Why Has God Created a World in Which There Is Suffering? part3
Wed, 01/30/2008 - 13:21 — admin
TEACHER: That’s correct. This will be more apparent when we look at point number three.
As part and parcel of the Supreme Being, the natural function of the individual living being is to render service to God.12 Just as the hand, which is part of the body, is meant to serve the interests of the entire body, similarly the soul, being part of the Supreme Lord, is meant to be engaged in His service. God, however, is not a slavemaster, and He does not force anyone to serve Him. Rather, by His arrangement, every living entity has the freedom to choose to serve or not serve God.
To those who question if God could not have used His power to create persons who would infallibly carry out His orders and do His will, never transgressing His command, never acting wrongly, the answer is “yes.” Being all-powerful, He can accomplish anything He chooses. Because He is all-wise and all-merciful, however, He did not pre-program all the living beings in this way, but rather endowed them with free will. That He did so can be seen as merciful for the simple reason that He thereby made it possible for the living beings to experience love for Him. Love is based on freedom; the freedom to choose who I direct my love to; the freedom to give myself or not give myself to another person. Without such freedom, there is no question of love. That it is the natural function of the soul to serve the Supreme Soul is also due to the wisdom and mercy of the Supreme Lord. This natural serving propensity coupled with the living being’s free will means, if he so desires, that he can voluntarily engage in devotional service to God. God desires the living entity to serve Him, not because He is on a power trip and enjoys having others do His will, but because He relishes the love which motivates the service offered to Him by His devotee. And even more than this, He relishes seeing His devotees love Him, for He knows it is in their best interest to do so and that they are fully happy when they are serving Him. Thus, it is the exchange of love between God and His servants that is relished by both. Were He to have created innumerable servants who served Him not because they had made a free choice to do so, but because they were created or made to do so by God Himself, there would be no question of such an exchange of love. It is the mood behind the service which makes it most relishable, and not the act of service itself. The superexcellent beauty of free will, then, is that one can voluntarily engage himself in devotional service to God.
The physical body is made up of countless numbers of tiny material particles called molecules and atoms. These material particles are constantly being replaced by material particles from the outside environment (in the form of food, water, air, and so on). Over a period of five to seven years, this process of metabolism brings about a complete change of the matter that makes up your body.MICHAEL: Regardless, then, of how one uses or abuses his freedom of choice, it can never be taken from him, although it may be greatly restricted?
Science of Identity Foundation – Chris Butler Speaks
TEACHER: That’s correct. This will be more apparent when we look at point number three.
As part and parcel of the Supreme Being, the natural function of the individual living being is to render service to God.12 Just as the hand, which is part of the body, is meant to serve the interests of the entire body, similarly the soul, being part of the Supreme Lord, is meant to be engaged in His service. God, however, is not a slavemaster, and He does not force anyone to serve Him. Rather, by His arrangement, every living entity has the freedom to choose to serve or not serve God.
To those who question if God could not have used His power to create persons who would infallibly carry out His orders and do His will, never transgressing His command, never acting wrongly, the answer is “yes.” Being all-powerful, He can accomplish anything He chooses. Because He is all-wise and all-merciful, however, He did not pre-program all the living beings in this way, but rather endowed them with free will. That He did so can be seen as merciful for the simple reason that He thereby made it possible for the living beings to experience love for Him. Love is based on freedom; the freedom to choose who I direct my love to; the freedom to give myself or not give myself to another person. Without such freedom, there is no question of love. That it is the natural function of the soul to serve the Supreme Soul is also due to the wisdom and mercy of the Supreme Lord. This natural serving propensity coupled with the living being’s free will means, if he so desires, that he can voluntarily engage in devotional service to God. God desires the living entity to serve Him, not because He is on a power trip and enjoys having others do His will, but because He relishes the love which motivates the service offered to Him by His devotee. And even more than this, He relishes seeing His devotees love Him, for He knows it is in their best interest to do so and that they are fully happy when they are serving Him. Thus, it is the exchange of love between God and His servants that is relished by both. Were He to have created innumerable servants who served Him not because they had made a free choice to do so, but because they were created or made to do so by God Himself, there would be no question of such an exchange of love. It is the mood behind the service which makes it most relishable, and not the act of service itself. The superexcellent beauty of free will, then, is that one can voluntarily engage himself in devotional service to God.