Free Will

[XChristian]

I hear Christians talk about free will alot. Where is free will specifically mentioned in the Bible?

 

[tapero]

I hear Christians talk about free will alot. Where is free will specifically mentioned in the Bible?

It is in many places throughout the bible, but is not as direct as you are seeking.

Jesus, willingly gave his life.. shows Jesus' free will

God desires all to know Him... shows people's free will

satan sinned against God and took 1/3 angels with him.. shows satan's and angels, now called demons free will

That's just a few examples.

Hope helps some,
tapero

 

[salida]

Do you mean the word "free will" literally?

Romans 1:20 - states that mankind is without excuse just on Gods creation alone. This is like seeing the footprints of a bear and ignoring them saying, "well, I don't see the bear so he isn't there".

 

[BobW188]

Must it be? The Tower of Babel falls, as does a later tower or pillar at Siloam, but I don't think the term "gravity" appears from Genesis through Revelation.

As has been pointed out above, there are examples and instances throughout. The need for ten commandments, and the later Greatest Commandment, is proof enough that we can choose to disobey. Where there is no choice, there need be no law.

 

[ebia]

I hear Christians talk about free will alot. Where is free will specifically mentioned in the Bible?

It isn't. As a concept it has some value in understanding biblical thought - in particular that God is unwilling to simply override his creation because that would deny its very original created goodness. But it's a concept often over emphasised in discussion forums.

 

[Emmy]

Dear XChristian. You had some good replies, and throughout the Bible, ( God`s Word to Man) we can read what God wants us to do to live good lives. We also know from experience, if we do not follow God`s Commandments, we will have to pay consequences, sooner or later. Thus we know, if we do good, we will reap good, and if we do Not Good, we will pay consequences. That leaves the choice to us, and we have free will to choose---either good, or not good. Nowhere does God force or coerce us, He wants our love freely given, Love for God, and love for each other. We use our free will to love (and obey) or Not to love and pay for the results of our unloving, or uncaring. I say this humbly and kindly, XChristian. Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ.

 

[Mislaid]

Deuteronomy 30:11 gives us one seemingly clear example:

"I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life..."

Much like the doctrines that we have made about the Trinity, the Second Coming, and so on, free-will as we know it isn't specifically mentioned, but we can infer that we are free creations to do what we want, when we want, and how we want to from the stories in the Bible. The book of Judges, for example, shows us time and time again how despite God's intentions for His people, they turned away from Him and as a result God would allow other countries and armies to defeat His people so that they might turn their hearts back to God for deliverance.

If people don't have free-will then the entire Old Testament makes no sense because God would then be the cause of the very frustations that He encounters and seems to despise. Further more, would not God be the ultimate cause of our fall and subsequent sufferings if Adam and Eve really didn't freely choose to reject Him?

Further more, Jesus' statements about whosoever accepts Him (John 3:16) and the Great Commission make little sense, because it really isn't whosoever.

An additional problem involves God's judgement and our own personal accountability: how can you punish someone for something that they had no control over?

Lastly, emotions like love become meaningless as such things need to involve free choice for there to be any virtue in them.

 

[Mislaid]

If the vain attempts given here are any indication, free will is not "specifically mentioned in the Bible."

*Writes prescription for glasses*

 

[Washington]

*Writes prescription for glasses*

​

Which doesn't make any more sense than your post.



"Specifically," means direct and unmistakable: explicitly.
"Mention," is the act or an instance of citing.

This means that for any term that is "specifically mentioned" in the Bible there will be a direct and unmistakable citing of that term. So. . . . . if free will is "specifically mentioned" in the Bible there should be a direct and explicit citing of it. Evidently you feel there is, whereas I have yet to see it. Moreover, "free will" here is not to be taken in the pedestrian, compatabilistic sense of the word, but in its incompatabilistic sense. If not, then XChristian's question is rather specious. So, I'm sure he is looking for a specific reference to free will that stands in direct opposition to hard determinism: somewhere in the Bible that specifically cites (incompatabilistic) free will. Your "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life..." certainly doesn't qualify, nor does John 3:16.

 

[Radagast]

I hear Christians talk about free will alot. Where is free will specifically mentioned in the Bible?

It's generally considered to be logically implied by imperatives like Acts 16:31 ("Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."). You don't tell people to do things unless they have (in some sense at least) a choice about whether to do them.

Of course, accepting free will does not rule out also accepting that God controls everything.

 

[DerSchweik]

Joshua 24:15 (NASB):

If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua challenges the Israelites to choose to serve the Lord.

Proverbs 3:31 (NASB):

“Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways.”

(Solomon)

Isaiah 7:14-16 (NASB):

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. “He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good.“ For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.” One of the prophecies concerning Jesus.

Hebrews 11:24-26 (NASB):

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Isaiah 1:18 (NASB):

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. “If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; “But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

God speaks through the prophet Isaiah to get people to reason together with Him, implying choice on their part and a desire on God’s part to reach men’s minds in such a way that they will choose to serve, believe, obey Him. If choice does not exist, neither does the ability to reason between two things. The bible (and therefore God) presumes man's ability to both reason and choose based upon the evidences therein that appeal to our reason.

Some claim free will cannot exist with a God who has foreknowledge of all things, that knowing someone will do something precludes their ability to choose to do it (or not) - the event being "predetermined" by God's foreknowledge. It is a mistake to connect the two like this. Knowing one's choices ahead of time does not mean that person has no free will to choose; it merely means God knows what choice they will, of their own free will, make.

One's choice is not dependent on God's foreknowledge of that choice. Some believe it is and therefore that free will cannot exist. This is poor reasoning imo.