For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16
Throughout the Bible, it is clear that God is not only the Creator of all things but also in charge of all things!
Within God’s sovereignty is man’s free will! God gave man free will! Man didn’t create free will; God gave it to him! God has given all men a choice to seek and honor Him or turn from Him! Like Adam, God desires a loving relationship with us, but God also wants us to recognize and honor Him as the Creator. Simply put, God created everyone and everything and knows and permits the outcome.
So, what happens when man turns away from God and His will? Does that change God’s plans or negate God’s sovereignty? No, of course not! A.W. Tozer explains it this way. Imagine hundreds of passengers all entering a cruise ship from New York to London. As they enter, they are given a choice about how to spend their time! Some spend all their time in entertainment, some at the bar, some sunbathing, some gambling, while others enjoy reading the Bible and seeking His will. While the cruise ship takes all the passengers to the same destination, the way they spend their time is very different!
Now imagine that the cruise represents your life, and the destination is death! Yep, we’re all heading towards death, whether we like it or not. Like all journeys, our outcome depends on what we do during the journey! All men are sinners, yet not all men (on the journey) believe they need a Savior. But just because they reject God’s sacrifice doesn’t change the fact that the cruise ship has a destination! Even Adams’s sin didn’t change God’s plans to send a Savior! God wasn’t in Heaven saying, “what just happened!” No, He knew beforehand that Adam was going to sin. God is not only in charge, but within that free will is God’s sovereignty. He knows everything!
You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. Psalm 134:1-4
His will is that none will perish, (“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16) but within His will, that no one will perish––He does give man a choice! He never rejects us; we reject Him! (“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” Romans 1:25) If you consider what God did on the cross to pay for our sins, proving how big His love is and how He wants no one to spend eternity in Hell, then we would all reconsider what we did along the way.
Like the cruise ship, we are tourists on a short journey. Our journey on earth is short, and we will all end up with the same outcome–Death! But unlike the cruise ship, when we arrive at death’s door, we aren’t all going to the same place. Those who rejected the Savior and were too busy enjoying themselves on the journey would spend eternity without Him! Those who sought Him, realizing they needed a Savior, will spend eternity with Him in Heaven!
Same boat! Same cruise line! One group is enjoying this life, and the other seeks eternal life! In God’s sovereignty, He knows that not all will choose Him, but His plans for eternity haven’t changed! Much of the Word of God is spent warning us of the world’s pitfalls and how seeking the temporary pleasures of this world can land us in HELL.
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. Matthew 7:14-15
Our free will is important because it allows us to choose our Savior! But that same free will, if not restrained, will lead us to eternal separation and misery! His will is that no one perishes (NOT ONE!). The gate to Hell is easy and wide! Hell was not created for man; it was made for eternal punishment for Satan! Satan doesn’t want to be alone; he wants us to join him, so the gate is wide and easy!
Date the person you want, have sex with the person you want, watch whatever you’d like, and enjoy drinking and partying on your terms. However, choose wisely, as indulging in these freedoms has lasting consequences! Hell’s gate is wide and easy––but has an eternal cost!
Stephen L. Thomas