Chosen Predestination
A few years ago, I proposed a theory to a few friends of mine which was this: chosen predestination. By that I meant that it could be that we have free will, but can voluntarily choose to set it aside and accept a path structured and laid out by another.
In the conversation in which I proposed the idea, I was speaking in particular about a journey of faith in which one might select to stop living the life as they have been and selecting instead to accept a path set out by God - or a path that it would appear God had set out.
The argument was this: Perhaps God lays out the path a follower is asked to take. Accepting that path means to abdicate free will and follow the prescribed, perhaps predetermined path. It isn't that free will doesn't exist, but that one is setting it aside for something else. I would suppose, however, that at any time one could again return to free will, exiting the path laid out.
I believe we see Jesus wrestle with just this idea, especially in the story of the Garden of Gethsemane in which he asks God to remove the cup placed before him (cup being metaphorical for his pending arrest and execution). Yet Jesus then offers the statement, "But not my will, but yours [God's] be done." Jesus is accepting what is ahead of him while recognizing that he does not truly wish to venture down such a path.
Jesus' life is laid out and it is one that he accepts. That may be some small bubble in the larger definition of predestination, but I think it fits. He could walk away but does not - which is what gives the story of his temptation in the wilderness its power - it is a story of the possibility of failure, not just a story of Jesus being successful in facing temptation. Had it been just that kind of story and Jesus being unable to fail, it would have no merit for you and me as an example of choice.
In making those choices, Jesus is accepting the path before him as well as the definitions that are prescribed to him by God. Throughout the story of Jesus' life are numerous examples of when Jesus could have jumped ship. As Nikos Kazantzakis described in his great book The Last Temptation of Christ, the ultimate temptation would have been to tempt Jesus on the cross with the possibility of a normal life that did not involve such a horrific death.
As a Christian, then, I wonder what it means to say we "follow" Jesus or that we "follow" God. Do we? Are we willing to set aside our free will after making that kind of choice? Especially in our materialistic and self-centered society where it is "all about me" and agree with the Christian praise song that it is, in fact "all about you, Jesus."
I will say that I have my doubts as to the veracity of the claim that Jesus would have wanted us to be "all about him." I think it would be more fair to say Jesus wanted us to be all about God and the Kingdom of God. Regardless, the point is the same. Are we willing to make our focus be about something other than ourselves?
We certainly can. When we get married, we are pledging that our individual lives are now set aside as we endeavor to be a unit. We see firefighters, rescue workers and the like running into situations on behalf of others knowing that they might be making decisions of self sacrifice. We can. We have the ability to do just that. But would we be willing to make that decision on such a huge scale as Jesus does?
Clearly divorce points to the fact that we will not always hold up our promises. We cannot always be at the level of Jesus, but we can still strive for that as a goal. If so, then we keep making the choice to set aside our free will and set ourselves on the path outlined by God. As Christians we specifically keep making the choice to set aside our free will and set ourselves on the path outlined by Jesus in the New Testament.
That is not to say that it is easy, glamorous, popular, or even clearly defined. But it does mean that we are opting out of particular behaviors and attitudes. At least for the time being. At least until the temptation of a better offer comes along. Then...?
In the conversation in which I proposed the idea, I was speaking in particular about a journey of faith in which one might select to stop living the life as they have been and selecting instead to accept a path set out by God - or a path that it would appear God had set out.
The argument was this: Perhaps God lays out the path a follower is asked to take. Accepting that path means to abdicate free will and follow the prescribed, perhaps predetermined path. It isn't that free will doesn't exist, but that one is setting it aside for something else. I would suppose, however, that at any time one could again return to free will, exiting the path laid out.
I believe we see Jesus wrestle with just this idea, especially in the story of the Garden of Gethsemane in which he asks God to remove the cup placed before him (cup being metaphorical for his pending arrest and execution). Yet Jesus then offers the statement, "But not my will, but yours [God's] be done." Jesus is accepting what is ahead of him while recognizing that he does not truly wish to venture down such a path.
Jesus' life is laid out and it is one that he accepts. That may be some small bubble in the larger definition of predestination, but I think it fits. He could walk away but does not - which is what gives the story of his temptation in the wilderness its power - it is a story of the possibility of failure, not just a story of Jesus being successful in facing temptation. Had it been just that kind of story and Jesus being unable to fail, it would have no merit for you and me as an example of choice.
In making those choices, Jesus is accepting the path before him as well as the definitions that are prescribed to him by God. Throughout the story of Jesus' life are numerous examples of when Jesus could have jumped ship. As Nikos Kazantzakis described in his great book The Last Temptation of Christ, the ultimate temptation would have been to tempt Jesus on the cross with the possibility of a normal life that did not involve such a horrific death.
As a Christian, then, I wonder what it means to say we "follow" Jesus or that we "follow" God. Do we? Are we willing to set aside our free will after making that kind of choice? Especially in our materialistic and self-centered society where it is "all about me" and agree with the Christian praise song that it is, in fact "all about you, Jesus."
I will say that I have my doubts as to the veracity of the claim that Jesus would have wanted us to be "all about him." I think it would be more fair to say Jesus wanted us to be all about God and the Kingdom of God. Regardless, the point is the same. Are we willing to make our focus be about something other than ourselves?
We certainly can. When we get married, we are pledging that our individual lives are now set aside as we endeavor to be a unit. We see firefighters, rescue workers and the like running into situations on behalf of others knowing that they might be making decisions of self sacrifice. We can. We have the ability to do just that. But would we be willing to make that decision on such a huge scale as Jesus does?
Clearly divorce points to the fact that we will not always hold up our promises. We cannot always be at the level of Jesus, but we can still strive for that as a goal. If so, then we keep making the choice to set aside our free will and set ourselves on the path outlined by God. As Christians we specifically keep making the choice to set aside our free will and set ourselves on the path outlined by Jesus in the New Testament.
That is not to say that it is easy, glamorous, popular, or even clearly defined. But it does mean that we are opting out of particular behaviors and attitudes. At least for the time being. At least until the temptation of a better offer comes along. Then...?
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