Theodicy Soteriology, Hermeneutics

SOTERIOLOGY : M. M. NINAN
and man both are free agents. If God cannot dictate the way each individual chooses, how
can the prophecies come to pass exactly? The coexistence of other free agents in the
cosmos will necessitate that God work in collaboration and cooperation of these agents and
the laws of nature to bring the event to pass as He wants and when He wants. God proposes
and man can oppose or cooperate. Since there are many persons with free will in existence
and each and every person is precious and bears God's image and is a child of God (Luke 3:
38 the son of Adam, the son of God.) God treats them as persons. History is therefore the
working out of a Father's expression of love for his children - depraved as they are. It is not
an imposition of plan, but a working out of a plan.
Predestinarians have no problem in this area because the clock will tick away and the events
will happen without fail, because they were predetermined, predestined and foreordained.
Some think that the future is already in existence in the fabric of space-time. It is already a
done deal. Therefore prophecies do come to pass in exactly the same way God proposed or
warned irrespective of what individuals do.
But if on the other hand God has permitted other free agents to be involved, even though
God declares the prophecies as a plan, the project will not come to its completion in the right
time. It may be delayed, it may be fulfilled before the planned period or it may even be
cancelled or rescheduled or re-planned. If there is one such instance where Bible shows
these inexactness or change of plan, then we can come to know that God in his sovereignty
has permitted his children to be free as well. I know I am treading on very touchy areas of all
Evangelical and Orthodox Christians.
What I am trying to show in this article is than future is not something already in existence,
but that Man is involved with God in the creation of the future and that God fulfils his
promises in collaboration with his people.
Ez. 22: 30 "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me
in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. 31 So I will
pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their
own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD."
This places a tremendous responsibility on the elect, the prophets. Ezekiel realized this
responsibility.
Ez.3: 18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak
out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his
sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.19 But if you do warn the wicked man and
he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will
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