1. If your God wants us to worship him through our own free will,
why does he threaten us with Hell?
If you have someone threatening you with a punishment, it isn't free will.
Clarify your answer.
2006-07-26 15:29:49 · 23 answers · asked by monchichie2005 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It's still free will. If someon holds a gun to my head and says give me 5$ or I'll kill you, I still have the option of saying no. Nobody can actually make me say yes or no unless they can control my brain or drug me or something.
My question would be:
If we all have free will, why are so many xians praying to god that I'll start believing in him. Isn't that the OPPOSITE of free will? If god could do that, why are there any non-xians at all on the planet? All we have to do is pray for each non-believer!
To inthisskin, we should go to hell for asking the question? I love the fact that you tell us to go to hell, but if I call you a jacka**, that's "insulting other members". Screw u and the bible you rode in on.
2006-07-26 15:33:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
monchichie2005,
"If you have someone threatening you with a punishment, it isn't free will."
It is too.
There are many examples of people who defy authority because of their own stubborness.
Some of those that do so are defying the punishment for gain. They will take the punishment rather than tell who stole, for instance.
There are some that won't believe the punishment is there. In that case, they are defying God as to what He said He will do. That's disbelief; saying that God will not do what He said He would do.
So freewill is still there. The choice to believe or not believe is still intact, the choice to respond if you believe is still there.
The point is; this life is yours to do with, to the best of what you can do, this life is yours. If you should decide in this life, to give your life to God, it's your choice and you can still take it back, it's all up to you.
2006-07-26 22:44:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is a very good question. God does not threaten - He has His requirement for everlasting life - Just like you might have requirements for a boyfriend. If your boyfriend fools around on you, what would be your requirements? Your boy friend has the right to do what he wants - if he gets tired of you - he has the right to leave you for someone else, just as you have the right to find someone else. This is the free will.
God has His requirements - it is totally up to you if you accept them or not.
Just being good will not get you to heaven - it is like saying "Yes I cheated on you, but I love you the most" What do you think God's response will be?
Check out http://www.johnfourteen.com
Look at "Studies in the Bible"
many answers to everyday life
can be found there.
2006-07-26 22:37:03 · answer #3 · answered by Gladiator 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hell was created for Satan and the demons. When man first sinned and therefore followed Satan, seeking to become his own god, he no longer merited a place in God's perfect heaven. God is loving and also just. But because God loves us, he made another way to return to Him: by sending his sinless Son to die on the cross, paying the price for our sins, and we can come to him by repenting (turning from our sins with a godly sorrow) and trusting in Jesus to cover us with His righteousness. It isn't a threat; it's a reality. It is still free will; lack of free will would be if we were created without the capacity for sin and without the capacity to choose to love God -- for example, I don't have the free will to spread my arms and fly like Superman. I do have the free will to engage in cocaine use, even though I'm "threatened" with prison time and physical illness.
2006-07-26 22:43:29 · answer #4 · answered by ©2007 answers by missy 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He doesn't threaten us with hell. It's more like choosing who you will side with, the Devil, or Him. There is no middle ground. And even if you try to say that you don't believe in either, that's actually following the devil, because his goal is to lead as many away from God as possible.
And not everyone who doesn't believe in God in this life will necessarily go to hell.
If you want to go into further detail, and have an intelligent debate and conversation, feel free to contact me.
2006-07-26 22:39:36 · answer #5 · answered by Mirror Muse 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God gives you free-will to decide if you want to serve him. It's your decision to do. All He is telling you results of what will happen if you choose not to. You live in a society where you make decision, some make to right choice, other don't. It's up to you to seek God.
Matthew 6:24- " No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other;or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
2006-07-26 22:43:55 · answer #6 · answered by kimmieg 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Very nicely done. You've just said much of what I made my students think about when I hosted an "Ethics in Religion" class/discussion. My idea of God is all encompassing Love. I try to be as good as I can (okay, the chocolate side of the Force tempts me a lot) and I try to be kind. Some days its hard doing that but God loves me. That's all that matters.
2006-07-26 22:36:37 · answer #7 · answered by Mama Otter 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The free will comes with the choice to worship or not. The people that go to hell, go there by their choice to reject God, hence they had free will to accept God or not.
2006-07-26 22:41:48 · answer #8 · answered by schroeders_piano 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You have a choice either to do or not. You can choose where your destiny will be. No one stops you but you. I chose to worship God in Spirit and truth because I chose His path. Broad is the road to destruction, narrow the path to salvation. I do not worship the Lord for fear of Hell I worship Him for His peace, love and joy. This is worth my weight in gold to me. Just to be able to sleep at night without fear of tomorrow.
2006-07-26 22:41:15 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
God does not threaten us with hell. God does not threaten us at all.
Where did you hear this ?
2006-07-26 22:38:57 · answer #10 · answered by gwhiz1052 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋