483. If We Had No Free Choice in Spiritual Matters, the Word Would Be Useless and Therefore the Church Would Be Nothing
It is recognized throughout the Christian world that broadly speaking the Word is the law, or the book of the laws we must live by in order to be blessed with eternal life. Surely, the statements in the Word to the effect that we should do good and not evil and should believe in God and not idols occur more often than any others. The Word is full of commandments and exhortations of this kind, with blessings and promises of reward for those who follow them and curses and threats against those who do not. What would be the purpose of all these statements if we had no free choice in spiritual matters, that is, in areas that concern salvation and eternal life? They would be empty statements that serve no use. If we held fast to the idea that we have no power and no freedom in spiritual things, and thus were removed from any power of will in that respect, Sacred Scripture would seem to us like a blank piece of paper with no letters on it, or a sheet of paper on which a whole pot of ink had been spilled, or just serifs and dots without letters - a volume entirely without meaning.
[2] There should be no need to confirm this from the Word; but the church of today has plunged into mindless folly in regard to spiritual matters and has cited a number of passages from the Word in support of its view (although the passages have been interpreted falsely). Therefore I feel obligated to quote some passages that command us to do and believe. They are the following.
The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of it. (Matthew 21:43)
Produce fruits worthy of repentance. The axe is already lying against the root of the tree. Every tree, then, that does not produce good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire. (Luke 3:8-9)
Jesus said, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' and yet you do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them is like someone who has built a house on the rock; but those who hear and do not do are like someone who has built a house on the ground without a foundation. " (Luke 6:46-49)
Jesus said, "My mother and siblings are those who hear the Word of God and do it. " (Luke 8:21)
We know that God does not hear sinners, but if people worship God and do his will, them he hears. (John 9:31)
If you know these things, you are happy if you do them. (John 13:17)
Those who have my commandments and do them are the ones who love me, and I will love them. (John 14:21)
In this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit. (John 15:8)
You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. I have chosen you so that you will bear fruit and your fruit will remain. (John 15:14, 16)
Make the tree good. A tree is recognized by its fruit. (Matthew 12:33)
Produce fruits worthy of repentance. (Matthew 3:8)
The one sown in good ground is one who hears the Word and bears fruit. (Matthew 13:23)
Those who are reaping a harvest receive their reward and gather fruit for eternal life. (John 4:36)
Wash yourselves; purify yourselves. Remove the evil of your doings; learn to do good. (Isaiah 1:16-17)
The Son of Humankind will come in the glory of his Father, and then he will render to all according to their deeds. (Matthew 16:27)
Those who have done good things will depart into a resurrection of life. (John 5:29; )
Behold, I am coming quickly and my reward is with me, so that I will give to all according to their work. (Revelation 22:12)
Jehovah, whose eyes are opened in order to give to all according to their ways. He treats us according to our works. ([Jeremiah 32:19;] Zechariah 1:6)
[3] The Lord also teaches the same thing in his parables, many of which involve the theme that those who do good things will be accepted and those who do evil things will be rejected. For example, the parable of the vinedressers in the vineyard (Matthew 21:33-44); and the parable of the talents and minas, with which people traded (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27).
Likewise about faith Jesus said, "Those who believe in me will not die to eternity" but will live (John 11:25-26). "This is the will of the Father, that everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life" (John 6:40). "Those who believe in the Son have eternal life, but those who do not believe in the Son will not see life; instead God's wrath remains upon them" (John 3:36). "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son so that everyone who believes in him would not perish but would have eternal life" (John 3:15-16). And further, "You are to love the Lord your God with your whole heart and your whole soul and your whole mind. And you are to love your neighbor as yourself. The Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:37-40). But these are only a handful of passages from the Word, like a few cups of water from an ocean.
