it seems to me that a necessary condition for free will is that the future cannot be predetermined. is there a different notion of free will that is compatible with the idea that god knows everything that will happen?
2007-05-14 08:26:05 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Nope. It is always interesting to see theists try and wriggle their way out of that question however!
Have a star.
2007-05-14 08:29:14 · answer #1 · answered by S1LK 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
All I've seen so far is a defense of both happening at once, and you're absolutely right, you cannot reconcile free will with the omniscience of God without saying "it's a mystery" or at least damaging God's omniscience. However, if it is man's will that is damaged, then God is truly able to predestine from before the foundations of the world, and man, in his sin, is unable to look to God for salvation. God must therefore choose him, and it works this way. Man can make any decision he wants, with a final destination of hell save for God's grace.
2007-05-14 10:04:53 · answer #2 · answered by ccrider 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Past and Present = Order ... everything that has happened, no matter how unlikely, occurred exactly as it did because of the conditions at the time. Cause and Effect, simple as that.
Future = Chaos ... once it happens, then the above definition of Past and Present is true, but until then, it is unpredictable. The only one who COULD know in advance would be God, if He exists. And, even if He exists, it doesn't mean He cares or is going to tell you the answers before they happen, so as far as you are concerned it is Free Will.
2007-05-14 08:32:48 · answer #3 · answered by knowmeansknow 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you ever placed a PC game where the entire game is on CD?
If you knew everything on that CD, you would be omniscient in terms of that game...however, when someone else plays the game - they are free to make whatever actions they choose. Your knowledge of what happens (omniscience) in the game does not affect the person playing the game who doesn't know.
There are 2 levels of view here - one relative (single point in time) and absolute (all of it at once).
And that is only one way the to can be reconciled - thought of by someone in this world. I'm sure there are other possibilities as well.
~ Eric Putkonen
2007-05-14 08:38:04 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Interesting question. Do not confuse knowing the end from the beginning and predetermination. Yes god is omniscient but that does not mean he picked the exact ending. God does as much as he can to get people saved except violate their free will.
God knows ultimately what you are going to choose. Free will and omniscience are not mutually exclusive.
2007-05-14 08:36:21 · answer #5 · answered by ronald s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are three types of will, where God is concerned - just as God is a triune God.
1. The perfect will of God ( such as in His perfect plan for your life, etc. ), which we must pray and study God's word to findout what His perfect will for us is.
2. The permissible will of God, which is when He has a plan for your life, but allows, or permits you to exercise your free will without consulting His word, or praying for clear direction toward His perfect will. After all, we are not programmed to do His will, but instead have a choice.
3.The long term, or predestined will of God, if you like. This is His will as far as things at the end of the age of man are concerned. This will is the one that cannot be changed, as every choice made by anyone will serve His will, and God's will shall be done, regardless. God shall be victorious, no matter what decisions were made by whomever.
2007-05-14 08:45:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you see your small child sitting in a room full of paint cans, markers and spray paint, you already know that the child is going to make a mess and be covered in paint and marker. Just because you know what’s going to happen, doesn’t mean you have taken away free will. The child has the free will and you still can predict the future – a messy room and a messy child.
2007-05-14 08:32:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
God is all knowing it does not prevent your free will choice. Free will is the freedom ot choose the truth or follow a lie and god does not prevent that choice. the fact God can know the outcome of a thing does not change you ability to choose.
2007-05-14 08:31:08 · answer #8 · answered by djmantx 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
we dont know what is going to happen, God is the Alpha and the Omega He knows from beginning to end that is why He can predetermine all things He knows what the outcome is/ because we do not know the outcome we have free will to do as we choose we restrain our will Jesus said not my will but my Fathers will be done
2007-05-14 08:54:28 · answer #9 · answered by loveChrist 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well free will is something hard and easy to explain because
1. We can decide to do what whatever we want! (For example I choose to eat at Carl’s JR instead burger king, it was my choice now the question is, God knew I was going to choose Carl’s JR for lunch. (Well I don't believe that God waste his time controlling us is small things like this.
2. Now God let us decide which path we want to take:
1. His way
2. Satan’s way
In addition, God gives us the power to decide free will lets you change your future!
I have a theory ok
The bible tells us the beginning and the end!
"This life is a story" according to the bible we know its end!
Therefore, we can change our future! For example, let us say ok person X will end up in hell. This person will go to heaven!
Well that will be not fair!
So your actions can change God's future and destiny for us, now that doe not necessarily means that God is not omniscience! It means that he give us a change to play with our destiny! So God can say I will let him decide and I will not think in his destiny, I will let him take the decisions! Which means that God gave you "his Power" to change your destiny!
What I mean by that is if that God knows your destiny but he lets you change it! You can play with it, you can transform it, and you can turn you destiny around!
That will happen if you choose this:
Faith in him! It is when you can change your future!
It is only one decision!
2007-05-14 08:49:02 · answer #10 · answered by Not Of This World 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i'm theist. i'm no longer Christian. yet i used to be. whilst i became I understood it greater like this... God can see each and every of the outcomes of each and every theory, word and Deed we do during our lifetimes. although, he purely Sees each and every of the probabilities. So that's as much as us to make the techniques of Which of those opportunities we pick. subsequently, unfastened will.
2016-12-17 12:29:21 · answer #11 · answered by lillibridge 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋