In our society, Free Will is considered almost sacred. People get very angry suggesting that we are not in some way control of our destiny. Our society tells the poor that if they choose to have more and work harder they can raise their station in life. But if you know the challenges of living in our society you know that there is more to life than just your own choices. We put the responsibility for the well-being and opportunities and outcomes of people's lifes on people. I think it is for society to avoid accountability to leave behind people instead of helping everyone thrive and share in the wealth of America. So here is the question: What does scripture say about how your Free Will affects your fate in life? As a Christian, I want to make a distinction between salvation and living life when discussing Free Will. First I will discuss our Free Will in salvation and in living life. "Free Will" is not specifically in the Bible but throughout the Bible but there is a lot about the will of God and the will of individual people. Face it. More times than not your will or my will runs counter to God's Will. When this inevetiability occurs, whose will wins out? Yours? Ours? God's? Obviously, God's will overshadows and shapes reality. We want this. This is best. How could God's will not be best for you? If someone does not like me or hate me, why would I want their will to shape my reality rather than God? I want God's will to shape my life because he knows what is best for me. Let's look at multiple passages to see how scripture handles "will".
In Hebrew, the word "will" conveys the idea of "choosing" or making a "decision" is "חָפֵץ" (chaphets). You can see this word (Strong's 2654) used in Ezekiel 18:23. The NIV renders חָפֵץ as "taking pleasure"
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
However the Douay-Rheims Bible translates the verse, thusly:
Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live?
The verse is God talking through the prophet Ezekiel telling us that God is not happy when people are destroyed in their sins. Does God want or desire or choose to destroy sinners instead of them repenting? This verse tells us that is not what God likes to do. This Hebrew word conveys emotion and desire not just choice.
Here is a Greek example. In Biblical Greek, there are two words "θέλημα"(thelēma) and "βουλή" (boulē) that get tranlated into "desire", "want", or "purpose" throughout the English translation of the New Testament. The Bible does not tweet the two words as interchangeable. It is interesting to see how it is used. Let's look at four examples. "θέλημα" (Strong's number 2307) is in the following passages as "will" in the NIV:
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12,13
Each of the passages above translates "[βουλή]" as "will" but in John 1:13 the word "θέλημα" is used twice as "human decision" or "human desire" in its first appearance in the verse and "will" in the second. So what of "βουλή" (Strong Number 1012)? Let us look at a couple of examples.
This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan[βουλή] and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. Acts 2:23
50Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51who had not consented to their decision[βουλή] and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. Luke 23:50,51
In both cases, βουλή is carrying out the idea of a plan or decision. Yet βουλή and θέλημα are not interchangeable. I wanted a concise distinction. I prompted Microsoft Copilot about the distinction so now I get:
Great question! In Greek, both **"θέλημα" (thelēma)** and **"βουλή" (boulē)** relate to the concept of will, but they have distinct nuances:
**θέλημα (thelēma)**:
- This word generally means "will," "desire," or "purpose."
- It often emphasizes a personal or intentional desire, sometimes divine will.
- Example: **Matthew 6:10** - "Thy kingdom come, Thy will (thelēma) be done on earth as it is in heaven."
**βουλή (boulē)**:
- This term usually means "counsel," "plan," or "intention."
- It can refer to a more deliberate, considered decision or plan, often used in the context of divine or human counsel.
- Example: **Acts 2:23** - "Him, being delivered by the determined counsel (boulē) and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."
In summary, **"thelēma"** tends to denote a will or desire, while **"boulē"** implies a planned, thoughtful decision or counsel. These distinctions help us understand the depth of intent and purpose in biblical contexts.
So why does this matter? It comes down to salvation. Does God desire and purpose to save us or does God have just a plan and an intention to save us. If it is just a plan and not concrete extension of his will it would change the interpretation of many scriptures. Here are two more examples:
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting[βουλή] anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
I think the distinction matters in this verse. Does God thoughtfully decides for people to perish? Or does God not desire for people to perish? In this case βουλή is in this verse. God is not telling us that he is not happy and not desiring sinners to die in their sins. If Peter had used "θέλημα" would we need to change the way the verse should be translated into English? I think so. θέλημα brings with it a more hands-on drive to bring what is desired into place. What I am getting at if God does not want something liked people perishing in their sin,why does it still happen? If Peter have used "θέλημα", I think Peter would not be allowing space for the fact that people will perish but it is not the fault of God's.
Now that I have defined the terms we are using in the discusion in the previous post here, I want to look at how these terms are used in English Bible translations. I will do this looking at how many times the word is used in the New American Standard and King James Version translations, what Greek and Hebrew words were the words translated from, give the Strong's number, and the definition of the source words from lexicons. My goal is also to make mention of any textual variants.
Responsibility: shows up 418 times in the KJV Bible. Here is a link to all of them. Hebrew is very different than English. I am having the a problem finding a Hebrew word equivalent to the English word "responsibility". Multiple words from Hebrew was translated to "responsibility". The Hebrew word שָׁמַר ("shamar") has Strong's number 8104. It is used in the Hebrew Bible 462 times. This means the word has a broad number of translations. I can tell that the meaning at times can be used to convey "responsibility" such as in Numbers 3:28. Strong's Concordance has:
A primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. Guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc. -- beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).
As for Greek, the word "responsibility" is not used in the New Testament in either the KJV or New American Standard translations but the idea and the command to be a responsible human being, as I have defined it, is throughout the Bible. I never realized that until I actually looked. I thought that of course the Bible would have the word "responsibility" all over it. But the Bible does not teach that we are responsible for our salvation. Jesus takes responsibility for our salvation. I used Microsoft Copilot to see if there are any Greek or Hebrew words for "Responsibility" althought they are not in scripture.
Hebrew:
The term "אחריות" (Echriut) is used to convey responsibility. It emphasizes the idea of being answerable for one's actions.
Biblical Greek:
The word "εὐθύνη" (euthynē) can be used to denote responsibility, implying accountability and being held accountable for one's actions.
Accountability: Amazingly this word is not used in the Bible. Not that Biblical Hebrew and Greek do not have equivalent words but they do not appear in the Bible. I used Microsoft Copilot to try to find the equivalent word in Greek and Hebrew.
In Hebrew, the word for "accountability" is "אחריות" (Echriut). It conveys the idea of responsibility and being answerable for one's actions.
In Biblical Greek, the term often used is "ἀπολογία" (Apologia), which means "defense" or "vindication." However, in a broader sense, it can also imply being accountable or giving an account of one's actions.
Strangely, Hebrew use the same word for "responsibility" and "accountability".
Ability: There are Greek and Hebrew equivalent words for "Strength" or "Ability". I found this from Microsoft Copilot
Hebrew:
The word "כֹּחַ" (koach) means "strength" or "ability." It is often used to describe physical strength or power but can also refer to other types of abilities.
Exodus 15:6: "Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy."
Greek:
The term "δύναμις" (dynamis) translates to "power" or "ability." It is used in the New Testament to describe both physical and spiritual abilities.
Acts 1:8: "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Predestination: This idea is in the Old Testament but not an equivalent Hebrew word. But in the New Testament does have an equivalent word.
Hebrew:
While the specific term "predestination" is not used in the Old Testament, the concept can be seen in the understanding of God's sovereign plans. The Hebrew word "גָּזַר" (gazar) means "to decide" or "to decree," reflecting God's determined purposes.
Greek:
The Greek term "προορίζω" (proorizo) translates directly to "predestine" or "predetermine." This word appears in the New Testament and is associated with the divine determination of events and outcomes.
Biblical References:
Romans 8:29-30 (Greek: προορίζω - proorizo):
"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."
Ephesians 1:5 (Greek: προορίζω - proorizo):
"He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will."
Ephesians 1:11 (Greek: προορίζω - proorizo):
"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will."
Destiny: The concept of Destiny and Purpose is found in Scripture. I found the following in Microsoft Copilot.
Hebrew:
The word "גּוֹרָל" (goral) means "lot" or "fate," and is used in contexts that imply destiny or divine determination.
Proverbs 16:33: "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord."
Greek:
The term "πρόθεσις" (prothesis) means "purpose" or "plan," often used to describe God's predetermined plans for individuals or nations.
Ephesians 1:11: "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will."
These terms reflect the biblical understanding of destiny as something that is shaped by divine will and purpose.
Providence: Both Hebrew and Greek makes a difference between "providence" and "destiny" because they have different equivalent words. Following I got Microsoft Copilot
Hebrew:
The term "השגחה" (hashgachah) refers to "providence" and specifically divine guidance or oversight. It signifies God's active involvement in the world.
This concept is evident in stories like Joseph’s, where God's providence is seen in his rise to power in Egypt (Genesis 45:5-8).
Greek:
The word "πρόνοια" (pronoia) means "forethought" or "providence." It signifies God's foresight and care.
A related concept can be found in Romans 8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
These terms and their biblical contexts reflect the understanding of divine providence as God's continuous involvement and care in the unfolding of human history and individual lives.
Free Will: The concept of "free will" is expressible in Hebrew and Greek. I found the following from Microsoft Copilot.
Hebrew:
The concept of "free will" can be expressed using "רצון חופשי" (ratzon chofshi), which means "free desire" or "free will."
Deuteronomy 30:19 - "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." This verse emphasizes the ability to choose, reflecting the concept of free will.
Greek:
In Greek, the phrase "ἐλευθέρα βουλή" (eleuthera boule) can be used to convey the idea of "free will."
Galatians 5:13 - "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." This verse talks about the freedom to choose how to use one's liberty, aligning with the concept of free will.
These passages highlight the biblical basis for the concept of free will, emphasizing the importance of human choice and the responsibility that comes with it.
Choice: The concept of "choice" is very present in Hebrew and Greek. I found the following from Microsoft Copilot.
Hebrew:
The word "בְּחִירָה" (bechirah) translates to "choice" or "selection."
Deuteronomy 30:19: "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." This verse emphasizes the ability to make choices, a central theme in the Bible.
Greek:
The term "ἐκλογή" (eklogē) means "choice" or "selection," often used in the context of God's choosing or election.
Ephesians 1:4: "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love."
These words and their contexts illustrate the importance of choice in the biblical narrative, reflecting both human decision-making and divine election.
Philosophy: The term is found in the New Testament. In Hebrew, there is no cultural tradition but there is a love and exaltation of Wisdom. And "philosophy" literally means "love of wisdom". I got the following from Microsoft Copilot:
Hebrew:
The concept of "philosophy" isn't explicitly present in the Old Testament. However, the pursuit of wisdom, which can be considered a form of ancient philosophy, is a recurring theme. The Hebrew word for wisdom is "חָכְמָה" (chokmah).
Proverbs 4:7: "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding."
Greek:
The term for "philosophy" in Greek is "φιλοσοφία" (philosophia), which literally means "love of wisdom." This term does appear in the New Testament.
Colossians 2:8: "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."
The concept of philosophy in the New Testament is generally presented with caution, emphasizing the importance of aligning one’s beliefs with the teachings of Christ rather than human traditions or deceptive philosophies.
There is such thing as Christ-Centered philosophy. I will write a post about the difference in an upcoming post.
Person: The concept of "personhood" is present in both Hebrew and Greek. I found the following from Microsoft Copilot.
Hebrew:
The word "אָדָם" (adam) is used to refer to a person or human being. It appears numerous times throughout the Old Testament.
Genesis 1:27: "So God created man (adam) in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them."
Greek:
The term "ἄνθρωπος" (anthrōpos) is commonly used in the New Testament to mean "person" or "human being."
Matthew 19:26: "But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men (anthrōpos) this is impossible; but with God all things are possible
Being: In Hebrew and Greek, "being" and "existence" is a concept that also permeates the scriptures.
Hebrew:
The word "נֶפֶשׁ" (nephesh) is often translated as "soul" or "being," indicating the essence of life or a living being.
Genesis 2:7: "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (nephesh)."
Greek:
The term "οὐσία" (ousia) refers to "substance" or "being," often used in philosophical contexts but can also denote essence or existence.
While "ousia" itself is more philosophical, the concept of being is expressed through terms like "ψυχή" (psyche), which means "soul" or "life."
Acts 17:28: "For in him we live, and move, and have our being (ousia); as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."
These words and passages illustrate the biblical understanding of existence and being, capturing the essence of life and the nature of human beings in relation to God.
Identity: The modern concept of "identity" is NOT in scripture. In the Hebrew and Greek language, does have a concept but it is grounded in God.
Hebrew:
The word "שֵם" (shem), meaning "name," can often convey identity, as names were deeply significant and tied to one's character and destiny.
Isaiah 43:1: "But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."
Greek:
The term "ὄνομα" (onoma) also means "name" and is used in the New Testament to denote identity.
Revelation 3:12: "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."
While these terms might not translate directly to "identity" in the modern sense, they reflect how identity was understood in biblical times—often tied to one's name, heritage, and relationship with God.
Another good example is how the Scripture illustrates identity is how God changes the names of the patriarchs from "Abram" to "Abraham"; from "Jacob" to "Israel"; from "Sarai" to "Sarah". In all of these examples their names were changed when God radically changed their lives and redirected what they thought their destinies would be. Jacob name's mean "trickster" but when God brought him into his role as the next steward of the promise made to his grandfather Abraham, God marked the change in Jacob's life and purpose - his very identity - by changing Jacob's name to "Israel".
Before beginning any discussion it helps to define the terms we are using in the discusion. Following, I will list the terms and definition I am using in this series. This will probably be a living post - meaning I will be adding to it over time as needed and I intend to use this post as a reference for all subsquent posts.
Responsibility: an online dictionary defines this word as follows: "the state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of having control over someone" or something and ensuring that it is taking are of. What this means is that you cannot be responsible to something or someone. But one can only be responsible for someone or something. I have heard people like Dr Leighton Flowers often define "responsible" means "able to respond" but note the definition. The word is decribing the relation between the one who is responsible and the object of that responsibility. It has nothing to do the one's ability to respond to the the duty or obligation. On top of that according to English, one cannot be responsible for that which one has no control over. The reason why I think this needs to be clearly defined because one of the questions that I will address in this series is: Am I responsible for my life circumstances? If you take this definition given, you have to accept that you are responsible for things in your life for which you had control of. Each and everyone of us can point to such things for which we made conscious decisions. As for the other things, I will save those for later. Here is one that will really mess up your noodle: Am I responsible for my sins?
"Accountability is a noun that describes accepting responsibility, and it can be personal or very public. A government has accountability for decisions and laws affecting its citizens; an individual has accountability for acts and behaviors. Sometimes, though, taking accountability means admitting you made a mistake. Punishment may result, but accountability shows ownership and a willingness to admit mistakes."
This is why I think "Reponsibility" and "Accountability" are often conflated and used interchangeably because you cannot be accountable for what you are not responsible. In other words I am only accountable for which I am responsible because I am in control of what I am responsible. Word salad? Maybe. But now try applying the distinction to the questions I am exploring in this series. One may ask for example: "Who is to blame for the sh*tshow my life has become?" Well depending on the your definition of "Responsible" and "Accoutable" you might answer this question differently.
Ability: the Cambridge Dictionary defines "Ability" as "the power or skillneeded to do something, or the fact that someone is able to do something". The reason why this concept comes up is because in order to talk about the subjects I want to cover in this series we must ask questions like "Am I accountable for something if I do not have the ability to control or actuate that something?"
Bible: When I refer to the collection of books - multiple genres of literature - written over 1500 years, on 3 continents, and over 40 authors who could not know one another - all telling one cohesive story about God's plan and record on redeeming humanity from sin and death so that we can have personal and intimate relationship with our creator, God. It is the Word of God and divinely inspired by God. I am referring to the Greek and Hebrew autographs as being inspired - not the translations. Therefore I use muliple translations and word studies to try to understand the Bible more fully. When ever I quote a Bible verse in this series I will also include a link to the translation. Also a word about canonicity. One would ask me which list of ancient works am I considering sacred scripture? Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Ethiopic? Personally, I grew up and live in the Protestant tradition and all the other canons include the same cannon as the Protestant canon. Therefore you will see most of my Bible quoting will be from the Protestant canon but I may use the Ethiopic canonical books of Enoch, Jubilees, and Jashur as well because these books are referred to in the Protestant canon,
God: Make no mistake when I use the term "God" I am referring to the supreme triune being in Christian tradition. The One who Is. "Theos" in Greek. "Allah" in Arabic. "Yaweh" in Hebrew. God created all things that exists but God is not created nor has there ever been a time or will be a time that God is not. If there is a multiverse, God created that as well. God is One in being, three in person. I affirm the doctrine of the Trinity. God is the Father, and the Son - Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit; each have personhood, co-equal and co-eternal. The Father is not the Son. The Father is not The Holy Spirit. Jesus is not the Father. Jesus is not the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not the Father. The Holy Spirit is not Jesus. And the is only one God.
Predestination: Cambridge dictionary gives the following definition: "the belief that people have no control over events because these things are controlled by God or by fate" I trust that is obvious that this belief would play a role in how one views their life Responsibilities and Accountabilites. I mean how can you be accountable for your mistakes and sins if you have no control over what happens to you? Well, I will get into things like that in the future. But for me "predestination" is more than just referring to just events and actions but would also have an effect on who a person ultimately becomes. Also it carries more than just the idea of "control" but also choice(s). What choices have you made? Which choices have been made for you? When were those choices made?
Destiny: the Cambridge Dictionary defines as "the force that some peoplethinkcontrols what happens in the future, and is outsidehumancontrol". Does this definition work for our discussion? I have to be careful here because I have often conflated "destiny" with "purpose" and they are not always interchangeable. For the cause of this series I want to distinguish between the two. I will use "Destiny" as defined here. I think it has been driven by Greek philosophy which held that fate was outside the gods' and human control. In the history of Western Civilization, the idea of fate was replaced with the Judeo-Christian God and until the post-modern age the idea of God's "providence" was the dominiant philosophy. I will get to "providence" later. But for the questions are "Is Destiny Biblical?" and "What is this force controlling everything and for what?"
Purpose: the Cambridge Dictionary define as "why you do something or why something exists". I like that. People discuss it today by referring to "Your 'why'?" It is existenial question that I believe must be pondered by a rational being. "Who am I? Why am I here?" These are important questions dealing with the ideas I am trying to explore in this series. I think that every member of humanity should have such an existential crisis at some point in life. If you never figure out your "why" - your purpose - what is the point? Can you define your own purpose given that you did not make you? How do you understand your responsibilities or accountabilities if you do not know what your purpose is?
Providence: the Cambridge Dictionary defines as "an influence that is not human in origin and is thought to control people's lives". The definitiion has changed over time. When Judeo-Christianity dominated Western Civilization providence was God-centered. I do not think our culture today uses "providence" in modern vernacular often. But in this series we must distinguish between "purpose" and "destiny".
Theodicy: a theological term that is used to describe arguments and explanations of how God is or is not responsible for undeserved evil things happening to people.
Free Will: in this series "Free Will" means the "libertarian" version from philosophy. I am refering to the ability to choose between multiple options with no input affecting the decision outside of the one making the decision. Does God say in Scripture that we have this as a quality of being in the image of God?
Choice: Illusion or not, people can make a selection out of multiple options. We call it "making a choice" and for a human being it selecting an option and rejecting other possible options. This is where free will comes to play. Are the choices you make in life decided on your own without being influenced or pushed to it or pulled from it? If you made those decisions on your own, should you be held accountable?
History: the study of the events and patterns that have happens all over the world to people through time.
Transliteration: is translating a word from one language to another by using the corresponding letter of the alphabet in the target language. It comes in handy when two languages have corresponding letters and the word does not exist in the target language.
Translation: is recreating a written document from one language to another so people who read the new document will understand what was written in the source document. A thought-for-thought translation intends to convey meaning and may substitute or add words. A word-for-word translation conveys meaning by translating every word. I use both kinds of translation in my study of the Bible.
Gospel: I will be using "Gospel" two ways. In one way Gospel is the description to the four canonical books of the New Testament - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These four books are in the genre of ancient biographies and are 4 perspectives on the life, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus the Christ. The other way I will be using the word "Gospel" is to refer to the totality of the four books. The word "Gospel" means "Good News" and there is no better news than Jesus Christ and him crucified for our trangressions and raised to life for our justification.
Jesus: the second person of the Trinity incarnated as Jesus of Nazareth. He is the promised Messiah humanity was waiting for and came to us as a baby in Bethlehem. He was promised throughout the Old Testament and revealed in the New Testament. Throughout his 33 years on earth he lived the life we cannot live - holy and blameless. He presented himself as a willing and perfect sacrifice for all of our sins of past, present, and future. Three days after his torture on the cross, he walked out that tomb with all power in his hands.
So definitely all humans are persons. And only persons can have responsibilities and be accountable to someone or something.
Being: In Merriam-Webster the word "Being" is defined as "The quality or state of having existence; or a thought or concept capable of coming into existence." Today, we usually think of people having being. But over the millinia, the scope of what constitutes being has narrowed and narrowed. I think it has narrowed as people have begun to think of humanity being less and less unique and special in creation. Back in the fourth century, "being" referred to anything that exists. A rock could have being. And then only living things had being. And now, just people. But this is the fundamental mistake about Trinitarian doctrine: conflating "being" and "person" as being the same with no distinction. Judism does it. Islam does it. Jehovah Witnesses do it. Oneness Pentecostals as well make the mistake thinking that 3 persons has to mean the same as 3 beings. We got to be more careful than that. So do we make choices from our being or from our person?
Identity: As a concept, "Identity" is defined in psychology as:
Identity encompasses the memories, experiences, relationships, and values that create one’s sense of self. This amalgamation creates a steady sense of who one is over time, even as new facets are developed and incorporated into one's identity.
This is a hot-button topic today because can one choose whatever Identity they want. Does that choice obligate one to assume responsibilities? Does that mean one is accountable to others who share that Identity? What does Scripture say?
Please comment and if you have any other questions you think should be explored in a series like this one, please suggest it.
Have you been pondering what I have been pondering? If someone does something negative to you, say scam you out of money, is it their fault or yours for allowing yourself to be scammed? Today, I begin a series of blog posts exploring that very point. This can be extended out to any situation. Are you at fault for the circumstances of your life or is it because of the choices of others more than your own? Who is accountable? Who is responsibile? Does it even matter? Where is God in all of this? In the course of kicking around these ideas a lot of topics will come up. Things like Predestination, Destiny, Purpose, Theodicy, Free Will, and choice will come up with History, Philosophy, and Theology in the backdrop. If you want to explore such things please follow my blog and comment. My goal will to use The Bible, movies, Philosophy, History, and whatever else I can to discuss answers to these and other questions that will tangentially come about. Thanks for riding this ride with me.
I just can't agree with Leighton Flower's idea that human inability to be sinless means that we are not responsible for our sins but makes God responsible. This is why he says he rejects Calvinism. The problem is that scripture does not teach that God pre-ordains our sins. Dr Flowers is right about that but I do not think that Calvinists like James White and John McArthur are saying or implying what Flowers says they are.
God clearly does not ordain our sins or causes us to sin or pushes us to do or be evil.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
- James 1: 13-15
However God does ordain our good and righteous deeds. You cannot prepare something without also ordaining it as well.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Ephesians 2: 8 - 10
We can argue and debate about the origin of evil, but one thing that is completely beyond question: God is not the source of our evil or our sins.
