Free Will
FREE WILL
How does evil happen?
So much human suffering is rooted in human free - will that is misused.
Yet, free will is a necessary ingredient in real love.
When I was young boy in the 1960's, little girls had dolls with a pull-string.
The string triggered a recording which would say various things, like, “I love you!”
Is a toy capable of love?
No.
Would a functional adult feel loved by such a doll?
No - love requires free will.
God created the human race for companionship with Him.
God too, wants to be loved. He made us capable of loving Him and loving others.
But real love requires a free will, which also enables us to reject or harm others.
So why does God allow us to use our free will negatively, if it hurts others?
Well...what are His options?
Even God has boundaries, which He sets for Himself.
Yet, free will is a necessary ingredient in real love.
When I was young boy in the 1960's, little girls had dolls with a pull-string.
The string triggered a recording which would say various things, like, “I love you!”
Is a toy capable of love?
No.
Would a functional adult feel loved by such a doll?
No - love requires free will.
God created the human race for companionship with Him.
God too, wants to be loved. He made us capable of loving Him and loving others.
But real love requires a free will, which also enables us to reject or harm others.
So why does God allow us to use our free will negatively, if it hurts others?
Well...what are His options?
Even God has boundaries, which He sets for Himself.
He gives us the Bible, civil laws, a conscience, training as a child,
and I believe God's voice whispers to all who want to hear him.
Then He expects us to use these tools to do what's right.
If free will - could be other-controlled, it wouldn't be free will.
and I believe God's voice whispers to all who want to hear him.
Then He expects us to use these tools to do what's right.
If free will - could be other-controlled, it wouldn't be free will.
We need to be careful to align our free will with what is good and right,
and understand that God sometimes controls circumstances
to create the best long-term good for everyone. (Jonah and the Whale)
He also allows us to experience consequences that we deserve to experience,
because of our bad decisions -
and the consequences we will experience as the result of others' choices.
and understand that God sometimes controls circumstances
to create the best long-term good for everyone. (Jonah and the Whale)
He also allows us to experience consequences that we deserve to experience,
because of our bad decisions -
and the consequences we will experience as the result of others' choices.
Just as a child's scream of pain or shriek of delight can be heard far down the block,
so will our free wills touch others- either to affect or to infect them.
And other peoples' acts of free will touch us, sometimes generations later.
History tells us this is true.
This is why Jesus said, "Do unto others what you want done to you." (paraphrase)
