Christians: If God has a plan for you, how does he make it happen without altering your free will?

Question

And if he can make his plans happen without altering free will, why doesn't he make rapists stop raping while he's at it?

Answer 1

Free will is an illusion. Time is also an illusion. Everything really happened at once, yet it is our perception that time is linear and we are experiencing it right now. We can't change what's going to happen because it has already happened....and God has nothing to do with it.

Answer 2

Well , i am a Muslim,

our destiny was  writing already, it is in god's knowledge, HE knows what exactly what will every one of us will do eventually,like a coach of a sport team know before the game; how each player will do, but he doesn't move them by remote control  

for the second part of the Q

  Humans life on earth ; is not the genuine one , it is quite short ;comparing to the very much real life immortal one ,that is in heaven , or paradise, ....when the most miserable person on earth will be exposed to a first glimpse of heaven , he/s will swear that they never experienced any misery before ,the beauty and pleasures of paradise will sweep all pains away , vice verse , non believers who enjoyed their life on earth ( wealth - power ,.....all known sorts of happiness ) ,will be doomed , that they will swear ; they haven't experienced joy before; ..........the criterion of real happiness is not on earth ,humans life on earth ;is like a play ; performed on a stage ,each one of us has already picked up his/hr roll , it's a just a phase , a bridge to cross to real life , if you realize this fact ,believe in it , you will actually ; wonder ; if an actor whose roll is a tragic one ; is complaining and shouting , asking ; "where is mercy " it just a play when your performance is over , when your life is over , you will leave the stage to real life .

Answer 3

Very good question I need an answer to this also.  I find it interesting in the Bible how God hardened hearts and gave people no choice whatsoever ... and then there was Judas...I mean for the story to play out someone had to betray Jesus right?  So where was their free will?  I guess if I think about it I dont really think we have free will because everything is predestined and known by God already...but then again it says in the gospels that Jesus already knew what people would say... what they were thinking...he even told the woman at the well all the husbands she had had...she had a free will to walk away...yes?  no?  I dont know.  

I would say we may be told we have free will.... but maybe we dont have complete free will... or maybe it is an influenced will....yea that is it...it is free but influenced....maybe.

Answer 4

God does not intend evil whatsoever. But does make mistakes into miracles.

Answer 5

It is their way justifying being able to say god is all powerful and all knowing, but allows you to make mistakes that could kill you or send you to a torturous after life for all eternity. This god is very primitive for someone who is all powerful and all knowing, but Christians will refuse to see the inadequacy of their efforts to make sense out of their barbaric ancient religion.

Answer 6

You can choose if you want to follow HIS plan for you.

Answer 7

That is a very good question.

The best I can figure is that using our free will, we choose God so his plan is already working.

If you use your free will to not choose God then his plan is also working by your own choice.

Proverbs 16:4 The LORD has made all for Himself,Yes,even the wicked for the day of doom.

So I would say that even the rapist has the free will to stop raping.

Answer 8

If you chose God's plan because you want it isn't that still freewill?  You made the choice willingly.  God doesn't force it on you.

Answer 9

God has a plan,, He just never tells anyone.

That way HE can condemn you for failing to live up to your destiny.

It's just like your teach flunking you for not handing in a paper that you were never assigned.

We need to impeach God.  

Answer 10

When you become christian you should want to do his will.His will becomes your will.

Answer 11

To answer your insincere question is easy. God makes the plan, it is on us to follow it. Don't worry though He is infinitely patient and His will will be done.

Answer 12

God has a plan for me.

It is up to me if I stay in His will or not.

However, it has been my experience that I am a much happier person when I do "keep it between the lines" than when I go running all over the road trying to "do my own thing"....

We bring most of our problems upon ourselves, and then whine because God didn't make our lives perfect...how incredibly childish we are, after all.

Answer 13

The "plan" is to save us...

That's why we got that big memo (bible)..So we know what the plan is..So you can CHOOSE for yourself whether you want to go with the plan or not.

Answer 14

Free will, imagine a baby learning to walk, you can remove all obstacles as you see which way he might travel as you have fore knowledge of all possible routes! You can also catch them just at that point of stumbling, falling and break a nasty fall. You do not say, my child will get hurt therefore I will bind his legs and arms to stop him moving lest he gets hurt. As for rapists, they are full grown now and God does not permit hurting others, or condoning it. If all society respected and followed God's law there would be no evil of any description but all mankind is fallen... unfortunately, that comes with rape, murder, beatings, theft and abuse of one another of all kinds!

Thats why we pray for forgiveness of self and of others!

Answer 15

you can chose to follow what He has in store for you or you can chose to do your own thing. that's free will right there.

Answer 16

Ah I guess his plans aren't all that well ...... er ...... laid after all are they .

Answer 17

So why doesn't God stop a fat kid from eating a double cheeseburger.

He gave us free will with a set of rules. He can't just scoop up a rapist because HE CHOSE TO RAPE.  We were born with the ability to know right from wrong. Some people choose to ignore it, and others try to live by it.

It's your choice. Yahweh knows the outcome. he know your choices before you do.  

Answer 18

If God has a plan for me, my free will will lead me in that path.

Answer 19

IDK this is relig here ...