Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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Rufus said:
Their depraved heart was their problem. They had NO heart for God; for God had not given them one!

Deut 29:4
4 But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.
NIV
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you do know that there were believers among the children of Israel included in that verse, yes? ... Joshua, Caleb, the 70 elders, etc., etc. ... so not all had a "depraved heart that was their problem" ... and some DID have a heart for God ... however, the Lord dealt specifically with Moses in a manner that was unique to Moses as Moses was a foreshadow of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Have you ever read Psalm 103:7?

Psalm 103:7 He [the LORD] made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

God dealt specifically with Moses because that is what the children of Israel wanted ... they wanted Moses to stand between themselves and God:

Exodus 20:

18And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.




Rufus said:
And, yes, true understanding finds its ROOTS in the human heart (Ps 49:3; Prov 2:2).
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it'll be interesting to see if "true understanding finds its ROOTS" in your heart concerning the above verses ... or if you will reject ...
.
 
Rufus said:
That's because God efficaciously works in the hearts of all his elect. He graciously imparts to them the godly disposition of the Fear of the Lord and He circumcises their hearts. Both of these precious gifts are promised unilaterally by God to his covenant people -- of which the world in the distributive sense is NOT!
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missing-the-point.gif
 
Freewill.png

"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.
 
John6-45-BJohn6-39-Be.png

Jesus' words in John 6 v 45b and John 6 v 39b ~ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me. I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day.
:)
 
God makes the first move
God becomes a Bush on fire that is not burning up the Bush to entice Moses

Natural Man has free will to react
3 And Moses said, I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt
 
Rufus said:
Their depraved heart was their problem. They had NO heart for God; for God had not given them one!

Deut 29:4
4 But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.
NIV

And, yes, true understanding finds its ROOTS in the human heart (Ps 49:3; Prov 2:2).
Click to expand...
Nonsense.

[Psa 103:7 KJV]
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

If there were any unbelieving in the camp of the Israelites, they were not WILLING to know His ways.
By desiring so after SEEING His acts. They had all the evidence that they could ever need.

[Luk 16:31 KJV]
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

And so it is today.
 
Rufus said:
That's because God efficaciously works in the hearts of all his elect. He graciously imparts to them the godly disposition of the Fear of the Lord and He circumcises their hearts. Both of these precious gifts are promised unilaterally by God to his covenant people -- of which the world in the distributive sense is NOT!
Click to expand...
Here you go.

[Psa 50:16 KJV]
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes (distort my laws), or [that] thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth (to try and wrongly interpret what isn't there)?

Any other scarecrows need tending to?
 
James1-17-18-Numbers23-19c-Philippians3-21.png

James 1 v 17-18, Numbers 23 v 19c, and from Philippians 3 v 21 ~ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation. Does He promise and not fulfill? He has the power to subject all things to Himself.
 
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Jesuswords-John15-19-John14-17r2.png

Jesus' words in John 15 verse 19 and John 14 verse 17 ~ If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.
 
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reneweddaybyday said:
you do know that there were believers among the children of Israel included in that verse, yes? ... Joshua, Caleb, the 70 elders, etc., etc. ... so not all had a "depraved heart that was their problem" ... and some DID have a heart for God ... however, the Lord dealt specifically with Moses in a manner that was unique to Moses as Moses was a foreshadow of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Have you ever read Psalm 103:7?

Psalm 103:7 He [the LORD] made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

God dealt specifically with Moses because that is what the children of Israel wanted ... they wanted Moses to stand between themselves and God:

Exodus 20:

18And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.





it'll be interesting to see if "true understanding finds its ROOTS" in your heart concerning the above verses ... or if you will reject ...
.
Click to expand...

Tell it to Moses! I don't think he had the REMNANT in mind when he spoke to the NATION of Israel.

Yes, God revealed a great deal to Moses (who took it all to heart) and to the nation who didn't take it to heart because of what Moses wrote about God in Deut 29:4. Just like the mind resides in the hearts of men, so does our understanding (cf. 1Ki 3:9; Ps 49:3; Prov 2:2). Moreover, those who do not Fear God will never understand with their heart. NEVER!
 
BillyBob said:
Blessed is the man You choose,
And cause to approach You,
Psa 65:4
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Wait one darn minute here! FWers constantly tell us that God does not elect/select/choose individuals, but only nations! :rolleyes: Of course, I asked a FWer once to give me a list of all the nations in this New Covenant economy which God has brought into a personal, intimate, filial, covenant relationship with Himself. The only thing I ever heard in reply to that question were crickets. :rolleyes:
 
BillyBob said:
Blessed is the man You choose,
And cause to approach You,
Psa 65:4
Click to expand...
Errrrr.......not quite. Be careful......:cautious:

[Psa 65:4 KJV]
Blessed [is the man whom] thou choosest, and causest to approach [unto thee, that] he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, [even] of thy holy temple.
 
Magenta said:
John15-16.png

John 15 verse 16 ~ You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit— fruit that will remain— so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
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Jesus actually chose individuals??? Who would have ever thunk? :rolleyes:
 
cv5 said:
Errrrr.......not quite. Be careful......:cautious:

[Psa 65:4 KJV]
Blessed [is the man whom] thou choosest, and causest to approach [unto thee, that] he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, [even] of thy holy temple.
Click to expand...

The NIV renders the text, "Blessed are those...". And this doesn't change the sense of what is being said. God has always had THOSE "7,000 who have never bowed the knee to Baal", don't you know? Such are called His remnant, for your info.
 
reneweddaybyday said:
Proverbs 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
.
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Thanks for proving that God's love is conditional in nature. The world doesn't love the Father or the Son, which is why Jesus excluded the world from is high priestly prayer in Jn 17.
 
Rufus said:
Tell it to Moses! I don't think he had the REMNANT in mind when he spoke to the NATION of Israel.
Click to expand...
still doesn't change the fact that God dealt solely with Moses ... to make known His ways ... while the children of Israel saw only the physical results of God acting in their behalf.




Rufus said:
Yes, God revealed a great deal to Moses (who took it all to heart) and to the nation who didn't take it to heart because of what Moses wrote about God in Deut 29:4. Just like the mind resides in the hearts of men, so does our understanding (cf. 1Ki 3:9; Ps 49:3; Prov 2:2). Moreover, those who do not Fear God will never understand with their heart. NEVER!
Click to expand...

missing-the-point.gif


you keep missing the point ... just believe what Scripture reveals and quit trying to conform what is written in Scripture to whatever dogma you hold to ... all you're doing is scratching where there is no itch!!! ... sheesh !!!
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