"The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men." [Titus 2:11] |
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Mankind's Free-Will and the Power of Salvation Origen and Free-Will Origen's declaration of free-will. The first chapter of book three of De Principiis which takes up over half of that book, brings us to the heart of Origen's theology, the doctrine of free will. The freedom of the will is an essential fact of the reason, notwithstanding the foreknowledge of God. According to Origen men as well as all other rational creatures are free. Truly man is everywhere in chains, but it is his own responsibility, for the cause of his enslavement is traceable to that very freedom, which he misused. Origen said, "...every rational nature can, in the process of passing from one order to another, travel through each order to all the rest, and from all to each, while undergoing the various movements of progress or the reverse in accordance with its own actions and endeavors and with the use of its power of free will." and, "Every soul has the power and choice to do everything that is good. But because this good feature in human nature had been betrayed when the chance of sin was offered... the "fragrance it gives forth"(Song 2:13), when it is redeemed by grace and restored by the teaching of the Word of God, is that very fragrance which the Creator had bestowed at the beginning and sin had taken away....The grace which [the soul] had first received from the Creator, was lost, and now was recovered..." Origen comments on Paul the Apostle's letter to Romans. Paul said, ""For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified" Origen comments, "Such passages as these are seized on by those who do not understand that man who is foreordained by the foreknowledge of God is really responsible for the happening of what is foreknown; and they imagine that God introduces men into the world who are already equipped by nature for salvation... Let us observe the order of the words... It is not fore-ordination that is the start of calling and justification. If this were so, a more convincing case could be put by those who bring in the absurd argument about "salvation by nature." It is in fact, foreknowledge precedes fore-ordination... God observed beforehand the sequence of future events, and noticed the inclination of some men towards piety, on their responsibility, and their stirring towards piety which followed on this inclination; He sees how they devote themselves to living a virtuous life, and He foreknew them, knowing the present, and foreknowing the future... His foreknowledge is not the cause of what happens as a result of the responsible actions of each individual. Thus, the freedom bestowed by the Creator enables man to choose what to realize, of various possibilities which arise. As a result of (God's) foreknowledge the free actions of every man fit in with that disposition of the whole which is necessary for the existence of the universe. God... is not ignorant of the future, but permits man to do what he wishes through his faculty of free will." Craig's commentary on Origen. I find it very interesting, that I did not read Origen's understanding of free-will until days before I write this. From 1600 years ago until now, this understanding Origen brought forth is the the same the Lord revealed to me three years ago. As Origen says, many imagine that God introduces men into the world who are already equipped by nature for salvation. Whether it be self-determination as taught by Augustine or those who argue that God must be controlling our will in order that we can be saved, they are living in a vain imagination. That very reason which believes our will has something to do with our end salvation in Christ is faulty and inconsistent with truth found in Christ Jesus, as witnessed by the Word of God. If one thinks our will has any ability to save us, we nullify the power of Salvation through Christ Jesus even if one continues to believe that God control's our will to save us rather than the truth which is all mankind is saved regardless of it's will. Paul says, "It is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy". Origen comments, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain" (Ps. 126 [127]:1). This is not meant to deter us from building, or to counsel us not to be vigilant in guarding the city which is in our soul... We should do right in calling a building a work of God, rather than of the builder, and the preservation of a city from hostile attack we should rightly call an achievement of God rather than of the guard. But in so speaking we assume man's share in the achievement, while in thankfulness we ascribe it to God who brings it to success. Similarly man's will is not sufficient to obtain the end of salvation, nor is the running of the metaphorical athletes competent to attain "the prize of the upward summons of God in Christ Jesus". This is only accomplished with God's assistance. Thus it is quite true, "It is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy". Our perfection does not come about by our remaining inactive, yet it is not accomplished by our own activity; God plays the great part in effecting it." Conclusion Origen is not the only Christian writer who understands that mankind's will has no relation or ability in regards to salvation; believing that free-will and Universal Reconciliation (the Salvation of all mankind in Jesus Christ) can live side-by-side without contradiction. GodoftheAges.com, A universal reconciliation ministry, in relation to those who object and think we have cannot have free-will and still be Universally Reconciled, "All such objections are very shallow and reveal an ignorance of the full gospel of Jesus Christ." In fact it was Augustine who introduced the heretical doctrine that mankinds WILL has or had the power to determine our destination! It was Augustine's manipulation and perversion of the phrase 'Free-Will' and his deceived futile mind connecting both man's will to the power of Salvation which has brought many to confusion and hindrance. As Jesus said, "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering." For those who continue to live in the vain imagination, even if they are not in agreement with Augustine, to believe that God therefore must control our will (as our will has the power of salvation within its ability) is to take away from God's sovereignty over His purpose of Creation. To teach either of these two presuppositions, is to teach falsely the Will of God for mankind. As John says, "The world and its desires (it's will) will pass away, but the man who choses to do the will of God lives forever." Peter says, "Do not chose the rest of your earthly life for evil human desires, but rather chose to live for the will of God." And Paul said, "God will give to each person according to what he has done [according to what he has done in accordance to his own will.]" We must acknowledge the prize is not salvation for we already receiving the goal of our faith, our Hope in Christ. Jesus said, "If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own." and Joshua said, "If serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." |
"The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men." [Titus 2:11] |
