Does God Have Free Will?
The question of whether God has free will is an interesting theological debate. At the heart of the issue is the tension between God’s sovereignty and human free will. The Bible teaches that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and completely sovereign over all things. Yet the Bible also teaches that humans have the ability to make free choices. So how do these two ideas fit together? Does God also have free will in the sense that humans do?
Definition of Free Will
To answer this question properly, we first need to define what we mean by “free will.” In general, free will refers to the human capacity to make choices freely, not determined by external factors. Philosophers debate exactly what this entails, but for our purposes we can define free will as the ability to make real choices between options, not dictated by fate or deterministic laws.
God’s Sovereignty and Omniscience
The Bible is clear that God is sovereign over all events and human actions. “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Psalm 115:3). As the creator and sustainer of the universe, nothing happens outside of God’s ultimate control. He works all things “according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11). This sovereignty extends to human actions, as Scripture says “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1).
God’s sovereignty is closely tied to his omniscience. God possesses perfect knowledge of all things past, present, and future. He “declares the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10). This includes complete foreknowledge of human decisions and actions. “Before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether” (Psalm 139:4). God’s omniscience and human free will are held in tension in Scripture.
Tension Between Sovereignty and Free Will
God’s sovereignty can seem to be in conflict with human free will. If God knows and controls all things, how can humans make free choices? Various theological systems attempt to reconcile this paradox in different ways. Some stress God’s sovereignty while downplaying free will. Others emphasize free will as more limited by God’s sovereignty.
However, it’s important to avoid simplistic either-or thinking. The fact that the Bible affirms both truths means there is complexity and mystery in how they relate. We finite humans cannot fully grasp the intricacies of how an all-knowing, all-powerful God interacts with free creatures. But Scripture gives us some perspective.
God’s Eternal Nature
One key point is understanding God’s relationship to time. As an eternal being, God exists outside of time and space. All moments – past, present, and future – are equally “now” to God. This means God can look ahead and see future free choices without deterministically causing them. Just because God knows what will happen does not mean human decisions are not real or free. As an infinite being, God transcends the limits of time.
God’s Knowledge and Will
Scripture also indicates a distinction between God’s will of decree and his moral will. God’s omniscience means he knows all future events, but this passive knowledge does not mean he actively causes all things. God may know what humans will freely choose without predetermining those choices. Some things may happen that are against God’s desires or commands, yet still within his sovereign will to allow.
Made in God’s Image
Importantly, the Bible teaches that humans are made in God’s image. This implies we reflect God’s nature in certain ways, though imperfectly. Humans possess a measure of free will because God has free will. The ability to know, think, and make moral choices must originate from our creator. If God did not have real volition, then the free will and responsibility of humans would be meaningless.
Does Scripture Indicate God’s Free Will?
This theological debate arises because Scripture does not explicitly address whether God has free will. However, some verses imply that God makes real choices. For example:
– “For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place” (Psalm 132:13). This suggests desire and preference.
– “In those days it was not the will of the Lord to destroy you” (Deuteronomy 10:10). There are times when God wills certain events and chooses not to will others.
– “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). God’s Spirit experiences emotion, implying He is not a stoic automaton.
– Throughout Scripture, God changes His mind in response to human actions and prayer. This indicates real divine thought and decision-making (Exodus 32:14; 2 Kings 20:1-7; Jonah 3:10).
– Christ’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane – “Not my will, but yours, be done” – would make little sense unless Jesus was submitting His own will to the Father’s (Luke 22:42).
These verses do not definitively prove God experiences free will like humans. But they give clues that God has some faculty of volition, preference, and choice, rather than operating on deterministic instinct like an animal or machine. This makes the most theological sense if humans are truly made to reflect God’s image.
What Best Fits God’s Nature?
When evaluating this issue, we should consider what view of free will best fits with God’s revealed nature and character. Some key points:
– A God who cannot choose does not seem maximally great. Real volition would be a perfection, not imperfection.
– love, mercy, justice, and other virtues require moral judgment best exercised through free choice.
– A God without free will may not seem worthy of worship. Volitional devotion by humans would be meaningless to an automaton deity.
– Free will adds richness to God’s experiences and relationships. A world of divine robots does not fit the biblical portrayal of God’s personality.
– The numerous biblical examples of God thinking, emoting, changing, and choosing imply God does not lack free will.
For these reasons, it seems most theologically sound to conclude the creator has free will compatible with his sovereignty. Just as God gave humans the ability to make real choices as volitional beings, so our creator exercises supreme volition as Lord of all.
Human Limitations
In the end, finite human minds cannot fully grasp the nature of an infinite God. There is mystery in how God’s sovereignty and foreknowledge work together with human free will. But this should not shake our faith in the God who revealed himself to us. Through Christ, God displays his love and makes salvation possible. Our calling is to choose faith and obedience, trusting God amid the mysteries our minds cannot comprehend.
As C.S. Lewis wrote: “If his ideas of good are better than ours, and his ways of attaining them better than ours, we cannot deny that it may be possible for him to have other attributes which we cannot possibly imagine but which are perfectly consistent with those we do know.” God’s eternal nature enables him to surpass our limited understanding.
Scripture does not provide absolute clarity on whether God experiences free will exactly like humans. But the evidence best fits with God possessing true volition that operates on a divine level we cannot fully grasp. This preserves God’s sovereignty and human free will as central biblical truths. While the philosophical details are debatable, we can be confident the God of the Bible relates to us as a personal, volitional being, not an impersonal force. God transcends human limitations, yet loves us enough to grant us free will and seek relationship.
Conclusion
The question of God’s free will is a complex theological issue. There is tension between God’s sovereignty over all things and human free will. God’s eternal nature means He transcends time and can know future choices without determining them. While Scripture does not explicitly say God has free will, various verses imply God has some faculty of volition, thought, desire, and choice. This fits with God’s personal nature and human creation in His image. Although we cannot grasp the philosophical details, ample evidence indicates the God of the Bible is not an impersonal automaton. Rather, He possesses supreme free will compatible with His sovereignty and our divine image-bearing. As we exercise the gift of free choice, we can be confident the faithful Creator respects our will as we submit it to His.
