Free Will or God's Will ?

[opensoul7]

If God has a plan , and all things follow that plan ,is there truly Free will ? or is there just the illusion of free will ?

 

[gnomon]

And if God's plan is free will?

 

[joeboonda]

Deep subject. God gave us free will to follow what is right, or follow what is wrong: lying, cheating, stealing, murder, adultery, hate, backbiting, envy, jealousy, etc. Loving and embracing those things which are evil or wicked, that hurt others. We do have free will, but there are Spiritual Laws, and therefore consequences for our actions. Just as there are Physical Laws, there are Spiritual Laws, and God's nature, that He cannot abide sin in His immediate presence, and will not have it continue here for much longer. But He does not want us to be robots, thus free will. Even a born again, saved forever Christian has free will to sin, only there are consequences, pain and suffering from the results of the sin, and loss of reward in Heaven. Its the Spiritual Laws.

 

[opensoul7]

And if God's plan is free will?

Then it still happens according to Gods PLAN.
plan

(plān) Pronunciation Key
n.

1. A scheme, program, or method worked out beforehand for the accomplishment of an objective

In order for there to be true free will there could be no Plan .God would start things up and let the cards fall where they may , without knowing the end result .
So you still have not answered the question.

 

[gnomon]

If free will is following God's plan than is it truly free will?

 

[Gentoo]

Does it matter which it is?

 

[opensoul7]

My Question

If God has a plan , and all things follow that plan ,is there truly Free will ?

If free will is following God's plan than is it truly free will?

Are you asking me my own question ?

 

[XAAX]

God has no plan for anyone. There is an infinite Mandela of pathways laid before us in our lifetime. The paths we choose dictate the paths that will be opened and closed to us. Ultimately our choices will bring us to the final destination of this lifetime. How far we have evolved and what we have learned along the way will decide if we evolve or not spiritually.

 

[gnomon]

My Question


Are you asking me my own question ?

Not really. Just leaving the question out there in general and more of a response to joeboonda and others that I predict would be like it. The part of the OP which states "all things follow that plan" is the only reason I bothered to respond. It's a strong qualifying statement on the condition of God's plan.

If God has a plan and all things must follow that plan than there is no free will.
If God gave us free will than there is no plan for by being free we must not follow that plan. This logic does not allow for a response such as joeboonda's to be valid. It posits both free will and a plan. That would imply that not all things must follow that plan. Of course, this then leads to the idea that God's plan may not reach fruition and therefore God is not in control. Not in control of us, who possess free will, nor his plan which is dependant upon us. That being God's plan is indeed dependant upon us.

It could be that God gave us free will and that we are inconsequential to God's plans. Wholely outside the set of divine providence. That would lead to the relevancy of God in human life.

Interesting thread. I like it. Just humor my attempts at rationalization.

edit: And for those counting I used the word plan in eleven sentences.

 

[Zephyr]

I believe in a fate not even the Aesir can know. I can only hope that the Norns have found me worthy.

 

[Joe_Stampingbull]

u can ask God for the best plan for yourself but will you follow it?

 

[joeboonda]

u can ask God for the best plan for yourself but will you follow it?

Ha, cool pic, from Apocolypto, awesome movie! I believe God has a plan, that God is in control and what He says will happen, will. Yet within that plan man still has free will. God simply already knows what we will do, as He knows the future. Anything we do can in no way stop God from what God is going to do.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I doubt God has a plan that we could understand.
I doubt we could even help to unfold it.
It may not even concern us.

If God has a plan it will pan out exactly as he wishes it to.

Gods intention for us may have nothing to do with his ultimate plan
For us to think we are to play a key part in it is presumptuous.