Quote by C.S. Lewis

If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. A world of automata--of creatures that worked like machines--would hardly be worth creating. The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each other in an ecstasy of love and delight compared with which the most rapturous love between a man and a woman on this earth is mere milk and water. And for that they must be free.

If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And

Summary

This quote explains the paradox of free will and the existence of evil in the world. It states that if beings are free to be good, they are also free to be bad, and free will is what allows evil to exist. However, the quote argues that God gave humans free will because it is not only the source of evil but also the source of love, goodness, and joy. Without free will, having a world of beings who act like machines would lack value. The ultimate happiness and fulfillment that God intends for His creatures come from being freely united to Him and each other in a profound love and ecstasy, surpassing any earthly love. And this requires the freedom of choice.

Topics

Love Inspirational Free Will

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