Hi guys, i am having some difficulty understanding the extent of what choice and will we have.......my question is; If Christ knew exactly what would happen in the case of Peter denying Him 3times and the cock crowing 3times, then how can we possibly have any level of freedom of choice or will when such specific things are prophesied in scripture?...lots of universalists give a case for free will/choice/moral agency or whatever you want to call it, im confused by this..any insights would be greatly appreciated on this passage..:¬)
Hi David,
Everyone answering this Thread with their Posts did a more than adequate Job in explaining the fact that We don't possess Free Will or Free Choice. There's one aspect of this Truth that I will share with you that was a CAUSE or influence in helping Me to comprehend and accept this Truth aside from all the other material presented by Ray, although knowing how thorough He is on this Topic, He probably mentions it some place.
We, that's You, Me and Everyone don't know for absolute certainty what's going to happen five minutes from now. We can't predict or fully determine exactly how events are going to play out to their minute details. If We don't know for certainly what's going to happen five minutes from Now, We certainly can't be certain what's going to happen Tomorrow. We can't control the outcome of Our choices and the affects of the choices of other People and other things that take place. Actually, the concept of Free Will or Free Choice doesn't even exist. Most of Mankind uses that term, but there actually isn't Free Will or Free Moral Agency. There are so many factors, influences and events that are unknown to Us until something happens exactly the way it happens.
As an Illustration: When I crashed into that Chair in the Bedroom with the Fan on it, I had no idea whatsoever in My Brain and it was fully Dark too, that I would crash into that Chair and get injured. If someone had told Me a day earlier that I would crash into a Chair in My Bedroom, I would never have thought that would happen. Of course with the warning(A CAUSE TOO), I might have chosen to check the area of the Bedroom first. Read Scripture Below, this one I like allot, it helps Me not to worry about Tomorrow and that's a CAUSE that leads to a CHOICE too,
.
Jas 4:13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
Jas 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Jas 4:15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
Jas 4:16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
Yes, We don't know what will happen Tomorrow and what We will do or not do, only if the Lord Wills that We do this or that.
Hope this helps, Samson.