The Law of Free Will
Two cosmic laws, free will and noninterference, directly apply to freedom. Though they are closely linked, and almost inseparable from one another, they can be isolated in one respect. Free will relates most strongly to personal, internal freedom. Noninterference correlates to external, interpersonal, international, interkingdom, interdimensional freedoms and so on.
Free will, according to Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, is “the human will be regarded as free from restraints, compulsions, or any antecedent conditions; freedom of decision or choice.” From the point of view of cosmic law, this definition is only half correct, and therefore it is not surprising that there is continuing confusion over free will, even to the point where some question whether free will does, in fact, exist.
This is what Jesus referred to in the communication when he said that we cannot come closer to God when we continue to misinterpret Gods laws. So, let us analyze this definition point by point.
What Is this law?
The statement that free will is “the human will be regarded as free from restraints” is incorrect. Is derived from Spirits will. Spirits will comprise at least twenty-three universal principles, and even Spirit must follow every one of them.
If even Spirit is restricted in Its use of this, how is it possible that man is not? The restriction God has placed on this law is that all other cosmic principles act in concert with it. This divine formulation precludes human will as free from restraint.
This part of man’s loose definition of free will has led to immoral acts and institutions throughout history, some of which continue to this day. It also has caused many to resist the concept of a higher power, of a divine order, of God.
For many, believing in the existence of a greater, divine will and power threatens their concept of personal freedom or takes it away altogether. If there are divine laws that maintain cosmic balance and harmony and if there is an omnipotent and omniscient God, of what use are one person’s decisions and efforts? What possible purpose can there be for personal free will, anyway?
This line of reasoning is one explanation for why people and whole societies, such as pre-Islamic Arabia and China during the Shang Dynasty, as well as some in the present day and age, adopt fatalistic thinking. This kind of thinking says, “Well, it happened, so I guess it was meant to be,” or “Whatever happens must be the will of God or the will of the gods.”
We need not fear losing our freedom to think, feel and act. There is no power on Earth nor in heaven that will separate Spirits law of free will from our being. Our free will is a necessary ingredient of divine order. It is eternally secure, and can never be separated from Gods will.
Another statement in the dictionary definition was that free will is “the human will regarded as free from, any antecedent [preceding] conditions.” But this too is inadequate.
Only societies with an imperfect understanding of other divine laws, such as cause and effect (karma) and reincarnation, could conceive of true freedom without incorporating past actions as present obligations.
Who can wonder why man would have a pattern of evading responsibility for his own actions, or of not feeling obligated to compensate for others̓ lack of responsibility, if free will means that what has been done in the past is of no account?
Karma and Reincarnation
But karma and reincarnation, even when they involve past errors, are not activities to be freed from. We must use them in conjunction with all the other cosmic laws, in order to achieve true freedom.
We can never separate ourselves from these principles, any more than we can separate ourselves from God. We will always be causing effects and reincarnating, if not here on Earth, then somewhere else. To fulfill obligations and redress negative, antecedent conditions by our I Am Self-directed freewill choice is a necessary and good spiritual activity. Compliance with any divine law requires exertion of our free will.
Man’s definition of free will is true in that it means “freedom of decision or choice,” and it also means that to have it, we must be “free from, compulsions.” God gave us free will. As much as Divine Mind guides and influences us through our I AM, we never have been nor ever will be compelled or coerced to follow divine will.
