Bible Study Free will

[GodsGrace]

First You do not have to read it all at one setting or in one day. there is a lot there it may take time.

Second understand Sovereign It only means THE MOST HIGH, THE HIGHEST OF ANY ORDER. God is the highest of ALL.
Sovereign does NOT mean the only one that can want to make a choice. THAT IS THE OLDEST PROBLEM IN RELIGIOUS THOUGHT.
DICTATOR IS THE ONLY ONE ALLOW TO MAKE A DECISION. God is not a dictator. HE gave us a choice. read it prayerfully, this is explained in the discussion.
from page 10
Religion has resulted in the invention of a new meaning for the word "sovereign," which basically means God controls everything. Nothing can happen but what He wills or allows. However, there is nothing in the actual definition that states that. The dictionary defines "sovereign" as, "1. Paramount; supreme. 2. Having supreme rank or power. 3. Independent: a sovereign state. 4. Excellent." None of these definitions means that God controls everything.

It is assumed that since God is paramount or supreme that nothing can happen without His approval. That is not what the Scriptures teach. In 2 Peter 3:9, Peter said, "The Lord is...not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." This clearly states that it is not the Lord's will for anyone to perish, but people are perishing. Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in there at" (Matt. 7:13). Relatively few people are saved compared to the number that are lost. God's will for people concerning salvation is not being accomplished.The Sovereignty Of God By Andrew Wommack

Big problem here. And you know what it is before I even state it:
okay for the word Sovereign. We don't need to understand it, it's not an issue. God is sovereign - however you want to understand it.

The problem is His PROVIDENCE. Which I already stated. Let's even leave the word sovereign in there, whether it's understood correctly or not makes no difference.

Remember what the Dems would say about Nixon after Watergate when Nixon said he knew nothing about the break-in? They said that either Nixon was responsible or he was irresponsible.

Ditto for God. He's either responsible or He's irresponsible.

God has a supreme Will. What He wills is what will happen. This MUST BE SO. If it weren't we'd be faced with the problem of evil. That age-old problem.

If God's providence is not in command, then evil is loose and God doesn't care about it. OR satan is on equal footing with God. If satan could run loose and God is not in command, satan is equal, God cannot stop him.
It MUST be that evil is loose but God IS in command and DOES care but we can't know His reason for ALLOWING it.

I hope I'm explaining myself - you're much better at this.

Wondering

 

[RevSRE]

God's providence

The providence of God may be defined as His guardianship and care for His creatures and creation. Also, any manifestation of such care may be described as providence.
"There is probably no point at which the Christian doctrine of God comes more into conflict with contemporary worldviews than in the matter of God’s providence. Providence means that God has not abandoned the world that he created, but rather works within that creation to manage all things according to the “immutable counsel of His own will” (Westminster Confession of Faith, V, i)
This is a Calvinist point of view. I REJECT ALL FIVE POINTS OF CALVINISM.
The subject is obeying GOD. IT IS A CHOICE!! GOD GAVE US THE ABILITY AND RIGHT TO CHOOSE!!
!GOD DOES NOT CHOOSE FOR US! THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN His guardianship and care for His creatures and creation
AND HIS MAKING ALL THE DECISIONS, We have the ability and right ( That is FREE WILL) to decide to Fellowship with GOD or NOT!!
There are two groups of people.
1. The ones that obey God and as Paul did give all as lost for Christ. I count all things (but) loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:
2. The ones left to themselves, by choice apart from God. Lost lost lost. No matter how GOOD or GREAT still they are LOST.
Depravity is real but it is a choice.

I feel the best definition of the Image of God in man is,
The ability to , “With knowledge of result”, MAKE A CHOICE.
No other creature in all creation has such an ability. I will further state that for God to truly and personally fellowship with man, man must have the reason, emotion, and free will, (that is to say the Image of GOD);
“AT LEAST TO A LEVEL TO TRULY FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
Think about this the Self-existent infinite sovereign God made finite sovereign man with a Free Will to FELLOWSHIP.
They had to have enough in common TO FELLOWSHIP!

THE point here is God gave us the right and ability to Choose so we may by choice fellowship with Him.

This study is the work of many years if you read and understood it is an hour or two I would feel sorta dumb. It is truth but to understand it all including Satan's Counterfeit YOU HAVE TO READ AND UNDERSTAND IT ALL. It will take time but, it is TRUTH!

 

[GodsGrace]

Do you really have the title of Reverend?
You give an explanation for "providence".
You say we have a choice.
You say you don't agree with the 5 points of Calvinism.

Okay with 1.
Okay with 2.
I don't know the 5 points so cannot comment.

You shall know the truth and the truth will make you free.
Yes. it's good to know the truth.

And what is the truth, Pilot asked Jesus.

He was staring it in the face.

Wondering

 

[Malachi]

Regarding free-will, I'd just like to say that I have a difficult time reconciling man's free will to God's Providence.

I believe you are referring to God's sovereignty. Providence is God's care for His creation. Sovereignty is His rule over His creatures. Sovereignty does not automatically translate into Determinism (as some believe), neither is it in conflict with man's free will. God allows His creatures to make moral and spiritual choices, but there are always consequences. Thus we have the Law of Sowing and Reaping.

 

[GodsGrace]

I believe you are referring to God's sovereignty. Providence is God's care for His creation. Sovereignty is His rule over His creatures. Sovereignty does not automatically translate into Determinism (as some believe), neither is it in conflict with man's free will. God allows His creatures to make moral and spiritual choices, but there are always consequences. Thus we have the Law of Sowing and Reaping.

Two questions:
1. What is determinism.
2. The reason I, and many others, have a difficult time reconciling God's Providence to our free will is because of evil. If God cares for us, why do we get sick?

I don't really want an answer - just explaining to you why the difficulty exists.
I would like an answer to no. 1, if you're willing.

Wondering

 

[Hospes]

Hi Rev.

I'd like to offer a way to see 2 Peter 3:9 a bit differently than Andrew Wommack. (I assume what you wrote below is all a quote from his book and he is not a proponent of open theism.)

It is assumed that since God is paramount or supreme that nothing can happen without His approval. That is not what the Scriptures teach. In 2 Peter 3:9, Peter said, "The Lord is...not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." This clearly states that it is not the Lord's will for anyone to perish, but people are perishing. Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in there at" (Matt. 7:13). Relatively few people are saved compared to the number that are lost. God's will for people concerning salvation is not being accomplished.The Sovereignty Of God By Andrew Wommack

I think Wommack has assumed that 2 Peter 3:9 is God's highest will. You see, even in ourselves we have competing wills. When my sons were little, my will was that I not have to discipline them. I really did not want to spank them. I hated spanking them. But I had another will that proved higher: the will to raise my sons to turn away from evil. So when they rebelled and refused to obey, I spanked them, though I hated it. The reason "God's will for people concerning salvation is not being accomplished" is that he has a higher will. Some say his higher will is to allow free will, others say his higher will is to be glorified. The irony is, both agree God has a "higher" will than all be saved, but they disagree what the higher will is. Either way, God's sovereignty need not be diminished.

 

[Hospes]

These verses sound pretty hard core regarding God being sovereign:

I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’ (Isaiah 46:9–10 ESV)
[He] works all things according to the counsel of his will. (Ephesians 1:11 ESV)
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. (Proverbs 16:33 ESV)
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. (Matthew 10:29 ESV)
You ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that’ (James 4:15 ESV)
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21 ESV)
...all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth;and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” (Daniel 4:35 ESV)
Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. (Psalm 115:3 ESV)

​

 

[smaller]

Ephesians 1:11
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Hebrews 1:3
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

Psalm 66:3
Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

1 Corinthians 15:24
Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

Ephesians 1:10
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Even those who think otherwise than the above, such sights are in fact FROM GOD:

Isaiah 66:4
I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

 

[Malachi]

Two questions:
1. What is determinism.

Theological determinism

is a form of determinism which states that all events that happen are pre-ordained, or predestined to happen, by a monotheistic deity, or that they are destined to occur given its omniscience.

In other words God has foreordained all events, good or evil. This is not really true. God has foreordained SOME events, not all events.

2. The reason I, and many others, have a difficult time reconciling God's Providence to our free will is because of evil. If God cares for us, why do we get sick?

Because sin entered the world, and death through sin, sickness, disease, death, and decay have infected the world. God ALLOWS this, and uses calamities for His own purposes. God cared for Job, but also allowed Satan to destroy his life (temporarily).

 

[Hospes]

I find the belief God ordains all events to be consistent in my understanding of the scriptures and personally very satisfying. When my son was being shot at in Afghanistan, I found comfort in knowing that if a bullet hit my son, it was from the hands of my loving Father. The reason I prayed for my son was my belief my heavenly father did not let things go beyond his control, or even worse, had moments of inattention and could be caught unawares.

 

[smaller]

Freewill is just another term for works salvation. No believer would say God in Christ is not IN THEM.

Therefore there is A Will At Work in all who believe in Him that is not their will, but His.

How many millions/billions of Christians walk in their supposed freewill, separating and dividing from one another? Judging one another? Even seeking and promoting various forms of salvation by WORKS and conversely seeking the most vicious evils upon one another under the banner of freewill works salvation?

Eph. 4:
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

People who claim freewill appear to be incognizant of God IN THEM. And such are belied by the fact that they perpetually, incessantly try to commit each others to eternal hell on the basis of freewill WORKS. What are such going to do? Burn God alive in hell forever?

God in Christ is IN YOU. The moment that happened, WE died.

Acknowledging the Divine Sovereignty of God, He does fan the flames of the enemies. It is part of His Winnowing Process, whereby the grain is separated from the chaff. When we SEE that we as believers are the grain and our enemies in our own flesh in the forms of temptations/lusts/deceptions and the full intent to destroy US are the chaff, then we understand what is going on, and on that Ground we are and remain sorely in need of Divine Mercy.

The "tools" of destruction that God employs are the opposite of destruction.

His Tools are forgiveness, faith, love, grace and MERCY. These were always meant for the destruction of our enemies. When His Tools are applied to the enemies in our own flesh, they become AROUSED to do and perform the OPPOSITE.

Romans 12:
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Having started my walk in Christ in the freewill camp, I grew weary of their perpetual harpy potential condemnation of each others and other believers under the "freewill" works salvation banners.

At least in the determinist camps they don't practice that "as much." Most of them KNOW they are saved, and not by works. They are secure enough in their faith of Christ in them and in other believers, not to practice casting one another into potential hell. And that alone was somewhat of a relief. Other issues notwithstanding.

In every "freewill" camp "every" believer seems ready to pounce at a moments notice for just about any reason whatsoever. I've personally seen believers from the freewill camps, willing to toss another believer into the potential of hell over the meaning of a SINGLE WORD in the scriptures.

It's a dire and evil sickness that we bear in our own flesh. And you all know this is TRUE. In this way Divine Judgment resides upon the bearers lips.
.
James 3:6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

This fire of the destruction of the flock came into the church very early. In Acts 20 Paul speaks of it and warned us it would be the case. The hallmark, how does one note/mark this activity? "not sparing the flock."

I've observed 2 wills in operation in this post. The Will of God and the will of the enemy in our own flesh. Now, ask me if there is "freewill?" There is One Spirit and there is the adverse spirit of the enemy in our own flesh.

I know the Love of God in Christ, personally, inside. IF we can't be secure In Him, there is nowhere else to be secure. Certainly NOT among others who seek perpetual condemnation under "freewill" works, always sure about themselves, of course, but NEVER about others. But they'll rah rah anyone who dangles believers over the pits of hell using "freewill" WORKS. They'll be saved anyway, and hopefully the fire they take upon themselves eventually burns itself out.

Freewill says the Will of God in Christ is NOT in you. It's just YOUR will, trying to save itself by works. And that God is NOT involved with His creation, as it's all just a big conglomerate of random "freewill" agents, a few of whom might get lucky in the end.

 

[reba]

lets keep it to the Study of Scriptures not a study of my opinion is right and yours is wrong... Not necessarily directed at the last poster..
We all know it is a fine line but lets try thanks ... Admin

 

[cgaviria]

Free will. It seems to be limited to choose the sin and lust you freely desire, as all fall short, trapped in the worlds bondage under sin, and not one is good but the Most High.

Sorry got no scripture to back me up, so you must correct me if im wrong so I can repent as I dont want to be no false prophet, im a philosipher

Dang I cant even get the word right. Philosepher, philosofer, I give up, yea anyhow, im just one of those thinkers type people.

Edited reba The choices of man are in subjection to the choices of God. You will end up choosing what God has chosen you to do. Only a few people are chosen to be his.

 

[RevSRE]

My position is not Open Theism because I do maintain that GOD does exercise meticulous control of the universe. My fellowship with God and others and my choices in that relation mean that “if I decide not to do what God offered me and I miss the Blessing and Opportunity, God can and will give that to someone else. Yes God is in charge. HE just does not need me to make His will work.

God is "Self-existent". All that is beyond the point of God's Self-existent Person is from and in God. God dwells in Eternity, which is from His self-existence. God does not live moment by moment, day by day in eternity, God inhabits Eternity, IN PRESENT TENSE, All of Eternity and every second of time before Him NOW! All the Majestic Glory of the HOLY GOD exist in His self-existent Person. All Knowledge exist in eternity before Him thus He knows all. All eternity is before Him thus He is present to all all the time. All Power, Majesty, and Glory are from His self-existence thus He is all powerful.
When people say, "I do not need GOD", or "There is no God" they separate from the source of all existence. They are alone! When we teach there is no God, Human life is no more than any other animal, it is OK to kill the Child not yet born, there is no God so there is no absolute authority that must be followed, Moral GOOD is what I" want RIGHT NOW! Moral evil is that which keeps me from what "I" want!


The fact that God knows every event of every second of time does not mean He made it happen. It means He gave “Man” a choice and in eternity knows the events of time. If one man will not do His will then He gives that opportunity to someone else yet in eternity He knew that would happen and the outcome. Knowing does not mean He made it happen, but by knowing He can allow someone else to do the job and His will so it gets done.



God in His own time decided to make man for fellowship, a creature able and willing to by choice come to Fellowship with GOD.
Did God need man? NO! Did man in any way add to or complete God? NO!
God made man because He wanted too.
In the beginning God created the heaven and earth and it was good.
God created man and woman and it was good.
The next point we jump to in the study is man disobeying God. And we often come to some, I think, unfounded conclusions. Possibly we need to start with WHY God created all the world and Mankind in the first place. We need this foundation before we get to the fall and a medieval intermix of ideas from many sources.
Which point do we need as the basis, the foundation of our theology?

I. God created Man for Fellowship and gave man “The Image of God” so he could truly fellowship with God. Man has to have enough of the “Image of God” to Truly Commune with and Relate to God. Man was made to Rule with Dominion over the earth. God gave man enough free will so that he could and has the right to make choices on his own, and God will honor the choices.

II. God from eternity knew man would sin, creation and God’s plan was to provide a foundation for the plan of saving Grace. When Adam disobeyed God he became totally depraved and cannot come to God by choice. Man has no free will or a will so corrupted that he cannot use it to know God.
But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: Jer_7:23
We so often look at the creation and jump right to Adam disobeying God that we miss the point of the story, and the foundation of all the rest of our understanding and theology.
The question has been asked, “Why did God create the world and man if He knew man would sin?” Like so many questions this one may be placing the emphasis in the wrong place.
Look at a few ideas that may help us understand.
1. The universe, the milky way, our solar system, the Earth were made by God for MAN to have a home, A place where God and Man could fellowship. God, self-existent, Holy, unchanging, all knowing, sovereign, made the world and man because HE WANTED TOO. God was making a creature for fellowship, love, and service. Someone to commune with, this fellowship, I think, is the key!
2. God did not gain from, have too, need too make man. All this is about fellowship. Fellowship with a creature that could and would choose to fellowship with Him.
3. God is self-existent, (eternity, space and time, exist in the self-existent God), He does not live in eternity, minute by minute, day by day, God INHABITS eternity, self-existent, NOW. All of eternity, every second of time, is now present before God. Yes, He saw the broad way, He saw the choices people would make, not to love and obey and fellowship with Him. Yes, He saw all the ones that by free choice would choose not to love or know Him. IS 57:15
4. But, so long ago when God looked at eternity He saw the ones that choose to love Him. Yes, He saw the narrow way that few find, He saw all our sins and failures. But, He looked beyond all that and saw fellowship with the ones that choose to follow Him. He saw in eternity that there would be some that elect by their free moral choice to serve and fellowship with Him.
5. Yes, He saw His holiness and righteousness and He knew the price of man’s sin would have to be paid. Yes, He saw the Cross. Before time He knew He would go to that old rugged cross in my place…HE DID IT ANYWAY!

I do not know where in your theology you need to place this, but it is a fact of the Bible story, The Relation between God and man is FELLOWSHIP not Grace! Grace comes later to fix a problem and restore fellowship.

Some say man cannot have a free will because the sovereignty of God would be limited. Nothing can happen that is not the will of God. OK, God’s will is that the creature in His world can choose to serve Him or not.
Religion has resulted in the invention of a new meaning for the word "sovereign," which basically means God controls everything. Nothing can happen but what He wills or allows. However, there is nothing in the actual definition that states that. The dictionary defines "sovereign" as, "1. Paramount; supreme. 2. Having supreme rank or power. 3. Independent: a sovereign state. 4. Excellent." None of these definitions means that God controls everything.
It is assumed that since God is paramount or supreme that nothing can happen without His approval. That is not what the Scriptures teach. In 2 Peter 3:9, Peter said, "The Lord is...not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." This clearly states that it is not the Lord's will for anyone to perish, but people are perishing. Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in there at" (Matt. 7:13). Relatively few people are saved compared to the number that are lost. God's will for people concerning salvation is not being accomplished. The Sovereignty Of God By Andrew Wommack

The “Not” and all that follows from people not obeying God is the result of people choosing to disobey God, using a free will choice that God gave them. How important is that choice? God seeing eternity, knowing some would choose the world and not obey Him, Then looking to all who would obey and fellowship with Him, loved us so much,
EVEN SEEING THE CROSS; HE ALLOWED FREE WILL CHOICE ANYWAY!

Everyone in Gods eternal Kingdom will be there because they chose to be, It is all about fellowship with God, CHOOSING to FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD!
At some point here we come to the “Image of God in man”. There are almost as many opinions to the meaning of this as there are people. Still, I will venture to offer one more.
Given: God made man for fellowship.
Given: God and man are Persons.
Given: God and man have reason (knowledge), feelings (emotion) and the ability to act (free will).
I feel the best definition of the Image of God in man is,
The ability to , “With knowledge of result”, MAKE A CHOICE.
No other creature in all creation has such an ability. I will further state that for God to truly and personally fellowship with man, man must have the reason, emotion, and free will, (that is to say the Image of GOD);
“AT LEAST TO A LEVEL TO TRULY FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
Think about this the Self-existent infinite sovereign God made finite sovereign man with a Free Will to FELLOWSHIP. They had to have enough in common TO FELLOWSHIP!
The teaching on this subject; apart from “everyone” having their own description of “The Image”, the teaching has been very poor and fails to show how wonderful God is. The Self-existent infinite sovereign God made finite man with a sovereign free will and moral responsibility. But, more than just free will “The Image” includes the moral attributes of God, holy, wise, good, merciful, loving, and sovereign. Man was made to fellowship with God.

When “the fool” said in his heart, using the free choice God gave him we get to result listed in Psalms 14:1 and 53:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Hebrew word נבל nabal, which we render fool, signifies an empty fellow, a contemptible person, a villain. One who has a muddy head and an unclean heart; and, in his darkness and folly, says in his heart, “There is no God.”
This Fool does not represent or include the entire race of man.
There are two groups “Natural Man” the Fool and “Spiritual Man” saved by Grace.

 

[GodsGrace]

In other words God has foreordained all events, good or evil. This is not really true. God has foreordained SOME events, not all events.

Determinism, Thanks for explaining. So many "isms".
You say God foreordained "SOME" events. Foreordained. Dangerous word. You mean He planned all this and it's just a stage play? Why would He foreordain some events and not others?

Does knowing what is going to happen mean you foreordained it?
If God foreordained some events, it would take away our free will pertaining to those events - since the outcome has been predetermined.
IF God is sovereign, it means NOTHING happens unless He so wills it. And He, indeed, IS sovereign.

Could we remember that Jesus said in Mathew 26:39 that He acknowledges that God's will be done and not His.

Thus my great difficulty in reconciling God's Sovereignty or Providence with our free will.

Because sin entered the world, and death through sin, sickness, disease, death, and decay have infected the world. God ALLOWS this, and uses calamities for His own purposes. God cared for Job, but also allowed Satan to destroy his life (temporarily).

Yes. But WHY does He allow it??

Wondering

 

[GodsGrace]

I find the belief God ordains all events to be consistent in my understanding of the scriptures and personally very satisfying. When my son was being shot at in Afghanistan, I found comfort in knowing that if a bullet hit my son, it was from the hands of my loving Father. The reason I prayed for my son was my belief my heavenly father did not let things go beyond his control, or even worse, had moments of inattention and could be caught unawares.

Hospes,
If you say God ordains I can agree. If you say he foreordained, I see a difference. Maybe I'm wrong?

IOW, if he ordains, it means He's willing it now. He KNEW it would happen, and He KNEW what His decision would be, but it's happening at the moment.

God is out of time, this isn't easy.

If he foreordains, it means He planned everything from the beginning of time and it would make us be the proverbial puppets.

Ordaining events NOW, means His will is being accomplished. And, for both your son in Afghanistan (at the time), and for many other situations happening now, we must trust that God is doing the right thing and is working toward that final goal - which I have no idea what it might be.

Here's your scripture:
Romans 8:28

Somehow or other, even the bad will work for the good.

Wondering

 

[GodsGrace]

Edited reba The choices of man are in subjection to the choices of God. You will end up choosing what God has chosen you to do. Only a few people are chosen to be his.

How about this:
We have free will. God will take that free will, our choices, and work them somehow to contribute to His final goal.
Genesis 50.20

You say "Only a few people are chosen to be His." How many? 144,000?
Do you not believe in free will??

Wondering

 

[GodsGrace]

Hi RevSRE
Okay. This I could read!
And I do believe I agree with all of it.
I'm not sure God made man for fellowship. How do we know that?
Let's say this IS the reason why we were created - wouldn't it then be reasonable to say that, yes, we DO have free will? What kind of fellowship would it be if we always did what He wanted?
And, in fact, we don't. Thus proof of free will.

Wondering

 

[reba]

Rev_4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

 

[GodsGrace]

Rev_4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Yes. God is a creator. It could be as simple as that.
They say if there's a simple answer - it's usually the right one.
I used to teach kids that our purpose on this earth is to know, love and serve the Lord.

It would be good to look over those notes every now and then...

Wondering