For instance, God told Jonah to go to Ninevah (that was Gods will), but then, Jonah boarded a ship and fled in the other direction (that was Jonah's will). So, why, if man has free will, and God honors that free will choice of man; why did God cause a giant fish to swallow Jonah up and prety much cause him to end up in Ninevah where Jonah didnt want to go, but the Lord had told Him to go in the first place? And doesnt the bible talk about unregenerate man being held captive by the devil to do his will? And that they are slaves to sin? I lean toward the idea that until one comes to true faith in Jesus, that they dont really have a choice but to sin, but when we come to Christ, our wills are then set free and we can then decide not to sin instead of to sin. What do some of you think?
2007-04-26 14:56:28 · 20 answers · asked by biblestudent07 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
We are ALL in sin before we come to Jesus. You are right.
No one is without sin. When we are born again through Jesus Christ, it is the Holy Spirit who gives us a desire to please Him. It is the Holy Spirit's conviction in our lives that keeps us grounded in the truth and from falling into sin- so if we do sin, we are convicted and know when we are sinning, therefore we can ask for forgiveness and repent.
Romans 3:23 says we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory.
I know (because the Bible says this) that God chooses us, we do not come to Him, but He draws us ( John 6:44 and Romans 3:10) Because apart from Him we can do nothing- Just as Christ tells us. God is Sovereign- Indeed!
I do not believe in "free will" like you say-- I agree with you on that. I do believe when we are saved, we can make wrong choices and it is because of sin- we are not sinners in God's eyes any longer, but we are still weak to the flesh. However we do not wish to go on sinning- Paul explains this in Romans. Our hearts are changed, and that is due to God's wonderful grace and mercy. It is ALL Him, and NONE of us.
p.s this has always been a debateable topic-- but I think it is amazing how God reveals certain mysteries to those who are truly seeking--just as He tells us in Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know"
2007-04-26 15:02:43 · answer #1 · answered by Mandolyn Monkey Munch 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
God's will was for Jonah to go to Ninevah, but Jonah sinned and did his own thing. He still ended up in Ninevah so God's will was fulfilled. I'm not sure what exactly you mean when you say "God honors that free will choice of man". I do not believe that unsaved people are slaves to sin. They do not have a relationship with God and the Holy Spirit does not live within them but they still can feel guilty and feel bad about sinning because they somewhat know what is wrong. It may not be the exact standard that God uses to define wrong from right though. We always have a choice--to do right or to do wrong. Yes we have a free will. But we make wrong decisions all the time but God knows that we were going to do that because He knows all. When we follow our own will instead of His will we miss out on great blessings and joy.
2007-04-26 15:09:57 · answer #2 · answered by User 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Jonah tried to go from the presence of the Lord (1:3) The Lord sent the great wind to remind him that once a Christian, always a Christian - you can't flee God's presence because He will never leave nor forsake. Jonah realized that God's will (as his loving Father) was the best for his life at the time and accepted it as his own; because, Jonah was spit upon dry land (2:10) a three day journey from Ninevah (3:3). He could easily have gone somewhere else again. So, Jonah's was a case of him accepting his Father's will as his own will.
We are born innocent - given a choice to sin or not to sin. The instant we sin, we become a slave to sin and the father of it.
Once we accept Christ as our Saviour, we realize that He knows what is best for us. As a loving Father, God gives us the free will to decide... but as a father directs the child he loves, God will impress upon us that His will is the best for us and we should accept it as our will. A child always wants to please his father.
2007-04-26 15:15:03 · answer #3 · answered by mawderuiz 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
We have free will we also face God's righteous judgement. The fact that Jonah was allowed to make the choice proves his free will. True free will is the freedom to accept the truth or believe a lie. Many people are slaves to sin because they have chose the lie rather than the truth.
2007-04-26 15:01:24 · answer #4 · answered by djmantx 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well according the the very concept of an omnipotent God, man cannot have free will.
If God knows everything, then he knows the future. That means all events are pre-determined. So, when you have a choice to make, the choice is already known by God. If you cannot prove him wrong, then you really have no choice do you?
Now, if you have no choice then do you bear responsibility? If not, then can you really ever sin?
2007-04-26 14:59:38 · answer #5 · answered by DougDoug_ 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No.
"Man is born free, but forever he is in chains"- this applies to mental chains as well, and social constraints.
Why is it that most Indians are Hindu, Chinese Buddhist, Mexicans Catholic? Free will, that such a beautiful distribution take place freely? Nah...it was caused by the society of the region.
Why aren't human's cannabilistic? Some societies were! But ours isn't. Why? You'd think if we had free will, there would be more of them. After all, human flesh is still consumable, just as lions eat dead lions, and fish eat dead fish. Allthough kinda gross, we think it is that way because of socio-cultural conditioning, not "free will."
2007-04-26 15:01:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
You cannot give consent to a thing when you cannot reject a thing.
Example. Can a slave woman REALLY tell her master no, i do not want to have sex with you?
Is getting daily beatings until you say YES a viable option?
There is no free will. Do as god says or burn in hell. Game over.
Free will would be.. Love god, or not.. but be a good person and go to heaven.
Make sense yes?
2007-04-26 14:59:55 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Job 42:2 - God's plans cannot be thwarted.
Romans 9 - ..not the man who wills or runs but God who show's mercy.
I agree with your statements, but here's one for you, how can one come to Christ? In their own "free will" (which is bound by sin) or must it be by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit that then enables them to accept Christ?
2007-04-26 15:01:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
We have free will. It was given to us. And the right to suffer the consequences of that choice, positive or negative.
Look, if free will does not exist, then no one sins, because they are just doing what they where Preordained to do. And there for have no Responsibility to their actions.
2007-04-26 14:59:58 · answer #9 · answered by Cold Truth 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes Man is given a free will, everyone has a free will, otherwise, meaning if everything could have been as Lord wished to see, since the Lord loves us so much He'd have pulled us back to Him into Absolute Bliss !. So Lord has to wait until we 'willingly' go back to Him.
2007-04-26 15:01:06 · answer #10 · answered by Krsnadas 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋