Ask a Christian philosopher a question

[Archaeopteryx]

I wonder where our self-proclaimed Christian philosopher has gone off to.

 

[Breckmin]

"Pharaoh hardened his own heart."
I beg to differ:
“But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭10:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Actually all throughout Pharaohs, exchanges with Moses the bible says it's the lord that hardens Pharaohs heart.

Read 1 Samuel 6:6 and also Exodus 8: 15 and 32.

IF you over-simplistically take the concision of "the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart" as not allowing for a process of freewill and consequences... then I can't help you. Much in scripture will not make sense if you take this simplistic approach.

Also, choosing between two options does NOT mean there are two possible "worlds." The problem often with philosophers using the term "worlds" to describe possible scenarios is that it often leads to equivocation.

Better to use "options" and not confuse the issue of "one universe" with possible options for the freewill agent which are exhaustive known. Knowledge of a freewill choice does NOT determine it. Observation is not a cause.

If you do not understand the difference between being "in control" verses "controlling" (like puppets) then this will be a difficult dialogue.

You said, "if you're in control of something, then it's ultimately you that determines the outcomes, otherwise you weren't in control to begin with."

If God can control all of the circumstances surrounding freewill then God's determination is synergistic. God is still in control...and we have freewill within a limited set of circumstances.

you also said, "If it's not us that determines the outcomes in our life, then who is? If its God, then it follows we're not free. Who determines the outcomes us or God?"

Determinism is not so monolithic when there is a Creator controlling surrounding circumstances and allowing other circumstances of a freewill cognitive being. "Determination" is not so simplistic as to engage in an "either or" and miss the excluded middle of synergism. I also think that you are still confusing "freedom" with "freewill" and yet they are two distinct things.

"So your definition of freedom is tantamount to say a game of chess. In Chess you are free to make a variety of moves, however you are constrained by the parameters of the rules in the game..."

I never defined freedom. Chess is a terrible analogy to the complexity of the subject matter for which we are discussing. Even you having an aquarium full of ants which you manipulate is not a good analogy but it is much better than chess.

I would stay away from analogies all together and just address the complexity of God creating a temporary creation that contains little creators in His universe.

 

[Breckmin]

But sovereignty, omniscience and freewill are problematic in conjunction.

If you do not allow sovereignty to mean what it actually means with respect to God's multifaceted "will(s)" then it would indeed be confusing.

I see no problems once the distinctions are made...and made correctly. Augustine, Aquinas, Duns Scotus and many other theologians have laid a pretty good foundation for contemporary resolution. But it is important to understand the material. If you wrongfully over-simplify..then you will not see or understand such resolution.

Sovereignty doesn't mean that God has to somehow control everyone's freewill... God is so amazingly "in control" of all of the natural world order and knows exhaustively what everyone "will" freely choose that God can accomplish His divine plan through human volition. Human volition participates in a synergism of God's infinite plan...and if you understand that even circumstances are infinite in some form... to some degree then there can also exist infinite determiners. These infinite determiners, however, are NOT causes when it comes to freewill.

Freewill is unlike any other causal system. In physics (physical sciences) and chemistry for instances... the causes are external. With freewill the cause is self-generated. Dualism (metaphysical soul/spirit + a physical brain/body) is perhaps an axiom for (having an) understanding of how volition is self-determined between viable/actual options.

Freewill is a complicated subject because of the terminologies/nomenclature we often use. Often these words need to be redefined to address a more adequate precision.

Otherwise you will not see the resolution between sovereignty and freewill. Perhaps we should start with Divine Freewill and begin to understand the logic of using modifiers in front of the English word "will" and why we would do this for God...but we would not do this for finite created beings?

 

[Breckmin]

Say I choose to eat tacos for lunch, was that my choice?

Yes. Absolutely.

The thing is given gods foreknowledge he knew I was going to eat the tacos and it was part of his providential plan, given his sovereignty.

God's sovereignty is clearly inclusive of what you choose and what your inclinations are.

 

[durangodawood]

Yes. Absolutely.

God's sovereignty is clearly inclusive of what you choose and what your inclinations are.

But isnt a true choice a sovereign act?
If it doenst belong to you, then its not your choice.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

Is there a suggestion here that God manipulates our environment somehow so as to present us with certain choices on which we can exercise our free will? (pardon me if I've grasped the wrong end of the stick).

 

[Breckmin]

But isnt a true choice a sovereign act?
If it doenst belong to you, then its not your choice.

Remember that you have One Sovereign Infinite Creator over billions of little internally sovereign "little creators."
You are free to freely choose between options. (limited options which are available to you).
God's sovereignty to do want God wants to doesn't infringe on your self-generated freewill.

The choice belongs to you. You indeed have personal sovereignty with your freewill.

 

[Breckmin]

Is there a suggestion here that God manipulates our environment somehow so as to present us with certain choices on which we can exercise our free will? (pardon me if I've grasped the wrong end of the stick).

Absolutely FrumiousBandersnatch. Your concision may not be all inclusive... but it is close to the general idea.

God as Creator is in absolute authority over us. His universe...period! We can manipulate animals because we have been given dominion over them. It is wrong for us to manipulate other people...but it is NOT wrong for us to manipulate animals...or even use child psychology to train a child to practice doing the right thing. If you are in authority over a small child... then it is NOT wrong to manipulate the child for "good" or their good behavior.

It is wrong to manipulate most everyone else.

God is in a completely different category as Infinite Creator. God controls the natural order and well as restrains moral evil. God guides all of human history. The synergism is a holy act on God's part... a sanctum flexibus of all circumstances which God rightfully and sovereignly is "in control over."

The complication is this. God allows things which God hates. (sin or moral evil) That is why we make distinctions between the various "wills" of God and put modifiers in front of the English word "will" to address these different distinctions. God's Efficacious Will includes God's Permissive Will, His Desired Will, His Preceptive Will (what He commands), etc.

God is "in" control of everything...but God does NOT control humans (like puppets) because humans are self-generating freewill cognitive beings who self-determine in the midst of limited circumstances.

Humans are sovereign over their internal ability to freely choose between one or more options...
God is sovereign over all circumstances since God allows the internal ability and knows what the
little creator will freely choose. (and God allowed it to be chosen). God is sovereign over God's own Divine Freewill as well (which is different from human freewill). Question everything.

 

[durangodawood]

Remember that you have One Sovereign Infinite Creator over billions of little internally sovereign "little creators."
You are free to freely choose between options. (limited options which are available to you).
God's sovereignty to do want God wants to doesn't infringe on your self-generated freewill.

The choice belongs to you. You indeed have personal sovereignty with your freewill.

Well, now youre reversing course and saying God's sovereignty doesnt include my free will. That my choice originates in me, and not in God.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

... If you are in authority over a small child... then it is NOT wrong to manipulate the child for "good" or their good behavior.

It is wrong to manipulate most everyone else.

OK; so how is the line drawn?
How big must the child be before such manipulation becomes wrong? Is it only while you are in legal authority over them? is their intellectual competence part of the judgement? Are there cases where it is right with adults?

God allows things which God hates. (sin or moral evil) That is why we make distinctions between the various "wills" of God and put modifiers in front of the English word "will" to address these different distinctions. God's Efficacious Will includes God's Permissive Will, His Desired Will, His Preceptive Will (what He commands), etc.

OK; you seem to know a lot about God.

God is "in" control of everything...but God does NOT control humans (like puppets) because humans are self-generating freewill cognitive beings who self-determine in the midst of limited circumstances.

OK; so when God manipulates our environment so as to give us appropriate free choices (sounds like a stage magician allowing you to freely choose 'any card', no?), He can't do it by directly influencing other people (that would interfere with their free will), but presumably He could do it indirectly. However, directly or indirectly, He'd still have to make physical changes to your environment so that you were eventually presented with His preferred options. As many (most?) significant choices depend on, or are the result of, what other people do, I'm trying to visualise how that would work...

 

[Breckmin]

Well, now youre reversing course and saying God's sovereignty doesnt include my free will. That my choice originates in me, and not in God.

I started with "God's sovereignty is clearly inclusive of what you choose and what your inclinations are."

When I said, His sovereignty is "inclusive" of what you choose... it did NOT mean that He chooses for you nor did it mean that you choose what He wants... what it actually meant was that "what you freely choose" is included in what He "works around" and "works with" in a synergistic plan to guide all of human history.

I've never reversed course, I think however that you misunderstood that first statement.

The inclinations and the decision self-generates with YOU... but God is "in control" of all circumstances as to ever even have such choice available TO you.

God's sovereignty is NOT monolithic... it is multifaceted and contains multiple dynamics...that is why we use different modifiers to describe the different aspects of God's will. ALL of your choices are part of God's permissive will and therefore part of God's efficacious will... but the impetus for the decision is your own personal volition which is self-generated and part of your human consciousness.

 

[Breckmin]

OK; so how is the line drawn?
How big must the child be before such manipulation becomes wrong? Is it only while you are in legal authority over them? is their intellectual competence part of the judgement? Are there cases where it is right with adults?

Depends on the situation... but you'd have to be in authority over the child (let's say under 14) and you'd have to be honest and not lie. It's really a peripheral point.

OK; so when God manipulates our environment so as to give us appropriate free choices (sounds like a stage magician allowing you to freely choose 'any card', no?),

No. Not even close. There is no human to human analogy or even human to animal/insect analogy which will come close to what we are talking about here. NOT all the choices are "appropriate" because of circumstances of coercion OR abuse... so you're not seeing this as a system of freewill little creators all bumping into each other.

He can't do it by directly influencing other people (that would interfere with their free will),

Says who? God can intervene and take away choices anytime God wants... it's God's universe. Of course God could influence through external circumstances but "freewill" is an internal ability that is self-generated.

but presumably He could do it indirectly.

God can do it any way in which God wants. The patterns that we see, however, is that God allows human freewill and its consequences.

However, directly or indirectly, He'd still have to make physical changes to your environment so that you were eventually presented with His preferred options. As many (most?) significant choices depend on, or are the result of, what other people do, I'm trying to visualise how that would work...

I take issue with "His preferred options." It's not always the case when evil external coercion is involved or abuse is involved. God allows things which God hates. Very important to understand the system of freewill that God has set up.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

...NOT all the choices are "appropriate" because of circumstances of coercion OR abuse...

I read this as saying that human free choice (to coerce or abuse) can frustrate God's intent to manipulate circumstances to provide appropriate choice (but I have a feeling you'll disagree...)

so you're not seeing this as a system of freewill little creators all bumping into each other.

No, should I be? I can't make sense of that at all - could you paraphrase?

Says who? God can intervene and take away choices anytime God wants... it's God's universe. Of course God could influence through external circumstances but "freewill" is an internal ability that is self-generated.

That's what I was saying (the semantics of 'choice' can be ambiguous) - God can't interfere with your acts of choice, although He can manipulate the options you have to choose from - yes?

I take issue with "His preferred options."

But if God manipulates our environment so as to present us with certain choices, doesn't that make them His preferred options? - else why manipulate at all?

It's not always the case when evil external coercion is involved or abuse is involved. God allows things which God hates. Very important to understand the system of freewill that God has set up.

So while you agree that 'God manipulates our environment somehow so as to present us with certain choices on which we can exercise our free will', the very exercise of our free will means that those choices (options) may not be available?

I'm struggling to see how, in day-to-day practice, a universe in which God can do whatever He wants, but doesn't interfere with our decisions, and chooses to allow things He hates, would differ from a universe without God. Perhaps He might sneak the odd tweak in where our free choices haven't already influenced the situation?

 

[bhsmte]

I wonder where our self-proclaimed Christian philosopher has gone off to.

Maybe changing his handle again.

 

[Breckmin]

I read this as saying that human free choice (to coerce or abuse) can frustrate God's intent to manipulate circumstances to provide appropriate choice (but I have a feeling you'll disagree...)

You would be correct. I would absolutely disagree. Why do you assume that most situational choices are not the byproduct of the whole system? God guides and works-together-with the system as a whole for His glory... but freewill is present within the system so the concept of "provide appropriate choices" is the first flaw.

The obvious second flaw is the word "frustrate" as though anything could possibly frustrate God's Efficacious Will or His "sovereign" plan which is inclusive of overlooking human freewill and allowing things which He hates. (and will JUDGE)

No, should I be? I can't make sense of that at all - could you paraphrase?

You have One Infinite Creator overlooking billions of self-generating freewill little finite creators (cognitive beings with human consciousness). The freewill agents interact with each other within the system... these circumstances often lead TO options to choose from. The problem is with your use of the word "appropriate" as though God approves of all circumstances in a monolithic system. Here's the key... just because God allows something to happen...does NOT mean that God approves of it.
If you miss this...then you miss why God hates certain things that He allows (little creators to self-generate). Little creators who create evil in God's universe will be judged (if they are not forgiven and adopted as children).

RE: Freewill is an internal ability that is self-generated

That's what I was saying (the semantics of 'choice' can be ambiguous) - God can't interfere with your acts of choice, although He can manipulate the options you have to choose from - yes?

No. First you have to see the complication. 1. There is a difference/distinction between "ability" and "potential" with God here that it seems like is being missed every time you say "God can't" in a sentence. God has all sorts of abilities which God freely chooses NOT to use. God can destroy the earth tomorrow with His "ability" but God chooses NOT TO so God has no potential to destroy the earth tomorrow. The earth is safe because God will not use His ability to do something that He "could do" but doesn't want to do. 2. God has the ability to interfere with every freewill decision...so the question is not one of "God can't" but rather one of "what God freely chooses to do?" There may be times when God DOES indeed "intervene" and change the outcome of the/a particular choice. Once again, "it's God's universe." Just because God gives us freewill and freewill is an internal ability... that doesn't mean that God can't on one day interfere with it. 3. God generally "does NOT" (rather than "can't") interfere with your internal freewill ability...but God DOES INDEED guide the sum total of all circumstances (even though there are details/specifics which God allows...but yet God is clearly opposed to and will judge).
The guidance doesn't necessarily mean that God "caused" these options...once again, you have to address how certain choices or options are the byproduct of the system and/or other people's individual freewill which affects your options which are presented to you.

But if God manipulates our environment so as to present us with certain choices, doesn't that make them His preferred options? - else why manipulate at all?

No. See above. Guiding the system toward an end where God will glorify Himself (and is already glorifying Himself) with a symmetrical afterlife is why God is involved in a synergistic work that interacts with human freewill. The sanctum flexibus is together acting with our freewill decisions... The purpose is to bring about salvation to some... and facilitate a system which can bring "rewards" to those who participate in bringing about salvation...(and bring) justice to everyone else. (based on their works... which is an unthinkable thing for the guilty wicked sinner).

So while you agree that 'God manipulates our environment somehow so as to present us with certain choices on which we can exercise our free will', the very exercise of our free will means that those choices (options) may not be available?

Choices are always extremely limited based on circumstances. You don't get the choice to fly like a bird...nor do you get the choice to have gills like a fish. You can choose to "try" to fly or "try" to breath under water but it is not an option to succeed.
The options presented to us are very limited based on our circumstances.

I'm still concerned with how you are understanding "God manipulates our environment." God controls the natural order. He has set these things up since the beginning. Key** "There is no such thing as natural evil." Natural evil is mislabeled to the wise Christian philosopher who understands that there is no such thing as an evil storm/tsunami or evil earthquake or evil tornado. So God setting up the natural order (ahead of time) is much more than just manipulating... God sustains it.
Also, the internal ability of freewill does not necessarily mean "freedom" because you can have external circumstances of slavery or coercion. Also, freewill creatures affect other freewill creatures with their choices and circumstances. There is a domino effect often times with freewill decisions which are situational and irreversible (i.e. financially) and how they affect future generations. People limit other people's choices as well (God allows this...part of His permissive will...but it doesn't mean that God somehow "approves." Very important to see this distinction).

I'm struggling to see how, in day-to-day practice, a universe in which God can do whatever He wants, but doesn't interfere with our decisions, and chooses to allow things He hates, would differ from a universe without God. Perhaps He might sneak the odd tweak in where our free choices haven't already influenced the situation?

Without God there would be no matter/energy in the universe...no motion, etc. No creation. Plus there are several things you are missing. God's restraint of evil (iow, we would be even worse), God's sustaining of the natural order (physical empirical world), the natural laws that God has put in place, God's intervention, God's intervention into the hearts of men and women to save them, etc.

The problem that you might be having is that God is both invisible and infinite so you clearly do not "see" with physical eyes the Creator Himself as an infinite spiritual personal self-existence beyond the limitations of time and space (not "outside of time" however). What you DO (can) see is the results of God's creation.

God is "in control" but when it comes to cognitive beings who are freewill agents God does not directly "control" but rather allows interaction with the rest of creation in a synergistic act which is multifaceted involving the whole natural order and all other freewill creatures you come in contact with....or are affected by. Good stuff to talk about.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

Why do you assume that most situational choices are not the byproduct of the whole system?

I'm not assuming that; the reason I asked is because most options we have are the result of other's actions, so most are likely to be a result of a complex chain of free choices.

God guides and works-together-with the system as a whole for His glory... but freewill is present within the system so the concept of "provide appropriate choices" is the first flaw.

OK, so the options we get aren't specific results of God's manipulation towards His ends (i.e. appropriate to His goals), but mostly the result of other freewill choices, yet somehow the whole system is guided by God.

... 1. There is a difference/distinction between "ability" and "potential" with God here that it seems like is being missed every time you say "God can't" in a sentence. God has all sorts of abilities which God freely chooses NOT to use. God can destroy the earth tomorrow with His "ability" but God chooses NOT TO so God has no potential to destroy the earth tomorrow. The earth is safe because God will not use His ability to do something that He "could do" but doesn't want to do. 2. God has the ability to interfere with every freewill decision...so the question is not one of "God can't" but rather one of "want God freely chooses to do?" There may be times when God DOES indeed "intervene" and change the outcome of the/a particular choice. Once again, "it's God's universe." Just because God gives us freewill and freewill is an internal ability... that doesn't mean that God can't on one day interfere with it. 3. God generally "does NOT" (rather than "can't") interfere with your internal freewill ability...but God DOES INDEED guide the sum total of all circumstances (even though there are details/specifics which God allows...but yet God is clearly opposed to and will judge).

When I said God can't interfere with our freewill, I meant it in the context of the 'rules' of the system I've been told He has established; e.g. if He has decided to allow us to exercise freewill and suffer the consequences, He 'can't' then interfere with our free choices and be consistent with those rules. However, you've now clarified that these self-imposed 'rules' are more like guidelines, and He not only can, but does interfere with our free choices and their consequences. Which is interesting - I usually hear that our freewill is inviolate.

I'm still concerned with how you are understanding "God manipulates our environment." God controls the natural order. He has set these things up since the beginning. Key** "There is no such thing as natural evil." Natural evil is mislabeled to the wise Christian philosopher who understands that there is no such thing as an evil storm/tsunami or evil earthquake or evil tornado. So God setting up the natural order (ahead of time) is much more than just manipulating... God sustains it.

OK; so God set it up at the beginning, and He keeps it going, with the odd tweak here and there to steer it roughly in the direction He wants?

... there are several things you are missing. God's restraint of evil (iow, we would be even worse)...

So would this be where He interferes with our freewill? if not, how does He restrain us from greater evil?

God is "in control" but when it comes to cognitive beings who are freewill agents God does not directly "control" but rather allows interaction with the rest of creation in a synergistic act which is multifaceted involving the whole natural order and all other freewill creatures you come in contact with....or are affected by.

I'm still vague as to the means by which God 'guides' but doesn't 'control'. You suggested earlier that He does interfere, which suggests control...

But thanks for the detailed response; very interesting.

 

[Cappadocious]

I have no degree in philosophy.

You don't say.

 

[Breckmin]

I'm not assuming that; the reason I asked is because most options we have are the result of other's actions, so most are likely to be a result of a complex chain of free choices.

And also the results of the natural order and our interactions with it. Circumstances are infinitely complicated when you add position in time and space. Others' freewill decisions which affect us are only part of the complication.

OK, so the options we get aren't specific results of God's manipulation towards His ends (i.e. appropriate to His goals), but mostly the result of other freewill choices, yet somehow the whole system is guided by God.

I don't like your use of the English word "manipulation" here because manipulation rarely carries the connotation(s) of synergism. I would prefer "specific results of God's "together-acting-with" our freewill decisions towards His ends."

The whole system is clearly overseen by God Who is sovereign... and the guiding which takes place is often done by "what God allows" within certain parameters (circumstances).

When I said God can't interfere with our freewill, I meant it in the context of the 'rules' of the system I've been told He has established; e.g. if He has decided to allow us to exercise freewill and suffer the consequences, He 'can't' then interfere with our free choices and be consistent with those rules.

What specifically do you mean by "interfere with" the internal ability that is already given to us by God?
It really depends on what you mean here by "interfere." An external sanctum flexibus of what options are ALLOWED and
made available... or what circumstances are allowed (or ordained) to influence someone's "inclinations" (wants) is
completely different from God "interfering" with their freewill.

However, you've now clarified that these self-imposed 'rules' are more like guidelines,

Self-imposed rules? Guidelines? Please quote where I have implied any of this. I believe our prior conversing
may have been misleading due to the complications which are being left out due to concision.

and He not only can, but does interfere with our free choices and their consequences. Which is interesting - I usually hear that our freewill is inviolate.

I know of no specific instance where God "has" done this...BUT it completely depends on what "you" mean by
"interfere with." I see no reason as to why God is "bound" here to somehow NOT ever "interfere" but once again
it depends on what "you" mean by interfere. Clearly God "saves some" from their consequences...so we've lumped
choices and consequences here together with internal ability.

I know of no such interference off of the top of my head. As I said earlier... the process by which God used to harden Pharaoh's heart was through a series of his own freewill decisions and consequences FOR those decisions. Often a person can harden their own heart and because God allowed it by removing a restraint of evil it is attributed to God in concision.

OK; so God set it up at the beginning, and He keeps it going, with the odd tweak here and there to steer it roughly in the direction He wants?

If the tweak here and there is a "miracle" then perhaps.... however, even a miracle event can be about "timing."
There could be an explanation involving the natural order...but the improbability of it happening right at the exact moment a servant of God says something...prays or commands... is what makes it a miracle. It was indeed set up from the beginning.

So would this be where He interferes with our freewill? if not, how does He restrain us from greater evil?

No. Restraining us from greater evil here involves other freewill agents. Demons, fallen angels, spirit of anti-Christ, satan himself in some cases. We are involved in spiritual warfare that the world is blind to...so there are temptations galore and there are "rules" that these spiritual forces have to play by. Allowing them to tempt/influence you even more is "part of" God removing the restraint of evil. There are other factors also which can affect inclinations of a person making a decision. (Further complication: person's own sinful disposition and the influence of the world system (person's surrounding peers and educational environment) These can need to be restrained as well).

I'm still vague as to the means by which God 'guides' but doesn't 'control'. You suggested earlier that He does interfere, which suggests control...

Freewill is an internal ability which is self-generated. I know of no example of where God has interfered with this ability but perhaps you can define and/or describe what you mean by 'interfere' here. God doesn't need to remove internal ability in order to change the outcome of a decision, correct?

That is just one of the many complications that we haven't got to yet.

 

[Breckmin]

He can't do it by directly influencing other people (that would interfere with their free will),

Says who? God can intervene and take away choices anytime God wants... it's God's universe. Of course God could influence through external circumstances but "freewill" is an internal ability that is self-generated.

God can do it any way in which God wants. The patterns that we see, however, is that God allows human freewill and its consequences.

When you said "He can't do it by directly influencing" I believe that there is an issue here regarding "directly" and how you are using it in the sentence.

My main objection was to the use of the English word "can't" here rather than the English word "doesn't" which would be preferred in order to be accurate.

God has all sorts of abilities through His omnipotence that God freely chooses NOT to use.

Now when "i" said, "God can intervene and take away choices" I wasn't referring to internal ability. I was referring to circumstances. Circumstances can change inclinations... and this is important also.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

I don't like your use of the English word "manipulation" here because manipulation rarely carries the connotation(s) of synergism...

OK - although you seemed quite happy with it earlier:

Is there a suggestion here that God manipulates our environment somehow so as to present us with certain choices on which we can exercise our free will?

Absolutely FrumiousBandersnatch.

What specifically do you mean by "interfere with" the internal ability that is already given to us by God?
It really depends on what you mean here by "interfere."

I meant any intervention that would bias or otherwise influence free decision-making; this could be either indirect, such as causing a physical (e.g. warmth or chill, shudder or sweat) or emotional response when considering an option; or direct, such as hiding an available option from conscious awareness, or changing the assessed weighting of some consideration, or physically (or mentally) making the individual select a particular option and modifying their memory to correspond... the opportunities for an omnipotent entity are legion.

... what circumstances are allowed (or ordained) to influence someone's "inclinations" (wants) is completely different from God "interfering" with their freewill.

I can see that guiding the situation so that the available or apparent options are limited in some way might (arguably) be said not to be interfering with freewill, in as much as a free choice between those (limited or pre-selected) options can be made; but I'm now wondering at what point influencing someone's 'inclinations' becomes interference with their freewill. If God arranges it so that the individual feels, for example, a moment of revulsion when considering one option and/or a moment of happiness considering another (it could be done externally with fleeting aromas), such that their inclinations are strongly biased in favour of one option, that would seem to me like interference with freewill. But this seems like a complex area, with fine distinctions to be made; it would seem that there must be a limit to the degree of influence on the inclinations of an individual that approaches that of compatibilist freewill (choice free of coercion or constraint), at which point freewill becomes simply the feeling that a choice is made free of coercion or constraint, when, unknown to the individual, they are being influenced in the direction of one option or other.

Self-imposed rules? Guidelines? Please quote where I have implied any of this.

You say that, "God has all sorts of abilities through His omnipotence that God freely chooses NOT to use". This is what I mean by self-imposed rules & guidelines - He's free to do anything, but chooses to refrain from some actions - so He allows us to exercise our freewill rather than treat us as biological puppets, and so-on. If there wasn't some degree of consistency in this framework of what He chooses to do and what He chooses not to do, we wouldn't have much to talk about...

Clearly God "saves some" from their consequences...

The extremely wealthy are generally better insulated from the consequences of poor decisions than the poorest; but I suppose one could say that anyone who avoids the consequences of a poor decision does it thanks to God - although one could say the same about anyone who suffers the consequences of a poor decision...

so we've lumped choices and consequences here together with internal ability.

It's a fine line; internal ability is what enables one to identify options, and is honed by the experience of the consequences of choices.

I know of no such interference off of the top of my head.

Ah, OK; I thought, when you said, "There may be times when God DOES indeed "intervene" and change the outcome of the/a particular choice", and "God generally "does NOT" (rather than "can't") interfere with your internal freewill ability" (my bolding), that you were suggesting that, on occasion, He does.

Restraining us from greater evil here involves other freewill agents. Demons, fallen angels, spirit of anti-Christ, satan himself in some cases. We are involved in spiritual warfare that the world is blind to...so there are temptations galore and there are "rules" that these spiritual forces have to play by. Allowing them to tempt/influence you even more is "part of" God removing the restraint of evil. There are other factors also which can affect inclinations of a person making a decision. (Further complication: person's own sinful disposition and the influence of the world system (person's surrounding peers and educational environment) These can need to be restrained as well).

That sounds a pretty complex system of good and evil freewill agents... but if there is, as you say, "God's restraint of evil (iow, we would be even worse)", God must ensure the overall bias is away from evil - otherwise there would be no restraint. Perhaps by having more good agents than evil agents, or more powerful good agents than evil ones?

Freewill is an internal ability which is self-generated.

God-given but self-generated?

God doesn't need to remove internal ability in order to change the outcome of a decision, correct?

He wouldn't need to remove internal ability to modify the values we place on the factors we assess when making a decision. But sure, God could change the outcome of any decision we make to whatever He wanted - and presumably we wouldn't know the difference between that and if He had done nothing at all. Indeed, it seems to me that, in general, this world appears to run as if God doesn't interfere in it at all...