What Is Free Will?
Why Does It Matter?
Free Will is about God. Not necessarily humans.
It starts with God. It starts with His character.
We know from the Bible that God is Love. (1 John 4:8)
It’s who He is. We cannot really comprehend that.
We can only say, what we have been allowed to know and what we can glean from the pictures given to us in creation, and what God has revealed to us through His Word and other means. (Romans 1:19-20, Psalm 19:1, Gen. 15:1, John 1:1)
Our reality that we see with our senses, is probably so vastly different from the reality outside of this world and our understanding, that we cannot comprehend it. (1 Cor. 2:9)
The things that exist in Paradise, Heaven, Eternity, or the Spiritual Realm outside of what we see is beyond our ability to imagine.
It’s the same with God. (Isa 55:8-9)
But, we know He is Love, because He tells us in His Word. He is Just, He is Righteous. He is Truth. He is Mercy and Kindness. He is Holy. He is Wise. None of His aspects over rule any other part. He is perfect.
These aspects of His character are part of our understanding of Free Will.
Since, these are aspects of God’s character, these aspects are woven into creation, and into His reasons for creating.
God needed nothing. He’s God. But, He decided to create.
We do not really know why.
So, here we travel into speculation, because we really cannot prove it. But, it’s my belief that He created because of Love and His other attributes.
How can you say, “I Am Love.” If there’s nothing to love? How can you say “I Am Love” if everything is perfect and easily loved. How can you say, “I Am Merciful”. Unless there’s something to give mercy to?
So, I believe God creates because of His attributes. A challenge to Himself. I can’t prove it. But there it is.
The Bible says that God created everything “Good” (Gen. Chapter 1).
That means that everything was good, and without evil. There was nothing bad in His creation. But, we can see that if He said “Good” then evil existed somewhere. But not in His creation at this time. I believe evil is a by product of Good. Like exhaust or bodily waste, and was contained somewhere else at creation.
Ok, so God creates humans. He has already created animals and angels it seems.
He gave everything, Free will. Why? Because of Love. Because of His attributes.
If He created humans, angels and animals. Then forced them to love Him, their love would not be true. It would be fake. Like a robot. They had to be given Free Will in order to choose to love God, or not.
Angels also have free will. That’s why Satan and others were able to Fall. They could not have fallen if they did not have free will. It’s the same with Humans.
So, in order to have free will, there must be a choice. No choice. No free will.
So, God placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden.
Adam and Eve had the free will to choose to eat of it or not. (Genesis Chapters 1 through 3)
The choice to trust God and love Him. Or not.
Adam chose to eat. He was not deceived. He knew what He was doing and made the choice and evil entered the world. He became corrupted and died spiritually. (1 Tim. 2:14)
Since Adam had dominion over the world. Everything under him suffered as well. (Romans 8:22)
Death, Sin and Satan took over this world. Humans gained a corrupted nature, which made us totally depraved. This is why we sin. This is why we cannot get right, without God. We are filled with evil mentally, spiritually, and physically. (Romans Chapter 1, Romans chapter 5, Romans Chapter 7)
We still have free will, even on our fallen state. We can choose to turn to God, for salvation through Jesus Christ or we can choose to reject Him.
It’s the same choice we had in the Garden. Choose God and Good. Or choose evil.
Choose God.
Why do I write this?
Well, because I feel led to. I cannot
tolerate the “Because I said so” mentality. I must find out why. I must
understand why things are the way they are. Just because some preacher
tells me something, doesn’t mean I should just believe it. And I don’t
expect you to either. The Bereans didn’t. (Acts 17:10-12)
I don’t believe that God expects it. God is Truth. He is not afraid for us to search out the deep things of God and reality. Because if we know Him. We will find Him everywhere. “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.” (Psalm 139:8)
James says that if we ask God for wisdom He will give it. (James 1:5)
The Holy Spirit will teach us, and guide us into all truth. (John 16:13)
We cannot know everything of God. The scriptures teach that. But we can understand enough to have firm faith.
In these last days of deception we need to dig deeper. The false beliefs and doctrines that will come from every quarter will be so difficult to stand against, we will need answers.
If we do not have answers then Satan will be happy to provide them.
Trust God. Trust Jesus Christ.
The Truth can stand up to scrutiny. That doesn’t mean it will be believed. But, it will still stand.
You will not prove God wrong. You will not prove Truth wrong. If you do, then it’s either not true, or your understanding is flawed, or the preacher you’re listening to is wrong.
Seek God. Dig deeper.
Choose Him.
You do not need to understand everything. Let Him show you, and then you will trust Him more.
Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ His newest book is called “The Future is Coming” and is a collection of dystopian short stories.
Follow Him on Medium: https://chris-bunton.medium.com/
Follow Him on Free Life Blog: https://myfreelifeblog.com/
Read His Spiritual Writings on Blogger: https://chrisbunton.blogspot.com/
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