Free will has always been a concept that I ponder within my mind from time to time. When I think of free will, what instantly comes to mind is the ability to do “anything”. By this, I mean that we are granted the power of choice with very few limitations. What is more interesting is that even though we can choose, the desired outcome may not always come to pass.

Free will is very present in the beginning. God created Adam and gave him a multitude of choices along with one command. Every free will choice of Adam would have a good outcome except for one: Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This command would bring death if broken. Adam had a choice, a free will choice to obey or disobey, leading to an outcome of life or death. He chose death.

Free will is not just the ability to choose but also to respond. We are always responding to something through word or action. Even no response at all is a response. By this, we are actively using free will, even during times when we are not aware of it.

As I sit here still meditating on our God given ability of free will. There is still so much to learn about this. What I find at times which can be liberating and fearful is the fact that the choices we make are either leading us closer to life or death.

Reference: Genesis 2:15-17

Joshua Fletcher