now, isn't it clear that i am predestined to do as the time machine shows my boss, ------------- That of course is one possibility,the other one being that I will choose to do what the time machine shows. Is the responsibility with God or man? God gave us the mental abilities, such as the powers of perception, reason, and judgment, that work in harmony with free will. These enable us to think, weigh matters, make decisions, and distinguish right from wrong. (Hebrews 5:14) We were not created to be like mindless robots that have no will of their own; nor were we created to act primarily out of instinct, as were the animals. Along with free will, our first parents were given everything anyone could reasonably want: They had been put in a parklike paradise; they had material abundance; they had perfect minds and bodies that would not get old or sick and die; they would have children who would also have a happy future; and the expanding population would have the satisfying work of turning the entire earth into a paradise.—Genesis 1:26-30; 2:15.
However, was the marvelous gift of free will to be without limits? Well, would you care to drive an automobile in heavy traffic if there were no traffic regulations, where you were free to drive in any lane, in any direction, at any speed? Of course, the results of such unlimited freedom in traffic would be catastrophic. It is the same in human relations. Unlimited freedom for some would mean no freedom for others. Unrestricted freedom can result in anarchy, which damages everybody’s freedom. There must be limits. Therefore, God’s gift of freedom does not mean that he purposed for humans to behave in any manner without considering the welfare of others. God’s Word says on this point: “Behave like free men, and never use your freedom as an excuse for wickedness.” (1 Peter 2:16, The Jerusalem Bible) So God wants our free will to be regulated for the common good. He did not purpose for humans to have total freedom, but relative freedom, subject to the rule of law.
Whose laws were we designed to obey? Whose laws work best for us? Another part of the scripture at 1 Peter 2:16 noted above states: “You are slaves of no one except God.” This does not mean an oppressive slavery but, rather, that we were created to be in subjection to God’s laws. We are the happier if we stay subject to them. God’s laws, more than any code of laws that could be devised by humans, provide the very best guide for everybody. As Isaiah 48:17 states: “I, Jehovah, am your God, the One teaching you to benefit yourself, the One causing you to tread in the way in which you should walk.” Yet, at the same time, God’s laws allow for a wide scope of freedom within their boundaries. This allows for much personal choice and variety, making the human family more interesting, indeed, fascinating. Humans are also subject to God’s physical laws. For instance, if we ignore the law of gravity and jump off a high place, we will get injured or killed. If we stay underwater without a special breathing apparatus, we will die in minutes. And if we ignore our internal laws for the body and stop eating food or drinking water, we will also die. Hence, our first parents, and all who issued from them, were created with the need to obey God’s moral or social laws as well as his physical laws. And obedience to God’s laws would not be burdensome. Instead, it would work for their welfare and that of the entire human family to come. Had our first parents stayed within the limits of God’s laws, all would have been well.
