God's plan/ predetermined timeline..........?

Question

if things are already set out to happen in this plan/timeline then doesnt this mean free will is just an illusion?

Answer 1

Think about it this way: at school it is predetermined that there is a schedule, such as class times, lunch, and end of day. But within those parameters there is almost total free will as it relates to each individual. Our own lives are the only thing we should worry about - everything else gradually works itself out.

Answer 2

God's burgeoning intelligence does not see the conflict between those two concepts. It is our own limitations that make that difficult to grasp.

I've come to think of free will like this: the neutral line of the Plan, wherein everything that must happen will occur. The positive line of the Plan, where a person, (or group of people) through circumstance, asks God for assistance, (or thinks positive thoughts) and affects the neutral line as a drop of water in a pond, a ripple effect, so to speak, brings more souls closer to heaven. Or the negative line of the Plan, where evil has more influence, (or there are more negative thoughts/words/actions) that bring about the fall of more souls from grace.

So the Plan is the same, but within it, freewill can function. It helps to know that His plan is to bring us closer together, to be with one another, to enjoy one another, to become stronger, more intelligent, more compassionate, more forgiving, In short, to grow.

Answer 3

Although the Bible does mention events that occur whether the "players" believe in him or not, and sometimes even in spite of the directions the believers take, I believe that we have free will when it does not involve salvation. As for the ability to choose him, there are just too many passages in the scriptures that deny this, and that's where free will falls flat on its face. Salvation and faith itself is of God, man cannot earn it through a perceived sense of choice, if nothing else because it by definition must involve power to do so, and I would rather give that power to God than man.

Answer 4

If things really were set out to happen then why do we have a free will? Maybe things are not set out to happen and free will is gods plan...cos what benefit would god have to force people to worship him, he would want people to use their free will to make the decision whether they want to serve god or not.

Answer 5

it truly is an impressive question. enable me assure you, although, as someone who's idea about and debated by this question for hours upon hours, that there is truly no truly pleasant answer. i'd recommend interpreting "the placement Of discomfort" by C.S. Lewis. the completed e book bargains with this question. Lewis surely says that God needs for us to love Him truly, and to make sure that someone to love someone, they ought to might want to pick suggested human being, otherwise that's no longer authentic love. So God, even although He has the flexibility to rigidity us to obey Him each and every of the time, gave us free will so as that some might want to pick Him. wish that makes a touch bit experience! Like I suggested, i suggestions interpreting the e book! Lewis says it extra useful than I ever might want to! reliable luck and be blessed!

Answer 6

No. If you fall and break your arm, I know you are going to clutch it, and probably make a squeel of pain. Does that mean I 'caused you to clutch it and squeel in pain? No. God knows the very depth of your being, He created you, He knows what you will do in certain situations. It's easy for him. A lot of times I will know what my best friend is gonna do after certain things happen, this is because he's my best friend and I've gotten to truly know him. I'm just his friend, imagine God who created him!? God surely knows what my friend will do, a heck of a lot better than I will.

Answer 7

In Gods eye maybe, but that still doesn't predetermine your decisions. The fact you don't know is really all you need to know. What God knows is irrelevant to you and to us, for that matter.

Answer 8

Only way God exists if time is an necessary illusion. Since God is all knowing and all powerfully he would control time. If that is true god is lying when he said that we have freewill. So freewill goes against God. I think......

Answer 9

nope we can choose to go against God's plan and that's where free will comes in. also we have the free will of choice, whether we choose to believe in Him and ask for salvation or not.