"So I set myself to examine an idea I had heard-namely that our free will is the cause of our doing evil, and Your just judgment the cause of our suffering evil. I could not clearly discern this....But it raised me a little towards Your light that I now was as much aware that I had a will as that I had a life. And when I willed to do or not do anything, I was quite certain that it was myself and no other who willed," (119)
This is a very important concept that Augustine realizes, the explanation for the existence of our free will. True, if we didn't have the chance to decide whether to sin or not, the world would probably be a better place without all the problems that do exist, but it wouldn't be by choice. It makes me think of how, when you were little and your parents made your choices for you. For example, you had to go to bed at 9, most kids wouldn't want to just because that is what was commanded of them; however, in giving them the choice, they would probably choose to go to bed around then anyways. God would rather us be willing to joyfully follow him than forcing us to grudgingly follow him.
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