If everything happens for a reason and God works in mysterious ways...?

Question

...how then, can you justify the argument/belief that God gave us free will?

I'm really looking for what people think for themselves here, not quotes of scripture.

Answer 1

I don't know if I really believe there is free will. It is difficult for me to come to terms with this myself. I DO believe that God is all-knowing and that He has a plan for my life and your's too.

Answer 2

Well, I don't think quotes of scripture will help with this question anyhow. I have looked at this question in depth in scripture. I believe that God knows what is going to happen, but we still have the free will to choose what we will do. Like, I'm typing right now...God knew when he created me that on October 11, at 10:43 I would be answering this question. However; I don't believe He's forcing me to type away right now. I know it's all really confusing and it's one of those things that nobody will ever understand until we stand before God and we can ask Him ourselves. So, yes, we still have freewill, but I just think I know that God already knew what we would choose. SOmething like that, sorry I don't think I did any explaning, I probaby just confused you more!

Answer 3

Just because something may happen for a reason, doesn't mean it is or isnt' GOD"s will.

IT's GOD's will that everyone go to heaven but for some reason not everyone will make it. Take the law of gravity. If you jump off of a building then the reason you fell would be because the law worked.. But it would have been GOD's will for you not to jump. IT wasn't GOD's will for my brother to die drinking and driving but he did and what was the reason? The person he was riding with lost control of the car because he was drunk!

So you know quoting scripture is how Christians think for themselve. You ask a biblical question but don't want a biblical answer.
You sound like every other person who doesn't believe you already hear the answer you want in your head.

Answer 4

I think when people say everything happens for a reason and that God works in mysterious ways, they aren't thinking about when someone gets murdered, or a child gets beaten... or things like that. I think they mean like, when someone breaks up with you... or much lighter subjects. The whole "free will", in my opinion... is for the first mentioned things... I don't think that those things "happen for a reason" other than the reason that the person who did them is a sick bastard and had the free will to do it, because I don't think God would ever approve of that. However, Satan is also at work you know. And I believe that some of the bad things to go on in the world are his doing...

Answer 5

God gave free will to those who have not yet come to him, and believe in him. He must come to you first, then you to him, and thus you are saved. Now about how everything happens for a reason, it's true. Things can't just happen randomly, or there would be no point to life in general. Think about dynamic equilibrium, if you can,(no offense), but in dynamic equilibrium particles(people) that are in a solution(the world) are floating around randomly, never dissolving or doing anything, except pretty much wasting time. That is what this world really is. A dynamic equilibrium. The world is headed nowhere, except to hell. God just seems to work in mysterious ways b/c his thinking and works are so far beyond what we can comprehend. Remember, we're just people, but He is God.

Answer 6

There is no where in the bible that says everything happens for a reason. There is also no scripture in the bible that says God works in mysterious ways. The bible does say that God works all things for good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. It also says that His ways are not our ways, that they are higher than our ways. These two verses have completely different meanings than the ones you quoted, which are sayings of man, not of God (I mean no offense). P.S. If you ask people about God, expect to hear scripture. It is His word and the best information you will receive with regard to His character.

We do have free will; God just knows what we are going to do, think and say ahead of time. Before we were ever born, in fact.

Answer 7

God accomplishes His plans on earth taking into account what we choose to do. He reacts to what people do. People ask Him for things and He delivers. I have experienced in many times. Some people might say 'It was going to happen anyways' but it didn't happen until I asked.
If God wanted robots who couldn't do anything wrong and would just be righteous and 'loved' Him all time time, He would have created that but He wanted beings who loved God because they chose to and in order to do that he had to make them so that they could hate Him. Do people hate God? Some do. Unless He were vengeful and petty and would create some people for the sole purpose of being damned, a free will is the only option.

Answer 8

Like in the story of Joseph, God can even use what others meant for evil and use it for good. Think, for instance, of how we might learn patience, if God did not allow there to be any annoying people in the world...or how we could learn the kind of love that comes from heaven if we had no enemies to love...

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. " (Rom 8)

(While I used a Scripture reference, and you requested that we not do so, this is also my opinion....although I do wonder why you would be more interested in my opinion that what God has to say!)

Answer 9

if you believe in the existence of god and regard him as omni potent, omniscient and omnipresent, there is no freedom for human beings because all the acts whether they are good or bad done by them not by them and they are not responsible for those acts because, if god is omni potent, he could have prevented people from committing bad deeds. religion can not give a satisfactory explanation for this question. only a person who is rational armed with scientific temper can say that there is no god and god was created by man.

Answer 10

The Universe is perfect because it is created from perfection. Therefore free will fits perfect. For instance you have a thought (free will) the Universe will respond with the perfect instance for your thought. It's like a perfect match.

Example: You want this guy but deep down inside you know you can't have him; the Universe will repsond to your belief (free will) that you can't have him and you won't no matter how hard you try.