Question about free will

[gerarvi]

What is free will? If God, who made Adam and Eve in His own image and likeness, also gave them free will, i.e. freely choose to love Him or turn away from Him…to turn away to what? Was evil already there in the garden for them to turn to? Therefore could it be so, that to test Man’s free will, God had to necessarily introduce evil, and hence that is why the snake (Lucifer) was also present in the garden… I agree though, that the snake didn’t actually say to Eve to worship him instead, but merely to doubt God’s word and that is where it all started.
To eat the fruit from that tree was explicitly forbidden, with consequences spelt out, almost like a command. Therefore to obey, to me, hardly implies that free will exists, since man was commanded to do as he was told rather what he would want.
On the other hand, it is because Eve disobeyed God, that tells me that free will exists, as an external action usually reflects ones’ internal leanings and decisions…hence the choice she made. Am I understanding this right?

 

[fhansen]

What is free will? If God, who made Adam and Eve in His own image and likeness, also gave them free will, i.e. freely choose to love Him or turn away from Him…to turn away to what? Was evil already there in the garden for them to turn to? Therefore could it be so, that to test Man’s free will, God had to necessarily introduce evil, and hence that is why the snake (Lucifer) was also present in the garden… I agree though, that the snake didn’t actually say to Eve to worship him instead, but merely to doubt God’s word and that is where it all started.
To eat the fruit from that tree was explicitly forbidden, with consequences spelt out, almost like a command. Therefore to obey, to me, hardly implies that free will exists, since man was commanded to do as he was told rather what he would want.
On the other hand, it is because Eve disobeyed God, that tells me that free will exists, as an external action usually reflects ones’ internal leanings and decisions…hence the choice she made. Am I understanding this right?

God doesn’t cause evil, rather He allows it, for His purposes. The ability to oppose His will could be the definition of our free will. God commands us only to do what’s right but won’t force us to. The consequences of disobeying Him are simply the natural results of being out of harmony with Truth/Reality. We’re free to remain apart from Him eternally, if we so choose.

 

[empther]

God doesn’t cause evil, rather He allows it, for His purposes.

He allows it for OUR purposes.

Beings are not persons unless they have free will.
Without free will we wouldn’t be anymore than animals, robots that have no choices, like your pet dog who only acts by reflexes. Such beings would not be happy in heaven.

 

[4love2God]

Gararvi wants to know : ** “What is free will? If God, who made Adam and Eve in His own image and likeness, also gave them free will, i.e. freely choose to love Him or turn away from Him…to turn away to what? Was evil already there in the garden for them to turn to?”**

Please define Evil
Adam and Eve lived in a idyllic Lifestyle.
There was no one to Hate.
Did Adam have Evil in his mind about Eve?
Or, did Eve have Evil in her mind?
It seems unlikely.

My belief about Eating the Apple, is that man would be bored with nothing ever going wrong.
You play with the animals. You pick fruit. Adam got to talk to Eve.
Then Serpent comes along and offers something else to do.
Hey WOW … a Tree of Knowledge … I will get to learn as much as God knows.
Chomp … Chomp

And,** “To obey, to me, hardly implies that free will exists, since man was commanded to do as he was told, rather [than] what he would want [to be doing].”**

Yeah, and 1000s of years later, Moses came down from Mount Sinai with 10 Commandments (instead of the one that Adam couldn’t follow).

And, 1000s of years later, Jesus Christ gives 2 commandments for people to follow (all about Love).