Could someone please explain the concept of 'free will' to me?
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Galatians 5: 13-14 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even ( that is) in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
When a person receives the gift of the Holy Spirit, he is filled with agape love which is the same kind of love shared by the Father and Jesus. God has made it easy for believers. When your deeds are done with love in your heart, you are being led by the Spirit and fulfilling His commandments.
When a person receives the gift of the Holy Spirit, he is filled with agape love which is the same kind of love shared by the Father and Jesus. God has made it easy for believers. When your deeds are done with love in your heart, you are being led by the Spirit and fulfilling His commandments.
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Some interpret that verse as "we can sin now but it's best not to". Raises two questions:
1) I get to enter heaven doing the same things that are keeping the wicked out?
2) Why not enjoy pleasures of sin now and the glory of heaven later?
Truth is the verse means nothing of the kind. Paul was saying, "Just because you don't have to bring a lamb to sacrifice every time you indulge the flesh doesn't mean it's OK to indulge the flesh."
No saint will EVER be at liberty to worship Satan, murder indiscriminately, run around with everything in a skirt, etc., etc.
1) I get to enter heaven doing the same things that are keeping the wicked out?
2) Why not enjoy pleasures of sin now and the glory of heaven later?
Truth is the verse means nothing of the kind. Paul was saying, "Just because you don't have to bring a lamb to sacrifice every time you indulge the flesh doesn't mean it's OK to indulge the flesh."
No saint will EVER be at liberty to worship Satan, murder indiscriminately, run around with everything in a skirt, etc., etc.
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Free will is the ability to choose what we want. This rests on the heart which is the foundation of human desires, self-interest, and inclinations and which provides the reason or motivation for making choices. Man's problem is his heart. That is why when God grants repentance and forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, He perfects us through the Holy Spirit by filling our hearts with Agape love.
Hi, there, "free will" is a gift of God to all His thinking, rational creatures which enables them to choose to voluntarily love and obey Him or to not.
Everyone knows the affections of a store-bought, pre-programmed robot puppy dog are meaningless compared to those of a real live doggy that has free will run away or bite you but chooses to jump on you and smother you with his love.
...even our Calvinists friends
Everyone knows the affections of a store-bought, pre-programmed robot puppy dog are meaningless compared to those of a real live doggy that has free will run away or bite you but chooses to jump on you and smother you with his love.
...even our Calvinists friends
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Yes, love's voluntary, but it isn't a feeling or abstract thought or even an action: it's a principle.
Principles are inflexible - they remain rigid, no matter the circumstances, like fire being hot or ice being cold. When a person chooses to voluntarily love another (romantically speaking), as a principle it must be given unconditionally.
Sadly, most treat love as merely an emotion or an action to be indulged, and nothing more. So important to ask God to lead, guide, and direct.
Principles are inflexible - they remain rigid, no matter the circumstances, like fire being hot or ice being cold. When a person chooses to voluntarily love another (romantically speaking), as a principle it must be given unconditionally.
Sadly, most treat love as merely an emotion or an action to be indulged, and nothing more. So important to ask God to lead, guide, and direct.
I don‘t believe that God is an unconditional lover. He doesn‘t unconditionally love anyone. He died while we still were sinners...but He doesn’t leave us the way He finds us...so He can’t be an unconditional lover.
I don’t think enduring to the end has a lot to do with agape love. I think its going to take loyalty to God...faith in God and abiding in God to make it to the end. And honestly...I don’t see a whole lot making it to the end when the antichrist is allowed to overcome the saints and most will be beheaded anyway.
I don’t think enduring to the end has a lot to do with agape love. I think its going to take loyalty to God...faith in God and abiding in God to make it to the end. And honestly...I don’t see a whole lot making it to the end when the antichrist is allowed to overcome the saints and most will be beheaded anyway.
E
Free will is found in the garden
Genesis 2:17
but of the tree of the knowledge ofgood and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
they were free to chose to follow God or follow self
it is also seen in Jesus words
Matthew 23:37
Jesus Laments over Jerusalem
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How oftenI wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
as we can see, Jerusalem had the “free”dom to us their “will” to do what Jesus wanted, but they were unwilling
free will choices are all through scripture
Genesis 2:17
but of the tree of the knowledge ofgood and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
they were free to chose to follow God or follow self
it is also seen in Jesus words
Matthew 23:37
Jesus Laments over Jerusalem
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How oftenI wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
as we can see, Jerusalem had the “free”dom to us their “will” to do what Jesus wanted, but they were unwilling
free will choices are all through scripture
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