Free Will vs Determinism

People often choose to believe we either have free will or are simply products of determinism.   The truth is both are true and co-exist simultaneously.  There is some element of fate in all of our lives, those things we simply cannot control.  Yet, there is also a degree of freedom which we all share.  For example, you can’t control who your parents are but you can choose whether or not you will listen to them. 

We see from families of alcoholism that many children grow up to be alcoholics themselves.  In other cases they have little or nothing to do with drinking.  If everything was predetermined by our paths, then everyone in these scenarios would turn out very similar.   In a nutshell, some people with tough pasts become very bitter and miserable people, while others overcome, forgive, and go on to do great things.

In religion, it is often said that God is sovereign and that we have zero power over anything we do.  They say since God is all powerful if we make any of our own decisions, for example to become saved, that we are limiting God.  Some pastors I’ve talked to will even go so far as calling you a heretic if you believe you had anything to do with the choice of becoming saved.  It is to them, in some way, limiting God and taking credit for what he did.  They fail to understand the truth that an all powerful God could certainly choose to limit his complete control and offer us free will.  The Bible speaks clearly of free will and responsiblity for our actions. 

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”  (Joshua 24:15 NIV)

Because God is outside of space and time and sees the past, present, and future all at one moment, he makes his plan considering the choices everyone makes.  Think of a game of chess where your opponent could choose any number of moves, yet, you know in advance what he’ll do.  Based on this knowledge you shape your overall plan around the freedom of choice your opponent has.  And although you give him or her the ability to make choices, by knowing them you still remain in control. 

The truth is we have free will given to us by an all powerful God who was powerful enough to allow us to choose.  The argument can be turned around to say if you’re saying we can’t choose because it limits God’s sovereignty, then saying he can’t allow us to choose also does.  In may ways we are victums  of our circumstances, those things we have either zero or very little control over.  We all have been given a lot in life and all are responsible for making the best of it.  Jesus said to him who was given a lot, that much was expected, but to him who was given little, less was expected.  God knows our circumstances and someone giving $20 dollars to charity may be worth more in his eyes then a billionaire giving a million dollars.  You cannot seperate your lot or circumstances from your actions.  But you also can’t negate your choices because of your lot.