Free Will in heaven

[IHope]

Hi,

This question is one that used to worry me as a child but as i grew up (and away from god) it went away. Well as i'm trying to find him again i would like to ask;

Do/will people in heaven have free will?
If they do then how can they possibly spend forever without any sinful thoughts or acts? Not even a tiny one?

 

[IHope]

Oh, and can you get kicked out?

 

[IHope]

It always worried me that satan was a fallen angel. He's been in heaven and decided to rebel, What chance would anyone else have?

 

[dvd_holc]

In this life time, people are sealed for the day of judgment by the Holy Spirit. In this day, we become children of God. Sin is a brief moment in our lifetime...it always was. That is why sin always empty because it can't deliever what is needed or desired. What will happen in this lifetime when you become a Christian is a maturing of identity into harmony with God. The maturing will continue even after we go into the everlasting life because what we going to be like is Jesus who is God who is infinite, dynamic, and creative. We don't want sin in our life and God give us strength not to sin. And the temptor has only a brief moment in time in our lives....the promise that God has given us is a everlasting life in harmony with Him. So can we still sin in the everlasting life? The point is that we don't want to because sin causes death and destruction in existence...no, child of God wants that.

 

[dvd_holc]

It always worried me that satan was a fallen angel. He's been in heaven and decided to rebel, What chance would anyone else have?

The devil has sinned since our beginning. We will learn all of his story one day...but in this day,

1 John 2:12-14

12 ​

I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his (Jesus)name.​

13​

I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him (Jesus) who is from the beginning.​

I am writing to you, young people, because you have overcome the evil one.​

14​

I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father.​

I write to you, fathers, because you know him (Jesus) who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young people, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one (Satan).​

1 John 4:4

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one (Holy Spirit) who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. ​

 

[PastorJim]

Hi,

This question is one that used to worry me as a child but as i grew up (and away from god) it went away. Well as i'm trying to find him again i would like to ask;

Do/will people in heaven have free will?

If they do then how can they possibly spend forever without any sinful thoughts or acts? Not even a tiny one?

The Bible does not expressly say that we will have free will in Heaven.

However, since the Bible does tell us that we will be creative in Heaven, that we will have authority in Heaven, that we will judge the angels in Heaven, and that we will reign with Christ in Heaven (and, after all, Christ does have free will in Heaven), it's safe to extrapolate from those things that we will have free will.

In addition, it's only logical to assume that we will because, if God has given us free will here on Earth, where there are countless moral obstacles and pitfalls, then what purpose could He possibly have for denying it to us in Heaven, when we will be morally perfect?

The reason we will not sin in thought or in deed in Heaven is that the Bible says that we shall be like Christ. That we will take on the (sinless) nature of Christ.

So, ask yourself: does Christ sin in Heaven?

And, no, we will not get kicked out.

 

[Reformationist]

Hi,

This question is one that used to worry me as a child but as i grew up (and away from god) it went away. Well as i'm trying to find him again i would like to ask;

Do/will people in heaven have free will?
If they do then how can they possibly spend forever without any sinful thoughts or acts? Not even a tiny one?

The concept of "free will" will truly be realized only when we are in Heaven. "Free will" is more than just "the ability to make choices." True "free will" is the ability to always make the right choice. Such an ability was lost when man fell from grace.

Such is the nature of our will that we are desire driven creatures. That is, every single choice of moral significance that we make is dictated by our desires. When we choose, we must choose according to our greatest desire or inclination at that time. The difference between created man in his fallen, even regenerate, state and created man in his glorified state is that glorified man will only and always desire to obey and please God. Therefore, he will never choose sinfully because he will never desire to do that which is sinful.

Oh, and can you get kicked out?

Our place in Heaven is secured for us by the power of God in Christ. Therefore, the only way we could ever lose our place with our Father is if He ceased to be satisfied in the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. As that will never happen, we can rest assured in the power and promise of our Lord that He will lose none that the Father has given Him.

God bless

 

[prophecystudent]

Will we have free will in heaven? Absolutely. During the millenium there will believers in heaven who survived the tribulation. They will be in their "carnal" bodies not the glorified bodies of those who have been resurrected. And they will have children.

As prophecy says, those born in heaven will make a decision whether to accept Christ, or not. If they do not accept Christ by their 100th birthday they will die as an unbeliever.

So you see, those who live in heaven will continue to exercise free will.

The bible also says that there will be no sin or temptation in heaven, as Satan and his fallen angels will be confined and unable to tempt heaven's residents.

At the end of the millenium Satan will be let out to test the last generation of children with the "old nature". At that point, God will destroy Satan and all his remaining followers. Then, for all eternity, believers will be with christ in the perfect creation God made for us in the beginning.

BTW: No, we will not be kicked out of heaven. All those children born during the millenium will have to make their choice, but we (believers) will not be kicked out, any more than we can lose our salvation.

Fred

 

[dvd_holc]

As prophecy says, those born in heaven will make a decision whether to accept Christ, or not. If they do not accept Christ by their 100th birthday they will die as an unbeliever.

Fred

Where did this come from?

 

[Calminian]

Do/will people in heaven have free will?

Good question and you'll get a diversity of opinion. Normally when people ask about freewill they are referring to libertarian free will (LFW). I believe this type of freedom exists on earth, although it is very limited. That is to say, we do have the power to do otherwise, but only in certain situations, as God grants us this ability.

Now, will we have LFW to leave or sin in heaven? I’m going to have to disagree with everyone so far and say emphatically, no!

Interestingly, all the New Testament writers called themselves bond-slaves of Christ. In Old Testament slavery legislation, once a slave made his choice to stay with a master, it was permanent. The initial choice was free, but there was no turning back.

In ANE culture finding a good master was often a matter of survival. Christ is the good master you’ve been looking for that won't throw you out, nor let you go, nor even let you want to go. We won't have that kind of freedom in Heaven. I’m personally very thankful for that. We will have freedoms, even libertarian freedoms. But thankfully, not freedom to fall.

Ex. 21:5 “But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 “then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.

 

[Reformationist]

Where did this come from?

Seriously. I read that and was like, "Say what?? Where in the world did that come from?"

 

[Calminian]

Where did this come from?

I think there's a reference to it in 1st Illusions 3:16.

 

[Reformationist]

I think there's a reference to it in 1st Illusions 3:16.

Gotta give you some rep for that. Too funny.

 

[prophecystudent]

Where did this come from?

It comes from a prophecy in Isaiah. Isaiah 65:20
"Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.

For more detail, read Is. 65:17-25. It describes in more detail the aspects of the millenial kingdom.

Fred

 

[Reformationist]

It comes from a prophecy in Isaiah. Isaiah 65:20
"Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.

For more detail, read Is. 65:17-25. It describes in more detail the aspects of the millenial kingdom.

Fred

Fred, where does that say anything about babies being born in Heaven or anyone in Heaven having to make a choice for Christ by their hundredth birthday?

 

[PastorJim]

sorry, wrong thread

 

[Calminian]

It comes from a prophecy in Isaiah. Isaiah 65:20
"Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.

For more detail, read Is. 65:17-25. It describes in more detail the aspects of the millennial kingdom.

Fred

But the question was bout heaven not the millennial kingdom.

 

[FallingWaters]

there will be free will in heaven, but we will not choose to sin, and therefore do not have to fear getting kicked out

 

[major_minor]

I am not one to usually borrow or use a commentary, but Matthew Henry is well respected, so I chose to use this:

II. There shall be new life, v. 20. Untimely deaths by the sword or sickness shall be no more known as they have been, and by this means there shall be no more the voice of crying, v. 19. When there shall be no more death there shall be no more sorrow, Rev. xxi. 4. As death has reigned by sin, so life shall reign by righteousness, Rom. v. 14, 21. 1. Believers through Christ shall be satisfied with life, though it be ever so short on earth. If an infant end its days quickly, yet it shall not be reckoned to die untimely; for the shorter its life is the longer will its rest be. Though death reign over those that have not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, yet they, dying in the arms of Christ, the second Adam, and belonging to his kingdom, are not to be called infants of days, but even the child shall be reckoned to die a hundred years old, for he shall rise again at full age, shall rise to eternal life. Some understand it of children who in their childhood are so eminent for wisdom and grace, and by death nipped in the blossom, that they may be said to die a hundred years old. And, as for old men, it is promised that they shall fill their days with the fruits of righteousness, which they shall still bring forth in old age, to show that the Lord is upright, and then it is a good old age. An old man who is wise, and good, and useful, may truly be said to have filled his days. Old men who have their hearts upon the world have never filled their days, never have enough of this world, but would still continue longer in it. But that man dies old, and satur dierum--full of days, who, with Simeon, having seen God's salvation, desires now to depart in peace. 2. Unbelievers shall be unsatisfied and unhappy in life, though it be ever so long. The sinner, though he live to a hundred years old, shall be accursed. His living so long shall be no token to him of the divine favour and blessing, nor shall it be any shelter to him from the divine wrath and curse. The sentence he lies under will certainly be executed, and his long life is but a long reprieve; nay, it is itself a curse to him, for the longer he lives the more wrath he treasures up against the day of wrath and the more sins he will have to answer for. So that the matter is not great whether our lives on earth be long or short, but whether we live the lives of saints or the lives of sinners.
MHCC 2002
That should clarify the meaning better.

 

[Andrew788]

I believe that by the time this whole mess it over, that is this sinful world and Satan is destroyed, no one would ever want to return to those ways again. It is difficult for us as humans to even comprehend as we have always lived in this world but once we have endured this terrible world and then can live in the presence of God, there would be no way we would ever go back. That's the advantage we would have over Lucifer and all of the other angels who rebelled against God at the beginning. We have seen firsthand the results of sin.