Self-Will

[Classik]

Ok. Once again...thanks to all. Happy fathers' day;). Now to the thread. Why did God allow self-will?

 

[Claudya]

Care to define self-will?

 

[Classik]

Willfulness, especially in satisfying one's own desires or adhering to one's own opinions. By FOD

 

[Claudya]

Our desires are valuable, some of our "desires" are important for our survival, other desires are important to procreate our species or seek fellowship. Desires drive us forward seeking the purpose God has destined for us. Sometimes they are the voice within us pointing us away from the world and back to God.
If we had no will to fulfill our desires we would get bored and empty and die. Or become mere pupets of God's will.

I'd think there's a healthy and godly way to fulfill any desire we have, a way that would make ourselves and our neighbours happier and better and bring a bit of God's kingdom into our world.

 

[Classik]

Thank you, Claudya. How about with regards to Godliness and/or obeying God's commands? (Example is Adam)

 

[Danus]

There is freedom in the will. That is a strong aspect of Love. God is love.

Part of having free self will, is to know what we are in our own will, and to freely surrender that to the will of God because we know what our will is.

If God says we are by nature sin in our fallen state, he is not saying we do not have freedom to be who we are. But, if we refuse to believe what He says of us, then we are left to our own will, freely.

 

[Matthew G]

I think we have self-will because our worship of, and relationship with, God is something that needs to be a decision. It doesn't need to be something we do because we're programmed to. God wants a relationship with people, not puppets.

The first part of John 3:16 IMO is proof of this. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..."

I know toys can be very special in ways that only the owner understands. I still have a handful of my old TMNT action figures (read "puppets") that I've had since I was 5 or so. I love these toys (puppets), and they are very special to me - but I would not even entertain the thought of sacrificing my son for them.

I know it's different because my toys can't love me back - but my point being the sacrifice of His only son is not something that would be done for puppets.