Did I, As Jesus, Have Free Will?

WED., JUNE 21, 1995, 9:09 AM
OFFICE, PULLIAM HALL

American Christians, generally, have faith that I, as Almighty God, have given them free will. It fits with your political and economic systems… and with the dominant individualistic psychology. It is not considered desirable that I would manipulate you, even for positive reasons. Given the alternatives most of you would “rather be responsible.” And therefore you interpret Scripture and develop doctrines which champion free will. You don’t like the question, “Well, if it is so important why didn’t I, as Jesus, or as Spirit influencing Paul, state this truth quite directly?

I have told you, repeatedly, that you have a will, but so do I. I have “elected” you for some earthly tasks, and so I lean on you in order that these might be accomplished. I have developed, even perfected, some ways of getting your attention, and you feel almost comfortable with the truth that My Will can override yours, and it takes little effort on My part to have you comply. You don’t always accomplish as I desire, but you’re increasingly aware of such shortcomings.

These Teachings, naturally, are a powerfully effective means to let you know what I want… and then how well or how poorly you did. Why don’t I do this with more Christians? You know I’m coming to Andy with quite similar communications, and this affirms, to both of you, that this really is “real”. So, why don’t I come to some others so that this isn’t such a freaky happening and therefore hard to talk about? It’s just the way I choose to act, at this time. Perhaps I’ll continue to be stingy with such direct expression of thoughts. Or perhaps you and Andy are the early ones in an increasing multitude of “hearers”.

The title, above, however, focuses on Me, as Jesus, rather than on you. You continue this early Wednesday morning study of what I tell you is My favorite Gospel, that of John. The readings reinforce your earlier judgment that the Jesus story is one more of predestination than of free will. As Jesus, I was destined to be born into this Jewish community, nearly 2,000 years ago now… to be, somehow, of the lineage of David, My favorite king… and to be born in Bethlehem. I was also destined to grow to adulthood, have a rather short but well remembered ministry, and then be put to death in the way that I willed it to happen.

I and My Father, the One True God, are One… always have been and always will be. Therefore when I say that I speak only what God has Me say, I’m also expressing My Will. I am doing the Will of God, but this God and I are, finally, not separate from One Another. There are times, recorded in these early chapters of John, when I provoked the Jewish leaders, and they could have taken and jailed Me early, but it was not yet My time. So by both natural and supernatural means, I averted such interruption of My ministry. There will be passages later in this Gospel that sound as though there was a clash between My Will as Jesus and My Will, as God. I prefer that you see this as just the open consideration of alternatives by this Triune God of yours.