Why Freedom Matters

In terms of salvation, why would freedom matter? Why doesn't God just force us to be saved? Without  freedom, a bond with God doesn't matter. Our freedom not only helps us choose to sin, ti also helps us choose to be with God. Unlike other things in the world, humans can think and have a will and intellect. That means we can reason and have a choice. The reason we can be with God is because we can choose to. What makes us in the form of God, and cable to be one with god, is our freedom. Without our freedom, we just become machines like other animals and plants and such. This means we can't be with God because we don't have the autonomy condition. The autonomy condition means we can make free choices. Whereas other animals are created without a will, we are created with both an intellect and a will. God is pure intellect and will, meaning we are closer to God because of our intellect and our will. As such, without our freedom and autonomy we cannot be close enough to God to be one with him. As such, freedom, which makes it possible for us to turn away from God, is 100% necessary to be with God.

The second question asked is why God didn't just force everyone to be saved. Why were we created with sin? We weren't. That's the thing. Adam and Eve were sinless for God knows how long. Eventually though, they were tempted by Satan to eat of the fruit, and they turned against God. We weren't born with sin at the very beginning. Rather, it entered the world when temptation got the best of Adam and Eve. So let's discuss why God hasn't coerced everyone into becoming saved. If God forced us to be saved, he would also be taking away the same quality that makes it possible for us to be with God. If our autonomy doesn't exist, or is commonly trumped by God, then we lose the human condition that lets us be in the presence of God.  However, that begs the question of why God hasn't just redeemed everyone. To all of you bad Catholics and Christians who think that, remember that he did. He sent down Christ. Christ is there whether we want him to be or not. We can banish sin if we choose and be with God if we choose. But we have to make that choice. We can't expect God to coerce us into loving him. That's not loving God, that's just contradictory.