What do you think?

[mabarrow12]

HI
I want to ask your opinion on a few questions that I have.

1. Can we have love without freedom of choice (FOC) ?
2. Was FOC created by God? And where do you see it?
3. If freedom of choice came from God, then doesn't His plan for us include FOC?
4. Does God cause trials in our lives or does he allow it?
5. Are all our trials a consequence of sin? And if not sin
then what?

I just want to know what you think. I've asked myself these questions already.

Mitzi

 

[BCC]

Although some people will not agree with me here.

This is my belief of your questions:
1. Yes we can have love without freedom of choice, love is, love.
2. God gave us freedom of choice and we see it by the life we have lived in the choices we have made.
3. Yes because we was given freedom of choice then His plan for us must include freedom of choice.
4. God allows trials in our life so that we can experience and learn.
5. Not necessary sin, sometimes by the choices we make and sometimes by the choices others make for us.

 

[SpiritLedEd]

1)Without freedom of choice, love cannot exist because love is a chosen (conscious or sub-conscious) response to a person or thin based on emotional attraction.

2)Freedom of choice (free will) is a gift from God.that is the energizing force behind our decision making ability.

3)Because he is omniscient (all knowing), God has organized his plan for our lives around our freely made choices. "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." (Prv 19:21)

4)He both causes trials and allows trials as needed discipline for his children. "Do not withhold discipline from a child, if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death." (Prv 23:13-14)

5)Some of our trials are a coinsequence of our sin; others are the consequence of another's sin; still others come from acts of nature and are not related to sin; and last but not least, as the Book of Job shows, some of our trials are direct demonic attacks.

SLE

 

[Chad]

HI
I want to ask your opinion on a few questions that I have.

1. Can we have love without freedom of choice (FOC) ?
2. Was FOC created by God? And where do you see it?
3. If freedom of choice came from God, then doesn't His plan for us include FOC?
4. Does God cause trials in our lives or does he allow it?
5. Are all our trials a consequence of sin? And if not sin
then what?

I just want to know what you think. I've asked myself these questions already.

Mitzi

1. Impossible. It would not be sincere, genuine.
2. Yes. Love is an example. Otherwise, I cannot think of a better example than that, plus our daily lives. We do as we please (generally speaking).
3. Yes, for sure. Its evident in every book of the Bible as well.
4. He allows some so that we become dependant on Him. Its a blessing from GOD. Sometimes a form of discipline as well or even test of faith (book of Job)
5. Not always, but easily we can agree most of them are caused by our own sins and some by others (persecution for example)

Some examples of our freedom to choose good or evil.

Job 34:4
Let us choose what is right;let us know among ourselves what is good.

Example of following GOD and receiving blessings (through faith, obedience)

Luke 9:11
When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.

 

[mabarrow12]

Thank you all for your honest thoughts on these questions. I am shocked to see some of my own answers looking back at me. I will also say that some have made me rethink how I answer.
# 5 - My answer was a big fat yes without any thought, but something SLE said got me digging deeper.

Now I have one more question.
Would trials (not of nature) but all others have entered our world if sin had not? (Adam and Eve)

I don't have an answer in my head for this as yet.


Mitzi

 

[SpiritLedEd]

Thank you all for your honest thoughts on these questions. I am shocked to see some of my own answers looking back at me. I will also say that some have made me rethink how I answer.
# 5 - My answer was a big fat yes without any thought, but something SLE said got me digging deeper.

Now I have one more question.
Would trials (not of nature) but all others have entered our world if sin had not? (Adam and Eve)

I don't have an answer in my head for this as yet.


Mitzi

Ezekiel called Eden "the garden of God." (Ez 28:13) and indeed it was a perfect place where Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect intimacy with God. They had no struggles, no physical problems. It was never too hot or too cold. They knew no physical or emotional pain. They had it made.

All the negative stuff (both sin related and non-sin related) that has afflicted man since the Fall originated with Satan (See Gen 3:14-15 and and Job 1 & 2)

Man's Garden of Eden intimacy with God would still be in effect today if The Fall hadn't occurred.




SLE.