I was talking to a friend about Christians going out and telling people about Jesus. We’re supposed to do this, on purpose and all the time. We’re not supposed to be obnoxious about it, but we are supposed to go tell people about Jesus. Then that’s it, the rest is between them and God. Our job is the telling, God’s job is the saving. I can answer questions, but I can’t save anyone. I can’t change anyone’s mind but my own. God will save whoever comes to Him for that saving, and if you don’t want Him to save you, then He won’t.
My friend brought up that since God is all-powerful and seeks a personal relationship with every human that He doesn’t really need us to tell people about Him. This is true, yet at the same time God has given the command to go and tell (Acts 1:1-8). This friend and I had also just talked about how God gave us free will, and this is the shape the thought took the next morning: God gave us something to do so we could participate in His eternal purpose for us because He loves us!
God doesn’t need humanity, yet He created us anyway. God didn’t have to give us free will, but if He didn’t then we wouldn’t be able to love Him back for the love He gives us. If God did everything for us, we wouldn’t be who and what we are. God has something in store for us beyond our ability to comprehend, and we can’t get there and see it unless we participate in His plan.
The almighty God who knows everything there is to know and can do anything there is to do lets us participate in His overarching design so that we can benefit from it in ways we never would have otherwise! Because God loves us, He has included us in His work and set it up so we can benefit from it!
Related:
God Is Able. Are You Willing?
Rigged in Our Favor
God Lets Us Help
Resurrection Already Planned
God’s Plan
God’s Plans and Our Plans
Sovereignty of God and Volition of Man
Made to Be Good, Made for God’s Purpose
God, Volition, and Natures
If God Is Good, Then Why Is There Evil?