Is this an example of God's gift of free will?

Question

Let's say you live in Africa. I (being a self-proclaimed god) arrive on a boat and capture you. I bring you onto my boat and sail back to America. I then offer you a gift. You can work on my plantation and have a free place to live and free food for the rest of your life. Or you can reject my gift and run away. But the consequence of rejecting my gift is that I will eventually catch you and then brutally beat you every day for the rest of your life. The choice is up to you, since you have been given a gift of free will.

Does this seem like a worthy gift? I mean who wouldn't want to have all their bills paid and free food for the rest of their mortal lives?

Chaplydia, you cannot change the question. This is a question about being born into sin -not about the creation of sin with adam and eve. If you first answer my original question, you may then change it up and play your little talking snake game.

Answer 1

Yes. It's a great example, just about EXACT, in fact. A worthy gift from God? Hmm... where are the bullets?

Answer 2

Free will is a wonderful gift. God does not interfere. If he interfered into things people wouldn't be murdered or be abused. There would not be disease and things like that. Things would be more peaceful and happy. It would totally defeat the point of free will. He is there for us when we pray for help. and whether or not you choose to believe me I know from experience. Although your scenario is cruel it is very believable (except the whole thing about you being a God). So if that were me I would definitely chose to not be recaptured and beaten. So that would be my choice. Someone else might think they have a chance to make it by running a way. They would be taking a risk, but still it would be their choice in the end.

Answer 3

OK, so you're talking about God forcing us into the world through our physical birth, and then throwing a "believe in me or perish" threat out, and some Christians calling this a loving offer.

I don't have an Arminian answer for you, but I do have a Calvinist one that may make a little more sense. But I may also have to change your scenario around a little.

"Capture" is probably not too far off since I believe in predestination and foreknowledge and God's ability to order his universe any way he sees fit. But barring any racial issues involved, I also have to agree with you that we are slaves without God's intervention -- slaves to Satan that is, we do not know our Master and Owner, we do not speak his language, we do not understand him, and therefore our only "choice" is to run away anyway. But you have to remember, we are not innocent! He must therefore love some of these slaves enough to tell us who he is, and this can only come through a Translator called the Holy Spirit. The slaves He owns were bought at a huge price, i.e. the death of his Son, and thus it is truly a gift to them, not an offer. His grace preceded their faith and relationship with Him, and His own are called sheep, not slaves, and this is supported Biblically. The rest, yes, the Owner can and does order their steps, but they are not His, and they deserve the beatings because again, they are by no means innocent. The sheep are chosen, the slaves to Satan are judged, and God is glorified in this because He is righteous. Do the sheep deserve this grace? NO, they deserve beatings! They have no right to claim "chosen" status as "one-upmanship" over the rest of the world! Therefore they are thankful and joyful and look for others that the Owner will save, participating in His decrees but not knowing who the Lord will bring unto Himself. Evangelism becomes an exciting thing instead of a duty as the Arminians would have you believe.

I myself was a little sensitive about Africa as your choice for a "slave base" by the way, there are some rough historic parallels but also some who could too easily attach your scenario to issues of skin color when it comes to reprobation. I'm only taking your own scenario and looking at this in a biblical sense.

Answer 4

Your example is flawed. Let's make a few changes.
Let's say you live in Africa, because God placed you there, making it a perfect place for you to live. It had all your favorite foods and surroundings. It was PERFECT. Then suppose God said, You can do anything you want...just don't eat from the fruit of this ONE tree among thousands because if you do, it will kill you and it will kill our relationship.
You talk to the other people on the island and they tell you that if you eat from that ONE tree, you can BE God.
What will you do? On one hand, there is a God who loves you and wants a relationship and has only asked one thing...then there are these people (who are not God) calling God a liar.
God has given you free choice to wreck the relationship...if you choose to do that though...you're on your own for whatever dangers exist.....what will you do?

Adam and Eve chose to be their own Gods....that was their free choice.

Answer 5

God did not give us free will, its cuss we go our own way he died for us....

matthew 26: 39-43 Talks about Jesus not wanting the cross and weeping bitterly cuss of it. 3 times he does this, and goes to the deciples and yells at them and says why r u not praying, why do u not see the evil one,,,,,,,.Cuss of this, that is why the great seeker came up with this with the help of the Lord.
walk in perfection....to tell God not to cry, I am hear to love u.

Romans 3
10. there is none righteous, no, not one.
to me it means he is yelling at u(not me I'm seeking)ex like a class room, none of u here r rightous, no one here is.
in verse 11 he tells why.
11. there is none that understandth , there is NONE that seeketh after God.
in this verse hes saying u can understand God if u seek him. Everyone that I talk to says no one can understand God, why does the bible say I can understand him.
12.They are all gone out of way, they together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, NO,NOT ONE.
in this verse he is telling everyone that they r no good to him, garbage, again he yells at u. So God is calling everyone garbage. How does it feel christians that the lord calls u garbage, maybe u should start to seek, or ask God how to seek.
13. thier throat is an open sepulchre; with there tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips.
verse
14. whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
15.their feet are swift to shed blood.
part 2

verse 13-15 means what your ways r, and what the lord thinks of them. Look at your heart r u a cursing person, murderer(hope not) do u lie the poison of the asps.(snake)
16. Destruction and misery are in THEIR ways.
verse 16 means look at your life think of all your suffering, the trials, the scares. This is because u go your own way.
17.and the way of peace have they not known.
verse 17 talks about your life and your soul. Sence u r unprophitable why would God want u into heaven, if U seek his face u can find peace with God. The blood was sent to us because, God loved u and let u in heaven. HE gave u peace this way. But that was not the way God wanted it to happen, even if he planned it that way. Don't forget God had to go from his way, to our way, and save us from our ways.
18. there is no fear of God before their eyes.
no one fears God, all I hear alot from Christians is he loves me, so I'm forgiven. Then still sin. God wants us to fear him, and reconize what he did for us...
part 3

so to sum up, a man can walk perfect in his eyes if u seek his face and learn with understanding his ways to get into heaven. The blood was sent cuss no one seeked his face, God loved the whole world, and exepted there ways. But with a price, his son had to be beaten to death as the perfect sacrafice and rose again, so God would love us. Make us right with him. So walk with the Blood not in it.So keep seeking him tell he raigns Rightousness upon u. Hosa 10:12, do not for get God is a God who can do all things.