Can We Really Exercise Free Will?
- Thread starter LifelongLearner
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I agree. Mary was informed and what chance is there God was wrong in choosing her? I would say, zero.
Even the disciples who thought they had chosen to follow Christ, Jesus told them plainly,
"You did not choose me. I chose you."
But hush, you. These God's sovereignty haters can't stomach such truths.
John 15 verse 16 plus from 1 Peter 2 verse 9 ~ 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. You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a people to proclaim the virtues of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
So...when you talk so much about "the flesh", you're not talking about the skin hanging on your bones? If not what are you talking about then: our organs, tissue, tendons, muscles...what? Is our body more than these things?
Yes he knew her heart that is why she was told what was going to happen and not gicen a choice. And as for @cv5 well I think this whole thing about him is getting way out of hand and not just with him but I see people slandering each other and speaking unchristlike so I think we need to all calm down before we say something we will regret besides we are not to be acting this way as believers in Christ
Everyone lets just take a chill pill ok?
Well, you are getting there. Still won't call it divine enablement, but you described it to a T. You're halfway there.
I agree. Mary was informed and what chance is there God was wrong in choosing her? I would say, zero.
Even the disciples who thought they had chosen to follow Christ, Jesus told them plainly,
"You did not choose me. I chose you."
But hush, you. These God's sovereignty haters can't stomach such truths.
John 15 verse 16 plus from 1 Peter 2 verse 9 ~ 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. You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a people to proclaim the virtues of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light .
I wonder what Jesus' words did to the egos of his disciples? I wonder if they thought: "We ain't got no say in this?"
Or did they think Jesus was coercing them, manipulating them, forcing them to follow him? Or maybe there's a lost gospel still floating around out there in the ether that reveals that Jesus really did ask for their permission. 
The last 5 words were just for you. Belief > Life (incl new heart and spirit & God's Spirit).
Everyone is fine.
1 John 1:9 if you need it.
Mary was faced with a CHOICE. And she made it.
This is a fine example of the lengths reformed/calvie/tulip theology will go to protect their sacred unbiblical beliefs.
To the free willer Scripture does not mean what it says even when it is Jesus speaking, so yourI wonder what Jesus' words did to the egos of his disciples? I wonder if they thought: "We ain't got no say in this?"
guess is as good as mine as to how they would choose to bastardize what was plainly spoken.
But the whole of it fits quite nicely with, those given to Jesus by God will come to Him.
No ifs, ands, or buts, or even maybe you can decide not to.
Nah...don't let him fool you. He believes in his heart of hearts that the difference between believers' and unbelievers' choices with respect to the gospel lies with each individual. This "synergist" doesn't even give God an honorable mention with respect to this difference. Besides, it's only right that every human being have the right to choose their eternal destiny -- to be THE arbiter of their own destiny. So...in a real sense, Studier isn't a synergist because the buck stops with man...not God!
not so, Blain ...
John 16:7-9 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter [the Holy Spirit] will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
The Holy Spirit convicts unbelievers of sin. Because the unbeliever does not believe in Christ, the Holy Spirit convicts so that the unbeliever will turn to the Lord Jesus Christ when the gospel is preached to him or her. It is the Holy Spirit working within the one when the gospel is preached to the unbeliever, to reveal to the unbeliever the need to believe in Christ.
The Holy Spirit convicts unbelievers of righteousness. Because the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to the father and He is no longer present on earth, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to reveal Christ. John 15:26 tells us But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. The Holy Spirit works within faithful believers to preach the gospel to the unsaved.
The Holy Spirit convicts unbelievers concerning judgment because the prince of this world is judged. Beginning in Gen 3:15, Scripture tells us that satan is defeated. Those who reject the gospel align themselves with the defeated enemy of God and those who reject will share in satan's ultimate defeat. The Holy Spirit seeks to convict unbelievers of this truth so that when the gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe (Rom 1:16) is preached, the unbeliever can believe what he or she hears. Sadly, some suppress the truth in unrighteousness and they will be cast into the lake of fire if they do not believe prior to the end of their earthly life.
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God hates wicked people. “The LORD tests the righteous, but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.” (Psalm 11 v 5) He hates wicked people and detests their ways (Proverbs 1 v 9), their thoughts (Proverbs 15 v 26), their worship (Proverbs 15 v 8), their actions (Proverbs 6 v 16-19), all who do wrong/workers of iniquity (Psalm 5 v 5). He destroys those who tell lies and abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit (Psalm 5 v 6). He singles out as a special object of His hatred the blasphemous deeds of the Nicolaitans, those who seduced God’s people with idolatry and sexual immorality. “Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” (Revelation 2 v 6)
Nobody has said people cannot choose Christ, so this just looks like another misrepresentation, or else you
show you grossly misunderstand what the discussion is really about, or you are simply being dishonest, none
of which would surprise me. I do see this type of misrepresentation being bandied about as if it had any merit
but the fact of the matter is, the issue is, who can make that decision as opposed to who is unable to? Because
Scripture definitely posits that the unregenerated man is unable to submit to or obey God, and he actually hates
God, and is opposed to the spiritual things of God. Gosh. The list is long of how reprehensible that person is.
Do you deny it all??? You know, he refuses, REFUSES, to come into the light? You call that choosing to?