Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

[Magenta]

Balthasar Hubmaier (1845 - 1528) was burned at the stake, and his wife thrown into a river with a rock tied to her neck, for teaching that God designed people with the ability to choose.
Hubmaier wrote that God “wills and draws all men unto salvation. Yet choice is still left to man, since God wants him without pressure, unconstrained, under no compulsion.”
“It is a false God who would say the words, “Come here,” and yet in secret in his heart thinks, “Sit yonder.”
Spiritual and Anabaptist Writers, p. 135. Second Hubmaier quote: Vedder, 'Balthasar Hubmaier', p. 197.

Romans 11:32 God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on all.

 

[Genez]

I think your brain is too small.

It is God who has decided to make man's will an issue. How can God be at the mercy of man when it is the Lord God who has made the decision? When one believes in the truth of God, they are doing exactly what the Lord ordained and He, in His grace and mercy, saves.

If God were to actually create a REAL life?
A life that could be with God, and truly enjoy each other's company?

God knew He needed to bear the pain of knowing...
That a real life such as that?
Must be created with the ability to be free to reject Him.

Otherwise?

God would be eternally playing alone with a make believe doll house.

 

[cv5]

I think your brain is too small.

It is God who has decided to make man's will an issue. How can God be at the mercy of man when it is the Lord God who has made the decision? When one believes in the truth of God, they are doing exactly what the Lord ordained and He, in His grace and mercy, saves.

For some reason the Calvinists' perception of God's sovereignty in providing the Gospel message.....is totally backwards.

Pity that. But oh so telling......

 

[Kroogz]

Sad. You shouldn't bear false witness against your neighbors. The reformed are and have been some of the most prolific missionaries. Why? Because "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."

See. Perfect opportunity to share the Gospel........But no. Just a boastful, special, reformed and elected person.

 

[Magenta]

Free will is having the power to choose between two things. Loving God or not, going to church or not, being Christian or Muslim, Marrying a fat man or a thin man. going to Heaven, or to Hell, doing good or bad. All through life we are going to be making choices as you have said but weigh the choice you are going to make on the scripture. Deuteronomy 30:19, states: "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."
God has given us the freedom to choose but He has warned us that one way leads to life and the other to death.

Dear Edith... making mundane choices is not the issue nor is it really the crux of the convo... that is just
a distraction from the real point which Scripture teaches: man is a slave to sin until set free by Jesus.
As a lover of darkness and slave to sin taken captive to do the will of the devil, the unregenerated
person refuses to come into the light and does not seek for God, Whom he hates, being hostile in
his mind towards and opposed to the spiritual things of God which he cannot comprehend.

"Free will" in the Bible? ~ Freedom is something believers are called to (Galatians 5 verse 13). We need Jesus to “set us free” (Galatians 5 verse 1). If Jesus has not freed us from the bondage of sin, then we are still slaves to sin (Romans 6 verses 6-7). Freedom is found in the presence of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3 verse 17). Only Jesus can give us true freedom (John 8 verse 36). Only through His lovingkindness can we truly make choices unfettered by a nature that is inherently hostile toward God.

 

[NightTwister]

I think your brain is too small.

No answer, so just personal attacks. Another one for the ignore dustbin.

 

[cv5]

Dear Edith... making mundane choices is not the issue nor is it really the crux of the convo... that is just
a distraction from the real point which Scripture teaches: man is a slave to sin until set free by Jesus.
As a lover of darkness and slave to sin taken captive to do the will of the devil, the unregenerated
person refuses to come into the light and does not seek for God, Whom he hates, being hostile in
his mind towards and opposed to the spiritual things of God which he cannot comprehend.

"Free will" in the Bible? ~ Freedom is something believers are called to (Galatians 5 verse 13). We need Jesus to “set us free” (Galatians 5 verse 1). If Jesus has not freed us from the bondage of sin, then we are still slaves to sin (Romans 6 verses 6-7). Freedom is found in the presence of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3 verse 17). Only Jesus can give us true freedom (John 8 verse 36). Only through His lovingkindness can we truly make choices unfettered by a nature that is inherently hostile toward God.

Clinical depression here we come.......

 

[Magenta]

There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. Romans 3 verses 11-12; Romans 8 verses 5-8; 2 Timothy 2 verses 25-26

 

[NightTwister]

See. Perfect opportunity to share the Gospel........But no. Just a boastful, special, reformed and elected person.

I have no room for boasting. You, however have much to boast about, and you do frequently. "Look at me, I chose God! Poor you, you didn't. I'm better than you."

 

[Magenta]

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him." John 6 verse 44 The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2 verse 14 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8 verse 7-8

 

[Magenta]

Flesh serves the law of sin, for the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Because everyone born of God overcomes the world. In the mixed up unBiblical theology, of the free will crowd , man overcomes the world with his wicked heart and is then born again.

 

[Genez]

Why is it "shall be saved" and not "are saved"?

Because man must give God the "go ahead."

We have no idea how precious our volition is to God.
Our volition is what prevents God from being eternally alone.
It is so precious?
God must bear the pain, and allow a man who so chooses, to reject Him.

For if that soul does not desire God?
And, God must allow for that to happen?
When another soul wants God?
God is pleased that He was able to do the near impossible.
To create a life that will be a life onto its own choices with God forever.

You may find it hard to believe, perhaps.
Some people absolutely love doing anything God would have them to do.
Even, going to a cross if need be.

 

[Cameron143]

I know people who follow a process tend to feel this way, comes with the territory.

There you go again. I don't follow a process; I follow Christ. You are just another in a long line of dishonest people here on this site.

 

[Magenta]

In 1 Cor 2 verse 14, the natural man, still unsaved, cannot comprehend the spiritual things of God. He does not understand Christ’s atoning sacrifice, for that is foolishness to him (1 Cor 1 verse 18). The Holy Spirit Himself must convict him of its reality, and of his standing before God (John 16 verses 7-11).So this natural man is unregenerated, one who does not have the Holy Spirit residing within him. As Jesus said, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (John 3 verse 6).

 

[cv5]

No answer, so just personal attacks. Another one for the ignore dustbin.

You just got your clock cleaned by @sawdust sonny. Sorry fake sorry.

 

[Magenta]

Flesh serves the law of sin. For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other. Nothing good lives in my flesh. Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”? Who can bring what is pure from the impure? No one! The flesh brings forth fruit unto death. Romans 7 v 25, Galatians 5 v 17, Romans 7 v 18, Proverbs 20 v 9, Job 14 v 4, Romans 7 v 5 (Romans 8 v 13 and James 1 v 15)

 

[sawdust]

No. The spiritually dead - and everyone is spiritually dead before becoming saved/born again- cannot believe the truth. True belief accompanies spiritual life not spiritual death, but life is only given by God, not by man. Observe in the verses following, those in them played no part whatsoever in the receiving of spiritual life: they were dead in sin, but God, by His grace and mercy alone, gave them spiritual life, period. They contributed nothing whatsoever to it - solely being recipients. The spiritually dead, being spiritually dead - just as physically dead are physically dead- cannot give anything to themselves - therefore, the dead are completely at God's mercy for life, utterly unable to give it to themselves. And as dead, neither can they give to themselves true faith nor belief.
But He does give them freely to those chosen from before the foundation of the world.

[Eph 2:1 KJV] 1 And you[hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins;
[Eph 2:5 KJV] 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;
[Col 2:13 KJV] 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with[G4862] him, having forgiven you all trespasses

We were spiritually dead, not brain dead. There is more than enough moral application in the Gospel to be believed unto salvation. We understand it's full spiritual significance after we are saved.

Grace ensures we understand enough and we are refused more grace if we refuse/neglect to believe what we are given.

Honestly, how hard do you think it is to understand when God shines His light that He is right, we are wrong and our punishment is death? Then when we're told someone else has taken that punishment, we cannot comprehend the freedom that ensues such a gift?

You want to make the Gospel something so "out of this world" that it is impossible for any brain to comprehend. God has made it easy. He knows what we are up against.

"come to me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest but first you must be a brainless twerp with no clue of right or wrong, judgement or pardon"

 

[NightTwister]

See. Perfect opportunity to share the Gospel.

And yet, I did.

 

[Genez]

With my cooking? No. The eye rolling will definitely continue. She doesn't care for microwave dinners

Organic peanut butter and raw honey, needs no microwave.
On whole grain bread (as God created it to be)?

She may just think you are the greatest chef in the whole world.

 

[sawdust]

No answer, so just personal attacks. Another one for the ignore dustbin.

Didn't bother reading the rest of the post that gave you an answer? So instead you tell lies that I gave no answer? And you claim we are the ones attacking?

Remove your mask and grow up.