I think it’s true that God created me from nothing. God didn’t even have my consent when I was created. There was no “me” to give consent. Everything I have was given me by God. Apart from God, I truly am “nothing.”
But God gave me one thing that puts me on firmer ground: I can choose. I think God did that so I could have the dignity of knowing I respect and obey God, love him and serve him because I freely choose to do so. I’m not merely a “thing” that God created; I am a free person. That’s a very nice dignity to have for someone who came from nothing.
However, there is a big price to pay for that dignity. This ability to choose for myself will stay with me forever. If I choose not to obey God, I don’t think God will remove my freedom to choose. I think I will retain it forever, but God will not forever tolerate my refusal to obey. A dreaded time will come when God decides: enough!
From that time on, if I don’t want to recognize who God is and what I am, I will have an eternal stand-off with God. God commands my obedience. I say “no!” I think that’s the only thing I retain over and above my nothingness. If my pride inclines me to try to be on a par with God, this eternal “No!” is all I will have.
Maurice A. Williams
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