God Alone has Free-Will

Does Human Disobedience Prove ‘Free Will’?

Many people claim that Adam and Eve made a “free will” choice in the Garden of Eden. But let’s pause for a moment: Where exactly does Scripture say that God gave humanity this so-called “free will” to begin with? Nowhere. So why do people assume it?

The usual answer is this:

“Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command not to eat from the tree. They had a choice, and they chose wrongly. This proves free will.”

Okay, fair enough. They disobeyed. But does that truly prove human free will?

Think about what’s being claimed: the fact that God’s creatures can oppose His stated will somehow proves that humans are free in their decision-making. But what if I could show you from Scripture that God sometimes intends for humans to do the exact opposite of what He commands? What if I could show you multiple examples where God plans human disobedience to fulfill His purpose? What would that prove?

It would prove that human disobedience does not prove human free will at all. In fact, it proves the opposite.

The Greatest Act of Disobedience—Planned by God

Take the crucifixion of Jesus, for example. Acts 4:27–28 (CLV) states:

“For of a truth, in this city were gathered against Thy holy Boy Jesus, Whom Thou dost anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the nations and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Thy hand and Thy counsel designates beforehand to occur.”

Let’s break this down:

Herod, Pilate, the Roman soldiers, and the people of Israel all conspired to murder God’s Son.
This was the ultimate act of disobedience, violating God’s commandments and expressing complete hatred toward Him.

Clearly, they were exercising their “free will,” right?

Not so fast. Verse 28 says that all of these people did what God’s counsel had determined beforehand would happen. If God decided in advance that this would occur, then Pilate, Herod, the Jews, and the Gentiles were not free to do otherwise. Their “choice” was the necessary means God used to bring Jesus to the cross to save humanity.

Without this act of disobedience, there would have been no cross, and without the cross, there would be no salvation. This sin—this disobedience—was not random, but essential in God’s plan.

It wasn’t human free will at work. It was God’s will being accomplished through human disobedience.

And here’s the kicker: by definition, “free will” would require the ability to make choices free from all outside influence. Yet how can an act be “free” when God determined it beforehand?

Joseph’s Brothers: A Sin That Saved a Nation

Now let’s look at Joseph and his brothers.

In Genesis 50:20, Joseph tells them:

“You devised evil against me, yet Elohim, He devised it for good in order to accomplish, as at this day, to preserve many people alive.”

Joseph’s brothers plotted to kill him, sold him into slavery, and lied to their father—Israel himself. It’s a heartbreaking betrayal, and if you haven’t read the full account in Genesis, you should. It’s a wild story.

Here’s the short version:

Joseph’s brothers, burning with jealousy, planned to murder him but instead sold him to slave traders.
Joseph was taken to Egypt, where he eventually rose to become the second most powerful man under Pharaoh, managing the food supply during a devastating famine.
The famine hit Israel’s family, forcing them to come to Egypt to buy food.
Joseph, the brother they betrayed, ended up saving them and the entire nation of Israel—the very family line through which the Savior would come.

Now, ask yourself: Was it God’s plan to raise Joseph to power to save Israel during the famine? Absolutely.

But here’s the money question:
Would Joseph have risen to power in Egypt if his brothers hadn’t sinned by selling him into slavery?

Of course not.

God could have chosen a different way, but He chose to fulfill His purpose through their sin. The brothers’ disobedience was part of God’s plan, just as Joseph later told them: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”

Their act was evil, but it was not an act of “free will” in the sense of being independent from God’s influence. God orchestrated their disobedience to preserve Israel, ensuring the arrival of the promised Savior.

The Conclusion: Only One True Free Will

These examples reveal a profound truth:

Disobedience does not prove human free will. Instead, it proves that God alone possesses true free will.

Humans sin, and they will be judged and corrected. Yet even in their rebellion, they fulfill God’s perfect plan, revealing His sovereignty over every detail—even disobedience.

So the next time someone claims, “Adam and Eve’s disobedience proves free will,” you can confidently ask:

“Or does it prove that even human disobedience serves the unstoppable will of God, who alone holds true freedom over all His creation?”