The issue of whether God could have created persons with free will who never do evil has been addressed by theologians and philosophers. The essay “Can God create humans with free will who never commit evil?” by Thai and Pillay delves into this complex topic, touching on God, free choice, and human wickedness. The notable contribution of this essay is the notion that because God could not make gods, he could not create faultless people with free choice (Thai and Pillay 3). The writers consider this topic from several perspectives, including God’s characteristics such as perfection and omnipotence. Furthermore, the text highlights issues concerning how believers might reach infallibility.
The idea of free will has long been a central issue in theological studies. The researchers demonstrate the importance of this principle. It is useful in many ways, which is why it is associated with impeccability and human sinfulness. The writers claim that bad individuals are free to choose to disobey their creator and hence cannot be blamed for the world’s horrible wickedness (Thai and Pillay 7). With respect to human sinlessness and free will, the writers propose that a transfer of God’s perfection may be accomplished not through new creation but through the union of Christ and the Church because “the two will become one” (Thai and Pillay 6). This became another significant premise of the paper, along with the link between human evil and free will. Overall, the study concludes that humans with free will, despite being inferior to God and worthy of contempt, have the ability to choose between doing good and doing evil and must bear full responsibility for their acts. The existence of evil on Earth cannot be blamed on God or used as an excuse to reject it.
Work Cited
Thai, Lee Pham, and Jerry Pillay. “Can God Create Humans with Free Will Who Never Commit Evil?” Theological Studies 76.1 (2020).