God's will, Predestination, and Free will?

Question

I've always been told God is in control of everything.
If that is true, then as rational agents we do not have 100% free will. But if that is true then we cannot be held responsible for what we do can we? If the free will issue is viewed from a 'God-is-just' viewpoint then how can he control our actions for his purposes?

Also, when 'following God's will' I've heard people 'follow' in different fashions...
1) It's what makes them feel good
a. this makes no sense because 'the right thing' is usually painful and sacrificial so this idea seems to stand in opposition to God's will.

2) God's will is whatever happens
a. If this is true then why are we asked to seek it
b. Can God's will be prevented?
c. If thats true then why do anything?

3) God's will is what occurs when we act in accordance with his commands and we focus on him
a. makes sense but then some say w/o joy it cannot be God's will
b. It seems like the pressure is on us here

So ???? (I'm lost)

Answer 1

Since you've now answered three of my questions, I will attempt to answer this one for you (this answer is, however insignificant it may be to the rest of the world, my opinion and nothing more):

I've always believed that the concept of predistination vs. free will can be best compared to animals kept in a zoo. If the life they know is captivity, they're still linked with their instinctive animal behavior and they're expected to serve as subjects in a master plan (the inner workings of a zoo) then their lives are essentially predestined. The ultimate plan for animals in a zoo is for people to observe them, within this plan they are freely given the right to behave in whichever way they best see fit. Similarily, mankind is on a set path (or so says the concept of predesination) given the free will to reach that path in whichever way they please.

As for the rest of your answers:

1. I do not personally believe in the concept of predestination. I believe that our goal here on earth is to learn as much as we can, get along and leave behind something to benifit the rest. I don't know what's in store for me when my body is done living, but I do know that all this knowledge I'll have obtained in my life, all of the things I am doing are setting me up for *something* later on in life. I don't think that people do things because they honestly believe that it's "God's Will" for them. I think they do it because it's what will elevate them in society.

2. I've always been very upset hearing this. If everything that happens, both good and bad, is the will of God, then that leaves no reason to have hope for a better future (or for that matter to even try for a better future). I think that, all too often, people use that very quote as a crutch or a reason to escape blame for something that's gone wrong in their lives. You'll notice that when something good happens: "I worked hard and my hard work has paid off" and when something bad happens: "It wasn't in God's will for me to get that promotion". It's a means of escaping blame, and I do think that's cowardly.

3. I think that the Bible, amoung other religious texts that govern many of the major world religions, serves as a means of directing us. These texts lay out general principles for life, the way we should treat one another, the way we should try and achieve goals. I'll never know if true joy comes from "God's will" but I do know that I look at these commands and this focus as a means of guiding me in a more meaningful and more purposful life (one that's worth living, where I'll inevitably give back to society).

It is my opinion that we are all here on earth to grow, to learn, to cohabitate with one another. For what, you may ask? I don't know...None of us knows, and that's why we have religion as a means of answering life's big questions (Where did we come from? Where are we going? Why are we here?).

Hope that helps (even if just a little).

Answer 2

Yes, God is in control of everything.
We do have free will, but only to do evil. Original sin took care of that.
Yes we can be held responsible for what we do, and God would be perfectly justified in condemning everyone to hell because we are all sinners anyway. No one merits Heaven on their own.
You are looking at things from a viewpoint of man being equal to God, and therefore you will look at man as being robots when free will is taken away.
1) How does sack cloth and ashes feel? Repentance is often painful and sacrificial. Does this stand in opposition to God's will?
2) You are correct, God's will is whatever happens.
a. Christians have the privilege of a relationship with God.
b. No, God's will cannot be prevented.
c. Why do anything? See 2a.
3) No, God's will is not dependent upon what we do. We are dependent upon God's will. He guides the footsteps of both the saved and the reprobate.
a. Joy and obedience follow. Salvation is not something that is deserved.
b. Pressure? If the Holy Spirit is working in your heart, then you belong to Christ and he will not let you go.

Answer 3

The ancient Greeks saw the universe as an immense tapestry. We are the weavers, putting in stitch after stitch, and we can see only the present and some of the past. God sees the whole tapestry from beginning to end, but this does not mean we have no free will and are not in control of our stitching. Do your best to put beautiful, high quality stitches in place and your piece of the tapestry will come out just fine. And remember God is very forgiving; we are allowed to fix our mistakes.

Answer 4

God is not in control of everything. God relinquished control when He gave human beings free will. Do you think the world would be as screwed up as it is if God was in total control of everything? With the gift of free will comes total responsibility for all decisions of free will. So it is unreasonable to ask, "why did God allow someone to kill all those innocent people?". God had to allow it because He has created human beings in His own image and likeness, with moral capacity and free will. Free will would be meaningless if God said "I give you the right to choose between good and evil, but whenever you choose evil I'll jump in and make sure nobody gets hurt". We alone are responsible for our decisions and our actions, and all the results of those decisions and actions, not God.

Answer 5

It's really a matter of perspectives...
God's will is supreme, above our own.
As creator, He decides (predestination) the ultimate destination and character, according to His will and purposes. Where does this leave our free will and responsibility? With us... He simply already knows what our "free will" choices and decisions will be. His will is accomplished through ours, from the beginning to the end of time. The main purpose we have free will is to do what we were created for... to love. God could command it, but that would not be love. To be love, it must be given of one's own free will. That is why you can summarize the ten commandments (God's will) as to love God with all that we are, and to love one another.

Answer 6

Dont be lost your basic question is the contradiction of the bible plus a whole lot more the bible inspired byu God who is perfect should not have any contradiction unless God was dumb at sent Jesus to clean up His mess

Answer 7

I'd just like to thank God (if He exists-- highly unlikely) for predetermining that I shall not believe in Him so I can rot in hell for eternity.

Answer 8

another example, God's first creations ( he had to of known beforehand) turned bad and he drowned everything on earth

Answer 9

I agree, you are lost, you are over thinking it, have you tried faith? If you over think it, you trip over the logic