God, Human Free Will, And A Strawberry Ice Cream Cone.

[JAG 5000]

JAG Writes:

How does God simultaneously , , ,

{A} maintain and respect our Human Free Will , , , while at the same time , , ,

{B} often working in our lives where we do His Sovereign Will?

One way is that He presents the "outside inducements" and controls the external circumstances in such a way where both {A} and {B} occurs and is the sustained reality.

Let me give you one example where you could do that same thing with your son {assume you have an 8 year old son}

A Father & Son & A Strawberry Ice Cream Cone . . . Let us say that you decide that your 8 year old son will eat a strawberry ice cream cone this coming Wednesday around 12 noon.

His favorite flavor is chocolate and strawberry is only his 2nd favorite flavor.

Remember that you are ONLY going to control the external circumstances and the "outside inducements" -- you are NOT going to Force your son to eat the strawberry ice cream cone.

~ the external circumstances , , , ~ the "outside inducements" , , ,

You CAN Control . . . The "External Circumstances" And The "Outside Inducements" . . . {1} On Wednesday morning you make certain that there is no breakfast available so that your son will be hungry come lunch time.

{2| You can control the place where you and your son go that day.

{3} You select a Park Area that has an ice cream stand.

{4} On Tuesday you arrange with the Ice Cream Stand's owner for him NOT to have any chocolate ice cream available, and for him to certainly have Strawberry Ice Cream available when you and your son arrive at the park area at around 12 noon.

{5} When you and your son arrive at the park, your son tells you he is hungry and wants an ice cream cone.

{6} You take your son to the ice cream stand.

{7} Your son is told there is no chocolate ice cream available.

{8} Your son asks if there is strawberry ice cream available.

{9} Your son is told yes there is strawberry ice cream available.

{10} Your son, now really hungry, and preferring chocolate ice cream, nonetheless, gladly "settles for" his 2nd favorite strawberry flavor, and asks for and eats the strawberry ice cream cone.

So?

So your son did EXACTLY what you had planned for him to do and at the same time you DID NOT violate your son's Free Will.

Your son at all times had the Free Will choice to say "No, I do not want to eat a strawberry ice cream cone."

You did not urge him to eat the strawberry ice cream cone. You did not say a single word to him about it. You merely controlled the external circumstances and you put the "outside inducement" of the strawberry ice cream cone in front of him -- by making sure that he would be told that the strawberry ice cram was available for him if he wanted it.

Your son made a 100% Free Will decision to eat the strawberry ice cream cone.

_________

That up there is one example of how the Sovereign God can control the external circumstances and the "outside inducements" in such a way where men end up doing what he has predetermined them to do --- while at the same time -- their Free Will is not violated.

_________

I realize that my example and illustration of the "Father & Son & Strawberry Ice Cream Cone" is not a perfect example or illustration --- but it does succeed in demonstrating how a Father can control the external circumstances and the "outside inducements" to bring about a good predetermined plan and at the same time, NOT violate his son's Free Will.

___________

What is the takeaway point of the OP? Answer: It demonstrates one way in which God can simultaneously , , , {A} maintain and respect our Human Free Will , , , while at the same time , , , {B} often working good things in our lives where we do His Sovereign Will?

One way is that He presents the "outside inducements" and controls the external circumstances in such a way where both {A} and {B} occurs and is the sustained reality.

Let us all strive to make good Free Will choices and trust in God to help us as we do that and to bring good things into our lives.

JAG

[ZOOKER]

Go ahead, tell the Social Worker that you starved your son for breakfast and gave him strawberry ice cream for lunch.

[JAG 5000]

“Go ahead, tell the Social Worker that you starved your son for breakfast and gave him strawberry ice cream for lunch.”___ZOOKER

_________________

LOL

Ah the Internet. Only on the Internet.

Do something that will make a contribution to
Humanity.

May the Good Lord Bless and Keep you.

Best.

JAG

Scot Me Up Beamy.

``

[JAG 5000]

“Go ahead, tell the Social Worker
that you starved your son for
breakfast and gave him strawberry
ice cream for lunch.”___ZOOKER

______________

PS
The OP does not say it was my son.

The OP is piece of fiction I wrote to illustrate
a theological point.

And I betcha you knew that before
you wrote your comment.

Scot Me Up Beamy.

JAG

``