When I was a child of a Roman Catholic, I was taught that I should always do "God's will." However, I was also informed that I possessed a great gift from God: Free will. How do Christians exercise free will if doing so would contradict the will of God?
(I have been a Roman Catholic apostate for a long time now. A "non-believer," if you please).
2007-11-12 01:43:28 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Sorry, I omitted the fact that I'm a confirmed atheist. I am interested in responses from Catholics and other Christians and "believers." that are sourced from references in the Bible if that's possible.
2007-11-12 02:18:29 · update #1
It is always best to do God's will. Free will is the choice between doing God's will and doing our own. We are human we will constantly do things outside God's will, just like our children do things outside of our will. We are children of God.
2007-11-12 01:48:09 · answer #1 · answered by keoh6 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Though I am an atheist, and enjoy pointing out the seemingly endless array of contradictions and logical fallacies in the dominant religions, this one doesn't hold up.
God knows every decision you will make and everything you will do before you do it, yet he set everything in motion so that it would play out as it did. Since he knew it would happen, and allowed it, it must therefore be his will. Your will and God's will are one and the same.
As for WHY God would want all these horrible things to happen as a result of His will is a whole different question.
2007-11-12 01:58:03 · answer #2 · answered by Fred S - AM Cappo Di Tutti Capi 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What you need to understand is, free will is an inherent characteristic of the human being which he can exercise as many times as he wants. The Will of God are expressed in the Laws of Nature which is indepent of the free will of man.
The Laws of God works automatically by fashioning the free volition of men and consequently returning the reciprocal effects of their volition to them accordingly.
The human being decides his fate through the exercise of his free will.The Will of God does not compel anyone to act arbitrarily because this is man's right in Creation.
For example, if you sow rice you will not reap rye but rice.So also if you deeds are good and noble you will reap good friuts.
2007-11-12 02:02:04 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's the same thing as with Wicca. In Wicca, there is a tenet that says "An it harm none, do what thou wilt". We believe that if a choice does not bring harm to another, we have liberty. We can choose to have peas or beans for supper. So can a Christian. That is the essence of free will.
When our actions may affect another, we need to weigh carefully the consequences. Sometimes harm is necessary for a greater good.
Christians need to consider God's will. One might be called to be a priest, and know this in their heart. They remain free to pursue secular interests, but they are outside the will of their God.
2007-11-12 01:51:41 · answer #4 · answered by Deirdre H 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
There is no need for vs here.
Free will means that God gives us the freedom to either obey him or disobey. We get to choose. But we must face the consequences too.
God expects man to obey him and thus show his submission to the will of his Creator. As God said “To obey is better than a sacrifice.” (1 Samuel 15:22) This is reasonable, is it not? In any organization, rules are necessary as is obedience by the members to those rules. Hence, God wants man to be obedient to the rules he set down
2007-11-12 01:49:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
God is sovereign. His ultimate purposes are never thwarted. His secret will is known only to himself. His revealed will for us is laid out in the Bible. God is the first cause of all things. We are the secondary causes. We choose to obey or disobey God.
2007-11-12 01:57:36 · answer #6 · answered by Horton Heard You! 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
there is only his will....the christians say we have free will, but we are not suppose to, and free will is only sin....we should have free will in righteousness. Romans 3:16-17. They may go to heaven, but this life is full of missery.
2007-11-12 01:50:36 · answer #7 · answered by THEGREATSEEKER 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Exercise of our free will contrary to God's will is simply sin. All do, your apostacy from Catholisim is commendable but do not apostasize yourself from God Himself. If you seek Him with all your heart you will find Him. The crux of matter is to not look at yourself but rather upon Him who died for you, and He also will search and find YOU!
2007-11-12 01:51:23 · answer #8 · answered by wolfwredroses77 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I freely give my will to God for Him to use.
2007-11-12 01:56:58 · answer #9 · answered by capitalctu 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
if you believe a god created you, and created your mind/heart/soul as you are, then you are inherently doing that god's work anyway.
2007-11-12 01:49:00 · answer #10 · answered by kent_shakespear 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋