Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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DeanM said:
Calvinist view of scripture doesnt intrest me but thanks
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I am not a Calvinist. Tell me which of these Scripture verses you answer yes to. All?

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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?
 
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DeanM said:
view of scripture
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Which of these Scripture verses do you disagree with? All?

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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.
 
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Blain said:
Except he also said this ohn 6:44 where Jesus says, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him
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After the Lord Jesus Christ was raised up, the Father handed ALL THINGS to the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 3:35
The Father loves the Son and has entrusted all things to His hand.

John 5:20
For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.


John 12:32
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”
 
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rogerg said:
Oh my - not doing a thing for you these days? But in earlier days we did?
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I have been here quite a while, and the most STARTLING phenomenon that I notice as regards you and some/most/all of your crew is.....

ZERO growth, zero enhancement, zero progress, zero upgrades, zero advancement.
All of you remain flatliners. Its truly pathetic. You literally sound and say EXACTLY the same as 7 years ago.
Same goes for @Cameron143 . Its like he is in a Twilight Zone time loop perpetual rewind. Like word for word copy and paste for 7 long tedious years.

On the other hand, I have learned TREMENDOUS quantities Biblical truths that left me breathless, stunned, shocked, amazed and joyful.
But then again, I persisted in SEEKING these pearls and FINDING treasures hidden in fields by persistent merchandising and breaking new ground. Rather than malingering in brackish backwater congregations that were obviously going nowhere, in clueless soundbite dogmatism, in fake it whoops you won't make it Churches who wouldn't dare break tradition or set the slaves free.

For example, the devastating TRUTH about Genesis 3 first and foremost.
And more sundry truths such as: the skull of Gol of Gath (Goliath) was buried by David at a place called GOLGATHA aka "place of the skull".
And the ASTOUNDING truth of the record of 1 Kings 13, and its relationship to Genesis 3, Psalm 22, the first and second coming and so much more. The epic story of the Gibeonites. The TRUE MEANING of Psalm 22-23-24. And on it goes.

Of course, the HUNDREDS if not THOUSANDS of hours of non-stop PhD level lectures tend to enhance a person.
And to these commentators I owe and unpayable debt of gratitude.
The Lord is working mightily to save to this very present day never doubt it.
 
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cv5 said:
I have been here quite a while, and the most STARTLING phenomenon that I notice as regards you and some/most/all of your crew is.....

ZERO growth, zero enhancement, zero progress, zero upgrades, zero advancement.
All of you remain flatliners. Its truly pathetic. You literally sound and say EXACTLY the same as 7 years ago.
Same goes for @Cameron143 . Its like he is in a Twilight Zone time loop perpetual rewind. Like word for word copy and paste for 7 long tedious years.

On the other hand, I have learned TREMENDOUS quantities Biblical truths that left me breathless, stunned, shocked, amazed and joyful.
But then again, I persisted in SEEKING these pearls and FINDING treasures hidden in fields by persistent merchandising and breaking new ground. Rather than malingering in brackish backwater congregations that were obviously going nowhere, in clueless soundbite dogmatism, in fake it whoops you won't make it Churches who wouldn't dare break tradition or set the slaves free.

For example, the devastating TRUTH about Genesis 3 first and foremost.
And more sundry truths such as: the skull of Gol of Gath (Goliath) was buried by David at a place called GOLGATHA aka "place of the skull".
And the ASTOUNDING truth of the record of 1 Kings 13, and its relationship to Genesis 3, Psalm 22, the first and second coming and so much more. The epic story of the Gibeonites. The TRUE MEANING of Psalm 22-23-24. And on it goes.

Of course, the HUNDREDS if not THOUSANDS of hours of non-stop PhD level lectures tend to enhance a person.
And to these commentators I owe and unpayable debt of gratitude.
The Lord is working mightily to save to this very present day never doubt it.
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I haven't been here anywhere close to 7 years. And your behavior in the time I've been here has remained static. You are no more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, gentle, good, faithful, meek, or temperate than when I arrived. Since becoming like Christ is the goal, perhaps this should be concerning? Perhaps you are one of those who are always learning but never coming to the knowledge of truth?
 
Cameron143 said:
Can you show me where I mocked someone?
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as usual ... same 2 discussing fellow believers in Christ ...


Magenta said:
They only want to demolish what is plainly spoken to make it fit how they have been programmed to think.
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Cameron143 said:
They are bots too?
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Galatians 6:7-10 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
.
 
Blain said:
Just because you spiritually reject something doesn't mean you can spiritually accept something the bible is very clear the canral mind cannot and I mean cannot percieve the things of the spirit
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carnally minded christians are in the same boat ... feeding on the milk of the Word and remaining unmature ... behaving as revealed in the pages of this thread ... treating fellow brothers and sisters in Christ with contempt ... smh

Galatians 6:7-10 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

do you think only natural men "sow to the flesh" ??? ... born again believers who "sow to the flesh" reap the works of the flesh in their lives ... no fruit of the spirit ...
.
 
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reneweddaybyday said:
flesh is flesh whether it's the flesh of the believer or the flesh of the natural man ... dealing with carnal christians is the same as dealing with natural man.
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Never said otherwise. Again not the point I was making. The point I was making is that the natural man is always carnal.
 
reneweddaybyday said:
as usual ... same 2 discussing fellow believers in Christ ...









Galatians 6:7-10 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
.
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Learn to laugh.
 
cv5 said:
I have been here quite a while, and the most STARTLING phenomenon that I notice as regards you and some/most/all of your crew is.....

ZERO growth, zero enhancement, zero progress, zero upgrades, zero advancement.
All of you remain flatliners. Its truly pathetic. You literally sound and say EXACTLY the same as 7 years ago.
Same goes for @Cameron143 . Its like he is in a Twilight Zone time loop perpetual rewind. Like word for word copy and paste for 7 long tedious years.

On the other hand, I have learned TREMENDOUS quantities Biblical truths that left me breathless, stunned, shocked, amazed and joyful.
But then again, I persisted in SEEKING these pearls and FINDING treasures hidden in fields by persistent merchandising and breaking new ground. Rather than malingering in brackish backwater congregations that were obviously going nowhere, in clueless soundbite dogmatism, in fake it whoops you won't make it Churches who wouldn't dare break tradition or set the slaves free.

For example, the devastating TRUTH about Genesis 3 first and foremost.
And more sundry truths such as: the skull of Gol of Gath (Goliath) was buried by David at a place called GOLGATHA aka "place of the skull".
And the ASTOUNDING truth of the record of 1 Kings 13, and its relationship to Genesis 3, Psalm 22, the first and second coming and so much more. The epic story of the Gibeonites. The TRUE MEANING of Psalm 22-23-24. And on it goes.

Of course, the HUNDREDS if not THOUSANDS of hours of non-stop PhD level lectures tend to enhance a person.
And to these commentators I owe and unpayable debt of gratitude.
The Lord is working mightily to save to this very present day never doubt it.
Click to expand...
It's been a long time since I've encountered your particular mix of heresy and heterodoxy. Hopefully it'll be a long time before I see it again.
 
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cv5 said:
All of you remain flatliners. Its truly pathetic. You literally sound and say EXACTLY the same as 7 years ago.
Click to expand...

Well, yes, and that's a good thing because there's only one gospel and it is singular, simple and pure. Therefore, what is preached shouldn't need change. Its basis being that salvation is fully a free gift solely given by God's grace through Jesus Christ unto those who in no way deserve it, yet with no strings or requirements attached - nothing more nor less.
I'd be very worried were I you should I find continuing alterations/additions to fundamental doctrine being necessary, because by that change, you can never rest assured that you have received it all. Singleness, simplicity and unchanging nature, are indicative of having found truth.

[2Co 11:3-4 KJV]
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].
 
What's wrong @HeIsIndifferent? No one but you and your cronies have learned anything in 7 years? And you are all the aroma of Christ at this site?
 
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