Does God have a free will?

[Dave L]

Does God have a free will? Does he will his attributes? Or do his attributes determine his will?

I believe God does not have a free will. Because He is love. And He is perfect. And any change in his will determined by love and righteousness would be to imperfection.

 

[NightDream]

He have free will. Everybody have free will, there is none without.

 

[Lost4words]

Only God can answer these type of questions

 

[public hermit]

Does God have a free will? Does he will his attributes? Or do his attributes determine his will?

I like the way you have phrased this question because it highlights one of the ways we tend to anthropomorphize over the character of God. For us, we can have characteristics that show more or less. One day I might be patient and kind, and then the next I might be irritable and short-tempered. This can be the case even if, more often than not, I am generally patient and kind. Somedays we just belie the truth, which is that we are not identical with our best attributes, or our worst ones. Our best attributes and our worse attributes can show more or less, depending on circumstances.

To assume that we can separate God and God's attributes is to assume that God is too much like us. There is a long tradition that holds to the idea that God is not separable from God's attributes. If God is love, then God is always love. For God to not be love would be for God to be inconsistent with God's very Self, which is absurd given Who God is.

I believe God does not have a free will. Because He is love. And He is perfect. And any change in his will determined by love and righteousness would be to imperfection.

This statement assumes a particular version of "free-will" that could only apply to humans, assuming such a version of free will is accurate. This version of free will assumes that I am free, if and only if, I am able to act contrary to the will of God. In other words, I am free in so far as I am able to sin. If we project this understanding of free will onto God, then in effect we are saying God is only free in so far as God is able to act contrary to God's own will, which again is absurd given Who God is.

To say that God's will is determined by God's character is, again, to separate God's Person, God's will, and God's actions as if one could be contrary to the other, which is absurd given Who God is.

All this to say, the way you have phrased this post is very effective in showing 1) an inherent problem in a particular understanding of human free will, and 2) an inherent problem in thinking of God's character in separation from God's very Being. Great post!

 

[jahel]

God has limited His will and has limited Himself to only acts toward His people that accompanies the laws of love, for instance: limits placed on His will to flood the earth again, limits to use limited people to carry out His will, etc
That defines His attributes as the God of Love. In the next era we will encounter Him as the God of Justice.
His will attributes to specific times of revealing but eventually His will is not limited by anything but the means He uses to carry them out, in limited humans.

 

[Dave L]

I like the way you have phrased this question because it highlights one of the ways we tend to anthropomorphize over the character of God. For us, we can have characteristics that show more or less. One day I might be patient and kind, and then the next I might be irritable and short-tempered. This can be the case even if, more often than not, I am generally patient and kind. Somedays we just belie the truth, which is that we are not identical with our best attributes, or our worst ones. Our best attributes and our worse attributes can show more or less, depending on circumstances.

To assume that we can separate God and God's attributes is to assume that God is too much like us. There is a long tradition that holds to the idea that God is not separable from God's attributes. If God is love, then God is always love. For God to not be love would be for God to be inconsistent with God's very Self, which is absurd given Who God is.



This statement assumes a particular version of "free-will" that could only apply to humans, assuming such a version of free will is accurate. This version of free will assumes that I am free, if and only if, I am able to act contrary to the will of God. In other words, I am free in so far as I am able to sin. If we project this understanding of free will onto God, then in effect we are saying God is only free in so far as God is able to act contrary to God's own will, which again is absurd given Who God is.

To say that God's will is determined by God's character is, again, to separate God's Person, God's will, and God's actions as if one could be contrary to the other, which is absurd given Who God is.

All this to say, the way you have phrased this post is very effective in showing 1) an inherent problem in a particular understanding of human free will, and 2) an inherent problem in thinking of God's character in separation from God's very Being. Great post!

In essence, we are free to follow the dictates of our nature. And even then what we do, good or bad IS God's will and for his glory. I always ask that I glorify God in his mercy and not in his wrath.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Does God have a free will? Does he will his attributes? Or do his attributes determine his will?

I believe God does not have a free will. Because He is love. And He is perfect. And any change in his will determined by love and righteousness would be to imperfection.

How would a Muslim answer that? How would St. Thomas answer that? Would they differ?

 

[Dave L]

How would a Muslim answer that? How would St. Thomas answer that? Would they differ?

I'm not familiar with their positions so I cannot say.

 

[HTacianas]

Does God have a free will? Does he will his attributes? Or do his attributes determine his will?

I believe God does not have a free will. Because He is love. And He is perfect. And any change in his will determined by love and righteousness would be to imperfection.

God can will to do or will not to do as he decides. He promised the Israelites when they were in Egypt that he would build them into a great nation. But when they rebelled against him in the desert he swore to destroy them and create his nation from the descendants of Moses.

Based on that, we can safely say that he does have free will.

 

[Dave L]

God can will to do or will not to do as he decides. He promised the Israelites when they were in Egypt that he would build them into a great nation. But when they rebelled against him in the desert he swore to destroy them and create his nation from the descendants of Moses.

Based on that, we can safely say that he does have free will.

It was part of his eternal unchangeable plan.

 

[Peter John]

Does God have a free will? Does he will his attributes? Or do his attributes determine his will?

I believe God does not have a free will. Because He is love. And He is perfect. And any change in his will determined by love and righteousness would be to imperfection.

The only freewill in the bible is vowed & voluntary offerings in the temple, in the old testament.
On the other hand, the world says they have freewill, meaning they think they have something in them that God cannot control, think again!

We have self-will as Titus 1v7 & 2Pet 2v10 says.
Strong's concordance- Authades- means self-pleasing & denotes one who, dominated by self-interest, & inconsiderate of others, arrogantly asserts his own will.
Finally, God's will be done, & He never changes His Will or His Word.

 

[PuerAzaelis]

Does God have a free will? Does he will his attributes? Or do his attributes determine his will?

I believe God does not have a free will. Because He is love. And He is perfect. And any change in his will determined by love and righteousness would be to imperfection.

Article 10: Whether God has free-will?

Objection 1: It seems that God has not free-will. For Jerome says, in a homily on the prodigal son [*Ep. 146, ad Damas.]; "God alone is He who is not liable to sin, nor can be liable: all others, as having free-will, can be inclined to either side."

Objection 2: Further, free-will is the faculty of the reason and will, by which good and evil are chosen. But God does not will evil, as has been said (Article [9]). Therefore there is not free-will in God.

On the contrary, Ambrose says (De Fide ii, 3): "The Holy Spirit divideth unto each one as He will, namely, according to the free choice of the will, not in obedience to necessity."

I answer that, We have free-will with respect to what we will not of necessity, nor be natural instinct. For our will to be happy does not appertain to free-will, but to natural instinct. Hence other animals, that are moved to act by natural instinct, are not said to be moved by free-will. Since then God necessarily wills His own goodness, but other things not necessarily, as shown above (Article [3]), He has free will with respect to what He does not necessarily will.

Reply to Objection 1: Jerome seems to deny free-will to God not simply, but only as regards the inclination to sin.

Reply to Objection 2: Since the evil of sin consists in turning away from the divine goodness, by which God wills all things, as above shown (De Fide ii, 3), it is manifestly impossible for Him to will the evil of sin; yet He can make choice of one of two opposites, inasmuch as He can will a thing to be, or not to be. In the same way we ourselves, without sin, can will to sit down, and not will to sit down.

ST Ia Q. 19 — Aquinas 101

 

[Dave L]

Article 10: Whether God has free-will?

Objection 1: It seems that God has not free-will. For Jerome says, in a homily on the prodigal son [*Ep. 146, ad Damas.]; "God alone is He who is not liable to sin, nor can be liable: all others, as having free-will, can be inclined to either side."

Objection 2: Further, free-will is the faculty of the reason and will, by which good and evil are chosen. But God does not will evil, as has been said (Article [9]). Therefore there is not free-will in God.

On the contrary, Ambrose says (De Fide ii, 3): "The Holy Spirit divideth unto each one as He will, namely, according to the free choice of the will, not in obedience to necessity."

I answer that, We have free-will with respect to what we will not of necessity, nor be natural instinct. For our will to be happy does not appertain to free-will, but to natural instinct. Hence other animals, that are moved to act by natural instinct, are not said to be moved by free-will. Since then God necessarily wills His own goodness, but other things not necessarily, as shown above (Article [3]), He has free will with respect to what He does not necessarily will.

Reply to Objection 1: Jerome seems to deny free-will to God not simply, but only as regards the inclination to sin.

Reply to Objection 2: Since the evil of sin consists in turning away from the divine goodness, by which God wills all things, as above shown (De Fide ii, 3), it is manifestly impossible for Him to will the evil of sin; yet He can make choice of one of two opposites, inasmuch as He can will a thing to be, or not to be. In the same way we ourselves, without sin, can will to sit down, and not will to sit down.

ST Ia Q. 19 — Aquinas 101

But God is bound by his perfections and therefore not free to change to imperfection.

 

[Charlie24]

Does God have a free will? Does he will his attributes? Or do his attributes determine his will?

I believe God does not have a free will. Because He is love. And He is perfect. And any change in his will determined by love and righteousness would be to imperfection.

I can't speak for God but I can speak for myself. Yes, God has given me free will!

Deut. 30:19
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

 

[Dave L]

I can't speak for God but I can speak for myself. Yes, God has given me free will!

Deut. 30:19
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

This is not about salvation. It is about Law and obedience. Law cannot save.

 

[Charlie24]

This is not about salvation. It is about Law and obedience. Law cannot save.

This is a pleas to follow God. It most certainly determined their salvation.

The sacrificial system of the law is where Israels salvation was found. If they followed God they would follow this law.

 

[Dave L]

This is a pleas to follow God. It most certainly determined their salvation.

The sacrificial system of the law is where Israels salvation was found. If they followed God they would follow this law.

The law was for wicked unbelievers forcing them to behave under threat of death. Only the born again were saved.

 

[Charlie24]

The law was for wicked unbelievers forcing them to behave under threat of death. Only the born again were saved.

Those who believed in the sacrifice as the coming Messiah were saved.

Those who refused the call of Joshua, refused the sacrifice of God.

 

[bling]

Does God have a free will? Does he will his attributes? Or do his attributes determine his will?

I believe God does not have a free will. Because He is love. And He is perfect. And any change in his will determined by love and righteousness would be to imperfection.

Just because God always chooses to do the very best thing that can be done does not mean God does not have free will.

God’s actions are not just a knee jerk reaction, but thought-out and intentional.

God is not just some big computer out there, since He has feelings, and He has an illogical Love.
The fact that God chooses to only do which is Loving and perfect helps me Love him all the more, but if all His actions were just programmed into Him what would I be Loving concerning nonchoices?

 

[Dave L]

Just because God always chooses to do the very best thing that can be done does not mean God does not have free will.

God’s actions are not just a knee jerk reaction, but thought-out and intentional.

God is not just some big computer out there, since He has feelings, and He has an illogical Love.
The fact that God chooses to only do which is Loving and perfect helps me Love him all the more, but if all His actions were just programmed into Him what would I be Loving concerning nonchoices?

Can God send believers to hell?