Comments on: What do you think?

By: Judy Denning

Judy Denning — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 20:43:50 +0000

Thanks for your response. I will have to do some tracing about my “control center” and how the Bible prefers heart over will. I wonder at how God opens my spiritual eyes giving me His truth in “bits and spurts.”

I am currently reading in Exodus and am on a discovery path of how the “fear of the Lord” affects the patriarchs, the people of Israel and how it influences my spiritual journey and walk with the Lord.

Thanks Again,
Judy

By: Ron Frost

Ron Frost — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:52:04 +0000

Thanks, Judy. I’m really pleased to hear your report since we swim against such a strong cultural/educational bias.

Given that current, one bit of serious Bible reading homework we all need to do is to trace how the Bible prefers “heart” over “will” as the way it regularly presents spiritual activities. The heart isn’t just another name for the ‘free will’; instead it’s treated as the response center of the soul. So it’s certainly not ‘self-moved’ or ‘free’ as in having a ‘free will’ (per Aristotle & the Stoics). Jesus, in John 15:5, had this broadly in mind as he said, “apart from me you can do nothing.” In other words we all live as dependent beings, not as autonomous beings.

So while we clearly make choices the function of that choosing is guided by the heart reminding us what we “want” to choose in light of our ultimate love for either: a) God or, b) self (as manipulated by God’s arch-foe). Or, as Paul put it in Romans: You were once slaves to sin; now live as slaves to righteousness (ch.6).

By: Judy Denning

Judy Denning — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:12:20 +0000

Thank you for your spiritually sound, persistent teaching on ..”What makes a Christian?” …leading us to get this concept of faith in God firmly planted in our minds and hearts. This corrected error my thinking of how faith operates in relationship to God’s will vs self will.

Here is my new thinking on this subject. In my fallen state, as a believer in Christ and His work on the cross, I have been wondering where my will fits in to His all encompassing work. After pondering your article, especially your inquiry into Aristotle’s supposition of “freedom of will” and Cotton’s and Luther’s view that we have a disaffected heart which alters our view of God and traps me into reflecting on self, then my will is disaffected as well. Therefore, I conclude that when I read a command in the Bible, God is asking me to turn to Him and away from self, not commanding me to do or work. This is quite a relieve and freeing!

So where does my self will fit in? Nowhere. As taught, by our pastor, from Romans 12.. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Your blog fit in perfectly with the focus of our church this week and my ever wandering and wondering heart.
Blessings and Thank You,
Judy