Theists regularly assert that without God, there is no free will. How do they reconcile that assertion with "everything" being part of "God's plan"?
2007-01-30 16:29:41 · 8 answers · asked by STFU Dude 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I've seen this question in all kinds of different forms, with the same answers of pushing God's omnipotence and Man's free will together, all kinds of analogies, and yet you cannot give Man free will without taking away from God's omnipotence.
And I believe in God's omnipotence first, rather than free will. But it has to do with the ability to look to God for salvation, not day-to-day decisions, and people get confused over that. But when it comes to who has what power, I'll give God the benefit of the doubt.
Now, there is only one way to take away man's free will in the theological sense and that is by making him so sinful that he can't choose God. And we find this in the Bible, Psalm 51:4, conceived in sin. Our righteous acts are like filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. Make any decision you want, none of them leads to Heaven. No need to push omnipotence & free will together any more, Adam took down the entire human race.
So who chooses who? The answer is in Romans 8:30, those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. So far I'm being consistent with God totally in charge and a damaged man that just deserves Hell as a result of his sin nature.
That's how I reconcile it. God doesn't need a "plan" for the guilty, except for righteousness that would be fully justified in condemning everyone, sin is our fault anyway. But for some reason, His Holy Spirit has opened some of our eyes to what His Son did for us 2000 years ago. We call this grace, Ephesians 2:8, nothing we deserved, everything a gift of God.
Too many people still have to give themselves credit with acceptance too, but I don't find the need to accept anywhere in the Bible. I only find the word "receive", tied in with believing, but that belief is also a gift, not anything we did for ourselves.
2007-01-31 03:15:10 · answer #1 · answered by ccrider 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
God asserts administrative skill, not micromanagement. The diffeence is that you can issue an order to have a house built, hire sklled laborers, and go back to your office.
Everything that happens in the house is according to the builder's plan, and yet all the workers have free will within the boundaries of the assignment. The smarter the builder is, the more detail he'll know in advance of the building of the house.
2007-01-30 16:34:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you play chess? if so, then you particularly comprehend already, yet you in basic terms have not related the dots yet. If no longer, then a proof is so as. an excellent chess participant can plan quite a few strikes in enhance. If a chess grasp has the skill to "see forward" a dozen strikes, and he writes those strikes down on a sheet of paper and seals it in an envelope, while the sport is going precisely as he "expected", that does no longer get rid of the opponent's skill to % his strikes. And that could be a God with countless understanding and archives, who is familiar with of you appropriate down on your DNA. Is it so confusing for Him to "be attentive to" precisely what you will do until now you do it, while He sees your heart? unfastened will can no longer exchange God's grasp plan of salvation and in case you get on flight 327 from Boston to Chicago, you're "predestined" to get off the airplane in Chicago. yet no person is forcing you to get on flight 327. yet once you DO get on that flight, you will finally end up in Chicago. You getting any of this? Is it sinking in? you would be examined in this! (J/ok) EDIT: in case you do no longer want an answer, then do no longer ask the question! that is termed "Hypocrisy" If the shoe suits ... you will possibly no longer in basic terms like the respond, yet that is YOUR concern! that could be a valid answer, whether you like it or no longer!
2016-11-01 22:47:21 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free will is a choice he gives you to go along with the plan. God, being the all powerful, has the capacity to arrange the outcomes of your choices good or bad things to the result he wants. In other worlds, he's flexible and do whatever he wants with what you give him.
For example, you're chosen to be atheist with your beliefs. He doesnt necessarily want that for you. But through you he has given me the opprtunity to improve my skills on communicating his message which is indeed what he wants for me. And by the questions you raise it brings awareness to His being to those who view this site. Thanks
2007-01-30 16:37:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the fantasy that everything is god is the easiest cop out of them all only second is the irreconcilable assertion that "everthing is part of gods plan " it just gets no more lame then that .
"Religion is comparable to a childhood neurosis".Sigmund Freud
2007-01-30 16:36:14 · answer #5 · answered by dogpatch USA 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They can't. Look up monololistic. An interesting word for the pap that adherents give to each other and try to force the the gag reflexes of the rest.
2007-01-30 16:32:37 · answer #6 · answered by voodooprankster 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God's plan, refers to the plan of salvation, not to the course of history. He knows the end from the beginning but he didn't plan it.
2007-01-30 16:39:11 · answer #7 · answered by hisgloryisgreat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We all have a free will to chose whatever we want
We make wrong , bad and good choices
2007-01-30 16:33:45 · answer #8 · answered by Gifted 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋