Does man have free will?

Question

I've been reading Luthers Bondage of the Will and Erasmuses Freedom of the will. What do you think of this subject?

Answer 1

Yes.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

+ The Almighty +

Of all the divine attributes, only God's omnipotence is named in the Creed: to confess this power has great bearing on our lives.

We believe that his might is universal, for God who created everything also rules everything and can do everything. God's power is loving,

http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt1art1p3.htm

+ Free Will +

God created man a rational being, conferring on him the dignity of a person who can initiate and control his own actions.

"God willed that man should be 'left in the hand of his own counsel,' so that he might of his own accord seek his Creator and freely attain his full and blessed perfection by cleaving to him."

http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt3sect1chpt1art3.htm

+ Example +

I have a small child, I know and love this child with all my heart and mind. This child looks at a cookie on the table. I know this child well enough that I know she will take the cookie. The child takes the cookie. Does the child have free will or did I force the child to take the cookie?

God loves and knows us infinitely more than I know that child. Is it not reasonable that God knows what we will do and still not force our actions?

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 2

I never read "Bondage of the Will" or Erasmus, but I have looked through the Institutes of the Christian Religion as well as other reformed and Presbyterian doctrines. I don't know if I'm repeating either of them by saying this, but free will is not necessarily contested by Calvin except for the ability to look to God for salvation. And of course this makes all of the decisions that we make (freely) also worthless if it our final destination, no matter what we decide, is hell!

Rather, it takes a loving God to seek us out since we do not seek Him. And, he does this out of his sovereignty, without begging our permission or wringing his hands in hopes that we will choose him. Since he chooses us, the Bible also mentions when he has decided who will be his, i.e. before the foundations of the world. This also means that God's "elect" were chosen out of the world of sinners, he did not elect the entire human race from Adam forward.

Quite obviously we do not know who is written in the book of life. If you will look at Deuteronomy 30:19 and Joshua 24:15, you will see "choice" verses that indicate man's lack of knowledge rather than "proof" of free will. This means that we can see our perceived choices in light of God's sovereignty, rather than trying to describe sovereignty in terms of man's ability to choose -- which only leads to a weak God and confusion as to how they could ever work together. They cannot. One must go, and for me, God's sovereignty wins out. Man does not get the prerogative of being able to choose his own salvation.

Answer 3

Free will is as obvious as deciding to look over ones left shoulder for no reason.
Try it, do something for absolutely no reason.
You are proving to yourself that you, and everyone, have free will.

Smashing MOuthkins