Freedom is Free

In all of my struggles—with sin, with calling, with decision making—I almost always find myself asking the questions: "What will make God most happy?"..."What will glorify Him MOST?"  Nothing—God is already infinitely glorified.  Nothing we do or say will give Him more or less glory than He already has.  He is not depending on us for anything.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

I think we get to choose (I hope we get to choose).  So long as the choice we make does not go deliberately against scripture, I think we get to decide where we go next, and our only responsibility is to give God glory in that.

I get it wrong a lot.  I perform.  I think that something I do (or don’t do) will make God more or less satisfied with me, will be better for His kingdom.  I don’t think that's the case.  God has already won; when Jesus overcame the grave, the battle was won, and freedom ensued.  All of our own standards for what brings God “more” glory are fabrications of our own religion.  

For example, after graduating from college I had endless options before me—literally and figuratively, the world was at my fingertips.  Isolate two options: 1) Join The Pittsburgh Fellows program, work at Clover Hill Foods, and live in Sewickley, PA.  2) Sell all I have, move to [insert third world country], and work as a missionary.  Even I am tempted to say that Option 2 would have “given God more glory.”  I would have been more used there.  Made more of an impact for Christ’s kingdom.  I don’t know if these things are true or not.  But, regardless, am I to believe that I made the wrong decision by choosing The Fellows program?  I hope not!  If every decision that had to be made in life (for which there is no passage of scripture that speaks directly to the issue) was a cosmic chess match in which God had the right answer and was anxiously hoping that we would use our free will to “discern” and “mull over” and “discover” the right answer, there would be no time to actually live out our will!  Life would be more like a final exam than a path along which we get to walk with our Father.

The Lord is already accomplishing His will, and there’s nothing we can do to stop Him:

“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.” (Psalm 138:8)

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” (Romans 8:28)

All things.  ALL things.  We must commit ourselves to loving Him fully.  That is all.  And then He will work in everything for our good.

“What shall we say, then?  Should we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  By no means!” (Romans 6:1)

I am not arguing for a free will that let’s us do whatever we want because “the Lord will accomplish His will for me regardless of what I do.”

“Renounce ungodliness and worldly passions…live self-controlled, upright, and Godly lives.” (Titus 2:12)

We have a responsibility to be obedient.  To be slaves to righteousness.  To “set an example for the believers in speech, love, conduct, faith, and purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).  To “train ourselves to be godly” (1 Timothy 4:7).  But none of these things will make God more or less pleased with us.

Freedom is not mind games, or searching for buried treasure, or living on a leash that only stretches as far as we “discern” God is letting it stretch.  Freedom also is not living for ourselves, or sinning because “grace abounds”, or believing in relativist doctrine.  Freedom is free.