Do we have free will?

[MadMonk]

Here's a point that read recently and thought it would make for good discussion.

If you agree that God is omniscient and and therefore knows everything about the past, present and the future, do we have free will? If the future in known to God, then it is apparently set and can't change; so it follows that our actions are predetermined and unchangeable. That's not free will. :stars:

What do you guys think?

[Curt]

I do not beleive our futures are preset and un-changeable. If GOD controlled all the events in our lives, since he is a loving caring GOD he would not allow rape and murder and pain and suffering to go on. I believe he lets us have our freewill right now but that will change in heaven, if there is a heaven.

[Didaskalos]

If you agree that God is omniscient and and therefore knows everything about the past, present and the future, do we have free will? If the future in known to God, then it is apparently set and can't change; so it follows that our actions are predetermined and unchangeable. That's not free will. :stars:

What do you guys think?

I think there is a flaw in the premise. There is quite a jump from an omniscient God to a God who predestines. Perhaps the question is better directed to God's omnipotence. Simply because he can see past, present and future does not mean we do not have a free will - simply that he can see the effects of our choices prior to them happening.

We don't really have an equivalent as three dimensional humans but perhaps the following simple analogy shows my point. When you are watching a rerun on television that you have seen previously, you know ahead of time what will happen but have no control over what happens in the episode. Once does not relate to the other.

Usually the attack is on God's omnipotence. If he is all powerful, how can anything happen without his willing it to be done. The simple answer of course is that he can choose to allow our free will to impact what happens. This does not disallow his being all powerful. I am much stronger than my 7 year olds and could force them to do a great many things. I choose not to respond to them in this way. That does not take away the power I do have, it is simply how I use that power.

Without a free will, there would be no real relationship. This was God's greater design so even though he can see throughout time and could predestine our choices does not mean that is the system he set up. He allowed us a free will so we could choose Him (and his ways) or reject them. Our free will does not impact his omniscience or omnipotence for the reasons I stated above.