If God knows I am, say, going to h*ll, then why create me at all knowing I will suffer eternal d@mnation? I know about free will, but if he knows the outcome, then free will is worthless. Just wondering
2007-08-14 08:53:58 · 12 answers · asked by Songbyrd JPA ✡ 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I apologize for those who don't seem to get your meaning. This is really a great question.
God does know the future and is sovereign over it. Ephesians 1:11 says "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will."
I think it was C. S. Lewis that discussed the thought expressed in your question in one of his books, saying that knowing things in advance and letting those things actually play out are on different ontological levels. I am sure God could judge us all for what he knows in advance we will do without letting us do those things but the resulting judgment would not be for things we had actually done. It seems to me God is a stickler for tangible reality and thus he lets the whole drama unfold.
2007-08-14 09:07:43 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Getting a diploma in the school of life is not about getting the certificate, it is all about what YOU learn in the process. It's like saying God knows I can and would graduate from college so why do I need to go. It is not for God's benefit, it is for yours.
The idea that free will is worthless because God knows the outcome is illogical. Now if God truly forced you to do exactly what he wanted, then that truly would be worthless because you wouldn't learn anything or be responsible for anything, only God would and he already knows it all, so it would be worthless to him and to you.
2007-08-14 09:23:14 · answer #2 · answered by Someone who cares 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are making God out to be some sort of fortune teller. I don't believe that God knows where we are going. He does not know the outcome. Here is what he does know. He knows what type of person we are. I believe he can predict with a high degree of certainty where we will end up and what our actions will be based on how He knows us. You are right that free will is worthless if God knows the outcome already. It is up to us to follow the word of God and be with Him for eternity. We can do this through our free will. We can choose to believe or not believe. But ultimately we make our own path.
2007-08-14 09:07:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Free will is not worthless, but our wills are free within God's limitations. We are not gods unto ourselves, nor can we will anything we want and have it happen; as God says we cannot add a second to our lives or change a white hair to black.
God in His infinite goodness and mercy created us and some will be forgiven of their sins, others will earn the due penalty. Romans tells us God created the reprobate, those destined to damnation, to show the saved the true blessing of His mercy. God created it all, we are not His judge nor questioner.
This is one of, if not the, hardest doctrine in the Bible to truly understand, appreciate and deal with.
Ath
2007-08-14 09:07:13 · answer #4 · answered by athanasius was right 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe to look how we get there?
Even if I know the outcome in a book I still enjoy reading about the path taken from the beginning to the end.
2007-08-14 09:00:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not the way I see it...he has a PLAN for everyone, but each of us has the free will to seek his plan or reject it. He wants everyone to choose to follow him but he doesn't create someone knowing that they'll make the other choice. He simply knows that they, like everyone else, has the option of making that choice and he knows what will happen as a result of either choice.
2007-08-14 09:00:21 · answer #6 · answered by KAL 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
" yet, then does no longer he be attentive to who could reject Jesus of their lifetime?" it is right... "does no longer or no longer it incredibly is kinder of God to no longer create those souls interior the 1st place?" properly, then you could get into the area of countless opportunities.... like what relating to the newborn who had atheist mothers and fathers yet grew to become a Christian, he could stop to exist. you spot everybody movements outcomes everybody else.... so somebody who replaced into no longer a Christian could have no longer straight away helped somebody else (that they could or won't have met) become a Christian. EDIT: "And Dave, are you suggesting that God could use a number of his little ones for the ease of others? He could deliver 3 souls to Hell just to get a million to Heaven?" properly it incredibly is extremely attainable that if he began removing human beings from existence because of the fact they could choose for to reject him then the human race could have stopped long till now Jesus replaced into born.
2016-10-15 08:09:50 · answer #7 · answered by Erika 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because He desires to. That is all. He desires to save some and not the others.
He desired to save Israel.
He desired to use Paul.
He desired to save Noah.
His desires are the only reason that we are here.
2007-08-14 09:02:21 · answer #8 · answered by Wishbone 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
you may efect other people to come and know him or have children who will change the world. you do not have to go to hell you have the choice now to get to know Jesus.
2007-08-14 09:05:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have stumbled upon the basis for agnosticism/atheism. Prepare yourself for the onslaught of answers you are about to receive.
2007-08-14 08:59:48 · answer #10 · answered by Molten Orange 5 · 2⤊ 3⤋