Romans 1:20-32 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, (21) because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (22) Professing to be wise, they became fools, (23) and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. (24) Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonour their bodies among themselves, (25) who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. … (32) Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
We have seen in the previous section that it is God’s perfect will that all men should be saved. So in the light of that truth how do we explain the fact that most men are not saved? The answer to that question is that it is not God who decides who will and will not be saved, but rather men make that decision for themselves. Let me explain that statement. We have already established that as our creator, God has given each one of us a free will. So why does God give us this ability? In the above quoted passage of scripture the Holy Spirit teaches us that as our creator, God requires that we acknowledge Him as such, for all that we are and all that we have, we have received from Him. God does not create robots however. In other words God does not force His creation to glorify Him as God. And so as our creator, God creates us with the ability to freely choose whether we will give the thanks due to Him thus acknowledging Him as God. Sadly it is because of the free will God gives to men that He loses many of His creations, for many chose not to acknowledge Him as their creator and choose rather to acknowledge anyone and anything else as God. In this passage the Holy Spirit teaches us that God warns mankind that those who refuse to acknowledge Him as God will ultimately incur His righteous judgement. Amazingly however, we see in this passage that even though men know that they will incur the penalty of death for their actions, they still refuse to acknowledge God as an act of their free wills. And so we see that God gives man over to his own desires. In other words God permits mankind to make their own choice, for in this life God will not override man’s free will.
Luke 12:5 “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!”
Even though it is the perfect will of God the Father that none should perish, it is in fact God the Father who casts men into hell to suffer eternal damnation. This truth was revealed to us by our Lord Jesus in the above quoted passage of scripture. So why does God cast unbelievers into hell? As we have already seen, because God loves mankind He warns those who choose not to submit to Him that they will incur an eternal punishment as a consequence. They however, choose not to believe Him and foolishly think that they have control of their own destinies. And so even though it is not the perfect will of God that any go into hell, He nevertheless gives them over to their own choice. And so at the end of their lives they are cast into hell for all eternity. Clearly damnation is God’s permissible will for man and not His perfect will at all. And so we see another truth in scripture, which is that in this life God never overrides the free will of man. After this life however things change, for those who choose not to glorify God as their creator are at the end of their lives, against their free wills cast into hell.
Michael E.B. Maher
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