Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. You are chosen to proclaim the virtues of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. My soul will exult in my God, for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness. Plus Isaiah 61 verse 10
 
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"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
 
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Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." John 8 v 34 Not, only those who choose to sin or only atheists. Everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Romans 3 v 23 - all have sinned...
 
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John 3 v 20-21 ~ Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.
 
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John 8 verses 43, 47, Acts 13 verse 48, Romans 8 verse 8, John 8 verse 43 “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.” “Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.
 
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Matthew 7 v 17-18, Luke 6 v 4a and from John 15 v 4-5 ~ Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine and you are the branches. Apart from Me you can do nothing.
 
Cameron143 said:
If the power was inherent, it would necessarily be experienced by all. The truth is that when God's word goes forth, it always accomplishes what it is sent forth to accomplish. This being the case, when someone is saved as a result of sending forth the word, this was God's purpose. When it doesn't, God's purpose couldn't have been salvation.
So in the first case, the power of God was indeed exercised because the outcome is belief. In the second case, are you suggesting God exercised His power so the individual wouldn't believe?

Back to the drawing board.
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False dilemma. There's another option: God desires all to be saved. The gospel is His power toward salvation. All who hear the gospel encounter that power. Some believe and receive its saving effect. Others refuse to believe and reject its benefit. But His power toward salvation remains present and active in every hearing.

Rom1:16 The gospel is the power of God toward salvation, benefiting everyone who is believing, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
 
Cameron143 said:
Depends on what their answers are. But regardless of how they answer, they will still run up against the truth of scripture. Do you have an answer to my question?
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I haven't been engaged in the conversation for a week or so. This is what is see about the last few pages.

Every word in the Bible is from God. So you ask a loaded question. The discussion i could see was about how preaching comes from God. In the real world some yes some no. You site a preaching from the Bible knowing it is one case that comes from God or it wouldn't be in the Bible. Its like when the pharisee asked Jesus on whos authority he taught those things. It was a loaded question so He in turn asked them a loaded question. Neither one of them ended up awnsering it. Thats my opinion on the question you asked.
 
studier said:
False dilemma. There's another option: God desires all to be saved. The gospel is His power toward salvation. All who hear the gospel encounter that power. Some believe and receive its saving effect. Others refuse to believe and reject its benefit. But His power toward salvation remains present and active in every hearing.

Rom1:16 The gospel is the power of God toward salvation, benefiting everyone who is believing, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
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Is the preaching of Stephen in Acts 7 an example of the word of God going forth?
 
Jackson129 said:
I haven't been engaged in the conversation for a week or so. This is what is see about the last few pages.

Every word in the Bible is from God. So you ask a loaded question. The discussion i could see was about how preaching comes from God. In the real world some yes some no. You site a preaching from the Bible knowing it is one case that comes from God or it wouldn't be in the Bible. Its like when the pharisee asked Jesus on whos authority he taught those things. It was a loaded question so He in turn asked them a loaded question. Neither one of them ended up awnsering it. Thats my opinion on the question you asked.
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Fair enough. So since it was the word of God going forth, and since the purpose of God is always accomplished when His word goes forth, what was God's purpose in sending Stephen to preach that day?
 
Cameron143 said:
Fair enough. So since it was the word of God going forth, and since the purpose of God is always accomplished when His word goes forth, what was God's purpose in sending Stephen to preach that day?
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To convict those people listening to him?
 
studier said:
False dilemma. There's another option: God desires all to be saved. The gospel is His power toward salvation. All who hear the gospel encounter that power. Some believe and receive its saving effect. Others refuse to believe and reject its benefit. But His power toward salvation remains present and active in every hearing.

Rom1:16 The gospel is the power of God toward salvation, benefiting everyone who is believing, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
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You also changed the meaning by employing the word toward instead of unto. Unto has the connotation of fulfillment, which maintains the actual meaning of the verse. The power of God is exercised and the result is belief.
 
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