Freewill

Mark 1:21-27, 40-45

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching--with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

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I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose freewill

"Freewill" recorded by Rush on "Permanent Waves" music by Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee, lyrics by Neil Peart

Here's something that doesn't always come to mind when reading the first chapter of Mark's gospel. Near the end of this chapter, Jesus enters the local synagogue and begins teaching. As he's teaching a man with an unclean spirit came, cried out and told the world who Jesus is, the Holy One of God. Jesus told the spirit to be silent and come out. Jesus commanded the unclean spirit, telling it to shut up and get out. This is important, the spirit knew who Jesus was and the spirit obeyed Jesus like it didn't have a choice.

Later in the same verse, the man with leprosy was healed. Jesus told him to not share what happened with anyone and to go to the temple to complete the cleansing ritual and as a testimony to the temple priests. The man didn't do this. He did the exact opposite, he told everyone but the temple priests.

So what's at stake here between the unclean and the cleansed? The unclean spirits are controlled. They are subjugated. They are discarded. In the cleansed man the disease is lifted and his response is a choice. Sure, he makes the wrong choice, the exact opposite of what Jesus tells him to do, but he makes a choice.

Jesus gives freewill to those he loves. To the unclean, to the evil, to that which cannot be redeemed, there is no choice. To those he has come to redeem, to restore, to cleanse; to us he has given a choice. We can do as he asks or not.

So if it's a difference between being forced into submission and being led into a love relationship, I'll take the choice. I'll take what Jesus offers, I'll take freewill.