What is the relationship between space and time? Many of us view time as the fourth dimension. We can conceivably go in any direction, up – down, forward – back, left – right, but time only marches forward. Scientific discoveries propose a more complex space-time relationship. Einstein’s research established that space bends in the presence of heavy objects (like planets) causing time to slow down in those areas. If we could travel at the speed of light, time would actually stop. Theoretically, if we could exceed light speed, we might even go backwards. It is even more mind-blowing to realize that before the Big-Bang, there was no time at all.
About seventeen-hundred years ago, the Church Father St. Augustine was asked:
What was God doing before he made heaven and earth? For if he were unoccupied, and did nothing, why does he not forever also, and from now on, cease from working, as he did in times past?
His answer:
If before heaven and earth there was no time, why is it asked, ‘What did you do then?’ For there was no then when time was not.
One could say that Einstein’s work confirmed Augustine’s pre-scientific hypothesis.
Quantum entanglement gets even more spooky (as Einstein wrote). It is like having two dice, each rolled in different rooms. When entangled they strangely always come up with the same number. This phenomenon has been demonstrated with objects as large as diamonds. Why am I saying all of this? Space-time has many secrets that we humans may never fully understand.
Science fiction writers like to play with the concept of time. The movie Premonition features Linda Hanson who learns from the local sheriff that her husband died in a car accident. Friends and family arrive and grieve with her. After a time, she is exhausted and falls asleep on the couch. Unexpectedly, though, she wakes up and everything is normal. Her husband is alive; there was no accident and no death. This scenario repeats over-and-over in different ways as she tries again-and-again to prevent the accident. In the end, she fails. In this plot, the future cannot be altered – one’s destiny is predetermined.
Another movie that explores this issue is Déjà vu. In this one, agent Douglas Carlin investigates a ferry explosion that kills hundreds of U.S. Navy sailors and their families. The inquiry focuses on Claire Kushever who had information about the terrorist who caused the disaster. Douglas succeeds in going back in time using an experimental device. Although he doesn’t prevent the catastrophe and is killed in the attempt, Claire is spared. The movie ends with her meeting his future self who never went back in time. In this story-line the future is changed.
Time travel was a regular feature in Star Trek episodes. In most plot-lines, the crew was extremely careful not to affect the timeline. When they weren’t, the entire course of the Universe was altered. The message here: don’t mess with it.
One of the attributes we attribute to God is omniscience. Does God know every detail, past, present, and future? If yes, we might ask: “Is free will a myth?” Then, why would he judge evil people? They had no choice but to follow their destiny. These are complex questions that I hope to explore in this post.
Christians are divided. Some say that free will is an illusion. God knows the choice that each person will make throughout their lives with one-hundred percent certainty. Therefore, everything is deterministic. The following verses seem to support this view.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that the Son might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined, he also called; and those whom he called, he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Rom. 8:29-30)
In some ways, the free-will debate reminds me of the controversy between the Pharisees and the Sadducees regarding the resurrection. People knew instinctively that death could not be the end. Otherwise, there could be no justice for good people who suffer at the hands of those that are evil. Yet, the Sadducees had a seemingly air-tight argument that they brought to Jesus. His reply: “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living,” His answer turned their argument on its head.
Similarly, we instinctively know that free will must exist, evidenced by the choices we make every day. If it doesn’t, we might ask: “Did Jesus when incarnate have free will? Could he have chosen not to go to the cross?” If Jesus as God in the flesh had no choice, his sacrifice was not done willingly. This raises serious theological questions. No free will seems to imply that even God’s actions are predestined.
I’m going to introduce a concept from my background as a Computer Scientist that may help. Parallel programming is a technique used to create solutions for complex intractable problems. It employs algorithms that at each step, execute different instructions simultaneously. Some implementations involve hundreds or even thousands of processors. Without parallel programs, we would not be able to ask Google about almost anything and have a response within a second or two.
It seems certain that the Universe, and everything in it, has the potential to express a particular reality at each instant. We could call this a timeline, and we are living out one of these. What if every possibility actually exists? This mean that reality consists of infinite-times-infinite different existences. All of these parallel timelines operate simultaneously. God’s sovereignty guarantees that things always work out as he intends regardless of timeline. With this model, free will remains alive and well.
One might ask: “How can God ensure that each potential reality turns out as intended?” In our single experience, he or his angels occasionally intervene directly. There are many documented cases when this kind of thing happens. More often though, we receive prompting from the still-small voice of the Holy Spirit. It suggests that we to do something that is outside of our normal behavior. I recall many times when I heard such an urging. My usual response is: “That’s nuts.” I immediately dismiss the thought and go about my business. My wife Viv recounts times when she said “OK, I’ll do it” despite feeling dread about whatever it was. She stepped forward and found the situation to be really urgent. Her actions helped in ways that made a big and timely difference for a person or a situation. She also recounts other times where she flat-out said “NO!” and did not act. In those times, she recalls other people stepping forward to do what she would not do. Everything still worked out okay. These are examples of free will in practice. God Himself guides and directs, and gives us the options to freely choose. As a good parent, he never forces. When we do obey, we experience a blessing, and our faith increases. When we don’t, the blessing is missed, and we might not even be aware of it.
I think it a mistake to develop doctrines around the concepts of free will. We don’t understand eternity. We don’t understand what it means to transcend and exist outside of space-time. We certainly don’t understand God. According to Solomon:
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live. (Eccl. 3:11-12)
We humans love to search, explore, and try to understand. This is fine and commendable. We get in trouble when we begin to think we know with certainty things about which we don’t have a clue. It is especially damaging when we create dogma and judge everyone who disagrees. My instincts tell me that we are not robots. We do have the freedom to make choices. I’ll leave it to God to determine how all of this works out.
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So, you’re saying if I had… I mean, when the — No. Not that either. Um, can I think about this a minute, please? But I mean without you pulling any Star Wars time tricks while I’m concentrating, OK?
Just what do we mean when we say “God”? You probably cannot answer that, either. Obviously we are referring to something superior to us. To quote the Bible, God, “As high as the heavens are above the earth, are my thoughts above yours (the thoughts of man).” (My re-wording of scripture).
I “get around” my understanding of God and the seeming inconsistencies, by imagining God on two levels: One, as like a human being; the other as a creator of the mind that is wondering who He is?, and therefore, inscrutable. So I can talk reason with Him, argue with Him, beg Him, thank Him, . . . but since He knows my thoughts even as I write this, I’ll never be able to think on His level.
I have tried to make an analogy with the weather forecasters: As our technology improves, we are able to more and more accurately predict the weather.
Or an analogy with psychology: As we learn more about what makes a person ‘tick’, we are able to discern better what they are likely to do in the future. (And that’s partly why we put some people in jail, and promote others to leadership.)
We are able to predict quite a few things accurately. Einstein and others have predicted bosons and relativity, chemists are able to predict the performance of yet-unsynthesized chemicals, etc, etc.
So why would it be so unreasonable to realize that the Great Mind is able to see what we are going to do, well ahead of the event?
He isn’t making us do it.
But He isn’t stopping us, either.
He’s letting us practice free will (at least so far as we are able to detect!), and simultaneously telling us what we could do if we would do it His way.
The right way. The honest, loving, caring, sharing way.
The only way God gets His jollies is if we love Him from a free will. Really, it’s the only kind of love we want, also.
We are not robots. We are not even animals. We are as gods, the Bible says.
Interesting thoughts, thanks.