{
 "id": "basics-canon-free-will",
 "question": "What does the Bible teach about free will?",
 "answer": "The Bible teaches that God values human freedom and chose to give man genuine freedom, even if it means the possibility of evil. This is evident in Genesis 2:16-17, where Adam and Eve are given the choice to obey or disobey God's command. As believers, we have been given free will to utilize the provisions of God's grace or squander them (Romans 12:1-2). The issue in the Christian life is not our ability, but our availability - making ourselves available to God and presenting our bodies as weapons of righteousness (Romans 6:13). Philippians 2:5-11 emphasizes the importance of humility and surrendering to God's will. Our free will is the one weak link between God's power and us, and it is up to us to choose to grow in our faith and utilize the power available to us (2 Peter 3:18). The Bible also warns that Satan seeks to keep us from growing in our faith and utilizing the power of God, but we have been given the Holy Spirit to empower us and guide us in our walk with God.",
 "url": "/faq/what-is-free/",
 "unit": 1,
 "lesson": "1-canon",
 "lesson_title": null,
 "question_type": "canonical",
 "tier": 1,
 "faq_class": "doctrine-canonical",
 "aeo_questions": [
  "What does the Bible say about human freedom and making choices?",
  "How does the Bible balance God's sovereignty and human free will?",
  "What is the role of individual choice in growing in faith and utilizing God's power?"
 ],
 "topic_anchor": "Free will",
 "derivation": "derived-canonical",
 "source_authority": "authoritative",
 "author": "Gene Cunningham",
 "book": "The Basics",
 "source": {
  "doc_id": "btbm-01-TheBasics-8-10-24",
  "ref": "The Basics — Free will (canonical doctrine)",
  "book_page": [
   9,
   232
  ],
  "segment_id": "the-basics__canon__free-will"
 },
 "scripture": [
  {
   "display": "Luke 2:22",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    176
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Romans 6:13",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    176
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Corinthians 6:19",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    176
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "2 Corinthians 5:17",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    178
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Hebrews 10:5-10",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    176
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Isaiah 28:10",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    178
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Romans 12:2",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    178
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Corinthians 6:3",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    239
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "2 Corinthians 3:18",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    239
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Philippians 2:12",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    178
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "2 Timothy 1:9",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    239
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Peter 1:20-21",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    239
   ]
  }
 ],
 "topics": [
  "Adam",
  "Availability",
  "Evil",
  "Free will",
  "Freedom",
  "Humility",
  "Peter",
  "Righteousness",
  "Satan",
  "weapons of Righteousness"
 ],
 "topics_context": [
  "Power",
  "Power and Holy Spirit",
  "Christian, way of life",
  "gifts of God",
  "Faith and salvation",
  "Power and Christ"
 ],
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