Can We Really Exercise Free Will?
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He also decreed that Satan live. And that Pharaoh live.
Tell us how YOU define "decree".
Not at all. In fact I have never seen any record anywhere of anyone circumcising their own hearts,
or their ears for that matter, and have to wonder, what is even involved in the circumcision of ears?
It is so little talked about! Surely lrs can tell us how they circumcised their ears???
Since it was after all commanded.
What God determined will be... Will be.
God decreed that angels and man will have volition to choose about what is offered.
Setting your ad hominem and reframing aside, I’ve been clear: I reject determinism, and I affirm that Scripture presents fallen people as genuinely able to choose Christ when the gospel is proclaimed and the Spirit convicts.
Yes, while denying that nothing good lives in the flesh which serves the law of sin and brings forth fruit unto death.
The Spirit is required to receive and comprehend the spiritual things of God because the flesh rejects them, opposes them, cannot understand them devoid of the Spirit and is not going to agree when that person is incapable of obey or submitting to God.
According to Scripture, that is. According to those in the free will camp, the person Scripture says "cannot" they say, can.
John 14 v 17a, Romans 8 v 6-9 ~ “Inability” in Bible. The world cannot receive the Spirit of truth. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. Praise be to God for calling me out of the world.
Is not conviction an enablement? And isn't part of conviction giving understanding that once wasn't understood concerning their actions and estate before God?
I do not call it a fault when someone insists God raped Mary rather than admitting they were wrong about God asking Mary.
I call it blasphemy. Same person who insists God acting unilaterally makes Him an unjust tyrannical monster
kidnapping people against their free will. See how they idolize the will and exalt man above all.
Sometimes yes, sometimes this falls on deaf ears and sometimes it takes root in people's hearts just like the parable of the sower of seeds.
God uses us to speak he uses us to spread truth he uses us to make that change in peoples hearts but not all are able to receive it because they are not yet at the point where they can submit their lives to God
The rich young man claimed he did and Jesus didn't call him a liar so for some obeying the Law or enough of it was manageable to do.
Oh yeah I remember the whole rape thing that is indeed blaspheme and as for God being some kind of unjust tyranical monster well sometimes people have their views and nothing you say will change it no amount of scripture not even a prophetic word some would rather bite head and neck than admit they were wrong
The change has been made(way back in the garden).....Receive it or reject it. Life or death. Simple and straightforward.
Heb 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”
John 12:32
John 16:8
And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment:
God did something about our predicament. John 3:16, Acts 16:31.
More like their hearts are not in a state that can receive the Word of God in a way that is going to bring forth fruit. The stony ground of the unregenerated man's heart is not good ground for bringing forth faith, since it serves the law of sin and brings forth the opposite, fruit unto death. Jesus said it is impossible for a bad tree to bring forth good fruit and there are none good, which free willers also deny... the unregenerated man is not such a bad guy in their theology, Jesus was wrong according to them and the bulk of Scriptures also from beginning to end of the Bible which irrevocably show that man is not able to live up to God's standards. Bible explicitly states such people cannot submit to or obey God. Man's heart is incurably wicked and he cannot change it any more than a leopard can change its spots. That same person claims Jesus said those who choose to sin are slaves to sin, he was denying that Jesus said ALL who sin are slaves to sin, our resident heretic further claimed it was only "atheists" who choose to sin. How would you interpret such abominable renderings of Scripture? They certain do not accept Scripture as is. They rewrite other verses too, they including others, 1 Cor 2:14 is often rewritten by these heretics as you know.
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)
"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
See that's the thing that some are missing. One time me and the Lord were talking and he made the remark, many are called, and few are chosen and even fewer respond.../
We have a responsibility as Christian servants to work and to further the Lord's will. So we have the ability, to respond. (Response-ability).
The problem arises when some Christians stick to textbook Christianity. Bu, hello, we've moved past that and are studying relationship al now.
Are you a heretic? It is certainly a problem with heretics that they ignore much of what the Bible says, just like
you did. You ignored all the verses I gave which were many, and claimed I must be talking about something else!
Please answer these questions if you will; it may help us determine for sure whether or nor you are one.
Then when I actually do call you a heretic, we will know for sure it is a fact:
What Say You? ~ When Scripture says there are none good, does it mean some are good? When Scripture says we all fall short, does it mean there are some who meet God's standards? When Scripture says, "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..." Does it mean the natural man can understand the spiritual things of God? Does it mean he really can understand the gospel message even though it is heard as foolishness to him as Scriptures say? Is the natural man gifted with wisdom even though he has no fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom? Will the lover of darkness come into the light even though Scripture says he will not, because he suppresses the truth of God in unrighteousness and is actually defined as darkness itself, hates the light, and is a slave to sin, blinded to the truth and captive to the will of the devil, which many define as being free? Is the heart of the natural man, the stony ground which needs to be replaced, fit for receiving and growing the Seed of God's Word into faith? Will that incurably wicked heart choose of its own accord to believe? Will that bad tree bring forth the good fruit of faith even though Jesus said it was not possible?
Ok so it went over your head and you don't understand what I said. That was code talk for, this young girl can't ruin my day.
I mean, it was obviously an attack from you on me and for some reason you wanted to chew me out and ruin my day, lol! It was evident in your words.
Sorry to be blunt about it, I tried to pretty it up for you with a dab of compassion and in Brotherly love, like we're supposed to do. So if you want to chew out a man and feel superior, go do it to your husband if he would even marry you Lol!
So what what you think. Just another girl with an attitude. Thinks herself superior. Good luck with that chip sister.
Also @Edward429451 please tell us which of these Bible verses you disagree with.
Man’s heart is deceitful above all things and incurable (Jer 17 v 9), himself full of evil (Mark 7 v 21-23), loves darkness rather than light (John 3 v 19), cannot come to God on his own (John 6 v 44), does not seek for God (Rom 3 v 10-12), is helpless and ungodly (Rom 5 v 6), nothing good dwells in his flesh (Rom 7 v 18), is a slave of sin (Rom 6 v 20, John 8 v 34, 2 Tim 2 v 26), cannot receive spiritual things (1 Cor 2 v 14), is dead in his sins (Eph 2 v 1), is by nature a child of wrath (Eph 2 v 3), is at enmity with God (Eph 2 v 15), hostile to God and cannot submit to God's law (Rom 8 v 7), blinded by Satan (2 Cor 4 v 4), hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his evil deeds will be exposed (John 3 v 20). Therefore we rightfully conclude in accordance with the conditions described of the unregenerated man in Scripture that his inborn inclination is to reject God. Thanks be to God, Who appoints people to believe (Acts 13 v 48), chooses who is to be holy and blameless (Eph 1 v 4), predestines us to adoption (Eph 1 v 5), calls according to His purpose (2 Tim 1 v 9), chooses us for salvation (2 Thes 2 v 13), leads us to and grants us repentance (Rom 2 v 4, 2 Tim 2 v 24-25), grants the act of believing (Phil 1 v 29), works faith in the believer (John 6 v 28-29), causes us to be born again (1 Pet 1 v 3), born again not by our will, effort or desire but by His will and desire (John 1 v 12-13), grants that we come to Jesus (John 6 v 65), draws people to Himself (John 6 v 44), predestines us to salvation (Rom 8 v 29-30), and circumcises our heart (with the heart one believes [Rom 10 v 10]) as promised in Deut 30 v 6, all according to His purpose (Phil 2 v 13). The stony ground of man’s wicked heart is not good soil. A bad tree cannot bring forth good fruit. Jesus said so! (Matt 7 v 18 + 12 v 33; Luke 6 v 43). All this and more weighed against zero verses articulating the so-called “free will” of the natural man, which is a vain man-exalting philosophically based doctrine erroneously and egregiously elevated to Bible truth. Praise God and to His glory, what is impossible with man is possible with God.
Have a nice day lady. Go nag your husband.
You're not very nice so I don't like talking to you much. I'll pray for you though.
I see you are trying to ruin my day, but you fail.
Maybe when you are able to deal with Scriptures like a man we can talk some day.
Nope, that is just another false accusation from you. I was trying to discuss Scriptures
with you but you had zero desire to do that in preference to your idol of free will.
But I know better now who you are, thanks!