a) the potential loss of "free will" if we are only operating in accordance to anothers plan.
b) Who is God playing chess against? :-)
Most people seem reluctant to accept that they are pieces in a game. People want to feel in control of their own destinies, or at least they want the illusion of that control.
You've also hit the nail on the head when you question what actually is God's will, and how exactly does he want us to live? Well my view is that from the part of the new testament where Jesus says he wants two things, I would reverse the order, but that is not really the point ..
In Matthew 22
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
So you're a chess piece moving around, using your own free will to go where you will on the board. I think this is ok, it does not break either of those two commandments per se, as long as you are doing your best to keep those commandments.
Note: The player with the pieces will not "win" the game if the pieces move according to their own will, but the end result for the pieces themselves is pretty much the same. Plus, who is God playing against? Satan?
Commandment #1 above is very personal, you need not tell a soul that you love God with all your heart. There is nothing to be gained by trying to"out-Christian" your fellow man, despite those who would wave their hands in Church, ah God Bless 'em :-) Thinking about that .. I could extend that to "those that go to Church". Is there anything stopping you from loving God without going to Church? This goes back to my view on the pleasant middle class social club that is my local Church, ah God Bless 'em :-)
#2 is the hard one, especially when your neighbour turns out to be Adolf Hitler. We touched on this with your views on Michael Moore. How do we stop moving as autonomous chess pieces and move as God intends, that is to love Mr.Moore? Or Adolf Hitler, or Saddam Hussein, or Osama Bin Laden etc?
No-one can say that following Christianity is an easy option.
2 comments:
God doesn't want us disconnected from Him by disobedience, but neither is he interested in puppets on a string.
He is looking for a cooperative union.
The best example (as usual) of this is found in Jesus Christ, who always did what pleased the Father, and, on the sole recorded occasion where Christ's will differed from the Father's, prayed, "not my will but thine be done". They were really of the same mind and heart.
Only when we understand the absolute justice, and goodness, and love of God's heart can we lay our own tired, small hearts down as a trade-in on his big, big heart.
Thanks RKB, you wrote:
"Only when we understand the absolute justice, and goodness, and love of God's heart ... "
I can guarantee you that you will never understand this in your Earthly life. Who can know infinity?
Loving your neighbour is a good start.
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