I’m currently reading a biography of John Calvin’s life and although I have to admire his strength of character I’ve noticed the author keeps referring to instances where Calvin is uncompromising and even harsh so that the will and authority of God would be upheld.
Now, I don’t know if that was useful back then to be so harsh (although at this point of the book I would suggest that a little grace would have made a big difference) but I believe today that forcing people into the will of God is not a wise method. Something that maybe some religious folk might want to take to heart.
Firstly, God states that he is more interested in a person’s heart than the outward show. Therefore, if compliance is forced then it’s just like when the Israelite’s were rebuked because although they offered all the designated sacrifices their heart’s were far from God.
Secondly, it’s “the kindness of God that leads to repentance”. I know there have been many instances, particularly in old time revivals, where it seems that fear has lead to repentance. Repentance to me is to turn around and think in a new way, not just to be sorry. Actually, I’m told repent original carried a more realistic, loving, less moralistic and valuable meaning. That is, pent (to do with mind, top level “penthouse” was the top apartment) and re (again). In short, to think again.
So I do believe that fear for their souls as the term use to be or fear of the judgement of their sins may have caused people to be convicted and sorry for how they have fallen short of God’s plan for them but it didn’t change them. In fact, I know people today who are estranged from God because they feel the conviction and haven’t been able to grasp the grace and kindness. Conviction (although it may be based on theological truths) without kindness or grace can push us away from God.
It was God’s kindness that speaks “Even while you hated me, thought I was irrelevant or ignored me, even then I thought you were important, wanted the best for you and was working to bring you to a point where you could see that.” That attitude changes people. That grace, that love, that concern is what makes me want to know about Him.
Finally, free will explains both much of the evil in the world and the beauty of God. Why is there so much evil? Free will. Humans get to choose how they act and treat each other. I know this doesn’t explain natural disasters, etc. but from my perspective so much of what a non-believer calls evil is actually the direct result of human free will. So why doesn’t God stop free will argues those who don’t know God? Well, its a nice philosophical argument to wish for that, but in reality no human I know that doesn’t know God would choose it. It would deny the choice that they have chosen.
Besides you can’t force love, it has to be freely given. I can’t force anyone to love me. It would be false and fake. By God giving us free will he did allow the choice for evil to occur but he also allowed us to choose love. God’s more interested in relationship than compliance. As I truly get to know Him (not a fake creation of who He is to justify my way of life or how I prefer to live) I naturally comply because I see He has the best for me in mind and I see why He asks those things.
Any thoughts?
