Negation of Free Will

[inlovewiththe44]

Would knowing without a doubt that God exists really negate free will? I have seen some people on this forum (I don't have any specific examples on hand) argue that if we saw God, it would negate our freedom to choose Him. I've had thoughts lately that this is simply not the case, mainly because of personal experience (I am admitting that I am probably completely wrong about this). I believe in God and that Jesus was God in the flesh. I love (or at least I think I do) Jesus, and appreciate what he so selflessly did on the cross. However, I am having trouble giving up my sins. There are some things that I'm just not willing to give up, at least not at the moment. Because I feel like I am unwilling to give up certain sins, I feel that I am, in a way, rejecting the salvation that Christ offers. Because there are certain things I want to keep doing, I feel like God won't accept me, or that Christ's salvation won't cover me. So, in a sense, me knowing God is there and knowing what He has done for me does not force me to follow Him. It just leaves me the choice of whether I am going to follow Him wholeheartedly or not.

This has been plaguing me for a long time now, so prayers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[inlovewiththe44]

Also, someone inform me if this is in the wrong forum.

[Danieltwotwenty]

hi inlove

I have had these same issues, i think everyone on some level knows God exists some are just more willing to admit it than others.
I dont think it would negate freewill, some atheist's say that they wouldn't want to worship the God of the Bible even if he was real because they don't agree with the things he has done.
There are also satanists that know God exists but decide to side with satan instead.

All Christains struggle with sin to some degree, but remember santification is a process and will take hard work, dedication and time.
When i first became a Christain i struggled with many sins for a long time, prayer and making small changes slowly rid me of these.
I would't say i am sin free i am just doing better than i was a year ago, imagine what we will be like in 30 years if we keep trying and learning.
I also found helpful was to talk to somone at your church that you can confide in and get them to sponsor you, maybe get them to send you a text at the times when you feel most tempted.
Hope this has been helpful and i will be praying for you.

Daniel

[DannyM]

Also, someone inform me if this is in the wrong forum.

This forum is fine

[Murray]

God has already shown himself before us, I mean 2,000 people saw him rise from the dead! When you die and were to ask god "why didn't you give me more proof" he would probably laugh and say "I sent my son, performed hundreds of miracles, and rose from the dead, how much more proof do you want?". Atheist use the argument of "no proof" to help themselves along in wandering astray from god's path. Atheist do not want to believe in god, I once said before if Jesus appeared to Dawkins, he would probably convince himself it was just an illusion.

Believing in god means you have to change your life, some people find this threatening, so they try sooooo hard to convince themselves there is not god or higher accountability so they can live their life without the grace. Make no mistake, these thoughts we have in our head is our sickness of sin trying to re-infect us, it hates being stored away and it wants to control us. Some people let this happen.

My brother once said to me " it's not that I don't believe in god, it's that I didn't care". This attitude is poisoning and it is the same as atheism. Refusal to change you life, the only difference is my brother just straight out admits he has no desire to change his life, militant atheist on the other hand, think this is weakness or something and try to conceal it (Proverbs 28:13). They are fools. If you work yourself to believe something false that helps you live "freely and carelessly" you will eventually poison yourself to believe it.

Atheist do not cared about facts, they do not care about god, they do not even want the loving god of the bible to be true, no amount of evidence will change this attitude.

Now what you have is doubt, doubt is natural, you will always have it, it is part of us. It is part of the great test.

Doubt and faith coexist, blind faith causes negative effects, just look at radical Islam, they eliminate all doubt that what they are doing is wrong, and this leads to it's obvious effects.

Rejoice when god tests you brother (1 Thessalonians 5:18, and especially James 1:2-3), it is part of his love.

[inlovewiththe44]

Thanks for all of your posts. I've really just wanted to give up lately. I feel like if I refuse to give up my sins, He won't accept my plea for salvation. I mean, I know that sounds all mixed up, but my mind's all mixed up lately. I'm trying though. I really don't want to give up. I apologize for my rambling.

[August]

Thanks for all of your posts. I've really just wanted to give up lately. I feel like if I refuse to give up my sins, He won't accept my plea for salvation. I mean, I know that sounds all mixed up, but my mind's all mixed up lately. I'm trying though. I really don't want to give up. I apologize for my rambling.

Jesus did not come to die for good people, but for sinners. If you believe in Christ, your sins are forgiven.

Not only are your past sins forgiven, but also your current and future sins. His grace is not a historical grace, but a future grace. The price paid by Christ covers all your sins, even those that you may commit in future. That is where our hope is. That is where our trust and faith is, that His death covers ALL of our sins, past, present and future.

Does that give us the right to willfully sin and do what we want? Not at all, but God knows that while we are still in the weakness of the flesh, it may happen, and He will not forsake us because of it.

We should not try to conquer sin on our own, but plead with God to help us. If we could conquer sin on our own, we would not need a Savior. Cry out to Him when the urge to sin is there. As one matures in faith, the desire to sin decreases, but it can only happen if we accept the help that God gives us.

Finally, give thanks to God for His love and mercy. Praise Him!

[RickD]

Thanks for all of your posts. I've really just wanted to give up lately. I feel like if I refuse to give up my sins, He won't accept my plea for salvation. I mean, I know that sounds all mixed up, but my mind's all mixed up lately. I'm trying though. I really don't want to give up. I apologize for my rambling.

Jesus did not come to die for good people, but for sinners. If you believe in Christ, your sins are forgiven.

Not only are your past sins forgiven, but also your current and future sins. His grace is not a historical grace, but a future grace. The price paid by Christ covers all your sins, even those that you may commit in future. That is where our hope is. That is where our trust and faith is, that His death covers ALL of our sins, past, present and future.

Does that give us the right to willfully sin and do what we want? Not at all, but God knows that while we are still in the weakness of the flesh, it may happen, and He will not forsake us because of it.

We should not try to conquer sin on our own, but plead with God to help us. If we could conquer sin on our own, we would not need a Savior. Cry out to Him when the urge to sin is there. As one matures in faith, the desire to sin decreases, but it can only happen if we accept the help that God gives us.

Finally, give thanks to God for His love and mercy. Praise Him!

Great post, August!!

I'd like to add, that it is not possible to conquer sin on our own. That's the work of God, through the indwelling Holy Spirit. He will transform us to the image of Christ. He will become more, we will become less.

[Bill McEnaney]

Hey inlove,

Remember, my friend, that temptations aren't sins. You can fight back when the Devil or a demon tempts you to sin. After all, the Bible teaches that that Satan will go away when you resist him. Maybe you've already been resisting him because you said you wanted to commit some sins, not that you committed them. Be serene because Our Lord is proud of you.

Bill

[narnia4]

I'd actually say that the reverse is true. If God did not exist, there could be no such thing as free will. How could there be? You'd be reduced to strict physicalism/determinism. Some non-believers will say up front that there's no such thing as free will of any kind, and those that don't... well, I'd say that they're clinging to ideas that don't exactly jive with the worldview they profess.

[Bill McEnaney]

I'd actually say that the reverse is true. If God did not exist, there could be no such thing as free will. How could there be? You'd be reduced to strict physicalism/determinism. Some non-believers will say up front that there's no such thing as free will of any kind, and those that don't... well, I'd say that they're clinging to ideas that don't exactly jive with the worldview they profess.

In fact, I think physicalism implies behaviorism.

[musician]

"Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

John 20:29

[kmr]

Refer to the end of the last book of The Chronicles of Narnia. The dwarves demonstrate this idea very well.

[Canuckster1127]

You'll not be fooling us, missy. The dwarfs are for the dwarfs!

[musician]

Would knowing without a doubt that God exists really negate free will? ... However, I am having trouble giving up my sins.

This is a very important question, but also very heavily loaded given your honest confession. I'll offer up the following collection of answers to your question:

1. Peter's denial of Jesus after He was taken.

2. "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do" - Romans 7:15

3. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." - 1 John 1:8

4. "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." - John 8:11

The question you must answer for yourself is are you bent on sinning, or bent on stopping sinning?

- Nathan