Does Love Require Free Will?

[Mark Corbett]

Central to God’s plan and desire for people is that we learn to love. He wants us to love Him, and He wants us to love each other. That love is central to God’s plan is expressed in many ways in Scripture:

NIV Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

NIV 1 Timothy 1:5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

NIV 1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

The question I want to look at is whether the type of giving, sacrificial love which God wants to characterize our lives requires free will. The Bible does not address this question directly. So, first I will offer two analogies from our experience of love, and then I will offer some Biblical evidence, all of which seems to suggest that love does in fact require free will.

Two Suitors

Imagine two different young men, each of whom is attracted to a young lady. These two men employ very different strategies.

The first young man watches the girl he is interested in and learns some of her habits, including the path she often takes when walking home. One night he hides in a woody area along the path. As she walks by, he leaps out, grabs her, and drags her into the woods where he puts a knife to her throat.

The second young man also watches the girl he is interested in and learns some of her habits. He begins to try to start conversations about things she likes. He sends her flowers that are her favorite color. He then works up the courage to ask her to dinner at a restaurant that serves her favorite type of food.

Unless the young lady in question is a martial arts expert or is carrying a weapon, the first young man will almost certainly get something from her that he wants. But will he get her love? Of course, not.

The second young man is not guaranteed success. No matter how loving and attractive his advances, the girl may very well turn him down. The young man is risking his heart being hurt. But if she does accept him, he may very well win her love.

Two Grenades

Imagine two groups of soldiers standing around in a camp near the frontlines. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a hand grenade is thrown towards them.

In the first group the grenade lands right behind one of the men who is unaware of it. In a split second it explodes. The man’s body takes the brunt of the blast and he himself is killed while his friends are all spared.

In the second group the grenade lands right in the middle of the group of soldiers. One of the soldiers who sees it leaps on it. His body absorbs the blast and he is killed while all his friends are saved.

In both stories one soldier’s death saves the others. But in only one of the stories do we see clearly that the sacrifice was an act of love. Why?

One Great Example from the Bible

Does the Bible have a similar example which teaches the same lesson as the stories above? I believe it does. Consider the words of Christ,

NIV John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

But does this sacrifice need to involve free will? In the case of Jesus, He emphasizes that His sacrifice was an act of His own free will:

John 10: 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
. . . .
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-- only to take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

So, the greatest act of love in the universe was a sacrifice for others which involved an act of free will. Does God want us to have this type of love for others? The answer is yes:

NIV Ephesians 5:1 Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children
2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Conclusions

I’m not claiming that the evidence presented above forms an airtight proof that love requires free will. And I’m not even attempting to address the various types of free will which philosophers have proposed or discuss which of those types is needed to allow true, sacrificial, Christ-like love. I’m only claiming that our own experience of love and Christ’s great example of love point in the direction that love, at least the type that God wants us to have, does in fact require free will.

If this is true, it could help explain the way the world is and why our good and loving God is temporarily allowing so much evil in the world He created. Winning true love from a multitude of people may be worth the price of being rejected by many others. What do you think?

This OP originally appeared as an article on my blog.

a

 

[Halbhh]

Indeed, and it's often easy to love those who love us, but Christ told us to go further --

46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

This is a place where a believer can be different than only a 'good person' of the world. A 'good person' of the world will normally love others who are friendly already, or open enough, and some can even can extend some love to those in need, often, when they feel like it.

But few can love someone who has in some way disrespected them, an 'enemy'.

That's where a believer can do more, because we have deeper aid on our side.

We can forgive more than just little things.

We can love more than just many of the people around us.

We are instructed to do more, because through Him, we can do more, and it's His way which He has told us to do.

 

[Halbhh]

Central to God’s plan and desire for people is that we learn to love. He wants us to love Him, and He wants us to love each other. That love is central to God’s plan is expressed in many ways in Scripture:

NIV Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

NIV 1 Timothy 1:5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

NIV 1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

The question I want to look at is whether the type of giving, sacrificial love which God wants to characterize our lives requires free will. The Bible does not address this question directly. So, first I will offer two analogies from our experience of love, and then I will offer some Biblical evidence, all of which seems to suggest that love does in fact require free will.

Two Suitors

Imagine two different young men, each of whom is attracted to a young lady. These two men employ very different strategies.

The first young man watches the girl he is interested in and learns some of her habits, including the path she often takes when walking home. One night he hides in a woody area along the path. As she walks by, he leaps out, grabs her, and drags her into the woods where he puts a knife to her throat.

The second young man also watches the girl he is interested in and learns some of her habits. He begins to try to start conversations about things she likes. He sends her flowers that are her favorite color. He then works up the courage to ask her to dinner at a restaurant that serves her favorite type of food.

Unless the young lady in question is a martial arts expert or is carrying a weapon, the first young man will almost certainly get something from her that he wants. But will he get her love? Of course, not.

The second young man is not guaranteed success. No matter how loving and attractive his advances, the girl may very well turn him down. The young man is risking his heart being hurt. But if she does accept him, he may very well win her love.

Two Grenades

Imagine two groups of soldiers standing around in a camp near the frontlines. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a hand grenade is thrown towards them.

In the first group the grenade lands right behind one of the men who is unaware of it. In a split second it explodes. The man’s body takes the brunt of the blast and he himself is killed while his friends are all spared.

In the second group the grenade lands right in the middle of the group of soldiers. One of the soldiers who sees it leaps on it. His body absorbs the blast and he is killed while all his friends are saved.

In both stories one soldier’s death saves the others. But in only one of the stories do we see clearly that the sacrifice was an act of love. Why?

One Great Example from the Bible

Does the Bible have a similar example which teaches the same lesson as the stories above? I believe it does. Consider the words of Christ,

NIV John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

But does this sacrifice need to involve free will? In the case of Jesus, He emphasizes that His sacrifice was an act of His own free will:

John 10: 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
. . . .
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-- only to take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

So, the greatest act of love in the universe was a sacrifice for others which involved an act of free will. Does God want us to have this type of love for others? The answer is yes:

NIV Ephesians 5:1 Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children
2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Conclusions

I’m not claiming that the evidence presented above forms an airtight proof that love requires free will. And I’m not even attempting to address the various types of free will which philosophers have proposed or discuss which of those types is needed to allow true, sacrificial, Christ-like love. I’m only claiming that our own experience of love and Christ’s great example of love point in the direction that love, at least the type that God wants us to have, does in fact require free will.

If this is true, it could help explain the way the world is and why our good and loving God is temporarily allowing so much evil in the world He created. Winning true love from a multitude of people may be worth the price of being rejected by many others. What do you think?

This OP originally appeared as an article on my blog.

a

I was thinking about how to answer more about free will, which I think is clearly indicated by instructions/commands to us -- commandments, such as from Christ, are given because we really do have choices, actual freedom to choose, aka free will.

But about the more ultimate piece about why there is evil and suffering, to me, my thought is that the key thing Adam and Eve did in the Garden, and which all of us do in life sometime, is that they departed from trusting God fully (in their case when they believed the serpent's words over God's words). I think we have to have this freedom, and thus mistakes and sins and evil and harms and suffering, in order that we learn to truly love, meaning to forgive, and be patient, and kind, even when the other person seems to deserve something else. It's the sacrificial side of love, but that is the more full love, and we are to learn to do it in this life.

 

[Halbhh]

(2nd copy removed)

 

[com7fy8]

@Mark Corbett Hi, Mark

I offer that I understand what you have presented. And what you mean is right, though I think that, theologically, of ourselves we can not get our own selves to love. First, we need how God changes our nature. Or else, our selfish nature will be the dictator of what we choose in our free wills.

I think your illustration about the guy researching how to please his lady is a good illustration. But . . . technically . . . it was possibly catering to her self interest.

And Jesus says we need to deny ourselves > Luke 9:23. She needs to deny herself, not get a guy who is trying to please her.

Plus, our self which we need to deny includes our own free will, I understand.

But as far as personal relating goes, you have described the right way to relate, I would say. And, to go with this, 1 Peter 5:3 says how leaders need to relate >

"nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)

And if our leaders are "examples" and they need to not try to lord themselves over others, then we following their example need to not try to lord ourselves over anyone . . . not to try to only control and use anyone, but love any and all people personally.

Now, ones could say we need to lead by example so people can choose out of their free wills. But if people have a selfish nature, any choosing will have a selfish motive. They might copy-cat us, somehow, but that nature will still be dictating.

You might read and feed on how Peter says Christian housewives can win a disobedient husband > 1 Peter 3:4.

And yes you might conclude they are using example so he can make his own choice. Well, yes he does. But > > > how does this actually work? I offer his selfish nature of his corrupt human will is not going to have him choose to obey Jesus. But their example includes that "incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (in this scripture > 1 Peter 3:1-4) The spirit of how they are can spread to effect him; God can use our example which is in His sight, which He spreads to effect others to become like we are.

So, it is so important to be examples in the sight of God.

 

[Erose]

You cannot truly give a gift, unless you do it freely.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Saying that the world is in the state it is in because God did a freewill experiment needs a lot explanation and answers to some sticky questions, none of which you find in the 66 books of the Bible.

In both stories one soldier’s death saves the others. But in only one of the stories do we see clearly that the sacrifice was an act of love.

You assume it was an act of love. It could have also been an act of pride i.e., I have to be brave and not a coward. If I don't jump on that grenade everyone will think I'm a coward.

The first young man watches the girl he is interested in and learns some of her habits, including the path she often takes when walking home. One night he hides in a woody area along the path. As she walks by, he leaps out, grabs her, and drags her into the woods where he puts a knife to her throat.

Do all of angels in Heaven love God? Goes He hold a knife the their throats?

 

[Mark Corbett]

Saying that the world is in the state it is in because God did a freewill experiment needs a lot explanation and answers to some sticky questions, none of which you find in the 66 books of the Bible.

I guess I can see how some of my words may lead someone to think I see God's creation of the world as an "experiment". I certainly do not. I believe that God has foreknowledge. He knew when He created the world and gave people the ability to choose or reject His salvation that many would indeed accept His salvation. There was never any risk that God's goal would fail, or that the New Earth and New Heaven would end up empty.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

I guess I can see how some of my words may lead someone to think I see God's creation of the world as an "experiment". I certainly do not. I believe that God has foreknowledge. He knew when He created the world and gave people the ability to choose or reject His salvation that many would indeed accept His salvation. There was never any risk that God's goal would fail, or that the New Earth and New Heaven would end up empty.

So, He intentionally created a world in which He knew that vast majority (wide road) of would be condemned to eternal suffering and condemnation? He created individuals, forming them in a womb, all the while knowing that they stood no chance of redemption?

If God created people in the same manner, how do we account for the difference in them? In other words, why do some "choose" and some don't?

 

[Thursday]

Yes

 

[Mark Corbett]

So, He intentionally created a world in which He knew that vast majority (wide road) of would be condemned to eternal suffering and condemnation? He created individuals, forming them in a womb, all the while knowing that they stood no chance of redemption?

If God created people in the same manner, how do we account for the difference in them? In other words, why do some "choose" and some don't?

Sadly, both from scripture and from observation, it does appear that the majority do not accept Christ. I don't know if it is accurate to call it the "vast majority".

As far as accounting for the difference, I cannot explain why some accept Christ and others do not. I only know, both from Scripture and experience, that this is the case. How I wish everyone would accept Him.

I do not believe that the Bible teaches "eternal suffering". If you are interested, you can listen to this sermon I preached on the topic of the nature of final punishment:

 

[jerrygab2]

How does this topic relate to Traditional Theology? While it is a good topic this should be in GT

 

[Mark Corbett]

How does this topic relate to Traditional Theology? While it is a good topic this should be in GT

I honestly did not know where it best fit. I don't even know what GT is. I'm fairly new to the forum (less than a month) and still working on figuring it all out. I certainly want to follow the rules. If it should be moved, I have no problem at all with an administrator moving it.

I'm very thankful for the people God uses to run this forum.

 

[jerrygab2]

GT = General Theology. You should read the forums Statement Of Purpose (SOP) first as to familiarize yourself with each forum. For TT (Traditional Theology) the SOP is here Statement of Purpose - Traditional Theology Statement of Purpose

 

[Mark Corbett]

GT = General Theology. You should read the forums Statement Of Purpose (SOP) first as to familiarize yourself with each forum. For TT (Traditional Theology) the SOP is here Statement of Purpose - Traditional Theology Statement of Purpose

When I try to look at General Theology it does not appear to be a forum itself, but a list of forums, including TT. I'm probably missing something, but I can't see where I would go to start a thread in General Theology itself.

 

[jerrygab2]

Just click on General Theology scroll past the subforums and you'll see a Red box Post New Thread. I link to it to help better

 

[Mark Corbett]

Just click on General Theology scroll past the subforums and you'll see a Red box Post New Thread. I link to it to help better

Thanks. It's so obvious now that I see it. On the other forums I think the New Post button is at the top.

 

[gordonhooker]

How does this topic relate to Traditional Theology? While it is a good topic this should be in GT

I have been meaning to ask the same question

 

[Mark Corbett]

I have been meaning to ask the same question

I see that I should have posted this under General Theology. Actually, that was my initial intention, but when I went to that page I did not see the New Post button at the bottom. I thought I had to pick one of the sub categories. Thanks for pointing this out. I'll try to be more careful about choosing the right forum. God Bless You.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Perfect love, yes. Which is why God alone has perfect love; and why our love will be perfect in the age to come. However at present the will is not, truly, really free; if the will were in fact free then we would love with perfect love even as God loves. But our will is broken and bent, curved and bent inward to ourselves, the will is oriented away from God, away from our neighbor, and toward ourselves. Which is why the command to love God and our neighbor is so difficult, and why this Law condemns us in our sin; for it calls us outward toward others but we desire so strongly to bury ourselves inside of ourselves away from God and our neighbor. Lutherans refer to this as homo incurvatus in se, "man bent inward upon himself", it is concupiscence, selfish and inward desire. The Law commands us to come out and love, but we do not; which is why the Law cannot save, it cannot make us just; and it is why we must rely solely on the grace of God, and the just work of Jesus Christ who alone makes satisfaction and who alone saves--and that we are therefore justified by grace alone, through faith, and this is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God; not of our own effort lest any should boast. Nevertheless we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to walk in the good works which He has prepared for us, that we might live and walk in them--to the glory of His name and to the benefit of our neighbor. Therefore, even though we falter, fail, and stumble--our neighbor needs food, our neighbor needs drink, our neighbor needs a roof over their head, clean drinking water, medical care, clothing, and all that is necessary for basic bodily needs and life--this is why "love your neighbor" continues to be the commandment that we ought to walk in. Not that we can obey the Law as we ought, or be just as we ought, but because there are hungry, thirsty, naked, hurting people in the world who need to be fed, given drink, clothed, and take care of. God does not need our good works, but our neighbor does.

Perfect, true and godly love, is not something you or I will ever be able to exercise in this life; but nevertheless, love your neighbor as yourself. And as we stumble, tumble, fall over, and backward, failing, flailing, and bumbling along--trusting in Jesus alone to save us.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Mark Corbett]

The Law commands us to come out and love, but we do not; which is why the Law cannot save, it cannot make us just; and it is why we must rely solely on the grace of God, and the just work of Jesus Christ who alone makes satisfaction and who alone saves--
-CryptoLutheran

Amen!