth chapter of Romans that is very hard for many, if not most people, to believe”. I guess this is part of the reason why I have written the other papers on the subject. We have to believe what the Word of God actually says no matter how it goes against the “worlds” thinking. The verse speaks of being “made subject to vanity”. This is how Strongs and Thayer’s define vanity in this verse; devoid of truth, perverseness, inutility and morally depraved. Is the lack of the following; patience, peace, meekness, and self-rule aspects of this use of vanity? I believe so. The fruit of God’s Spirit are diametrically opposed to the vanity used in this verse. For this most important verse and its following verses I will add comments.
Rom 8:20 For the creatureG2937 was made subject to vanityG3153, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
A more proper definition for G2937 is “creation”. There have been sermons that I have heard on the subject that teach that the word “creation” in Rom 8:20 means mountains and other aspects of the physical earth. Recently an article uses the “creation” of Rom 8:20 as meaning the universe. It is impossible to believe a mountain or the universe has a thinking process that would keep it from being subject to vanity. The term “in hope” is best translated as earnest “expectation” (to anticipate, usually with pleasure). This tells us God has a creation for which He has very good expectations.
Rom 8:21 Because the creatureG2937 itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
The word “because” places this verse in absolute context with the previous verse. Now then, it is impossible to think of a mountain becoming a glorious child of God by being delivered from a bondage of corruption. This bondage of corruption is, in fact, that the creation was made subject to vanityG3153 (inutility; figuratively transientness; morally depravity: – vanity.). Now the next verse.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creationG2937 groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Why is this “whole creation” groaning in pain. It is because they are experiencing the results of being “made subject to vanity”. A few verses earlier in chapter eight Paul says this.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
The “carnal mind” can not be subject to God because it is subject to vanity. Now the last verse.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Because we have been made subject to vanity, where vanity reflects the mind of Satan, we can understand why Paul states; “we ourselves groan within ourselves”. It is a life long struggle to overcome Satan’s efforts in our lives. Being a firstfruit does not exempt the firstfruit from this struggle. And we do look forward to the resurrection of the saints. Hopefully this explanation of these four verses have shown the truth contained in these verses. They give us Paul’s thinking on the subject.
Now for the second verse that I had previously spoken of.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
I used the larger font because of the awesome importance of this verse. Yes, we have been “made subject to vanity” but our God, being a God of mercy and righteousness, has told us that He will work with us to provide us the will to overcome our wretched condition. And along with that will, He also works with us so that we can “do of his good pleasure”. How awesome is that! In Rom 8:23 Paul showed us that this wretched condition is something that we will have to deal with the rest of our lives. But it is true that the creation, Adam & Eve and their descendants, can be delivered from the bondage of corruption that they were made subject to.
Is there any doubt that the firstfruit will “do of His good pleasure” through God’s will. Also, because of God’s will working in us we have understanding of the “mysteries” that the world can’t have access to. The New Testament is complete in regard to how we are to conduct our lives that will be pleasing to Him. We are given complete instructions and given God’s Holy Spirit to guide us in becoming a firstfruit of His creation. When God works in us to become a firstfruit it is quite obvious that we will have been required to do a personal work. A work that will “do of His good pleasure”. The following verses were used in the PREDESTINATION paper but I thought it would be good to also use the verses at this time.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Heb 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
The following verses are in reference to the FIRSTFRUIT.
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
