does God control what we do?

[NoahK]

i'm somewhat of a new Christian, but i have always had this question inside of me...

I hear alot of people saying that "It wasn't God's plan for me to do this..." or "God made me do this" .   I'm sure you can think of other examples, and the issue has confused me thoroughly.

It is apparent to me that some people appear weak when they say that "It wasn't God's plan" as an attempt to excuse failure.

what do you people think?

Does God control what we do?

 

 

[Blessed-one]

God gives you a choice to obey Him or not, this is called freewill, but then of course, if you chose to walk the other way, God is still in control of the situation, only that you may have walked a longer and most difficult road instead.

 

[Arkaris]

I believe in freewill, that God has given us the choice to do as we wish.  However God does have a plan and purpose for us in this life, and it is always centered around the absolute best thing for us, His will (This is not prosperity and health). 

I do think that many Christians use the phrase 'God's Will' because it's to hard, or because they don't really want to do it.  I've done many things in my life that were hard and that I didn't want to do and have had friends tell me that it's 'obviously not in God's will' but I pressed on with it anyways, because 'I accepted by faith what I could not see.'  The truth came out eventually when I got the rewards for my suffering through those experiences.  If we believe in the truths of the Bible (one of those being 'God who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth' 1 Tim 2:4) then He will respond to our faith in Him and provide those things for us.

I however, do not believe that God ever makes us do anything.  If we reject to do something then God will discipline us whether it be with sickness or impurity (which can be a hatred welling up inside of us) until we turn back and ask for the forgiveness of our sins and return to His will or eventually to a point where God leaves us to our own devices and let's us live the remandier of our days the way we want to. (does not mean you lose salvation)

 

[Amy]

I however, do not believe that God ever makes us do anything.

I agree. God makes His will known, but He will not push us into doing it. He may arrange circumstances to help us (or stop us), which we normally realize later. He can also place a burden on our heart - like a burden to pray for someone - but it is still our choice to do whatever we do.

 

[seangoh]

I believe one way God uses to align us to His will is by prompting us. You might have heard stories of ppl or know some who suddenly felt urges to do something. Think Samuel, when he heard God calling Him (which is a really direct and extreme example), Samuel then had the choice to hear or to continue sleeping. How about another example where someone felt he should go get some milk from the store and drive up to a stranger's house (got this from the email) and finally realising that the family had been praying for milk for their baby. The story about the milk might not have happened but the fact remains that ppl do get promptings that make them stop and think "Why do i feel this way suddenly?", "Should i follow this urge?"

So it's up to them to heed such calls.

 

[panterapat]

God can make certain choices easier for you. As you act in His grace, good choices are easier to make. As you ignore His grace, good choices are harder to make.

But you do have a choice.

 

[paulewog]

God is in complete control, and knows everything everyone has done, is doing, and will do. (hard concept for our little tiny minds :o)

What's this mean? Well, He knows what He WANTS you to do, and He knows what you WILL do.

I'd also like to mention that we can't do anything without God letting us - Satan even couldn't, I don't think WE can, heh.

 

[panterapat]

Yes, you are right. It is a great mystery how God can know what we will choose and yet we are free to choose what we want. And yet we do not have predestination.

 

[CeCe]

I'm new too, but no HE doesn't control what we do. He didn't make us to be robots. He gave us free will. What we do, we do by choice. If He controlled us, sin would never have entered the world in the first place. He knew Adam and Eve were going to sin, but He was not responsible for it. It was their choice. He knows everything that is going to happen, but He is not making us do anything. One day this mystery will be revealed to us.

And yes, I do think that at times people use that phrase as an excuse. Good question.

 

[Gerry]

Today at 12:12 AM panterapat said this in Post #8

Yes, you are right. It is a great mystery how God can know what we will choose and yet we are free to choose what we want. And yet we do not have predestination.

Good example of the difference between "predestination" and "election".

 

[vibrant]

in having free will i'm free to hand over my will to God and let him have control (let not my will but thy will be done)... so he is able to fulfill what he wants for my life, but ultimately, he knows what will happen.

that's how i reconcile all those ideas.

 

[Levi133]

While I was reading this thread this verse came to me

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be <B>transformed</B> by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.&nbsp;

I think it might help you answer your question.&nbsp; God transforms your mind so that you do God's will, so when someone says they are doing what God wants it may be a result of the transformation this verse is talking about.&nbsp; I've had some situations in my life where I wanted to do something and God was basically yelling at me to do something else.&nbsp; So when you heard the phrase God made me do it, there might be some truth to it.&nbsp; Spiritual discernment is another concept you might want to look at and maybe ask God for.

blessings...

 

[nobdysfool]

&nbsp;

I believe one way God uses to align us to His will is by prompting us. You might have heard stories of ppl or know some who suddenly felt urges to do something. Think Samuel, when he heard God calling Him (which is a really direct and extreme example), Samuel then had the choice to hear or to continue sleeping. How about another example where someone felt he should go get some milk from the store and drive up to a stranger's house (got this from the email) and finally realising that the family had been praying for milk for their baby. The story about the milk might not have happened but the fact remains that ppl do get promptings that make them stop and think "Why do i feel this way suddenly?", "Should i follow this urge?"

So it's up to them to heed such calls.

Good point!&nbsp; I believe the Holy Spirit leads us, urging us to do God's Will, but He never drives us to do it, or makes us do it.&nbsp; We still have the choice to obey or not.&nbsp; His leadings are gentle, and not intrusive, except for extreme examples.&nbsp;

I did have one extreme example happen to me years ago when&nbsp;I was a new Christian.&nbsp; I was driving somewhere, and was going over the speed limit, when I heard an audible voice in my car (no radio or tape player, etc.) tell me in a very authoritative tone to SLOW DOWN!&nbsp; I did, and 1/4 mile later saw a car shoot across an intersection I was approaching, hit two other cars, and crash into a building.&nbsp; I suddenly knew that if&nbsp;I hadn't slowed down, that car would have broadsided me!&nbsp; I stopped to help those who had been hurt, and shut off the engine of the car that had caused the accident.&nbsp; I found out later that the driver that caused the accident was already dead when he entered the intersection, of a heart attack.&nbsp; I've never forgotten what happened, and I know with certainty that god speaks to His people, and it is always for their good.

nobdysfool

 

[nobdysfool]

Arkaris wrote

I believe in freewill, that God has given us the choice to do as we wish.&nbsp; However God does have a plan and purpose for us in this life, and it is always centered around the absolute best thing for us, His will (This is not prosperity and health).

I am curious as to why you would say God has a plan and purpose for us centered around the absolute best for us, and then exclude prosperity and health.&nbsp; Please understand that I am not talking about prosperity as in being a millionaire, or living a life of conspicuous consumption.&nbsp; That's the world's idea of prosperity.&nbsp; Maybe a better word would be sufficiency in all things, having enough to not only provide for your needs, but to give to God's work abundantly, and to enjoy good things.&nbsp; Why should the Devil's kids have all the good stuff?&nbsp;

I&nbsp;also wonder why you would exclude health, seeing that the Word says "Beloved, I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers".&nbsp; That seems pretty clear to me.&nbsp; Why can't a child of God walk in Divine Health?&nbsp; Why would that be a bad thing?

nobodysfool

 

[caley]

No. We do what we choose at any point in our life. God calls each individual in certain directions, but whether he or she goes in those directions or not is up to the individual. (Note: I have found that following God's calling always ends up being the wiser choice. I still choose not to follow Him sometimes, but those times I have followed him, he's shown me amazing things.)

 

[nobdysfool]

Yesterday at 03:50 PM caley said this in Post #15

No. We do what we choose at any point in our life. God calls each individual in certain directions, but whether he or she goes in those directions or not is up to the individual. (Note: I have found that following God's calling always ends up being the wiser choice. I still choose not to follow Him sometimes, but those times I have followed him, he's shown me amazing things.)

I can agree with that wholeheartedly!&nbsp; Who would know better than God what is best for you?&nbsp; We believe that God has a vital interest in each of our lives, and that interest is for our good, given that He gave His Son to redeem us from our fallen condition.&nbsp; We have the choice to follow or not, but there is blessing for those who follow.&nbsp; God will not make us do anything.&nbsp; He's not a slave driver, and we're not robots.&nbsp; But, at the same time, He knows what choices we will make, and has ordered things in such a way that those choices are taken into account.&nbsp; You can't take God by surprise.

 

[jesus_freak_for_life]

7th April 2003 at 02:04 PM Blessed-one said this in Post #2

God gives you a choice to obey Him or not, this is called freewill, but then of course, if you chose to walk the other way, God is still in control of the situation, only that you may have walked a longer and most difficult road instead.

Hi Blessed-one , I agree, God giving you free will does not mean he does not have CONTROL over the situation, But you will not actually 'feel' his presence in your situation and choices&nbsp;unless YOU ask for help and guidence, only if you deserve his blessing he can 'indirectly' easen up things in your way, been there, but if you chose to walk the other way he wont do anything to either easen or harden things for you because YOU who have choosed to cut your relation with him- you dont deseve his guidence&nbsp;, YOU must be the one to try to build/initiate your relation with him first to feel his presence later on, if you dont even WANT to TRY to find him then he will leave you lost, because you choosed this. take care, New-life.

 

[Blessed-one]

hi New-life,

none of us deserve blessings from God, but God chooses to make us His because He loves us. I believe even if we "took the second best instead of the very best" as my friend put it, God will continue to watch over us and help us along the way.

if you dont even WANT to TRY to find him then he will leave you lost, because you choosed this.

do you mean salvation? or just things in general in christian life? there're people out there who got saved solely because God called, even when they were atheists and rejected God. God works as He wills, even if we at first chose the the other way, He may continue to nudge us and prompt us according to His will.

 

[jesus_freak_for_life]

Today at 05:09 AM Blessed-one said this in Post #18

hi New-life,

none of us deserve blessings from God, but God chooses to make us His because He loves us. I believe even if we "took the second best instead of the very best" as my friend put it, God will continue to watch over us and help us along the way.



do you mean salvation? or just things in general in christian life? there're people out there who got saved solely because God called, even when they were atheists and rejected God. God works as He wills, even if we at first chose the the other way, He may continue to nudge us and prompt us according to His will.

Hi Blessed-one , What i meant is that YOU must be the one who INITIATE your connection with god to deserve this , people who get saved get this majorly because they were the ones who initiated it and allowed this to happen in the first plave&nbsp;by 'approating" god then he replies to them ,well speaking from personal experience atleast , But god solely "selects" them? i dont think so, its all by your own will, if god 'selects' people who get saved then he prefers certain people to others and that is contray to his justful nature , and if god 'selects' people who get saved than others then this also eliminates free-will , god will not select people randomly to save them,&nbsp;its all on you , and your choices is your sole responsibility...take care. New-life.

 

[Blessed-one]

arrrr, the election argument again? you'll have to get over to the theology section for further infor. I'm not schooled in this area so i won't comment.