Bringing you the "Good News" of Jesus Christ and His Church While PROMOTING CATHOLIC Apologetic Support groups loyal to the Holy Father and Church's magisterium
Home About
AskACatholic.com
What's New? Resources The Church Family Life Mass and
Adoration
Ask A Catholic
Knowledge base
AskACatholic Disclaimer
Search the
AskACatholic Database
Donate and
Support our work
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
New Questions
Cool Catholic Videos
About Saints
Disciplines and Practices for distinct Church seasons
Purgatory and Indulgences
About the Holy Mass
About Mary
Searching and Confused
Contemplating becoming a Catholic or Coming home
Homosexual and Gender Issues
Life, Dating, and Family
No Salvation Outside the Church
Sacred Scripture
back
non-Catholic Cults
Justification and Salvation
The Pope and Papacy
The Sacraments
Relationships and Marriage situations
Specific people, organizations and events
Doctrine and Teachings
Specific Practices
Church Internals
Church History

Anonymous Matthew wrote:

Hi, guys —

Free will?

People are constantly saying that God won't interfere with people's free will. Looking at the world this seems to be true. My question:

  • When Jesus was on this Earth, if He saw a man trying to rape a woman, would he have interfered with the rapist's free will or would He have ignored the cries of the woman and walked away?

This is a serious question because the Old Testament is full of God interfering with people's free will.

  • So, did Jesus change when He was on Earth?
Matthew
  { Because the Old Testament shows God interfering with people's free will, would Jesus interfere? }

Paul replied:

Matthew,

We need to discern what we mean by "interfering" with our free will. He may alter people's acts, but that's different than changing their will. 

In one sense God is always interfering with our free will by offering us grace, which would enlighten us and strengthen us to do the right thing. But He doesn't force this on us.

I think Jesus in His human nature would have acted on whatever was true, good, and just when He was here in the flesh.

He saved a woman who was about to be stoned to death (John 8); hence, helping a woman in your scenario doesn't seem farfetched. Although He spoke and acted, taught and performed miracles; and although He might stop an injustice like the rest of us ought to, He too, would never force anyone to accept God and do the right thing against their will.

Pax,

Paul
Please report any and all typos or grammatical errors.
Suggestions for this web page and the web site can be sent to Mike Humphrey
© 2012 Panoramic Sites
The Early Church Fathers Church Fathers on the Primacy of Peter. The Early Church Fathers on the Catholic Church and the term Catholic. The Early Church Fathers on the importance of the Roman Catholic Church centered in Rome.