Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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"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.
 
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Romans 8 verse 7a, Galatians 5 verse 17, John 1 verse 5, John 14 verse 17 ~ The mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. The flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. Darkness does not comprehend the Light. The world cannot receive the Spirit of Truth, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.
 
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rogerg said:
I guess that means you didn't understand my post or the verses included in it. That's okay, no need to keep going.
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I don't see the correlation to the Verses I used to the ones you added. If you like to show how they connect that would be something I would enjoy.
 
studier said:
Not determinism, but responsive, accountable, volitional faith in Christ — brought about by God's power of the gospel, the Spirit’s conviction, and God working with and through His fellow-workers.
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Does the work of the Spirit and word influence the will of the individual?
 
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The free will camp assumes, with no supporting text and contrary to many verses that evidence the opposite, that the man of flesh is free to choose, and will believe, that which he can neither receive nor comprehend, and to which he is inherently opposed, because his incurably wicked heart hates God, and hears the gospel as foolishness. There is simply no getting around the fact that this is the core of their belief, and it flies in the face of what Scripture actually teaches about the man of flesh who serves the law of sin which brings forth fruit unto death, blinded to
truth and under the power and influence of Satan. Praise the Lord if He has set you free!
 
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Cameron143 said:
All natural men hate it. What does this tell you about those who don't? What accounts for the difference
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They are all cut to the heart in both Biblical examples but only those who understood their need for God accepted God.
 
Jordon said:
i lad 😊

The Lord is good, great in fact

The marvelous ways in which he has us creating aromas these days are truly amazing.

He's works wonders

I've just had some amazing news today, which no one expected, I've just received notice that I've just had 60.000 pound of debt wrote of, such a relief to be debt free.

5 years of struggles is no more, and it was dew to go on for 4 more years,

I said a silent prayer a d asked if he could work his wonders,

We then Set a plan in place and to my astonishment 17 different creditors have agreed.

That's truly a miracle sir.
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What truly astonishing about this, was even my financial advisor said very really do Creditors favor compassion over debt in the world of business. And he said if just one of 17 creditors disagree it will ruled against you.

Normally when a person is left inheritance the immediate decision is to take all that money to pay some of the debt of, and then to keep on paying the debt of.

The decision made today was i could use my inheritance to pay some of the debt of and have the rest of the debt wrote off.

I was sat there talking with God for days about it, I was wondering is theres a chance that there hearts can be changed.

I could of gone the other way which was to think absolutely No way and think, there may be one or two, and the rest will think about there pocket.

But no I kept the faith, that just maybe The lord could touch there hearts.

It's a bit of lesson to be learned, that all thoughts are not true 😊

I could have sounded of about those thoughts but I've learned that lesson long ago.
 
lrs68 said:
You clearly didn't read what I posted and went directly to assumption.
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I did read your post, and if I jumped to an assumption in error, then I apologize.

You posted the following:
And if you submit by yielding yourself to God (accepting His Gift) He will Regenerate you and make Himself a place inside you [Temple].

I was simply stating that I do not believe that a person can accept the gift of God prior to regeneration. Perhaps you have it backwards!


AI Overview of Regeneration
Spiritual regeneration is a process of inner transformation and rebirth, where a person's spirit or inner self is renewed and brought to spiritual life after a state of spiritual death. In Christianity, this is achieved through the work of the Holy Spirit, leading to a new heart, mind, and will that trusts in God.
 
lrs68 said:
They are all cut to the heart in both Biblical examples but only those who understood their need for God accepted God.
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Right. What accounts for one group receiving the word and responding positively and the other negatively if the natural man is always hostile to God? What is the logical conclusion?
 
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