The following is what I wrote in The Baptist Gadfly blog back in 2012 (see here). I thought it would be good to put it in this blog for the Archive section where I have written on free will and determinism.
JUL 6, 2012
Free Will Theodicy
Adam had a free will. Very few would deny this. Angels have free will. Again, very few would deny this. Adam's disobedience to the law of God was an act of his free will. The sin of the angels was likewise an act of free will. These things are almost universally believed by Jews, Muslims, and Christians.
Obviously, having free will offers no guarantee of future eternal security. So, why is the idea of "free will" so admired and highly valued by philosophers and theologians?
The only way to insure that a person is eternally secure is to rid him of "free will." But, if "free will" is so vital to being a responsible person, then this must unchangeably be the state of creatures. But, if this is so, then there can be no certain security for any creature. If I have "free will" in glory, then I will never be secure. If God so fixes my will, however, that it cannot choose to violate the will of God, then how is my will "free"? Does God not determine the future actions of the will in "glorification"?
Why do Christians pray for God to conquer, subdue, rule, and control their will if "free will" is a necessary virtue to being?
Obviously, having free will offers no guarantee of future eternal security. So, why is the idea of "free will" so admired and highly valued by philosophers and theologians?
The only way to insure that a person is eternally secure is to rid him of "free will." But, if "free will" is so vital to being a responsible person, then this must unchangeably be the state of creatures. But, if this is so, then there can be no certain security for any creature. If I have "free will" in glory, then I will never be secure. If God so fixes my will, however, that it cannot choose to violate the will of God, then how is my will "free"? Does God not determine the future actions of the will in "glorification"?
Why do Christians pray for God to conquer, subdue, rule, and control their will if "free will" is a necessary virtue to being?
The will is never free in every respect, but only in relation to specific things. Only God has free will in its most perfect and absolute sense. People are either free from or to. They are "free from" this or that, and are "free to" think, say, or do this or that. Not only is freedom relative, but it is also limited.
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