God, come out, come out wherever you are!

[Godscreated]

I believe that free will is essential to Christianity, as essential as God's love is, and I do not think I need to elaborate on His love. If we are not free agents, and I believe God allows us to be, then God's love has no meaning for salvation. If we are not free agents, then why the sacrifice of Christ, God shows His love to us through this. In Christ's own words, "what greater love hath a man than to lay down his life for another". Your position was that God had to strike a balance between the saved and lost, and ultimately God saved those He chose and sent to hell those He did not choose, this is predestination, a determination before the cause. What would qualify this as predetermination, God's foreknowledge, He would have known the ones He would choose and in that choosing leave man completely out of any decision.

Again, the view I expressed is not deterministic. It's a view used by libertarians. I can't help it if comes off sounding deterministic but there's not a better libertarian solution that I know of.

I used this in an argument in another thread, saying your argued that God needed to strike a balance between the people who will be in heaven, and those who will be in hell. This is the solution to the balance (no percentages are necessary) those in heaven+ those in hell= justice.

Foreknowledge is not predetermination. Just because God has foreknowledge of all history, and that history will come to pass, doesn't pose a problem for free will. The individuals in that history are free to make their decision as they see fit. Notice decision is in the singular, one decision that all are free to make, salvation. Outside of salvation it's ultimately up to God, through His will.

Ok, let's assume that everyone has free will. Why does one person with free will freely accept Christ as their savior, and another person freely rejects Christ? What's different about the two people that would result in them making two different free choices?

If I had the answer some might say I could tell the future. Why do people vote differently on the same issues, both sides believe they are right. Experiences would be a guess, here's an example, I raise and show Rottweilers, I believe them to be the complete dog. Many people do not like them because of their undeserved reputation, I know a lot of people who felt this way, when these people became familiar with my Rotties they change their minds, I introduced them to dogs that were not what they had perceived. Their perception was based on what others told them, what they had read in news papers, or seen on TV, when they came to know the reality of this magnificent breed they have come to respect this wonderful breed. So as I said, experience might be the best at determining why people choose the way they do.

Again knowing, determining and whatever has nothing to do with us choosing God or not choosing God, simple really.

You may be right on that. I have to continue to study that point and may return to it.

Take your time, this has been an enjoyable debate with you and I look forward to more on different topics. I know trying to address more than one view on the same topic can become a bit confusing at times.