Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing

If there is an all-knowing God that knows all events-past, present and future-then humans are NOT free to act in any manner but the manner in which God already KNOWS they will act.

Because if humans COULD act differently than God already "knew" they would act, God wouldn't be all-knowing, would he?

So humans AREN'T "free" to act in any way other than how God already KNOWS they will act. That's not "freedom" or "free will", is it?

And don't tell me that you think God doesn't already know what every human will do in their entire lifetimes, because you already believe that he knows when you are going to die and how many hairs are on your head. It's absurd to believe that he wouldn't know everything in between, under your view.

Why is it that hard for you to grasp it?

And if humans can't act any differently than how God knows they will act, then why should ANYTHING a human does be punishable? They didn't have any choice but to do what God knew they would do, right?

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

duck when they throw bible quotes at you!

yes, you're right. but they will probably say that you just don't understand, because it's for god to know and understand

edit: see johnny's answer

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

The classic response to this is that despite his knowledge he does not interfere...but I wonder why God put us in that situation in the first place knowing how we'd react.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

God knows what we are going to do, but doesn't force us into making that decision.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

I don't know why it is so hard for you to grasp a concept outside of your own small brain. Yes, if a human were GOD, then your logic applies. But God is beyond time, space, and all human-knowledge. How can you think that His omnipotence is anything like the omnipotence you are imagining... ?

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

The same reason they fear their " Loving " God and his wrath.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

It's that hard because they aren't mentally capable of understanding it.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

"Free will" does not mean "free to act any way you please"

"Free will" means "the will to acknowledge, love and worship God". That's what it means. Here on Earth we have the grand occasion to ignore him.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

All free will is, is the right to make choices--it doesn't have anything to do with God's omniscience' He loves us %26amp; wants us to make the right choices %26amp; serve Him, but He wants us to serve Him willingly so He doesn't force us to do anything. We make choices, but all choices have consequences.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

You logic is circular. We have free will; God know what we will do.

Just because I know that my kids will find the unopened box of cookies and eat them, doesn't mean that they don't have the free will to find them and eat them. BUT if knowing they would do it, I didn't buy them, then I'd be interferring in their free will.

God knows how we will act, he does not remove obstacles, choices, temptations, etc that would remove our free will. But he still KNOWS what we'll do.

Your logic is flawed.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

Complete rubbish. I can analyse what a person knows and their experiences and make very accurate predictions on what they will do in a given situation. My analysis does not preclude free will.

All it means is that I can predict what will happen - it doesn't mean that I can influence it.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

He knows the outcome of all possible choices so our choices are real and we live within the parameters of limitations sovereignly ordained.

He is not a micromanager.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

It is free will. He just knows how you're going to choose.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

Not all Christians believe that free will really does exist. Five point Calvinists believe that God's sovereignty prevents free will. What would your response be to them?

That if He's an "all-knowing" God, then He's unfair to condemn people to Hell who didn't have a choice?

So, regardless of a Christian's theological point of view, it won't matter, because you have an a priori opinion that excludes either point of view, because it rejects God.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

Let me answer this as a father. I have two children and i know them well enough to gage their response to certain things. When they were small i gave them each money the same amount. I knew my daughter would save to buy something she needed but I also knew my son would waste it quickly. Because i loved them both iI gave it any hoping my son would make right decisions. As a child he nevered once did as i hoped. But as they grew to adults He slowly but surely did what was right. Love allows you to do for both but still they make up their own minds.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

Just because God knows whats we are going to do doesn't mean that he in any way manipulates our actions. We still have freewill, its just that God knows what decisions we are going to make.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

Are We Free? Do We Have Free Will? If God exercises providential control over all events are we in any sense free?

The answer depends on what is meant by the word 'free'. In some senses of the word 'free', everyone agrees that we are free in our will and in our choices. Thus, when we ask whether we have free will, it is important to be clear as to what is meant by the phrase.

Scripture nowhere says that we are free in the sense of being outside of God閳ユ獨 sovereign control or of being able to make decisions that are not caused by anything. (This is the sense in which many people seem to assume we must be free.) Nor does it say we are free in the sense of being able to do right on our own apart from God閳ユ獨 power.

BUT, WE ARE nonetheless FREE in the greatest sense that any creature of God could be free: we make willing choices, choices that have real effects. We are aware of no restraints on our will from God when we make decisions.

We must insist that we have the power of willing choice; otherwise we will fall into the error of fatalism or determinism and thus conclude that our choices do not matter, or that we cannot really make willing choices.

On the other hand, the kind of freedom that is demanded by those who deny God閳ユ獨 providential control of all things, a freedom to be outside of God閳ユ獨 sustaining and controlling activity, would be impossible if Jesus Christ is indeed continually carrying along things by his word of power (Heb. 1:3). If this is true, then to be outside of that providential control would simply be not to exist!

An absolute freedom, totally free of God閳ユ獨 control, is simply not possible in a world providentially sustained and directed by God himself.

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

Well for starter's you don't seem to understand what God given free will means...we were given free will in whether or not we chose to follow God.....and as for God knowing in advance what will happen does not mean that He has made it so....it means that given the choices we will face He knows what we will do and how it will turn out....but we get to choose how the end will affect us personally....(saved or lost...you decide)

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

Good question. I'm not a Christian, but this caught my eye.

Simply knowing what someone isn't going to do does NOT take away their free will. God simply knows all possible consequences of every action we carry out. That's what makes Him God.

For instance, if a parent tells a child not to do something, but knows the child well enough that the he/she will disobey, then it's safe to say that the parent already knows what's going to happen IF the child chooses to disobey. However, the parent also knows the outcome if the child does obey him/her.

Also, just because you haven't finished the book doesn't mean the ending will ever change. The author knows the ending before the reader (ever) finishes the book.

You see, simply knowing as God does doesn't take away our free will. God simply knows which choices we are going to make and what will happen.

I hope you understand, fellow scholar.

Knowledge is power; power is freedom; freedom is peace.

Peace be upon you...

Christians, why don't you grasp that humans cannot have "free will" if an all-knowing God exists?

Why is it hard for you to grasp that there's no contradiction in stating that God is all-knowing and that we're free to act as we choose? Though God knows what will happen, we are still completely free to act however we choose to. He doesn't force us to act any way, we act how we choose; God just knows how we're going to do it. If we didn't have free will, then that's called predestination; that's where God forces us to act a certain way, which is unbiblical. We are completely free, God just knows which choices we're going to make and which ways we're going to act.