Free Will

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Not so much that..... but He cannot interfere.
If He interferes with free will, then why give it at all?

@chaney3 said
I don't know how the Bible addresses the issue of free will, but my understanding is that we are all given the choice to do either good or bad with that choice. God, of course, wants us to choose good.

But.....if we choose to do bad, and our actions will harm an innocent person, how can God stop it? If He stops it, then by default He has impeded upon our choice.

(I coul ...[text shortened]... man's choice to protect another, but let another man commit evil and hurt someone using his choice)

Freedom of choice is not the same thing as attaining the goal tied to the choice.

For example, if I chose to jump off a skyscraper and fly down, instead of taking the elevator, people wouldn't say that gravity robbed me of my freedom to choose. They'd say I made a really stupid choice.

@bigdogg said
Freedom of choice does not guarantee attaining the goal tied to the choice.

For example, if I chose to jump off a skyscraper and fly down, instead of taking the elevator, people wouldn't say that gravity robbed me of my freedom to choose. They'd say I made a really stupid choice.

The question I am asking is: if you choose to jump off a building.... will God intervene and stop you?

(I don't think that you believe in God, so it's a moot point anyway)

@chaney3 said
The question I am asking is: if you choose to jump off a building.... will God intervene and stop you?

(I don't think that you believe in God, so it's a moot point anyway)

Well, say I am wrong and there is a God, and he sent an angel to catch me before I fell.

He still wouldn't have deprived me of freedom to choose. He only saved me from the consequences of my bad decision.

@bigdogg said
Well, say I am wrong and there is a God, and he sent an angel to catch me before I fell.

He still wouldn't have deprived me of freedom to choose. He only saved me from the consequences of my bad decision.

Okay, that's a good point.

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Actually, the same poll has been posted in a few threads... Something for Russ to sort out.

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If you look at the stories in the Bible you will find that God doesn't interfere with man's choices, but assists AFTER the choice has been made, and that's the point of this thread.

Adam and Eve made their choice, God let them.

Jonah made his choice to disobey, God let him.

Moses chose to kill a man, God let him make his choice.

King David made bad choice after bad choice, which included lust and murder, and God let him.

Samson made multiple bad choices, God let him.

The mother and daughter chose to ask for the head of John the Baptist, and God didn't interfere with their choice.

The thread title is "free will", which may not be in the Bible, in those words, but it's clear that we all have choices to make, and my question was..... does God interfere with those choices? It seems that He does NOT.

God allows bad choices, which impacts our lives and the lives of others. Then He may get involved with the consequences of those bad choices. (But He does NOT stop the bad choice, otherwise there is NO choice, or free will)

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I think that God, through the Holy Spirit, may impact our thoughts and try to guide us, but our choice is OURS to make.

The wise men chose to follow God's warning, but as I pointed out, God instructed Jonah what he should do but Jonah refused and ended up suffering because of it.

Edit: said differently, making a bad choice could result in a sin, which I believe God won't stop.

@bigdogg said
He still wouldn't have deprived me of freedom to choose. He only saved me from the consequences of my bad decision.

Bingo!

God saves. Forgiveness received is forgiveness bestowed.