Sure we have free will. Just as we are free to hit our foot with a hammer.
No. Perhaps Wil and others don't understand what i am trying to say. Everything we do is predetermined by God. Has anyone heard the phrase "A man can do as he wills, but not will as he wills"
Look in the Bible the evidence is all in there, it is just being misinterpreted.
"In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him Who works [Greek: ‘is operating’]
ALL things after [after what? His ‘free’ will?]
... After the COUNSEL of His own will" (Eph. 1:11)!
You tell me yourself what this is saying....
"For it is God [who?
‘GOD’]
which works in you both TO WILL and TO DO of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).
"And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good…" (Gen. 1:31).
This must have included the snakes!
Now why would it say "...it was very good..." if it did not mean it?
The snake was put there by God to tempt Eve.
Did Eve herself think that she "freely" willed to sin WITHOUT A CAUSE?
"And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that you have done? And the woman said [Yes, just what did
‘the woman say?’ Did she say that she "freely willed" to commit this sin? Did she say it was her and all her and nothing but her that did this? Or did she say…],
The SERPENT BEGUILED ME… [and BECAUSE the serpent beguiled or deceived her, we now have a CAUSE]
, and I did eat" (Gen. 3:13).
And what did God have to save about all this blame casting on Eve’s part? Did God say something like this:
"Oh really, Eve? Yah right, go ahead, try and blame it on THE SERPENT! No, Eve, you ‘FREELY’ willed by your own ‘FREE MORAL AGENCY’ which I gave to you and which is free from ALL CAUSALITY AND BLAME CASTING, to do this thing ON YOUR OWN."
Is that what God said? Let’s read it:
"And the Lord God said unto the serpent, because YOU HAVE DONE THIS, you are cursed above all cattle…" (Verse 14).
There it is. God’s Own answer. But will we accept God’s answer? For most, probably not.
God plainly said that it was the
serpent who
"has done this." Eve said it was the serpent that deceived her and God Himself also conceded that it was the serpent that
"HAS DONE THIS." That was the CAUSE, and that was the reason for the serpent’s punishment.
and how about Adam?
"And the man said, THE WOMAN whom You gave to be with me,
SHE GAVE ME OF THE TREE, and I did eat" (Ver. 12).
And again, did God say something like" "Oh sure, Adam, blame it on your WIFE! You know that you ‘freely’ without any outside cause whatsoever, decided on your own to eat the fruit." Is that what God intonated to Adam? Let’s read it:
"And unto Adam He said, Because [‘because’—here is the real CAUSE]
YOU HAVE HEARKENED UNTO THE VOICE OF YOUR WIFE, and have eaten of the tree …" (Ver. 17).
The heart played a huge role in Adam’s decision to also partake of the forbidden fruit. In I Tim. 2:14 it reads:
"And Adam was NOT deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression."
That's brilliant. I had to chuckle.
