The Psychological Scars of "Free Will" Theology

Imagine growing up as a child believing that you are personally responsible for whether or not every human being with whom you come into contact will spend eternity in the joys of heaven or in the horrific torments of a burning hell.

So is the childhood of the fundamentalist Christian child.

As a child, I was taught that it was my duty to "witness" (share the Gospel) with every sinner with whom I came into contact, every day of my life.  If that sinner should happen to die after my encounter with him or her, and I had failed to share the Gospel story with them, I would very likely face the "Judgement Seat of Christ" with that hell-bound sinner's blood literally dripping from my hands.  I could have saved that sinner from hell!  I am responsible for his eternal torment in the flames of hell.

Quite alot of responsibility to put on a nine year old, don't you think?

Where does this thinking come from?

It comes from the doctrine of "Free Will".  This is the belief that each human being has a free will to either choose God and spend eternity in heaven, or reject God and spend eternity in hell.  Christ died on the cross and paid the ransom for our sins, but our salvation ultimately depends upon our decision to accept or reject him.

Predestination?  According to the Free Will doctrine, God predestines those whom he sees that in the future will make a free will decision for him.  Man's predestination is entirely dependent upon him.

Salvation, then, ultimately depends on man and his free will.

The Christian's duty is to go out and convince as many sinners as he can, that if they die tonight without accepting Christ, they are going to burn in hell for all eternity, so..."Repent, sinner, and accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior before it's too late!"

Imagine the guilt and enormous pressure that a Christian who believes this doctrine would feel with all the "lost" sinners living around him or her; all the lost sinners who have never prayed the "Sinner's Prayer" to accept Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.  You must do everything that you can to get them saved.  It is your responsibitlity.  You may be their last hope of salvation.  If you don't do your very best, they may burn in hell forever!

Your Methodist neighbors are doomed to hell.  Your Catholic and Presbyterian school mates are going to burn for sure; and if that nice Lutheran lady at the grocery store suddenly dies, God will push a button, and she will automatically be sent straight to hell.

"I have to convince them all to accept Christ!  I must warn them of their impending doom!  I don't want them to go to hell.  I don't want their blood on my hands!"

How very, very sad that any child has to grow up believing this tragic misunderstanding of Scripture!

Praise God our salvation is not dependent upon our free will!  Praise God our salvation is not ultimately dependent upon us!

Praise God our salvation is 100% dependent upon Jesus Christ!
 

Praise God the fundamentalist/evangelical doctrine of Free Will is false!

Happy Easter!