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Re: Free Will » simus

Posted by Flipsactown on April 17, 2004, at 4:14:03

In reply to Re: Free Will » Flipsactown, posted by simus on April 17, 2004, at 3:27:07

Simus,

Thanks for the explanation. I guess what I still don't understand is when God told us not to eat from the tree of knowledge, that we being created in God's image Who is all Good and Perfect that our only course of action would have been the good one, which was not to eat from the tree of knowledge.

Another profound question I have is why did God create us? God is all Good and Perfect which to me means God is all set. God has everything God wants and everything is Good and Perfect so all of God's needs are met. So why did God create us? It can't be God was lonely because everything is already Good and Perfect.

Just another struggling Christian,

FST


> Hi, and sorry to have taken so long to respond.
>
> > Now this is where I am confused. Since God is all Good and Perfect and we are created in God's image, then when God gave us free will to know good from bad, we would always choose good because we were created in God's image to be all Good. As I am wanting to continue to strengthen my faith in God, can someone please explain this to me.
>
> First of all, I have to apologize for trying to answer your question without the Word of God. That was very shallow on my part. I love your openness and honesty, and your eagerness to understand God and to increase your faith in Him. I pray that something I say here turns on the "lightbulb".
>
> You are right. We were created in God's image. Genesis 1:27 This just means that we have a spirit, a soul, and a body. Part of our soul is our will. God has a will, and He gave man a will also. Throughout history, God has never imposed His will on man without man's permission. We are by no means clones of God. Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."
>
> God is good, and there is no evil in Him. But He does know of evil and death. So out of His goodness, He tried to protect man from ever knowing evil. Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
>
> Then there was the temptation: Genesis 3:4-5 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (as if knowing evil was a good thing)
>
> So then man did learn of evil: Genesis 3:7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
>
> Then the Lord says something very interesting: Genesis 3:22 Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"-- ***Man HAS BECOME like US.*** (It would be interesting to know who He was speaking to.)
>
> Romans 5 is a great chapter on this subject: Romans 5:12 "When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned." Romans 5:18-19 "Yes, Adam's one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness makes all people right in God's sight and gives them life. Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight."
>
> Deuteronomy 30 is a good chapter on choice. Deuteronomy 30:15-24 "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."
>
> I hope this gets you a little closer to your answer.
>
> God bless.


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poster:Flipsactown thread:336288
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