What Do I Believe?

What do I believe? What do I think is true? This question refers to things I expect to remain true and not change, though they may, but I believe they won't because that would not be truth. My reality may change, but the truths I hold, the things I believe with every ounce of certainty will not. If they do, then they no longer are true or believed.

In addition, I am not speaking for myself only. If I believe something to be true, then I believe it to be true for you as well. You may disagree with me, but that just means I think you are wrong (some of my favorite people fit that category). So, what do I believe? Let me start with a few regarding God.

I believe God exists, is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient.

I believe the Bible is God inspired.

I believe Jesus is God and God's Son.

I believe I could go on and on, but you could find it all in the Bible. In fact, it seems anyone can explain or disprove just about anything using scripture. This is often due to the fact that scripture is often taken out of context. You can't yank five words out of a whole book to fit your circumstance. I know I am guilty of this on occasion, many of us are, but we need to do better. However even then it can be difficult at times. Furthermore, there are many churchy ideas we believe, that are quite difficult to explain with scripture at all (which would make them not true). Here's one that's been driving me nuts the past few days: Freewill.

Freewill is a widely accepted belief amongst the church today. I don't think I have met someone who shares my beliefs of God that does not also believe in freewill. But find it in scripture... sot so easy. At least it hasn't been, for me. So what, you say? Major on the majors and minor on the minors, and freewill is a minor? I disagree, without freewill, it all changes, nearly everything I know to be true and purposeful changes. This matters.

Do we have freewill to choose to follow God and his Commands?

If He is all powerful (as I believe he is), and He makes a command, then I suppose NO, we have no choice. God said "let there be light" and there was light. If we can choose to not follow His commands then doesn't that mean we are overriding God's power, which makes Him not all powerful. It changes truth, it matters. Unless, of course, His command is for us to choose. Choose to follow or not, to believe or not to believe.

Let's look and scripture, and if freewill is true and the bible is true, then it should be evident. Lazerus - Did Lazerus choose to walk out of the tomb when Jesus called him to come forth or did His call simply rip Lazerus right out of there? i can just see it... "Dude, Jesus you rock, I thought I was like dead and then all the sudden like whoa, here I am! Far out!" (guess I picture Lazerus as a surfer dude)

How 'bout when Jesus called his disciples to follow him? They did, why? Did they choose to follow, or were they without choice because the Almighty commanded it so, just as God commanded the "light"? Maybe the "light" can shed some... well just read Gen. 1-3 and I'll pick up from there later.