Articles
The Implications of No Free Will
In a world where free will does not exist, where does that leave us? Modern perspectives often suggest that human actions result solely from electrical impulses, brain chemistry, and automatic responses to environmental stimuli. This reduction of choice challenges the very essence of what it means to be human and carries profound implications for our relationship with God and the moral fabric of our lives.
Without free will, individuals would be stripped of the divine essence that grants humanity its unique character. Instead of acting from a place of moral agency, humans would be bound by instinct, resembling animals responding mechanically to their environments. Our actions, rather than reflecting thoughtful decisions, would become preordained responses, where even compassion, though felt, would be an automatic reaction, stripped of genuine intent or meaning. The ability to choose good over evil, to strive for holiness, and to genuinely love would be diminished to a biological function.
Scripture, however, presents a different narrative. The Bible calls for holiness and accountability, revealing a Creator who desires a relationship with His people, one built on choices made freely. God makes it clear that we have the choice between life and death, and God implores His followers to “choose life, that you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19). If human behavior were merely the product of deterministic forces, the moral weight of such a call becomes problematic, as does the concept of divine judgment based on actions individuals could not genuinely control.
Modern theologians, such as C.S. Lewis and Alvin Plantinga, have articulated robust defenses of free will as essential for a meaningful relationship with God. Lewis argued that without free will, love would be meaningless, as love must be chosen. Plantinga’s free will defense addresses the existence of evil, suggesting that for God to create a world with free will, He allowed the potential for moral failure. These perspectives bolster the view that free will is not only a gift but a necessary condition for authentic love and morality (Mere Christianity & God, Freedom, and Evil).
Conversely, figures like Sam Harris, a prominent atheist, contend that free will is an illusion, a concept that hinders our understanding of human behavior. Harris argues that the belief in free will is a comforting myth that serves to justify our feelings of moral responsibility while ignoring the underlying causes of our actions—biological, environmental, and psychological factors. For those who subscribe to this view, the absence of free will might not present a moral dilemma; life can be interpreted purely through the lens of naturalistic determinism or a series of cause-and-effects, where accountability is replaced with understanding based on circumstances.
As a believer, these implications are profound and troubling. The notion that God created some individuals destined for salvation and others for condemnation becomes unsettling when viewed through the lens of determinism. The Bible consistently conveys God’s desire for “none to perish, but all to reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). If we lack the freedom to choose repentance, the description of a God longing for all to be saved, which we are familiar with, is incompatible with a God who deliberately fashions some souls for eternal punishment. Further, without free will, the evil and suffering we see in the world could only exist because God intended it that way. This view is hard to reconcile with a just and compassionate God who abhors evil or “cannot tolerate wrongdoing” (Habakkuk 1:13). With free will, the existence of evil can be understood as a byproduct of human choices rather than a direct consequence of divine will.
Free will is also fundamental to concepts like love, repentance, and faith. True love cannot be coerced; true repentance cannot be forced. For these virtues to be meaningful, we must be able to respond freely to God’s call, choosing Him with open hearts. Forced obedience is no obedience at all, and forced love is no love at all. As Scripture says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). This command speaks to a love given freely and fully, with the whole heart. God desires our devotion to be genuine—a reflection of our true willingness to follow Him. In this freedom lies the foundation of authentic faith and a flourishing relationship with God.
Ultimately, free will lies at the heart of our faith. God does not impose love or obedience upon us. He grants the dignity of choice, desiring that we seek Him freely, with minds and hearts that are truly our own. Through the gift of free will, we find the purpose for which we were created—to follow God.
