Christians: Supposed "Free Will"?

Question

After reading such writings within the Bible such as that of Ephesians, Romans, 2 Timothy, Revelations, do we not see that God's plan completely rules out our "free will?"

For example, those that practise God's "good" do the specific good that God predestined them to do, whilst all others are supposedly ruled by Satan because of "deceptions" and the like sent to them. If you're anything like me, you'll simultaneously feel for the "hellbound" individuals born into other faiths and such, with equally bombastic beliefs.

The Bible often states that God created our future and decides our fates, no matter what our own will is. This completely denies over supposed free will.

Answer 1

We choose to believe Him and we choose what we do and don't do in our conduct. That's a part of having free will.

Answer 2

Well, I know what you are saying, it's just that there are so many places within those 'books' which tell a story of people's own freewill.

There are examples of those who stray away, who do things hypocritically, who decide to trust God the right way, who spread a message of 'another Gospel', who do not choose to follow after God even though the earthquakes that are yet to take place shake as they hide in caves; all happen with or without Satan's control or influence of them, they choose the way to go themselves.

Those that are to follow God acording to what I read, give up their will in favor of God's will, as I have done. Yet we still have ourselves to contend with daily. The tendency to regain our apparent control over our own lives.

Another thing that you have touched upon is the control that God has over 'history'. Not only from the past, but also in the future. But that's ine of the amazing things about God, that no matter how anyone fails to perform for Him, He still gets it done. He saw it before it happened and nothing seems to be able to stop His promises from occuring. I think that it is to God's credit that this happens. And it does not mean that God takes away all pretense of the freewill of humans.

Answer 3

Your Calvinism is showing.

But yes, why wouldn't the Holy Spirit be working in the Christian's heart to do the will & work of God? What an honor! And if others are left in their sins, a) we don't know who will & won't be saved, and b) God is glorified whether the final destination is Heaven or Hell.

In the end, it's not about us. It's about the glory of an Almighty God who guides the footsteps of both the saved AND the unsaved. Worship accordingly.

Answer 4

you're not to any extent further incorrect. maximum individuals that would call themselves loose-thinkers are basically as a lot set of their procedures as everyone else. If someone's interpretation of "loose questioning" is, "in case you compromise with me, you're a loose-logician, and if no longer, you've were given your head up your butt," they fairly would prefer to pull their heads out of their own respective orifices. regrettably, loose-questioning is more beneficial synonymous with elitist than something else. The time period has been corrupted to the point the position no individual makes use of it properly or knows what it ability. If I say this is cool outdoors, someone is apt to reply, "what's cool about it?" i attempt to shield the English language--she suffers countless abuse and cries her affliction to me daily--yet i have come to comprehend that's a hopeless conflict. i opt to imagine that i'm a loose-logician, because i opt to guage each and every position, yet each and every now and then i ask your self. . . hi! possibly the purely thanks to extremely be a loose-logician is to doubt your own open-mindedness, therefore being self-conscious and open by utilising way of uncertainty! . . . Stabbed myself contained in the foot there, did not I? nicely, screw it then.

Answer 5

Slow down. Take a deep breath. Focus on your words.

We have free will. That is how He made us.

He also has a grand scheme and goal for us and that is coming onto him and we choose to follow his will.

But you have that freedom. He can't take that away because He is the one who designed it and gave it to us.

And no....don't get confussed. No one is "ruled by Satan". No one is "ruled by God". We have Free Will.

You can blindly follow Satan through "deceptions" - or you can freely give your will over to Satan (and the same is true in reverse for God).

But you have the Free Will to do either or none.

Focus on your own words and the answer is right in front of you.

Answer 6

It's pretty sad yet predictable that the majority of "christians" who replied to this answer did the usual obligation of pick and choosing their own interpretations, in this case, the meaning of the term "free will" and only answered fragments of the question, leaving out what is unanswerable to them.

Answer 7

Free will has to do with choosing God's path or not. He created us, therefore He loves us unconditionally. He also created the angels. They have no free will to choose whom they will serve. Would you rather have your children love you because they "have to"? Or because they want to? He would rather risk losing our love than be an obligation to us.

We don't "practice God's good". We do good because we choose to love Him. We are not forced or coerced to do His Will. We do it because we want to.

As far as God "creating" our future; that is not what it says. It says He KNOWS our future. It can change it if we choose to change it. He simply KNOWS the outcome.

Answer 8

When Paul speaks of predestination, I don't think that applies to us but to the apostles and prophets who were predestined for a Higher purpose and to further the gospel.

Answer 9

starting point: there you go, your road is this long. do whatever you want in this amount of time, and i will meet you at the end, OK? good, off you go!

(cue, screams as mother gives birth.)