JOHN 8:36

If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

Most of us can understand that freedom is an essential component of love—the two go hand in hand. In fact, love without freedom is not love. A love relationship in which one party exercises control over the other ceases to be a love relationship and becomes a master/slave interaction. It would stand to reason then, that if God is love, then He does not, in fact cannot control or usurp one’s freedom of choice in any way.

Being under law—moral law—is an “indispensable condition” of humanity. We are either under God’s moral law or Satan’s moral law. Furthermore, “there can be no government without law.” This applies even to Satan: if he has a government then he has to have a law. Under God’s government there is freedom of choice: we can choose by which law to abide. This freedom makes us free moral agents—we are free to make our own moral choices.

Freedom and force are opposed to each other. If God gives freedom, He cannot also use force. God warns and counsels but then freely allows choices to be made. He shows us cause and effect and then leaves it with us to decide whether to listen or not. Such were His methods in dealing with Lucifer’s rebellion; the same methods are seen in His dealings with Adam and Eve. He warned Lucifer of the consequences of his choices and did the same for Adam and Eve. They all disregarded His warnings. Showing cause and effect, but upholding freedom are the ways in which God operates.

God on Trial pp. 119-120, 123