Help... the four creatures in front of the throne in Revelation

[William Barton]

Wick Stick noted:

<That’s not a good answer to a very serious claim that God created sin. You know that is not true… I hope!>

Check out Romans 9:19, Isaiah 45.7.

 

[William Barton]

"Wick Stick noted:

<Well, there's such a thing as will. Is there any such thing as un-free will?>

IMO:
We are created beings. We did not create this universe, we were placed here. In that sense we are puppets of the One who placed us here.

 

[Wick Stick]

Wick Stick asked:

>Are you perhaps speaking of sovereignty, rather than free will? God is sovereign. People are not.>

IMO:

"Sovereign" stems from Latin "superior" = "to extend above" (Oxford Latin Dictionary).

The characters in a novel have free will; the author wrote the book. God is the Author of our story.

Sovereignty is the power of self-governance. To be sovereign is to have to ability to declare a thing and the proclamation has the force of law or the power to cause what is commanded. It's the authority typically associated with an absolute ruler.

Well, at least that's what they taught in Bible school.

God has that authority. People don't.

That doesn't mean God can't allow people some autonomy. Free will exists for men where God declares they should choose. As I see it, God has given people the autonomy to choose to join His tribe, or not, within some limitations.