Free will does not mean freedom from consequences — the golden calf judgment illustrates this

Q15 from Jill Sworzel-Stix: If God gives us free will to worship him, why did he have Moses command the Levites to kill 3,000 people who chose not to (Exodus 32:28)?

Fourth artwork shows Valentine candy hearts with pro-choice slogans: "abortion is freedom," "abortion is normal," "shout your abortion." The strategy: repeat loudly and often enough until people believe it.

Propaganda through repetition

Calvinism and free will: Mike isn't a Calvinist. He believes in genuine human free will while also affirming God's sovereignty. The key issue: does God determine every single human decision (Calvinist compatibilism) or do humans have genuine libertarian choice? Mike believes libertarian free will better fits Scripture and makes better sense of God's commands, judgments, and the problem of evil.

Calvinism and free will — Mike's position

Four theodicies provide a cumulative answer to the problem of evil: soul-building, free will, natural law, and skeptical theism.

Detailed treatment of theodicies responding to the problem of evil

Libertarian free will defined: the ability to choose among alternative options compatible with one's nature. Two versions — principle of alternative possibilities (PAP) and sourcehood freedom.

Philosophical definitions before presenting the formal argument

The Free Thinking Argument formal syllogism: (1) no libertarian freedom → no rational inference; (2) humans DO rationally infer; (3) therefore humans have libertarian freedom. Stratton calls it deductive and potentially debate-ending.

Presentation of the core Free Thinking Argument

The expanded Free Thinking Argument Against Naturalism adds steps from naturalism → no soul → no libertarian freedom → no rational inference (all deductive), plus abductive conclusion that God is best explanation.

Full 8-step argument against naturalism

The Kalam Cosmological Argument supports step 8: the cause of the universe must be timeless, spaceless, immaterial, enormously powerful, personal, and possessing libertarian freedom — matching the biblical God.

Using the Kalam to defend the abductive conclusion (step 8)

Biblical confirmation: Genesis 1:26-27 (made in God's image as immaterial minds), 2 Corinthians 5:8 (we exist apart from body), Galatians 5:13 (called to live in libertarian freedom to choose love over sin).

Scriptural support for the philosophical conclusions

About Freedom from the Law: When Paul says we're saved by grace apart from the works of the law, is he referring only to the Law of Moses, or the moral law, as well?

Q&A question: About Freedom from the Law

About Tithing & “Prosperity” Teachings: My church says a declaration before tithing. Part of it is: "I am believing Him for advancements, God-ideas, blessings & increases, financial freedom, & breakthroughs." Is this a prosperity church red flag?

Q&A question: About Tithing & “Prosperity” Teachings

Freedom from Addictions: How does one get set free from nicotine addiction when current medications do not work?

Q&A question: Freedom from Addictions

What is “Coarse Joking”?: How do we know what coarse joking is (Ephesians 4: 29, 5: 20)? My teen's Christian friends often joke about being LGBTQ and getting high or drunk. Is this a freedom issue, or is this sinful? How should a teen respond?

Q&A question: What is “Coarse Joking”?

Why is Open Theism Unbiblical?: I know in the past you have been against Open Theism. Why is the idea of a non-completely settled future unbiblical? I lean toward Open Theism due to God’s freedom.

Q&A question: Why is Open Theism Unbiblical?

Salvation Means Freedom

Status-Seeking as the Primary Issue in 1 Corinthians — Not Merely Order

Pastor Brett Landry's reading — that the Corinthians' primary problem was status-seeking and self-promotion, with disorder being the symptom rather than the disease — represents the dominant scholarly