God gave humans free will so they could genuinely choose to love and obey Him — not behave like robots.
Les Feldick teaches that God created mankind with a will so that love could be extended and love could be returned — something the angels could never provide (Clips 2–3). For that will to be real, a genuine alternative had to exist, which is why God placed the one forbidden tree in a garden where everything else was freely given (Clips 0–1). Without that alternative, the human race would have been 'like robots,' with no true exercise of the will (Clip 4).
Genesis 2:16-17 — God's one restriction in the garden is what made a real, voluntary choice possible — the heart of the question.
Genesis 1:26 — Mankind is created in God's image with a will, which Les says is the basis for choosing obedience or disobedience.
Genesis 3:6 — Records the actual exercise of free will — Eve chose to take and eat the forbidden fruit.
The Bible shows that God placed the man in the Garden of Eden with full freedom. God told Adam, 'Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat' (Genesis 2:16) — everything was given to him to enjoy. Yet God also placed one restriction before him: 'But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die' (Genesis 2:17). That command set two genuine possibilities before the man: obedience or disobedience. The Bible never describes man as a programmed being. Genesis 1:26 records that man was made in the image of God, and Genesis 3:6 records Eve deliberately choosing to take the fruit of the forbidden tree and eat. Scripture therefore establishes that man was given a command, a warning, and an actual choice — the very conditions under which a will can be exercised.
Les Feldick's answer is that free will was given so God could have a creature who would love Him in return. God already had myriads of angels, but the angels were never beings He could fellowship with — there was no love extended and love returned. So God created mankind 'for the sole purpose' of having someone to fellowship with and to whom He could extend love for all eternity (Clips 2–3). An object of love expects love in return, and the only way that return could be genuine was if man could choose to give it or reject it (Clip 3). To make that choice possible, there had to be an alternative. That is why, in a garden where everything was freely given for the man's enjoyment, God placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as the one restriction (Clip 0). When Satan came to tempt, the only thing Adam and Eve still did not have was the opportunity to be like God — and that was the choice set before them (Clip 1). Les calls the forbidden tree a 'means of testing' to see if they would remain obedient (Clip 7). Without such an alternative, the human race would have been without choice, 'like robots,' with no exercise of the will (Clip 4). Man, however, is not a robot — he is a created being given a choice. Les illustrates this with marriage. Just as God put within the female of the species a responder who responds to a husband's love, so the whole human race was made to respond to the love God extends — and that was the whole idea of the cross: 'He loved us, and gave Himself for us' (Clip 6). The purpose of free will, then, is relational: God wanted someone He could love and who would love Him back voluntarily.
The Bible records that God gave the man every tree of the garden to eat freely, but commanded him not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16–17). Les explains why that restriction was necessary: from creation, God gave man a free will, and a free will cannot be activated without a choice (Clip 1). The one forbidden tree supplied the alternative — Adam could remain true to God or follow the adversary (Clip 1). Les also describes the tree as 'merely a means of testing' to see if they could remain obedient (Clip 7).
Les says that if Satan had not been permitted to come into the garden and sin had not entered, the human race would have been without choice — it would have been 'like robots.' But that is not what God made. We are created beings given a choice, and God's sovereign workings left man with the alternative so the will could actually be exercised (Clip 4).
Les explains that God already had myriads of angels, but the angels were never beings He could fellowship with — He could not have love extended and love returned (Clip 2). Angels couldn't respond to love, so God made the human race with that indwelling attribute of will, enabling man to respond to His love or reject it (Clip 3). He illustrates this with marriage: a wife is made to respond to a husband's love, and likewise mankind is designed to respond to the love God extends (Clip 6).
The Garden Was Made for Man's Enjoyment
Les shows that God gave Adam every tree to enjoy freely and then placed the one restriction — the tree of the knowledge of good and evil — which created the alternative needed for a real choice.
The Tempter Activates Free Will
Les explains that to activate the free will God gave man from creation, there had to be a choice — and Satan could only tempt Adam and Eve with the one thing they still lacked: being like God.
Created to Return God's Love
Les teaches that mankind was created in God's image and given a will so that the Creator would have someone who could extend love and return it — unlike the angels.
Love Expected in Return
Les says the human race was made with a will to respond to God's love or reject it, and that Satan was brought on the scene so the will could be exercised.
No Choice Would Mean Robots
Les argues that if Satan had not been permitted into the garden and sin had not entered, the human race would have had no choice — it would have been like robots, not created beings with a will.
Adam Left With the Exercise of the Will
Les describes Adam as created sinless and perfect, yet left with the exercise of the will — a choice between obedience and disobedience.
Love Responds Like a Wife to Her Husband
Les compares God's purpose to marriage — God extends love and has put a responder within the creature, so the whole idea of creation is someone who can respond to His love.
The Tree Was a Test of Obedience
Les says the one forbidden tree was simply a means of testing — there was nothing wicked in the fruit, but it tested whether Adam and Eve would remain obedient.
Genesis 2:15: And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
God placed the man in the garden he was to keep — the setting in which the free-will test took place.
Genesis 2:16-17: And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
The one command that created an alternative, making a genuine choice between obedience and disobedience possible.
Genesis 3:6: And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
The moment Adam and Eve exercised their free will and disobeyed the command.
Romans 5:12: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Shows the consequence of the garden choice — sin and death entered the world through one man.
Ephesians 5:25: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Les uses the husband-wife love relationship to picture why God wanted a creature who could respond to His love.
Yes. Les teaches that man was created in the image of God and given a will, so that he could choose to be obedient or disobedient (Clips 2, 5). Adam was created sinless and perfect, yet God left him with the exercise of that will (Clip 5).
Les says it was in the sovereign workings of God that man was left with the alternative — otherwise there would be no choice and no exercise of the will (Clip 4). The forbidden tree was 'merely a means of testing' to see if they would remain obedient (Clip 7).
Everything in the garden was given for man to enjoy (Clip 0), but free will cannot be exercised without an alternative (Clip 1). God had given man from creation a free will, and the one tree supplied the choice of remaining true to God or following the adversary (Clip 1).
Watch the Teaching: Genesis 2-3 Bible Study: How the Fall of Man Changed Everything