Fine balance between pre-determination and free will

UV 351/10,000 Acts 17 v 26 The fine balance between Pre-Determination by God and Free Will of mankind: “From one man He made every nation of men that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live” The Lord our God has drawn all mankind from the loins of one man whom He lovingly and wonderfully fashioned in the inner being after His own image. The first man Adam was created. The rest of us were begotten in consequence of the Word of God to man to multiply. We need to often ask ourselves whether we are truly reflecting the Creator in our attitudes, words and actions? Can other people see us as the proof of the existence of God? Or do we resemble only our earthly father Adam – that would make us “adamant” or stubborn in holding onto our ignorance,disbelieving and ignoring the Word of God and heeding the word of Satan. We became spiritually dead though physically alive on account of this disbelief. There were only three landmark events that marked a man’s life : birth, life and death. Death made every thing a vanity. It was God’s will that mankind be dispersed through all the earth. Based on where we are born, we become part of different nations. Narrow notions of power and wealth and pleasure drove men in all nations to wreak tragedy, disaster and misery upon each other. Simultaneously, mankind everywhere being the offspring of God driven by an inner urge or hunger for God began to seek Him in their own ways limited by their own perceptions and shaped by their imaginations. But, the Lord revealed Himself as Jehovah or the Great I Am to the children of one nation Israel through Abraham, Moses and other prophets. He revealed His plan of salvation of the nations through the sacrifice and subsequent resurrection of His own Son Jesus who was begotten out of the womb of a man. This made possible the otherwise impossible fourth landmark event in man’s destiny – Resurrection or eternal life. The decision to believe God’s plan for man’s salvation is left to the free will of the individual. But, the boundaries or geographical, social and historical context of our lives are determined by Him. This Uni-verse states that the Lord has decided the exact times and places in which we live. The word, “ exact” implies that there is a precision or accuracy to it. In God’s Positioning System or GPS, the coordinates for each of us in terms of time and place are fixed. The nation, province, city or village where we now live is no accident but God-ordained and planned. We have a responsibility and a contribution to make in these places and to these people. Now, we also have a choice to live and move and exist in Him and for Him or we can live and move and exist for ourselves. He is both “be all, end all and begin all”. The legendary General Patton said, “ In all matters, God retains a margin with Him.” Eternal life is an option, not an imposition. Prateep V Philip