Free will discussion

This is a message I sent to a girl from myspace who I'm discussing soteriology with. I thought it might be something my family would find interesting (or blasphemous). I post this one because I think it shows clearly the difference in reformed theology (or at least mine) and typical evangelical theology and why I have rejected it. Apologies for all the grammatical errors. These things take me forever to write even with the errors. Anyway,



After reading this I think I again come across as angry. Again, I am not. Try to hear my point rather than my tone. This is just the way I write.

I think the "free will" that we as humans have is not totally free because of the fall. When Adam sinned, it enslaved his will to sin, and he could no longer choose to please God. He had free will, but only to do evil. Man by himself is spiritually dead and cannot choose God until God first chooses him and makes him alive. Then man's will is free to choose God (which any person God makes alive always responds by then choosing God). The best example I know of is Jesus and Lazarus. Lazarus was dead (physically, but I think the analogy is to the spiritual realm). He could not respond until Jesus said, "Lazarus, come forth." There is life giving and creative power in God/Jesus' commands. If you look at it chronologically, Lazarus is dead, Jesus calls him, makes him alive and then the last thing is Lazarus responds by coming forth. When viewing my own salvation, I was dead in sin unable to do anything to please God (though this does not mean I was as bad as I could have been or that there was no appearance of good, my heart did not have God enthroned and thus any good works were not true good works. Without faith it is impossible to please God.) God, not because of anything he saw in me (nor because of any choice he saw I would make for Him) came in and regenerated me and gave me life. Then I, just like Lazarus, responded by having faith and repentance and accepting Christ. So it's not that I'm any better than anyone else, God chose to display His grace to me because He is God and can show His grace to who He wants to. Now as a Christian, God has freed my will, and I can please Him, though even my good deeds are because Him (for it is He who works in us both to will and to do according to His good pleasure Philippians 2:13) All of those issues you mentioned (she mentioned several issues that appear as "setbacks" or "unfortunate" events in the history of God's people) I think were and are part of God's plan to glorify Himself. I think that is one of the most important discoveries God showed me in coming to a reformed understanding. God is most concerned with His glory. He could have made everyone go to Heaven and there be no Hell, but this would not have most glorified Him. In fact I think that everything that has, is and will happen is exactly what God wants. I really believe that with all the sin, the world is perfect. Not according to my view, but according to God's view. This is pretty heady stuff, and a lot of people aren't ready to hear and believe that God is actually God. They want to use the term God but strip it of it's meaning. By calling God, God, it is acknowledging that He can do whatever He wants. He is the standard. Most people want God to be like we are, but He's not. He's so much infinitely above us. To limit Him in any way is to deny He is God. That is why I disagree with the typical view of free will. Free will, if defined as man's ability to act outside of the determination of God, I totally disagree with. If I were to concede this one point then I must admit God is not God, Christianity is a farce, I am still in my sin and have no hope. Either that or my conscious lies to me and really there is no guilt and this life truly is all there is. Either way we should eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.

Warning, this one's long.

Well, I am in Jackson, WY right now, right outside of the Grand Teton NP (which I purposely have not been in yet since I'm still unable to take pictures). I went to Jackson Hole Community Bible Church this morning and had an enjoyable worship service. Again very different from RBC Nashville, but I believe sincere believers trying to serve the Lord. The main thrust of the message was that we as Christians are the legacy of Christ (legacy being understood as the influence one leaves here on earth after death). Though a simple lesson, it is profound, and one I am in need of being reminded of. It is amazing how many simple (or not so simple), truths of the gospel I have forgotten. Sundays and the preaching of the word are such a blessing if for no other reason than to be reminded that God is there, He is not silent, and there is a way we must therefore live. I look forward to spending the next several weeks visiting here as I enjoy the fishing, photography and hiking opportunities in the Tetons.

Last night I parked in a church parking lot, and laid out my mat and sleeping bag in there lawn. It was a fairly dark area, and I anticipated a nice night's sleep. It is already a bit chilly here at night (I'm in northwestern WY and at 6234' elevation), so I sleep in pants, a T shirt, long sleeve shirt and wool socks, with my lower body also wrapped in a fleece blanket, all inside my mummy bag zipped completely up. Oh and a wool neck warmer around my head and ears. While I definitely don't get hot, this does keep me from getting more than slightly chilly (This has always been my problem with camping out, when I go to sleep and my metabolism and heart rate slow down, I get really cold, especially my feet. I'm fairly lean body fat wise right now as well, so there's not much insulation). Last night however, after being asleep I don't know how long, I felt raindrops on the small bit of my face that was exposed. This of course woke me up, but only lasted a couple of seconds. Still kind of groggy, I began to contemplate getting up, but as it only sprinkled, I thought perhaps it was over. Again though, the sprinkles came, whetted my face, and left again after only a couple seconds. Finally starting to wake up, I gazed at the sky, which was quite clear. I assumed that must have been it. But again, the same thing happened. Again I looked at the sky and realized this time that the sky was not quite clear but completely clear. With as many stars as I could see there was no way there was a single cloud up there. In realizing all this, I again got sprinkled on. All total I don't know how many times I got sprinkled on before I realized it was the sprinkler system, but it was more than one should need. I'm hoping that it was the sleepiness, and I'm not as stupid as this makes me sound. Finally I did move, but was already a bit wet and my bag, so the rest of the night wasn't as nice as I'd hoped. Which is what I'm blaming my yawns in the sermon on this morning.

For the several days prior to yesterday, I'd been in Rock Springs, WY. Don't go there. It's a pretty boring place. I'd driven there from the cool little town of Saratoga (which is over 100 miles away) trying to get cell service (which I didn't until I reached Jackson). I had to stay there waiting on a package (which still hasn't arrived). I spent a miserable night in my car at a Walmart parking lot (just too bright to sleep) and a better one camped out in the desert at the end of some road. But even here I was kind of worried that my car was going to get towed, or I was going to get run over by an ATV. I'm a little bit excited about going back to Rock Springs to pick up the package, though. I'm thinking about trying to hitchhike there and back to save gas money. I've never hitchhiked but always thought it would be fun (Whenever I do decide to visit Nashville I may try and do it by hitchhiking). I may drive though, because on the way to Jackson, I stopped at Pinedale and visited a flyshop. There I met Leal, a gentleman in his seventies, and we talked for well over an hour, maybe two. There is apparently some great fly fishing there, and the Wind River Mountain Range sounds pretty amazing. So we'll see.

Prior to all this I spent a night in Medicine Bow National Forest. This is along scenic Highway 130 from Laramie to Saratoga. I was going to stay here for several days, but my first night I was in a pretty awesome hail storm at above 11,000'. Lots of lightning as well. This was cool as I was in sleeping in my car and not camping out, but the next morning when I'd planned on hiking to some mountains lakes, it again did it. If it had cleared up I still would have went, but the cloud coverage coupled with being alone in bear country in a place I'd never been without cell phone service persuaded me to only stay the one night.

Prior to this I spent the better part of a day at the University of WY in Laramie, but didn't sleep there. Instead I'd slept about 30 miles south along Hwy 287. I think I saw a wolf on the side of road there as well. That night I'd driven as far as I could before getting tired and then pulled on what I thought would be a rarely traveled dirt road. Because there were ditches on the sides of the road, I just pulled to the side, laid out my mat and sleeping bag and slept on the road, thinking no cars would come before I was up and gone around 5-5:30. Again, my assumptions were wrong and sometime, probably around 2-3 am, I was startled awake by a growing noise. At last, and after growing quite loud, a semi came barreling down the dirt road at what must have been 50+ mph not much more than 5 feet from me wrapped in my sleeping bag in the road. Knowing that a car coming was a possibility, I'd slept in front of my own car, so the odds of getting run over were small. I couldn't help but think how ironic if a car hit my car thereby causing my own car to run over me. I thought of this couldn't help but hold my breath each time I heard a car coming (which ended up being about 5 before I finally got up at 5:30).

Prior to this I was again staying with my friend, Matt. On my last night I was able to meet some Catholic missionaries (missionaries to students at Colorado University in Boulder, not international missionaries). There were 3 guys, 3 girls, all in there twenties plus a couple more people and two priest, Kevin and Pete. All were very impressive young people, and Kevin is a really knowledgeable guy.

Prior to this (this is the last one), I spent several days with the Fightmasters (And while I do like the name Walters, you have to admit Fightmaster is pretty cool. Some ancestor of theirs must have been a total BA). They're a family from the L2 church I'd been visiting. I ended spending several days with them and am actually sending them postcards of my travels. There youngest, Alex, is probably the biggest snake feen I've ever met. (Feen by the way is not a word, but a corruption of 'fiend', but I think it should be a word.) We did a bit of snake hunting with no luck, but we did catch a bunny. The first thing you see when you go in their garage is about 5 rattles from rattlesnakes they've killed in their yard, so you know they're there. Anyway, I had a great time. It's so enjoyable to be so openly received into someone's home and get to become a small part of their lives and have them become a part of yours.

Okay, that's it. Love and miss you family.

Leaving Denver

Just a quick update to let everyone know I'm leaving Denver and heading to Laramie, WY. I'll post a recap of the last week in Denver when I get the chance.

Seth