It's an interesting topic. How we all choose according to our nature.
There's a couple of things I would say
1. God did not create evil.
2. God did not create the possibility for evil either. However,He definitely knew beforehand that there would be evil and therefore allowed it and even decreed it. We know this because His plan of salvation was from before the beginning of time as we read in 2 Timothy 1:9.
So God did not create evil, nor did he create a mere possibility of evil (this is a form open theism or molinism). God Knew exactly what was going to happen.
You have to ask what is evil? Evil is to do with morality, anything that does not conform to, or contradicts Holiness, or the Holiness of God.
Therefore, since the fall man has a complete inability to be morally good or pleasing to God. He is morally dead/spiritually dead. And it is from this nature (since the fall) that man makes all his choices freely.
So you have basically 3 choices:
1. The above is not true and man is morally neutral (man's nature was not affected by the fall). (Pelagianism)
2. Man can only come to God if the Holy Spirit draws Him. He can still choose morally good even though still dead spiritually. (Arminian)
3. Man will never choose God from his fallen nature. It takes God to renew his heart for him to turn to God (Reformed)
No.1 Is heresy.
No.2 Is the Arminian/Wesleyan position.
No.3 Is the reformed position.
(All of these are not detailed just descriptions)
So now hopefully people will think about what does free will actually mean..!!! You are not morally neutral!!
BTW, this post is not aimed at EG or anyone in particular but just a thought spring boarding from the posts previous to this.
Thank you for this post. Just a few notes.
You gave three options, I want to add one
Adam and Eve were created perfect. According to this. They had a will that could not only do righteous things, but they were given the option to also chose to go against God, by eating of the forbidden fruit.
Since they were given the option to CHOSE to do right, or do wrong (evil) In effect. the possibility of evil was created by God by giving both Adam and eve free will
Man chose to rebel (evil) and hence, Because God gave the ability by giving man free will. Man fell and was in a fallen state.
Since that time. Man STILL has the ability to do good (Paul insisted how true this is saying the following in
Romans 2:14
for when
Gentiles, who
do not have the law,
by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the
law,
are a law to themselves,
In other words, A non believer can honor their parents. They can chose not to steel. They can chose not to commit adultry and live a life where the marriage bed is not defiled. They can chose not to slander, etc etc. the list goes on. While we know many gentile cultures were evil. Paul here declairs that not all gentiles chose bad 100%.
While according to the law. they, as well as jews, are condemned, because all have sinned and fall short. To say they can not do good is just wrong.
As far as can a believer chose Christ? or chose God? Well there is a seperation. the human spirit is dead. Hence we can not understand the things of God. this is where God comes in. He gives the ability to understand through the HS, Through the word and through his people (faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God) with the help of the spirit. And even through his nature, so that as Paul said in romans 1. He has no excuse. He allowed them to make their own Gods. But even they know who the real God is and that they are condemned because of sin. No one will get to heaven not knowing. Or paul is a liar
As Jesus said, When the HS is sent he will convict the world of sin righteousness and judgment. The world here is the lost. those who are judged those who are sinners, and those who will be judged if they do not repent.
anyway,
I think we are in danger if we try to put people under the guise of a religion, when we do this, we tie them up in some religious doctrine. which from what I have witnessed since I have been in CC is about 90 % of the time nothing even close to what the person believes. I think we need to stick to the word. This should not be a calvinist vs arminian thing. There are very few true calvinist I have even met, and I am not sure I have ever met a true arminian. Most people (like myself)are inbetween. I have been called a calvinist and an arminian from both sides. And then we wonder we we can never actually discuss. Because people hear key words, and say Yep. I know what he believes. When in reality. he has no clue.
This is not a knock on Phil36 or others, I just wanted to add my two cents and give another option. We should always be open