Theodicy Soteriology, Hermeneutics

SOTERIOLOGY : M. M. NINAN
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HUMAN FREEDOM THROUGH THE AGES
The question of predestination and freewill were never a central issue until the controversy of
Pelegius. Until that time almost all energy was spend on defining the position of Jesus. The
mystery of the incarnation and its relation to God was the problem. As such most early
fathers tacitly assumed that freedom of will was part of the image of God conferred onto
every human being, saved or unsaved, and that they are therefore accountable to God.
Accountability was always associated with this freedom. Machines are not accountable – only
human beings are. Predestination was also not an issue because the concept of God
ordaining every detail was never assumed. History and future always unfolded as a Markov
chain for the early fathers. They are dependent on the past and the present. They are being
continuously created by human beings. God can control it but he never imposes on anybody.
Laws are binding on matter because they are inanimate. Laws are not binding on conscious
beings. That is what made the consciousness different from matter. Moral laws are given to
man depending on the historic situation. Man is free to follow it and be saved or reject it and
reap the consequence. History of mankind is a series of events in this interaction of moral
sphere. A casual look at the history of the Kings and Chronicles will give that concept clearly.
Prophets taught the concept that God directs history to its final goal. The prophets were
never fortunetellers who told the future. They were forthtellers who told people and nations to
what direction they are heading and if they were heading for destruction they were called to
repentance. If they did they were saved otherwise they went into slavery. But that the lives of
every person is laid out in detail before the creation was never assumed because it assumes
preexistence of souls. Souls come into existence as and when they were historically
necessary. But future was always in existence as a possibility. Hence we have the picture of
the lamb slain before the creation of the world. As for the future of the believers beyond this
age we have very little prophecy. The few that we have are cryptic indicating that we cannot
know the glory. Again this being in future is to unfold in time and does not exist nor are they
predetermined. A question that remains is whether man will have freewill after they are living
with God in heaven. If yes there is a chance of fall in other levels of existence in the future.
Existence implies movement, which implies time. On the other hand if we assume
omniscience and sovereignty of God to imply predestination, there is no way we can get out
of the labyrinth that man is simply a sophisticated robot and with - not double but - multistate
predestination.
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