CHRISTIANS: does god have freewill?

Question

i was told that adam and eve started off as perfect even though there was sinning in their future, and that the reason they sinned is simply because they had freewill. --- i would have thought though that a perfect being could manage to have freewill AND refrain from sinning. for example, wouldn't you say that god is a perfect being who manages to have freewill and still not sin? or does god lack freewill?

superfoot 23,

the reason you don't see a problem is because you completely got the wrong point from what i was trying to say.

this was not a question about whether our freewill should override god's or not. this was a question about why a perfect person with freewill (such as adam or eve) would use their freewill imperfectly.

the only reason i brought up god was to show that just because someone has freewill, that doesn't mean we should expect them to sin with it. and if they're perfect, then we expect that they definitely will not sin, despite their ability to do so.

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oh, and one more thing, superfoot 23,

quit comparing god to a loving parent who wants to better his children through punishment. would you ever sit back and watch your children play with fire in order to let them learn a lesson? no. you'd intervene and teach them. and when you punish them, do you do it by torturing them with unimaginable pain for eternity? no. that wouldn't be punishment then, because the whole point of punishment is to rehabilitate and then let them back into the world so they don't make the same mistake again. eternity in hell cannot be called a punishment, and allowing someone to go there rather than intervening and preventing it cannot be called love.

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mygorgousgirls,

your first three paragraphs missed the point, and so i say to you everything that i said to superfoot 23 above. your fourth paragraph seems more relevant though. you basically say that despite his ability to sin, god still wouldn't sin on account of his being perfect. ok, great. so this was my point. perfect beings won't sin,,, even if they have freewill., in fact, ESPECIALLY if they have freewill, because that means that they'll always have the option to avoid the sin., and since they're perfect, they WILL avoid the sin. if adam and eve were perfect though, then why did they sin? were they just not perfect? then why did god create something imperfect? that seems a little sub-par for a perfect designer.

quote:
"He knows what the options are for us to choose, but He doesn't know what choices we will make until we make them."

so, you do not believe that god is omniscient? you have a different idea of god than most theists do.

Answer 1

Adam and Eve sinned because a) they had free will and b) chose to reject God's directions. Given that a perfect being has free will and refrains from sinning, Adam and Eve were not perfect.

Yes, God has free will and never sins. Only one other person has these traits. Remember when someone called Jesus, "Good teacher," and he said, "Why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone." But all Christian witnesses tell us that Jesus never sinned (John 8:46; II Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26; I Peter 2:22; I John 3:5). This is corroborating evidence that Jesus was the Son of God.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 2

Just a thought on Adam and Eve. I doubt they knew what a lie was. So I doubt they knew what confusion was and those are the two things that satan does the best. I do not believe they set out to disobey God but satan "tricked" them into it if you will. And sin is sin. to disobey is to disobey. If a child doesn't know that they are being lied to then they will believe anything ,I just kind of see Adam and Eve as really Super naive children of God. As far as God sinning or having freewill I believe He does but I believe a perfect God cannot sin. And why did He create something that was not perfect? The only way I look at it is, I had rather someone chose to Love me than someone have to Love me because that is what they are made to do. It would mean much more to me to be chosen than to be loved like He is by the Angels because they have no freewill.

Answer 3

I believe in reincarnation, and therefore karma. I have free will to do as my conscious dictates. However, there are often times in which I want what I want and it doesn't matter what I know about right and wrong. God does not punish me, I do, by my own actions. Whatever I sow is also what I reap. We all know this on some level. It's just sometimes, I don't care. There are times when I get immediate reactions to my actions, and there are other times when I get what the results in the form of karma. Karma only happens here on earth, as this is the great school of the universe. The worst that can happen is that I bring on my death too soon. Yet that is simply freeing myself from my cage so I can go home and review what I have learned while here. I hope this makes sense to you. Sometimes it's difficult to explain and understand this, I even struggle with this myself at times.
Blessed Be
btw, of course God has free will, I mean, after all S/he is....well....God!

Answer 4

First, let me say either lots of people don't understand your question there answer is in wrong section. allow me to answer your question that others get the meaning of your question. Perfection meaning no flaw of any kind what so ever, therefor not to know that disobedience to god in itself is imperfect. ignorance is not an excuse to perfect beings. then with in this question god then created Adam and eve to be imperfect. Good point about punishment. Distinct difference between punishment and torture ( I would have to agree that pain without end is very definition of torture.)

Answer 5

In existence precise right here someone can use freewill to commit crime, although a similar freewill does not enable him get away justice. What makes you think of of it somewhat is any distinctive with God? it is somewhat not from now on a "attempt"

Answer 6

God has freewill, God chooses not to sin, the reason Adam and Eve were perfect was because they didn't know right from wrong. They had the freedom to choose, they made it fine till satan came along, and who knows how long it took him, finally enticed Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. Then Adam ate. Then sin entered into the world and has been passed down every sense. The bible also says that the weakness of God is stronger than man, okay, God made us in his image but he has not given us yet his glorified body. On earth here we are made out of dust, if you are saved and get to go to Heaven you will get a spiritual glorified body like Jesus has that will allow you to have free will and not sin, right now we just have to admit to Jesus we are sinners and confess our sins everyday, and look forward to the day we meet Jesus, and Adam and Eve.. If you are saved someday you will, If you are not, well the bible says hell is for those that donot believe, if you have not been saved and would like to be say this simple prayer believing on the one who died on a cross for you and you will be saved and born again. Dear Jesus, I know and confess that I am sinner in need of salvation. I believe you died on a cross at calvery and arose from the grave to wash away my sins, I ask you right now to come into my heart and save me, I pray this Prayer believing in the name of Jesus Amen. If you prayed this prayer with a sincere heart you are now a child of God, rejoice that your name is written in the Lambs book of Life. If you have any questions just send me an email, God Bless YOU!!

Answer 7

Of course He has agency. I don't call it free will, because it isn't free. We have the agency to choose what we want to do, and so does God. He isn't going to step in and make us do what He wants us to do. That would defeat the whole purpose
of life.

He did know the possibility was there that Adam and Eve would eat the fruit. He wouldn't have put the tree there if that wasn't the case, but it was up to them to make that choice.


Yes, God knows us, and knows our personalities, our strengths and weaknesses. He knows what the options are for us to choose, but He doesn't know what choices we will make until we make them. That is left up to us. If He were to choose for us what we would do, that would take away our agency, and our right to choose for ourselves. That isn't what life is about. We are here to learn, grow and prove ourselves to not just God, but to ourselves also. We can't do that if everything was chosen for us.

Because God is perfect, He knows all too well what sin is, and how to avoid it. I don't think He has temptation, so He can't sin.

Answer 8

Of course God has freewill, but He has humbly chosen to allow us to exercise ours over His. Sorry, I know you think there's a problem there somewhere, but I don't see it.
I see a loving Father who tells His children exactly what they should and should not do, then steps back and allows them to choose to obey or not. Disobedience calls for punishment and correction. That is the way human parents raise their children, what makes you think our heavenly Father would be any different?

God loves you.

Answer 9

If He didn't have freewill would you be here? Other than the unchangeable total love of a Father what would have allowed us to live this life, and love it or hate it or praise or blaspheme without interference.

Answer 10

You are looking a little too closely at the plot; better to just enjoy the story.