Today at work I ask two colleagues a question: do humans have absolute independent thought? Yes came the answer from both who were Christians of the SBC persuasion. I answered back no they don’t.
Both responded that man has free will and therefore must have independent thought. My belief is that only God can have independent thought. He knows the thoughts and intents of man’s heart. By virtue of creation he made us and gave us thoughts. “I know the thoughts I have for you.” There is nothing hid from Him! Satan and his angles do not have independent thought. The angles who serve god’s purposes do not have independent thought. All that was created is subordinated to God and have restricted thought. Humans don’t have independent thought and it is an attribute of sovereignty alone.
The logos of God is communicable independent thought. It is the council of the divine trinity whereby thought is communicated in a predetermined manner. All that exist was predetermined by this logos. Christ is the logos and the logos is God. Foreknowledge is the ability of God to see into the future what was determined from His past council. What was planed did not occur by foreknowledge but by determined independent thought. It was absolutely free without influence.
Man does not have this attribute neither is it shared with man by God. The Shema of Israel addresses this with regularity in the gathering of Israel for prayer. “Hear O Israel, “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God! The LORD is One!”
Man will assert and assault heaven and earth to defend his free will, saying “In order to love God man must have free will!” God is Love and all He determines is according to His own good pleasure. He puts the love in our hearts for Himself so that all things work together for good.
Free Will, Continued
Adam was born sinless but without free thought; that alone belongs to God. The reason I say ‘without free thought’ is that there was the test that was before Adam and Eve and free thought, determinate knowledge cannot be tested. It stands alone. Adam was like God but not equal to God. Adam was a created representative of God. All that God created he pronounced it good from the beginning with the exception of Adam and Eve. They never heard that pronouncement, “this is good!” As God’s special created representatives they would be tested and they would fail and a wonderful plan of divine intervention would take place to save mankind. This was designed from the beginning and not an after thought.
There is a mystery of iniquity here isn’t there? Fearfully I tread here but this needs to be said, God is not the author of sin. His determinate nature, logos, is Holy. There is no lie in Him. We cannot say where sin came from. Christ did say that Satan was a murderer from the beginning, and lived not in truth. Satan lies because he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44
Satan was the source of man’s test. He had a bent toward destruction and a desire to kill Adam and Eve. Satan served a purpose and did not have determinate thought, logos, else he would have been equal to God. He usurped authority and became the god of this earth, the prince of the powers of the
Free Will, Continued Even More
The temptation of Christ was an attempt to cause him to act as a representative of God from his dependent thought. He was tempted to act independently of the Father. To surrender to this would make Christ another god like Satan himself. The argument given by Satan to Eve was quick and obvious, she should have known to resist this temptation. This temptation of Christ was perhaps lengthy with confusing principles few if any humans could understand. All this under duress.
Christ had not the benefit of counsel through the temptation only the mastery of the Word of God faithfully given through Jewish law; parents, friends, family and synagogue teaching. Dialogue with temple officials formed his understanding. The Holy Spirit was his constant companion through all this insuring he understood the truth.
Many evangelicals today sadly do not understand Satan’s offer to Christ. He had to maintain his divinity as an incarnate son of man. He had to be both priest and sacrifice in order to accomplish redemption and that entailed being both God and man. The Word of God taught to the simplest individual was sufficient to combat the devices of Satan. Christ had to live by the Word of God, not tempt God, worship only Him and be His exclusive servant. He passed the test! Heavenly host were watching to see that he would succeed and angels came to minister to His needs.
Many religious leaders would try to tempt him during His three years of ministry. He had to have a clear understanding of who He was. He was not a god independent of the Father, that would make him a representative of God, acting independently. He was God equal to the Father, and not subordinate to Him. As man he surrendered this status to be subordinate to the Father and act dependently on the Father. From the cradle to the grave He was one of us, God the Son humbly obedient to God the Father. He as God died for the sins of the world. From the grave to the throne He sits exalted at the Father’s right hand exalted as God and redeeming lamb and priest.
There is a connection to us asserting our free will and frustrating the divinity of Christ. Satan is the author of this confusion. The assertion of free will is a serious violation of Scripture, one which Christ avoided on earth! It is the most common failure of men to violate this. Anyone, even the simplest and humblest of men can comprehend this as demonstrated by Christ, himself. As Christ said to the religious leaders, “I tell you the truth and you believe me not.” This is the hardest truth to be heard by anyone holding to free will. You do not understand this because you are blinded by Satan from this truth, whether you sit in the pew or stand behind a pulpit.
