God’s freedom is an attribute whereby he does whatever he pleases within the confines of his self-imposed limitations and restrictions.
This attribute is closely related to his will and power. He is not constrained by anything or anyone to himself. He is free to do whatever he wishes to do. There is no person or force that can ever dictate to God what he should/can or should/can not do. He is under no authority or external restraints (cp. Ps. 115:3, Prov. 21:1, Dan. 4:35).
Because God is at perfect liberty, we cannot try to seek any ultimate answers for his creation and its actions other than it has been willed so, consistent with his character. Sometimes we try to figure the reasons why for “such-and-such” God has allowed this or that, etc. Like bringing us into this good, but fallen, earth or offering the possibility of eternal salvation away from and then eventually back on this planet. This is a vain attempt to match wits with our sovereign LORD. The best we can do is surmise that is/was God’s will as to the reason the earth/universe/ ourselves were created and to save sinners through Jesus’ atonement.
January 31, 2023 at 4:19 am
C.R. This freedom also explains His sovereignty. There also is no urgency in Him, to express this freedom.
Likened to our so called freedoms, as we turn from adolescent to adult, we can’t wait to express our adult freedoms, which usually is ill-fated. God is never in a hurry, He is patient to a fault, slow to anger, slow to judgement, and abounding in the fullness of good works, as it were.
Good point.
Karl
January 31, 2023 at 11:21 am
Karl, the old adage – “Tell a man there are 100 billion galaxies in the universe and he’ll believe you. But tell him the paint is wet, and he’ll have to touch it to be sure.” That’s just the way we are, believing we are so all-knowing with our surroundings. and ourselves. God couldn’t possibly be at work within the confines of our free-will, saved or not. It’s just a reality that our freedom is within the confines of His freedom. And He has an infinite number of tools at his disposal, knowing through omniscience, what and when. Hardly seems a fair fight, yet we wrestle on (cp. Gen. 32:22-32). Craig