Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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Question: Is there the SLIGHTEST indication that God twisted Moses's arm or lobotomized him? No there is not.
That is not how God works. However, when He sets an event in motion the end result will be determined by Him, even before it takes place.
Eph 1:4
 
Come on @BillyBob
God called, God beckoned, God initiated......

Moses responded positively, received and accepted of his own desire and free will.

Pharaoh responded negatively, denied and resisted of his own desire and free will.

Question: Is there the SLIGHTEST indication that God twisted Moses's arm or lobotomized him? No there is not.

The super-determinists are getting creamed out here in the field of play. It's not even close. Which is exactly what one would expect.

Unregenerate Pharaoh even admitted that he had sinned against the God of Moses!

Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said,
“I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you.


Exodus 10:16
 
“I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you.
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.
Seems as though Pharaoh was not among God's elect!
Do you think Pharaoh just wanted a reprieve?

All that you proved is that sinners know they have sinned!
 
Who struck the match that set the bush on fire? (action on God's part)
Did not God choose Moses? (Yes God choose him)
Would Moses have turned had God not set it ablaze? (No, man is being drawn to perform God's will)
Did God not cause the event? (yes God caused all that took place)
Dream on!
But Moses said I WILL LOOK so it still required Moses to choose.
 
Unregenerate Pharaoh even admitted that he had sinned against the God of Moses!

Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said,
“I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you.


Exodus 10:16
Several times in fact. Unfortunately it was a PR stunt for all intents and purposes.
 
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.
Seems as though Pharaoh was not among God's elect!
Do you think Pharaoh just wanted a reprieve?

All that you proved is that sinners know they have sinned!


He was not among the elect.
Yet, he was able to acknowledge that God exists.
 
But Moses said I WILL LOOK so it still required Moses to choose.
The straw that you just tried to grasp doesn't seem to keep your Free Willie theology afloat, try again.
You failed once more, just as when you tried your God so loved the world (everybody) theory.
 
That is not how God works. However, when He sets an event in motion the end result will be determined by Him, even before it takes place.
Eph 1:4
The Calvinists never get foreknowledge and predestination right.
And Pharoah, just like anyone else, could have truly repented.

In fact the truth is that Pharoah knew exactly what he was doing, knew who Abraham was (his fame was immense in the region (recall the incident with the earlier Pharoah of Genesis 12???)), who Isaac was, who Jacob was, who the Israelites were and basically what God's plans were for them.

Pharaoh was not an idiot hayseed. He was extremely well-informed.
 
Ya sure about that? God was super-determined to protect Sarah from Abimelech, and He was successful. He was also determined to get Joseph into Egypt through the outworking of his brothers' evil plans. And He was very determined to set his chosen people free in Egypt through and by a wicked, pagan king no less. And He was uber-determined to not only prohibit Balaam from cursing Israel, but "forced" this prophet/sorcerer into actually blessing the nation, etc., etc.

Evidently, Rom 11 ain't sayin' what you think it is... :rolleyes:
God's number one priority is to protect, defend, preserve His plan of salvation and the people that CHOOSE to RECEIVE it.

And if you are wise enough to CHOOSE to submit to God's will like Abimelech did, you will live.
And if you are foolish enough to CHOOSE to defy God's will like Pharaoh did, you will surely perish.

I wonder........do you actually understand what's going on with Abraham AND Isaac and Abimelech?
Seems unlikely. And no it isn't.......Calvinism......that's going on :sneaky:
 
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Who struck the match that set the bush on fire? (action on God's part)
Did not God choose Moses? (Yes God choose him)
Would Moses have turned had God not set it ablaze? (No, man is being drawn to perform God's will)
Did God not cause the event? (yes God caused all that took place)
Dream on!
Scripture tells us why Moses turned aside:

Exodus 3:2-5

2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.


Moses didn't turn to God in faith ... Moses turned to see something that was quite unusual ... a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire.


Go read the dialogue between Moses and God ... Moses argued with God until Moses finally relented and did what God asked of him. But it's going to require you to read chapters 3 and 4 ... not just pluck out a verse here or a verse there and then manipulate the verse(s) in an effort to align Scripture with your dogma.

You are to align your dogma to Scripture and where there is error ... let go of the error ... only hold on to the good ...

1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
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The straw that you just tried to grasp doesn't seem to keep your Free Willie theology afloat, try again.
You failed once more, just as when you tried your God so loved the world (everybody) theory.
The Bible plainly states Moses said I WILL LOOK. Sorry for your loss but even the Bible shows Moses chose to look.
 
Scripture tells us why Moses turned aside:

Exodus 3:2-5

2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.


Moses didn't turn to God in faith ... Moses turned to see something that was quite unusual ... a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire.

Go read the dialogue between Moses and God ... Moses argued with God until Moses finally relented and did what God asked of him. But it's going to require you to read chapters 3 and 4 ... not just pluck out a verse here or a verse there and then manipulate the verse(s) in an effort to align Scripture with your dogma.

You are to align your dogma to Scripture and where there is error ... let go of the error ... only hold on to the good ...

1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
.
3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
So Moses was curious.
What does that have to do with the fact that God used the burning bush to draw him near?
How does that give Moses credit for what took place?
If I saw a bush burning without being destroyed, I would be curious as well!
 
Scripture tells us why Moses turned aside:

Exodus 3:2-5

2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.


Moses didn't turn to God in faith ... Moses turned to see something that was quite unusual ... a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire.

Go read the dialogue between Moses and God ... Moses argued with God until Moses finally relented and did what God asked of him. But it's going to require you to read chapters 3 and 4 ... not just pluck out a verse here or a verse there and then manipulate the verse(s) in an effort to align Scripture with your dogma.

You are to align your dogma to Scripture and where there is error ... let go of the error ... only hold on to the good ...

1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
.
@Rufus banged out one verse of Exodus 4......and promptly fell flat on his face.

Somebody tell him that when the Bible says that God hardens a heart, it is a judgement of WALKING/TURNING AWAY and WITHHOLDING grace, truth and light.

It is reactionary.......for the most part.

The Bible indicates that both God and men are capable of doing it. But when God does it it is righteous. When we do it.....not so much
 
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3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
So Moses was curious.
What does that have to do with the fact that God used the burning bush to draw him near?
How does that give Moses credit for what took place?
If I saw a bush burning without being destroyed, I would be curious as well!
What does any of this have to do with super-determinism?
 
I asked the correct question ... it's hard to tell who @Magenta is referring to when she throws out her blanket allegations without specifying who she is referring to. If @Magenta is referring to anything I have stated concerning the gospel, I would like to have the opportunity to clear up any misunderstanding.


Psalm 15:1-3 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
.


LOL ...good luck with that, the dialogue on this thread is like talking in circles over and over again.
There is no scripture that will change it.
 
LOL ...good luck with that, the dialogue on this thread is like talking in circles over and over again.
There is no scripture that will change it.
Well, some people care to know.

Others don't care and don't know.....:cautious:
 
Well, some people care to know.

Others don't care and don't know.....:cautious:

Yes is true, some do care to know thankfully.

To persuade the "reformed crew" on the correct soteriology seems futile and wasted effort,
however to defend the correct biblical soteriology is important always, imho.

If we did not stand against their erroneous system, the impact of the true Gospel would be diminished over time and people would all be inert, waiting to be called out of the grave like Derek Webb.
 
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Even demons know that!


Which goes to show you. God does not have to make a person to be spiritual to get saved.
That is why the Gospel is not what 1 Corinthians 2:14 is referring to.

1 Corinthians 2:14 speaks of the doctrines that a regenerate is to learn to grow spiritually with.

But the person without the Spirit does not receive what comes from God’s Spirit, because
it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it, since it is evaluated spiritually.


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