How does God’s sovereignty not “do violence” to the will of man, as the Westminster Confession says?

#AskLigonier

[lawrencestanley]

I love how A.W. Pink stated the issue in his wonderful book "The Sovereignty of God." He said:

“God’s decrees are not the necessitating cause of the sins of men, but the fore determined and prescribed bounding and directing of men’s sinful acts. God does not take up a good man, instill an evil desire into his heart, and thereby force him to perform the terrible deed in order to execute His decree. Instead, God decreed the act, and then selected the one who was to perform the act, but He did not “make him evil” in order that he should perform the deed. On the contrary, when we look at the life of Judas, the betrayer of Jesus, he was “a devil” at the time the Lord Jesus chose him as one of the twelve. (John 6:70) And in the manifestation and exercise of his own devilry, God simply directed Judas’ actions – actions that were perfectly agreeable to his own vile heart, and performed with the most wicked of intentions..."

By this way, man is still accountable to God for his sins; man is held accountable for acting upon the wicked intentions of his heart, even though his actions are decreed by God in eternity past.

[yididiyalemma]

good answer for idolaters of free will

[kathleenwharton]

When one Forgives..the Will of God is Done. When one does Not Forgive..the Will of God Cannot Be Done.

[jaredalbin]

The question the title poses was not actually answered...

[TheSwatmachine]

Quite POORLY stated. Man has the freedom to do what he most desires. Unregenerate man does not desire Jesus Christ as the object of his love and affection. That requires the act of regeneration, which is solely the work of the Holy Spirit. Boy, how the world of believers will continue to miss R.C.!

[jayahladas]

The Judgment Seat of Christ and the Great White Throne Judgment would be farces if "free will to choose" was not true. Think on these things:. how could souls be judged and held responsible if they were predestined without free will? Is that just?.

[richmond]

Less lofty eloquent words of Mans wisdom & more scripture please.

"Man doesn't have free will he has a responsible will"

Where in the world do you get this stuff from. The Bible never says that.