“God created things which had free will. That means creatures which can go wrong or right. Some people think they can imagine a creature which was free but had no possibility of going wrong, but I can't. If a thing is free to be good it's also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. A world of automata of creatures that worked like machines would hardly be worth creating. The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each other in an ecstasy of love and delight compared with which the most rapturous love between a man and a woman on this earth is mere milk and water. And for that they've got to be free. Of course God knew what would happen if they used their freedom the wrong way: apparently, He thought it worth the risk... If God thinks this state of war in the universe a price worth paying for free will that is, for making a real world in which creatures can do real good or harm and something of real importance can happen, instead of a toy world which only moves when He pulls the strings then we may take it it is worth paying.” ― C.S. Lewis
“Right is right even if no one is doing it; wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.” ― Saint Augustine
So many fears out there today. I’ve noticed the Amish people don’t seem to have many at all, not even over Covid 19. Nope, cuz they don’t have CNN or TVs.
They tell us that Company CEOs now have to make decisions in 15% of the time that they used to have to make them in just 10 years ago. In other words everything is squeezed into a shorter period. A lot is at stake.
The pressure is overwhelming and it does put stress on many people in many Lands, but you know what.. God isn't fretting, or worried, or in a hurry, or caught off guard, or getting all stressed out. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, and his good counsel from the word endures for all of time and eternity. So stay in touch with him. Follow Christ closely. Ask specific questions and pray for your friends.
1. What is libertarian free will? Is free will the only way humans can be morally responsible for their actions?
2. Is God sovereign or do we have a free will?
3. What is this so called "conditional election"?
4. What is compatibilism and how does that relate to free will?
5. How do God’s sovereignty and humanity’s free will work together in salvation?
6. What is Molinism and is it biblical?
7. Surviving the end times - what do I need to know? It kinda looks like we be smackdab in those times now.
8. What does the Bible say about perseverance?
9. What is ultimate reconciliation?
10. Do human beings really... truly have a free will?
11. Will we have free will in heaven? If there is free will in heaven right now, will it be possible to sin in heaven?
12. Does God have free will? Aren’t there things God can not do? If God can’t sin, doesn’t that mean He is not truly free? We know he can't lie or stop loving you.
God has chosen never to lie to anyone ever -- He “cannot lie” Titus 1:2 nasb
13. Is God sovereign or do we have a free will? Is God in total control of everything in the universe?
14. What does the Bible say about predestination vs. free will? Is it possible for predestination and free will to both be true?
15. What is fatalism? What is determinism? What even is determinism? Are we nothing but pawns forced to accept our fate?
16. Do angels have free will? Do the angels have any choice as to whether they obey God?
17. Who are the elect of God? Does God predestine who will be saved? Is God’s election based on His foreknowledge of who will believe?
18. Why did God choose me? What purpose did God have in choosing me? Do I have a choice in regards to whether I am chosen? Do you kinda wonder if you really are chosen? I say choose to turn (hang a U-turn from all the Bible calls sin aka repent), trust (believe with commitment cuz of the cross).. to know, and to daily follow Christ. You’ll see. His loving arms are patiently wide open to receive you.
"In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.." Ephesians 1:11 (These verse are from the esv)
"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:9
"If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority." John 7:17
"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12-13
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20 (Check out some more verses on this)
Choose life, choose the way of love too. Jesus is the way. Love or feelings of love here are not God, but God indeed is love and he chooses to love you and me daily regardless of how flawed we are.
But what do you even mean by “free will”? Free is “the capacity of a conscious mind to make decisions and choices without any external constraints or coercion.” That’s what it is. God has a mind and is conscious; He has the capacity to make decisions and choose (He has volition, like you have); He does not answer to any authority anywhere, is not limited by any external constraints, and cannot be coerced or bribed like our politicians have been. Therefore, based on this definition, you and I can easily say, yes, God certainly possesses free will.
No one, no where tells God what to do: “Who has appointed Him His way, And who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?” Job 36:23 nasb
God was not required to create at all: in Revelation 4:11 we read, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” What’s the point, Kurt? It’s this -- the act of creation itself was the result of God’s free will.
You know that sometimes good wisdom comes from age and sometimes not. There are a lot of old educated fools. If you are young and not yet wise or not so young at all, you can choose to ask the Source of good wisdom. Go for it, choose life.
We all can ask -- it’s easy as pie. I don’t mean ask for that inferior type of worldly wisdom. Who needs that? None.
"If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open." James 1:5-8 msg
“If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it.“ tlb
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. kjv
