If God wanted us to have free will, why does he threaten us with hell?

Question

It isn't free will if you've got a gun at your head

Answer 1

why indeed

Answer 2

It's fascinating to see how people cling to theological free will (ability to seek the Lord on their own) no matter what logic you throw at them.

So a little different answer for you. We have free will, plenty of it. But it's nothing to be desired. Remember our sinful nature? I haven't heard one person mention that since Adam's fall, everyone has DESERVED hell. God would be totally justified in not doing a thing and letting us all be destroyed. We're not innocent, if there's a gun to our heads, just pull the trigger, none of us are worthy of heaven anyway.

But the good Lord didn't do this. Out of all of humanity that deserves Hell, SOME are saved, predestined from before the foundations of the world, and because of the sacrifice His Son paid in our place, we get to enjoy a permanent relationship with Him. He LOVES His own, intimately foreknowing them, saving them from eternity to eternity. The ones He has not chosen, walk around not caring if there's a gun pointed at their heads, many don't even recognize the existence of a gun. Some people even think they have a choice & ability to tell God not to pull the trigger. I doubt that, we are in no position to bargain with the Almighty.

Does that make God cruel? No, we did this to ourselves. The Bible is a very uncomfortable book, surprise surprise, God isn't the fuzzy cuddlebear most people want Him to be. The Bible explicitly tells us who we really are, and yet so few people listen, too busy puffing themselves up with their perceived abilities to choose Him when it's the other way around.

Take it as a threat if you like, if He has not chosen you, you will not have faith, Eph. 2:8.

Answer 3

Well, it's not a gun. God is the father to us all. u can't expect not to be grounded if u keep flouting rules. There's a limit to everything, thus a limit to our activities. Humans will make a TERRIBLE mess on earth if given the ultimate freedom. The rules are for your own good. Whether u consider it as a gun or a safety measure depends on from which angle u are looking. Or rather which angle are u being shown by the so called priests.

God's word is like a highway sign. Ignore it only if u don't care what happens to yourself.

Answer 4

This is another simple answer. The free will you are refering to is the free will to accept God as your Father or not. He will never force love and obedience from us. That would not be true love, would it. As for Hell. You do not go to hell because you didn't choose God. At least not in the way you think. This world is the playground of evil. If God is not your Father, If you are not His child, then you have no parent to protect you from the enticement of this world. The more you are enticed, the more you sin. The more you sin, the farther away from God and His love you fall. YOUR CHOICE

Answer 5

People aren't taking too much notice of the 'gun at your head' part are they.
If someone ever holds a gun to your head and says 'give me your money or you die' then according to most people answering here you think this nice man is giving you a choice, whereas most normal sane people would say this guys making a threat.
Your god created hell to punish you and torture you if you disobey him. If the creator didn't create hell then he's not as powerful and omnipotent as you make out is he? Also, whats to stop him taking everyone into heaven regardless of their sins because then we would see the 'truth' and we would all be believers.
So, as I said, either your all-loving all-merciful god created hell to punish you or he's powerless to prevent you from going to hell, which is it?

Answer 6

Its free will cause you can decide you don't want to go to Heaven. That is your decision. He left you guidance and help
you can take it or leave it.
You have to earn eternity not be defiant and do everything wrong and expect a reward. Anymore than a child will go sneak all the Halloween candy into his room eat it all and not expect a huge stomach ache or take drugs and get addicted.
Everyone seems to want a free ride it's never been that way, for anything in life.

Answer 7

mankind threatens people with Hell. God threatens no body.

Religions all over the world are run by Hyprocrites, not Gods.

And all whom threaten Hell onto other s are hyprocrites, not Gods.

Therefore I say, no one goes to Hell, except those whom threaten others with it.

Answer 8

Actually the reason why God created Heaven and Hell is solely because He has given humans the power to exercise free will.

God has laid down rules for us, and warned us of the rewards and consequences. Then He says... it's your choice to make.

If God controlled our will, and he decides to put (e.g. me) in HELL, then it's likely I will blame God for making that decision for me. But since, that's not the case...

Answer 9

You're threatened with it in a roundabout way, like a sort of cosmic protection racket.

Nice soul you have there - it'd be a shame if it got sent to burn in a lake of fire for all eternity with harpies voiding their bowels into it's face, eyes and hair, wouldn't it? Donations in the box at the front please, move on, thank you.

Answer 10

If is our free will to choose heaven or hell. God doesn't like sinned.

Answer 11

God gave us free will so that we could truly be free to love Him,so what`s so bad about that?
God does not threaten us with Hell overbearing Christians do this instead,but He does warn us of our sinful consequences and hopes that we will be faithful and avoid damnation.