Is there Free Will in Heaven?

[PolyHedral]

But He knows what they will choose, so how is their decision "free"?

 

[Cordoba]

God knows because He is Eternal, not because He forces people to make choices

He has granted them free will, and as He is a Fair and Just God, He would not hold people accountable if they could not apply this freedom in their decisions (belief vs. disbelief & good vs. evil)

 

[justbehappy]

I've heard time and time again from Christians that the reason there's so much evil in the world is so that we may possess free will. Without evil, there would be no free will. My questions are:

1) Is there evil in heaven?

2) If not, then does that mean there's no free will in heaven either?

3) If there is free will and no evil in heaven, then why didn't God just make things like that on Earth to begin with?

Free will does not have to have evil attached to it. You can do good and still hav choices. Maybe, if heaven exists, we won't have evil desires.

 

[jonman122]

God knows who will pass the test and who won't but His knowledge does not contradict with our free will

He knows because He is Eternal, which means He is not constrained by the boundaries of time. There is no separation between past, present and future in His knowledge, and His knowledge is independent from each person's free decision to believe or disbelieve, obey or disobey

god knowing in any way shape or form, contradicts whatever tenants you attribute to free will, regardless of how "eternal" or as some would say "beyond logic" he is. If anything or anyone can actually know your future, then you actually have no say in the matter as everything has already actually happened and you are just walking along the path laid out for you by destiny.

 

[Thief]

god knowing in any way shape or form, contradicts whatever tenants you attribute to free will, regardless of how "eternal" or as some would say "beyond logic" he is. If anything or anyone can actually know your future, then you actually have no say in the matter as everything has already actually happened and you are just walking along the path laid out for you by destiny.

Does this make you greater than a rock?

 

[jonman122]

Does this make you greater than a rock?

if god can see my entire future, than my entire existance is just as substantial as a rocks and my destiny has been just as thought out.

 

[Big_TJ]

Many things

If you like learning, you would discover all the mysteries in our current and past history. You could see all what happened (like how the pyramids were built, as nobody knows till now), ...

I would meet with all family members who passed away, including grandfathers going back many centuries, get to know them and how they lived in the past

You could learn about our amazing universe, find out what is out there and beyond

It would take eternity to learn all that, but there will be plenty of time

But the best of all what is in Heaven is to get to see our Creator.

That is the real pleasure believers will experience in the Hereafter, being near God

So, what if you had a family member that you really despise, but who adored you. You can't stand seeing him but he likes seeing you. How would that work in heaven? I am going to be free to keep despising him, or will that freedom be gone? If it will be gone, then it is difficult to argue that you still have free will, isnt it?

 

[Thief]

if god can see my entire future, than my entire existance is just as substantial as a rocks and my destiny has been just as thought out.

Then dust you shall be.

Or maybe you want to be free in heaven?

 

[PolyHedral]

Then dust you shall be.

It's not as though he's lost anything, then.

 

[Thief]

It's not as though he's lost anything, then.

Yeah...I don't think anyone will miss him.

 

[Big_TJ]

Children are not accountable until they reach the age of puberty when they start to be independent from their parents and start having a free will to choose between alternatives

Ok, so I presume that these children that died in 2004 is all going to heaven. . .So, if God had wanted everyone to go to heaven, why did he not kill us all (before we reach puberty), then we will all go to heaven. I quess the real question is: Is God just simply a big timewaster??

 

[Thief]

Ok, so I presume that these children that died in 2004 is all going to heaven. . .So, if God had wanted everyone to go to heaven, why did he not kill us all (before we reach puberty), then we will all go to heaven. I quess the real question is: Is God just simply a big timewaster??

Really?

I would like to think children go to heaven.

Can't kill us all before puberty...no more children.

Time wasting?...sure...why not? eternity is full of it.

 

[Danmac]

I've heard time and time again from Christians that the reason there's so much evil in the world is so that we may possess free will. Without evil, there would be no free will. My questions are:

1) Is there evil in heaven?

The most powerful angel rebelled against God. In the end he loses. I think it will serve as a reminder to any weaker angels that would attempt a future takeover.

2) If not, then does that mean there's no free will in heaven either?

Adam and Eve had free will. That is how they were able to sin. That was before the fall.

3) If there is free will and no evil in heaven, then why didn't God just make things like that on Earth to begin with?

You cannot have free will without the potential for evil. Love cannot exist without hate.

 

[Deicidal Maniac]

To further answer your question which Book to follow, compare then make up your mind

I have read through them all and I have made up my mind that none of them are correct. None are truly divine revelations from God.

Have you investigated the Baha'i faith? What makes you so sure that Islam was not overruled by Baha'i? If the Bible can be overruled by the Qu'ran, what makes you so sure that the Qu'ran cannot be overruled by the Kitáb-i-Aqdas? How do you know that the message wasn't corrupted once again?

 

[Deicidal Maniac]

The most powerful angel rebelled against God. In the end he loses. I think it will serve as a reminder to any weaker angels that would attempt a future takeover.

Adam and Eve had free will. That is how they were able to sin. That was before the fall.

You cannot have free will without the potential for evil. Love cannot exist without hate.

So you're saying that angels do have free will. A Muslim would say that they don't have free will. Why do all these God-believers have such different beliefs if they're all worshiping the same God?

So then you're saying that there is free will in heaven? In that case, is it possible that one person could commit the second original sin in heaven and corrupt the entire human race all over again? Would God then create a second heaven and send a second Son to die for our sins again in the first heaven?

 

[Danmac]

So you're saying that angels do have free will. A Muslim would say that they don't have free will. Why do all these God-believers have such different beliefs if they're all worshiping the same God?

So then you're saying that there is free will in heaven? In that case, is it possible that one person could commit the second original sin in heaven and corrupt the entire human race all over again? Would God then create a second heaven and send a second Son to die for our sins again in the first heaven?

[FONT=&quot]I would say that if Satan in all of his majesty, power, and might as the chief arch angel, was unsuccessful in his attempt to steal the throne from Christ, then this example should serve as a stern warning to any other of God’s creation that thinks more of him or herself than they should. We should remember that all of the inhabitants of heaven are free moral agents and not robots and if this ideology were not silenced it would not be impossible for this to happen again unless God were to forever silence such foolishness. We along with the angelic host will have this lesson as a constant reminder, that supremacy is only acquired by refusing to seek it.


[/FONT]

 

[Cordoba]

god knowing in any way shape or form, contradicts whatever tenants you attribute to free will, regardless of how "eternal" or as some would say "beyond logic" he is. If anything or anyone can actually know your future, then you actually have no say in the matter as everything has already actually happened and you are just walking along the path laid out for you by destiny.

An example may help clarify this matter a bit, though it's not 100% accurate as God is unique for being Eternal

Husband and wife are in a restaurant. They have just finished their meal, and were about to have a desert with some cakes. The waiter comes to the table to ask what they would like to drink, and the husband was not at the table, so he asks the wife who says he will have a cup of tea

When the husband returns to the table he asks his wife what did you order? And she said I ordered a cup of tea for you with the cakes. And he says that's what I was going to order

How did she know that her husband preferred tea not coffee or chocolate?

Did her prior knowledge of what her husband would order "force" him to ask for tea?

Did the husband not have a "free will" to order something else?

The clear answer is that her prior knowledge of her husband's preferences did not contradict with his free will

Same here.

God knows what each person will choose in this life, but He does not force them to make these choices, as they have a free will

 

[Cordoba]

So, what if you had a family member that you really despise, but who adored you. You can't stand seeing him but he likes seeing you. How would that work in heaven? I am going to be free to keep despising him, or will that freedom be gone? If it will be gone, then it is difficult to argue that you still have free will, isnt it?

All negative feelings and thoughts are removed from the heart by God before believers enter Heaven

One would be free to be with those he loves the most, but would never "despise" anyone in Heaven

It is the Abode of Peace, where peace prevails: no hatred and no bad feelings

 

[jonman122]

An example may help clarify this matter a bit, though it's not 100% accurate as God is unique for being Eternal

Husband and wife are in a restaurant. They have just finished their meal, and were about to have a desert with some cakes. The waiter comes to the table to ask what they would like to drink, and the husband was not at the table, so he asks the wife who says he will have a cup of tea

When the husband returns to the table he asks his wife what did you order? And she said I ordered a cup of tea for you with the cakes. And he says that's what I was going to order

How did she know that her husband preferred tea not coffee or chocolate?

Did her prior knowledge of what her husband would order "force" him to ask for tea?

Did the husband not have a "free will" to order something else?

The clear answer is that her prior knowledge of her husband's preferences did not contradict with his free will

Same here.

God knows what each person will choose in this life, but He does not force them to make these choices, as they have a free will

unless her husband was feeling like coffee that day, in which case your entire analogy falls to pieces because god would know that he wanted coffee that day and the wife would not, she would assume due to prior knowledge of her husband ordering tea at some earlier point in time, or prefering tea on a regular basis. God would not care what you 'prefer,' he would know exactly what you want, and not just in the near future but every decision you make for the rest of your life. THAT is why your free will becomes non-existant.

 

[Cordoba]

Ok, so I presume that these children that died in 2004 is all going to heaven. . .So, if God had wanted everyone to go to heaven, why did he not kill us all (before we reach puberty), then we will all go to heaven. I quess the real question is: Is God just simply a big timewaster??

The purpose of our creation in a way that is different from angels is that we get to know our Creator, believe in Him and follow His Guidance for our own well-being and happiness in this world and in the Hereafter by our own free will, not because we don't have a choice