Man As an Image of God Confronting the Challenge of Freewill: A Philosophical Examination of Genesis 3: 1 – 2

Abstract

The failure to have a proper perspective on the existence of freewill and the misuse of freewill by man has resulted in facing several unpalatable consequences as a result of the misuse of free will. The research has shown that God, from the creation of the universe, had created freewill with man. Though some scholars argue that man has no freewill, while some scholars dispute this, citing even from a Scriptural perspective about the existence of freewill that God gave Adam after creation. The bottom line of the argument is that if God truly gave Adam freewill, then who should be held responsible for the misuse of the freewill? This has remained a subject of debate by many schools of thought. It is believed that Adam in Genesis 3 exercised his freewill given to him by God, the consequences which brought evil upon man. The argument is, since God (All-knowing) had already known that Adam would misuse his free will, which would result in bad/evil consequences, why did God give Adam this, on the one hand? On the other hand, since God did not make man as a robot, but freely gave him choice with the warning of the consequences, when man chooses wrongly. This subject remains controversial because man still confronts the same challenge in his daily decisions. This study found it necessary to create a negative and positive approach in man on the existence of freewill, the use of freewill and the consequences in the misuse of freewill, looking or taking Adam in Genesis Chapter 3 as a case study.

Keywords

References