Free Will

Discussion about scientific issues as they relate to God and Christianity including archaeology, origins of life, the universe, intelligent design, evolution, etc.
User avatar
Gman
Old School
Posts: 6081
Joined: Wed May 31, 2006 10:36 pm
Christian: Yes
Sex: Male
Creation Position: Day-Age
Location: Northern California

Re: Free Will

Post by Gman »

Harry12345 wrote:What do Free Will, the Tooth Fairy, Santa Clause, Bigfoot and a truthful politician all have in common?
Ah.. Hairy backs with free will to spend money?? :mrgreen:
The heart cannot rejoice in what the mind rejects as false - Galileo

We learn from history that we do not learn from history - Georg Friedrich Wilhelm Hegel

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. -Philippians 4:8
cslewislover
Ultimate Member
Posts: 2333
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 8:09 pm
Christian: Yes
Sex: Female
Creation Position: Undecided
Location: Southern California
Contact:

Re: Free Will

Post by cslewislover »

Harry12345 wrote:What do Free Will, the Tooth Fairy, Santa Clause, Bigfoot and a truthful politician all have in common?
Wow, Harry. I'd like to hear more of your take on this. :)
Image
"I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." C.S. Lewis
User avatar
rodyshusband
Established Member
Posts: 175
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 7:23 am
Christian: Yes
Sex: Male
Creation Position: Day-Age
Location: Upstate New York, USA

Re: Free Will

Post by rodyshusband »

Harry12345 wrote:What do Free Will, the Tooth Fairy, Santa Clause, Bigfoot and a truthful politician all have in common?
My guess is that Harry will say none of the above actually exists (the "truthful politician" was the giveaway) ;)
“Christianity provides a unified answer for the whole of life.” -- Francis Schaeffer
User avatar
jlay
Ultimate Member
Posts: 3613
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:47 pm
Christian: Yes
Sex: Male
Creation Position: Young-Earth Creationist

Re: Free Will

Post by jlay »

Free will is one of those great mysteries.
What is the basis of the question? Is it biblical?

Sometimes I get a little frustrated and upset when this subject comes up.

the scriptures teach that God is not a liar, He is just, and justified in His judgments.

So, if a man kidnaps, tortures and rapes a child, are we to believe that God orchastred this, and that this person simply acted out his puppet like life? If that is the case then this man is not guilty, and God's word condemning murderers to judgment is a joke.

I can't conceive how God knows every fork in my road, and every fork of everyone who will live. But I am content to trust that He does, and that He will grant me the desires to chose the correct fork when the time comes.
The irony in it all is that our will is what must come under subjection to God's will. That is called surrender. Pretty interesting, because if we had no level of free will, then what would we have to surrender? What would we have to deny? Romans 12:2

If you didn't have some sort of free will, could really even ask yourself the question, do I have free will? y:-?
-“The Bible treated allegorically becomes putty in the hands of the exegete.” John Walvoord

"I'm not saying scientists don't overstate their results. They do. And it's understandable, too...If you spend years working toward a certain goal and make no progress, of course you are going to spin your results in a positive light." Ivellious
Keefy
Acquainted Member
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2009 5:55 am
Christian: Yes
Sex: Male
Creation Position: Undecided

Re: Free Will

Post by Keefy »

and that He will grant me the desires to chose the correct fork when the time comes
I would argue that choosing the correct fork is often the least desirable option open to me and I have to make a real force of my will to do it! Example - standing up for my beliefs in a conversation with someone, disagreeing and possibly offending them requires a real exercise of my own free will. The easy option would be to stay quiet or aquiesce, but in so doing I will not have used my own will but instead conformed to the will of the world. The good fork that God wants us to walk down can be painful, boring, tedious, difficult and full of obstacles. Of course this is where God is testing us - will I put my faith and trust in Him and keep it there even when I have had enough or I'm bored or I'm poor and tired or things look like they are getting worse not better? The fact that we would willingly choose such a hard road is the very way in which God wants us to use our free will and I imagine it's a great source of pleasure for Him, and a great source of distress for the enemy. It's good to remember that the fruit of the spirit includes perseverance and longsuffering.

Conversely, by choosing the wrong fork, I believe we erode our free will. By following the easy road that everyone else does, the road that panders to our desires, our own individuality becomes lost in a sea of conformity. Our will becomes bent by the people around us, we conform and we become slaves. Jesus died to set us free!
Last edited by Keefy on Sun Apr 05, 2009 1:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Keefy
Acquainted Member
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2009 5:55 am
Christian: Yes
Sex: Male
Creation Position: Undecided

Re: Free Will

Post by Keefy »

Replying to my own post! Bad Keefy...

Just wanted to add that I think the question to ask is not "Do I have free will?" but instead, "Is my will free?"
Post Reply