God's role
Here continues a conversation about free will and its consequences. Below are the particular questions and responses.
Here (re-copied) are the the first few questions mentioned in the prior posts. My response follows.
5) Once again, we are never without choice. Every one of us who sins does so because we choose to (Romans 1:20-21; 1 Corinthians 10:13). Also, we all have the choice to enter into a saving relationship with Christ (1 Timothy 2:3-5).
5b) Consider a basketball player shooting free throws. Every time he shoots the ball, it is possible to make the shot. If he throws the ball just right, it will go in. However, no basketball player ever makes 100% of his free throw shots for a lifetime. To make every shot, forever, is technically possible – but no human being has that level of ability. In the same way, it is technically possible to live a life free from sin. Jesus Christ did exactly that; He lived a sinless life, even though He was subject to all of the temptations we face (Hebrews 4:15). None of us have that willingness to submit to God (Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23). Given the fact that all sin is willing sin, it is amazingly merciful of God to offer us the chance for redemption in the first place (Romans 5:8). It would be totally justified for God to condemn every one of us, yet He chose to save us (John 3:16-17).
5c) DNA is a mechanism that allows living organisms to grow and reproduce. DNA does not create our soul or our spirit. We are not slaves to our genetic code. Ironically, many atheists claim that we are just the product of our DNA, and that we have no real choice outside of our genes. No atheist who claims to believe that actually lives as though they do – they all live with the assumption that each person can choose their actions.
5d) Each person is born as an individual with free will. We inherit our sin nature from our parents (Romans 5:12), but we sin by choice. The suffering of this world gives us a desire for heaven, and an incentive to seek out God. The sin itself does not bring God glory, but our decision to submit to His will certainly does (Romans 6:15-18).
I hope this has been helpful to you. Remember that everything in the created universe is part of God’s order (Psalm 147:4; Isaiah 40:26; Colossians 1:16). The entire purpose of you, me, and this world is to give glory and honor to our Creator (Isaiah 43:7; Ephesians 2:10; Revelation 5:13). Without free will, and the capacity for sin, our obedience would be meaningless, and God would not have the glory He deserves.
Here continues a conversation about free will and its consequences. Below are the particular questions and responses.
Here (re-copied) are the the first few questions mentioned in the prior posts. My response follows.
5 - Would you create beings that came from the loins of Adam that would have no option but to be naturally your enemies, born in corruption, and dead in their sinful nature?
5 b - Is it "sympathetic" for any human being to be born with no other chance but that of being sinful, evil, from sinful parents, in a sinful and cursed world, ruled by an evil being like Satan, not having any idea about what Adam experienced in the Garden of Eden?
5 c - Would it be just a question of mere DNA that human beings would be forced to be born in this fallen and miserable condition without having, each one of them, the first chance to choose from God or the fruit of the tree of Good and Evil in the Garden as Adam had?
5 d - Couldn't human beings be born as independent individuals, like angels, and have the opportunity to make their individual choices to follow God or not, instead of being forced to be born already dead spiritually, to live in a cursed world?
5) Once again, we are never without choice. Every one of us who sins does so because we choose to (Romans 1:20-21; 1 Corinthians 10:13). Also, we all have the choice to enter into a saving relationship with Christ (1 Timothy 2:3-5).
5b) Consider a basketball player shooting free throws. Every time he shoots the ball, it is possible to make the shot. If he throws the ball just right, it will go in. However, no basketball player ever makes 100% of his free throw shots for a lifetime. To make every shot, forever, is technically possible – but no human being has that level of ability. In the same way, it is technically possible to live a life free from sin. Jesus Christ did exactly that; He lived a sinless life, even though He was subject to all of the temptations we face (Hebrews 4:15). None of us have that willingness to submit to God (Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23). Given the fact that all sin is willing sin, it is amazingly merciful of God to offer us the chance for redemption in the first place (Romans 5:8). It would be totally justified for God to condemn every one of us, yet He chose to save us (John 3:16-17).
5c) DNA is a mechanism that allows living organisms to grow and reproduce. DNA does not create our soul or our spirit. We are not slaves to our genetic code. Ironically, many atheists claim that we are just the product of our DNA, and that we have no real choice outside of our genes. No atheist who claims to believe that actually lives as though they do – they all live with the assumption that each person can choose their actions.
5d) Each person is born as an individual with free will. We inherit our sin nature from our parents (Romans 5:12), but we sin by choice. The suffering of this world gives us a desire for heaven, and an incentive to seek out God. The sin itself does not bring God glory, but our decision to submit to His will certainly does (Romans 6:15-18).
I hope this has been helpful to you. Remember that everything in the created universe is part of God’s order (Psalm 147:4; Isaiah 40:26; Colossians 1:16). The entire purpose of you, me, and this world is to give glory and honor to our Creator (Isaiah 43:7; Ephesians 2:10; Revelation 5:13). Without free will, and the capacity for sin, our obedience would be meaningless, and God would not have the glory He deserves.
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