Freewill

Introduction

I was listening to the song "Man Of La Mancha" while writing February's blog.  I liked the cover I created for Matthew's 6th CD that was inspired by the song and used it for the blog.  The lyrics contain a paradox about how much control we have over our futures.

 

I am I, Don Quixote,

The Lord of la Mancha,

My destiny calls and I go,

And the wild winds of fortune

Will carry me onward,

Oh whithersoever they blow!

 

The song includes lines about both destiny and fortune.  So, it makes you wonder just what has more control over Don Quixote's future.  Is it destiny calling him?  Or is it the winds of fortune driving him?  Perhaps, it is both.  Perhaps, it is really him making the choice, and he is just looking for something to blame should the choice go badly.

I can relate to that thought.  I am a creature of habit.  I do not like making choices.  It may stem from my perfectionist nature;  the thought of making the wrong choice can be paralyzing.  I would often rather do nothing than make a mistake.  The Canadian band, Rush, touched on this topic in a song called "Freewill."  They describe the mindset of people with the winds of fortune blowing squarely in their face:

There are those who think that they were dealt a losing hand.

The cards were stacked against them; they weren't born in Lotus Land

All preordained, a prisoner in chains, a victim of venomous fate,

Kicked in the face, you can pray for a place, in heaven's unearthly estate.

When I come to a fork in the road, I prefer to use the fork to eat pizza.

In fact, the last time I went out for pizza.  I came to a fork in the road.  What place to choose?

I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose Freewill

Borriello Brothers was the pizza place closest to the chess club.  I had eaten there many times and not had a problem.  Unfortunately, 6 months ago, fate was going to spew its venom at me.  The host at the counter chose my credit card to over-charge and try to steal my money.  Was this my destiny?  Was I just the one who was dealt the joker in this transaction?  How could I live with myself having made the wrong choice.

Freewill seems to have two stages:  the creation phase and the execution phase.  The soul is the domain of the creation phase.  The body is the domain of the execution phase.  This distinction reminds me of the different branches of government, where the laws are like the will of the country and the legislative branch creates the laws while the executive branch implements the laws.  

My soul longed for a place of safety, where I had been to before and had no problems.  So, my body passed my decision into action, and I went for pizza.  However, when I got the statement, I felt regret.  My heart was telling me that my mind made a bad choice.

The creation phase, being like the legislature, has two houses:  the heart and the mind.  These houses battle for control of the will.  I think of the heart as mob rule and more akin to the House Of Representatives.  On the other hand, the Senate seems to be more deliberative and governed by rules, which would be the home of the mind.

How could my deliberation and following the rules have let me down?  

Of course, when I think about our current government, I now realize the will doesn't always make good decisions.  The mind can be defective.  It could be plagued by mental illness.  The heart could have problems as well.  It could be consumed with hate or over-come with depression.

And even if my heart had wanted a different choice, what could I do now?  The choice was made.  How could make my heart happy again?

Maybe a review is where the judicial branch impacts the will?  

Perhaps, I can add a third stage:  the revision phase.  The review process will be housed in the spirit where the morals and conscience reside and will reconsider all actions created by the soul and put into effect by the body.

If my heart was troubled by the fact that my choice lead me to be a victim of theft, perhaps, some justice would remedy the bad feelings.  I decided that I would not let some host of holy horrors direct my aimless dance, but rather I will appeal my case to a ready guide in some celestial voice.  I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose Freewill (or more specifically Google):

I wrote my first Google review:

Borriello Brothers Review on Google

With 4 Justices deciding my review was helpful, I feel more at peace.  Perhaps, I am getting a better handle on freewill.  However, I think I will add another moral review before I make any more choices.

I had hoped to get another moral perspective from A Course In Miracles, which was clearly written by Helen Schucman.  I spent most of March listening to the book on Audible.  It also left my heart feeling regret.  It is the worst book I have ever read.  It made no sense.  Not only does it redefine miracles into some incomprehensible combination of oxymoronic words, it also denies the reality of evil, sin, and the crucifixion.  The course starts by summing up itself this way, "Nothing unreal exists."  Of course, this too is an oxymoron, as this course takes 38 hours to say absolutely nothing.

When I thought I had finally found something of practical value, I texted it to my son since he'd read the book twice.  I tried to channel the author and "Say only that!"  Eventually, he caught on and realized my text had nothing to say.

It is surely better to use only three words: “Do only that!” ⁵This simple statement is perfectly clear, easily understood and very easily remembered.

My favorite part of the audio was when I heard the words, "Audile hopes you've enjoyed this program."  With tears in my eyes and silence in my ears, I just texted my son, "It is finished!"

I think I will stick with the Bible.

Here are my top 12 verses on Freewill:

Jesus On Freewill

Matthew 12:50 King James Version

50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Mark 12:30 King James Version

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Luke 22:42 King James Version

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

John 7:16-17 King James Version

16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Freewill In The New Testament

Acts 17:24-27 King James Version

24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

Romans 9:15-17 King James Version

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

James 1:13-16 King James Version

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

1 Peter 2:15-16 King James Version

15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

Freewill In The Old Testament

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 King James Version

19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Ezra 7:11-13 King James Version

11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes to Israel.

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.

13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

Proverbs 16:9 King James Version

9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

Isaiah 65:12 King James Version

12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.

Conclusion Of The Whole Matter

Almost all of the occurrences of "freewill" are in reference to the specific type of offering in the Old Testament:  the freewill offering.  This type of offering was voluntary and differed from the compulsory offerings, like the tithe.  However, there was one use of the word "freewill" not associated with the offering in Ezra.  The people of Israel were given the choice to return to Jerusalem.  The other verses seem to indicate that while people have freewill, there is a time when God can and will take control.

For example, one of the New Testament verses makes a reference to Moses and Pharaoh.  While most of history does not need to be set in stone, the plagues of Egypt are a time when God needed a certain outcome to achieve his will.  It was interesting to me to think about the different approaches God used to deal with Moses and Pharaoh.  Moses is persuaded to go before Pharaoh rather than controlled.  However, Pharaoh has his heart hardened for God to accomplish his will.  I got the impression that Moses was more head-strong and more often used his mind to choose his will while Pharaoh was more heart-strong and more often used his heart to choose his will.  Since Moses was with God, Moses was allowed to use his own will.  Since Pharaoh was opposed to God, he had to be hardened.  So, those on the side of God will be given freedom to get their will in line with God's.

The verses from Jesus continue with the theme of surrendering your will to God's.  In the garden, Jesus' prayer is about his struggle to give up his own will.  Prayer is not the only tool to get your will more spiritually-aligned.  Putting Jesus' words into practice is another example given to become more spirit-led.  Of course, the most important teaching is to love the Lord.  This verse includes all four of the elements that relate to the will:  heart, soul, mind, and strength.

17 Bible results for “freewill” from King James Version.

• Old Testament (17)

2,908 Bible results for “will” from King James Version.

• Old Testament (2413)
• New Testament (495)

2 results for “freewill” from previous Solomon's Colonnade studies.

Scripture contributions for March 2022 by: Paul Anderson, Matthew Anderson