Summary paper on book 1 free choice of the will by Augustine of hippo Essay

Summary paper on book 1 free choice of the will by Augustine of hippo - Essay Example On the other hand, those who do evil and sin but are God’s chosen, are not going to be punished because they still remain saved, regardless of their behavior. Augustine persists that wrongdoing is a substance of free will at its cause, where he sounds sensible and is the least uncertain. He further stresses this by detaching wrongdoing from God’s cause. All what is God-made is good according to Augustine, and for that reason, he says god cannot be the cause of evil. He argues that evil is committed in the act of free will of humanity, and adds that it can also be in free will of angles, but not God. On the other hand, his persistence about Gods actions of good will being by God’s grace seems to disagree with his own affirmation on choice of free will. While God should not be the one to blame for wrong doing, God is given all the praise and glory for good, despite the bad deeds committed by those who have done things according to the good will. Therefore, people should be blamed for the bad things they do and cause, but do not deserve any recognition for whatever good they do. According to Augustine, people’s capability to operate according to their own free will has been seriously weakened by the obsession and desires. They lack the strength to control their needs, so they are controlled and driven by lust. Augustine believes that lust is one of the biggest sin of all and that it troubles very many people, who end up giving in to it readily and gladly. This is proof of the weakness of free will. Where Augustine makes outstanding points on the way flesh desires directly disagreeing with the spirit, the way he argues that we behave in good manner by God’s grace is in direct disagreement with his persistence that evil is a deed of free will. If we are made good by God, then why cannot the devil be the cause to sin, when we act badly? As Augustine insists that we as human beings have free will, it means we are responsible for the bad