"7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.")
This fight had our agency at the heart of it. Were we to be forced to worship or would it be our choice to worship with a way provided for us if we repented? So, to make a long argument short, the question we should ask about proposed laws: "Will it maintain and enhance my agency, or give it to another?" The question to ask about proposed lawmakers: "Do they propose solutions that will maintain and enhance my agency, and have they voted and worked to protect it in the past?"
God gave each of us our agency, knowing that others choices would harm us at times. Who are we to vote it away from them?
This fight had our agency at the heart of it. Were we to be forced to worship or would it be our choice to worship with a way provided for us if we repented? So, to make a long argument short, the question we should ask about proposed laws: "Will it maintain and enhance my agency, or give it to another?" The question to ask about proposed lawmakers: "Do they propose solutions that will maintain and enhance my agency, and have they voted and worked to protect it in the past?"
God gave each of us our agency, knowing that others choices would harm us at times. Who are we to vote it away from them?
I had more thoughts on this as I reread it. I think most Christians can agree that one of Satan's tricks is to convince us when we mess up that we've done it permanently and are trapped. When we look at addictions we see bondage. How easy it is to fall into sin and hard to get out is a testament of God's willingness to let us choose. God let's us go if we want to, Satan tries to tie us down. However in the scriptures we see numerous occasions where God gives us choices. Only denial of the Holy ghost after gaining a pure knowledge of the truth and the shedding of innocent blood are unforgivable. It is a great testament to the value God places on freedom that he has given us guidelines to follow, but does not stand over us pressuring us to do the right thing. He tells us to come to him, and if we are trying to do that he aids us with his great power and comforts us in our failures. On the other hand, when we once mess us, Satan tries to keep us there by telling us we cannot go back and further pressuring us into more sin. We still have choices, but clearly God wants us to choose and Satan wants us to be trapped.
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