I wrote a Letter to my Free Will

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Dec 3, 2023
440
77
28
I think I know what you say. You don't believe original infected the spirit, which it didn't. I merely removed some of God's grace. You say the flesh can cause sin, but the sinner has free will, and free choice. He can resist sin, if he knows what sin is.

Just because Adam and Eve's eyes were opened, doesn't mean God abandoned Mankind. They were already sinning without having had eaten the fruit per my sources. The bible and some people who interpret it.
The argument in this last part is not sufficient.

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.

(saw that the tree was good for food.
was pleasant to the eyes)This part of the description belongs to the flesh.

(be desired to make one wise)This part belongs to the spirit.


The Gospel of Matthew
5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.


All according to the sequence,First is "saw fruit", second is "want to pick fruit and eat". This part of the description belongs to the flesh.
According to Matthew 5:29 5:30, So even if hasn't eaten the fruit yet,Sin has entered into flesh through eyes.

(be desired to make one wise)This part belongs to the spirit. What I think is, if here eat the fruit of the tree of life,I don't see how stupid it is to want to be wise.

Or should I say it's because of my understanding,sin entered into flesh through Adam and Eve because they eat the The fruit of the tree of good and evil.

Sin cannot be brought directly into the world, it must have a carrier which is our flesh.

Because I can't understand that God created us as evil spirits.
 

selahsays

Well-known member
May 31, 2023
2,796
1,484
113
Dear Free Will. I just wanted to let you know how much I am thankful for you. If not for you, God would be in control of me. And that would, well, just be awful, in fact, it would be hateful of Him if He took you away from me. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I mean, I wouldn’t be allowed to freely feed my porn addiction, drug and alcohol addictions, and oh, so many more.

What I like about you, Entity Free Will, is that you allow me to make my life all about me, me, me . . . gosh, and that’s so wonderful. I mean, the more you can place the attention and focus upon me and not God, that’d be great. I don’t want Him to get any more credit than He should! I mean, come on! We chose this bumpy, up-and-down path of ours! Our successes are because of us, and our failures are because of us, too! Isn’t it something!? 😊

Most important, Free Will . . . you give me the right to be in complete, and total, control. I get to decide if God does anything in my life, and I decide if the Devil acts in my life just the same.

Me. It’s all about me!
It is up to everyone, including the elect, to accept or reject the amazing offer of salvation for which Jesus gave up everything—He paid an AWESOME price on that Cross. At some point, everyone has to make a choice to follow Jesus or to follow Satan. —Selah
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
406
83
Paul said in Romans 7:18, before discovering victory over the flesh through faith in Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit, " For I know that in my flesh dwells no good thing; for TO KEEP ON WILLING (present infinitive: thelein) IS PRESENT WITH ME, but HOW TO KEEP ON PERFORMING (present infinitive: katergazesthai) that which is good I DIDN'T KEEP ON FINDING (present active indicative: heuriskO)find not."

Paul's will was able to maintain a continuous desire/will to do good. Nothing could stop him wanting/willing to do good. However, sin in his flesh prevented him from continuously doing good. How is that not a free will, If I want to fly and choose to continue fantasising about flying, what can you do to stop me wanting to fly?
this isn't complicated how does a person have free will, if there spiritual nature is living with death inside them.

Then how does a saved person have free if there being held captive by Christ inside them.
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
406
83
I think that's why God gave us a choice to believe in him.Because without any personal will,That's a pretty scary thing.believe/ trust me,I think that's worse than folks choosing free will.So God's will is good.It's just that it's difficult for us to understand some time.God didn't ask us to be programmed robots,In science fiction, this situation is equivalent to no free slaves.
What God prefers to see is that we take the initiative to seek him.Although the bible says that no one seeks him.but God chose us first,this is real love for us.
the human nature still has a will to live but it wasn't the same free will after the fall.
 

2ndTimothyGroup

Well-known member
Feb 20, 2021
5,883
1,952
113
Usually, they see the truth that they were not believing before, when they had been deceived into a trap. The person is a little wiser.
I see. Roman's 12:2 speaks about a complete Transformation of thought. Could you outline what that experience was like for you? How has your thought and behavior life changed when you were Indwelt by the Holy Spirit? Or, are you only a "little wiser?"

Romans 2:28-29 NLT - "For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people."
 

2ndTimothyGroup

Well-known member
Feb 20, 2021
5,883
1,952
113
It is up to everyone, including the elect, to accept or reject the amazing offer of salvation for which Jesus gave up everything—He paid an AWESOME price on that Cross. At some point, everyone has to make a choice to follow Jesus or to follow Satan. —Selah
How does an infant choose the Devil? All are born under the Adamic Curse. All people will remain under that Curse (and captivity) until they are Redeemed by Christ? Isn't that what your Bibles teach?
 

2ndTimothyGroup

Well-known member
Feb 20, 2021
5,883
1,952
113
the human nature still has a will to live but it wasn't the same free will after the fall.
Actually, the Human Nature is that of a Servant. Humans serve beyond their own will. They will either serve Satan or God. There are no other options.
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
3,470
452
83
this isn't complicated how does a person have free will, if there spiritual nature is living with death inside them.

Then how does a saved person have free will if there being held captive by Christ inside them.
What do you mean by, :"their spiritual nature is living with death inside them" ?

If we are commanded to bring every thought captive to Christ, and we can want/will not to bring every thought captive to Christ, clearly our will is not captive to Christ.
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
3,470
452
83
I see. Roman's 12:2 speaks about a complete Transformation of thought. Could you outline what that experience was like for you? How has your thought and behavior life changed when you were Indwelt by the Holy Spirit? Or, are you only a "little wiser?"

Romans 2:28-29 NLT - "For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people."
No, Romans 12:2 says, "And don't keep on being conformed (present middle or passive imperative) to this world, but keep on being transformed (present passive imperative) by the renewal of your mind to start proving (present active infinitive) what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.."

It is speaking of a gradual ongoing transformationof the mind, so that we become more and more wise. It is not speaking of a complete transformation instantly. The Holy Spirit helps me understand people and situations and God's word and myself better as I allow Him to correct my programmng inherited from the world.
 

2ndTimothyGroup

Well-known member
Feb 20, 2021
5,883
1,952
113
No, Romans 12:2 says, "And don't keep on being conformed (present middle or passive imperative) to this world, but keep on being transformed (present passive imperative) by the renewal of your mind to start proving (present active infinitive) what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.."

It is speaking of a gradual ongoing transformationof the mind, so that we become more and more wise. It is not speaking of a complete transformation instantly. The Holy Spirit helps me understand people and situations and God's word and myself better as I allow Him to correct my programmng inherited from the world.
What translation would you like me to quote from?
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
406
83
What do you mean by, :"their spiritual nature is living with death inside them" ?

If we are commanded to bring every thought captive to Christ, and we can want/will not to bring every thought captive to Christ, clearly our will is not captive to Christ.
shore ok.

The natural body is sown perishable.

Which means mans human nature is sown with a spiritual nature alive to death
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
406
83
Actually, the Human Nature is that of a Servant. Humans serve beyond their own will. They will either serve Satan or God. There are no other options.
actually human nature still has the nature of God, able to resist evil and rule over sin as referenced in the bible
 
N

Niki7

Guest
The third Biblical option would be that I was under the control of the Sinful Nature. :)
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to flesh. Romans 8:12

There are only 2 options. Choose this day whom you will serve.

Is the Old Testament not a part of the Bible? You can choose. Apparently.

Joshua 24:15
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
1 Kings 18:21
And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
 

2ndTimothyGroup

Well-known member
Feb 20, 2021
5,883
1,952
113
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to flesh. Romans 8:12
Right. That "flesh" is not human flesh, but the Sinful, Carnal state of a human.

Romans 8:12 NLT - "Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do."

This is why Jesus performs His Circumcision of heart. Have you experience that unbelievable event yet? You'll know it when you have.
 
Dec 18, 2023
6,402
406
83
What do you mean by, :"their spiritual nature is living with death inside them" ?

If we are commanded to bring every thought captive to Christ, and we can want/will not to bring every thought captive to Christ, clearly our will is not captive to Christ.
Shaw after the fall mans human nature was sown perishable.

Which means mans human nature is sown with a spiritual nature alive to death.

This means Adam was once saved


What it also means gone are the days where man was allowed to have free will after the fall

As the the free will man had before the fall caused his fall
 

2ndTimothyGroup

Well-known member
Feb 20, 2021
5,883
1,952
113
actually human nature still has the nature of God, able to resist evil and rule over sin as referenced in the bible
Sure, the Human Nature is combined with the Divine Nature, but only after the Sinful Nature has been removed. That which is Divine cannot be corrupt.