Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

[Jordon]

Agree. Human "free will" and volition are baked into the creation cake. I observe that animals also have free will within their own created domain, though sinless. Dogs, cats..... somebody tell me that they do not exhibit free will.

well until we can understand meow language and woof language, we will never truly know, how they feel about free will.

My guess is if you come across a dog that thinks they have free will, they may well be barking.

And for cat that may think this, it maybe the cat is pussy footing about.

I have a kitten that will pussy foot about for about for 2 minutes before it decides to sit down.

Maybe you could become pussy footer

Or maybe you become a dog who gets very excited when I offer to take you for a walk

 

[Magenta]

Yup and no matter how many times we repeat it, it falls on deaf ears.

1 Corinthians 1 v 20-25 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

 

[Magenta]

Yup and no matter how many times we repeat it, it falls on deaf ears.

They prefer to rewrite Scripture rather than accept what it actually says...

That is, when they are not busy contradicting and outright denying what it says.

 

[rogerg]

They prefer to rewrite Scripture rather than accept what it actually says...

Yup, and they do so quite overtly with no attempt at subtility - kind of like a magician who can't quite pull off the trick with
everyone seeing it.

 

[Magenta]

well until we can understand meow language and woof language, we will never truly know, how they feel about free will.

My guess is if you come across a dog that thinks they have free will, they may well be barking.

And for cat that may think this, it maybe the cat is pussy footing about.

I have a kitten that will pussy foot about for about for 2 minutes before it decides to sit down.

Maybe you could become pussy footer

Or maybe you become a dog who gets very excited when I offer to take you for a walk

Hello Jordon. Oh, have you noticed how the idolaters love to conflate the fact of volition with freedom?

Even though Scripture attests to the fact that man is a slave to sin, they claim he is free!

Even though Scripture attests to the fact that man is taken captive to the will of the devil?

Oh, yeah, that is what they call freedom. So strange!!!

"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.

 

[Genez]

"the first man, Adam"

in Corinthians includes both the generic term ((man)) and the specific nominative, Adam.


if your guy is right, Corinthians contains lies, so we must delete all of Paul's writings from the NT, and also Peter and Luke's because Peter affirmed Paul is scripture and Luke wrote based on the testimony of Peter.

You are not understanding it. Professor Ashby taught ancient languages and made it a point to say that the term used in Jeremiah was not the word usually used to associate with man as we know it, and normally use it. He made it a point to say it was used in a generic sense. We might say "humanoid."

 

[Rufus]

so you do not believe God's Word is a living / powerful Word? ...

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

wow ... sad ...
.

And you don't believe that the new heart promised in the unilateral New Covenant is required in order to believe? Or for that matter that the Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in applying the Word to human hearts?

Half truths never = the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

 

[Rufus]

Already addressed and de-Calvinized. As you well know.

Only inside your messy attic. The personal pronouns in Rom 12:3 do not equate to the whole world in the distributive sense.

 

[Genez]

They got a job to do.......

Obfuscate and confuse the issues so no one can know the truth.

Some people hate seeing happy homes.

 

[Rufus]

When people don't like what scripture says they'll go to extreme lengths to find something that agrees with them.

Ain't that the truth!? Studier did the same thing with Jer 13:23 several weeks ago because he didn't like the analogy or the rhetorical question in the text to which there is only one unequivocal answer. He so perverted the passage to make it into a metaphor whereby the Ethiopian and the leopard can learn to change themselves in the same way Israel supposed learned to do evil.

 

[BillyBob]

Agree. Human "free will" and volition are baked into the creation cake. I observe that animals also have free will within their own created domain, though sinless. Dogs, cats..... somebody tell me that they do not exhibit free will.

You read too many comic books!

 

[Genez]

They do what they condemn.
God decreed that they will.

Why?

So God can show them that they agree with Him when He condemns them for their actions.
He has it all wrapped up!

Let them do wrong!
They will do themselves in, in the end!

Best jury against yourself, is yourself!
God arranges for us to judge ourselves, so there will be no never ending appeal trials.

........

 

[Rufus]

pricked conscience as you know Rufus works for a person before there saved and after, it leads feeling guilty about ones actions, so it can be considered a form of enabling grace, especially in a religious context, because it signals a need for change and prompts spiritual growth. This prick can serve as a loving rebuke from God or others, guiding a person to overcome pride, acknowledge sin, and seek a path toward righteousness, which is enabled by God's strength and help.

Why else Rufus could a pricked conscience be a type of enabling grace
in the bible , a pricked conscience is often described as a gift from God.

The feeling of guilt or unease is meant to make you aware of a sin you are struggling with and to recognize that you need to change.

A pricked conscience can help a person overcome pride and be more receptive to God's guidance and the loving rebuke of others.

Grace, by definition, is an enabling power that helps the recipient to do or be what they otherwise could not. When a pricked conscience leads someone to turn away from sin and towards God, it acts as this enabling power, allowing them to achieve spiritual growth.

The "enabling grace" you speak of must be understood in the context of the unilateral, unconditional New Covenant promises. No effectual grace, no pricked conscience since this faculty, along with the other three, resides in the human heart.

 

[cv5]

No, I was spiritually oblivious to it - dead spiritually

Oh well.....looks like it's time to retrieve all of those earlier posts of yours indicating that you admit and agree to what I posted. Too busy with work maybe later. Not as if it matters much if you continually change your story and play your typical shell and pea distraction.

 

[cv5]

They got a job to do.......

Obfuscate and confuse the issues so no one can know the truth.

Yup. See the last few posts that @rogerg made. Not very artful dodging if you ask me.

 

[Rufus]

You read too many comic books!

Now, now...cut CV5 a little slack. He very likely has interviewed thousands of dogs and cats to get their opinion of themselves.

 

[Jordon]

Hello Jordon. Oh, have you noticed how the idolaters love to conflate the fact of volition with freedom?

Even though Scripture attests to the fact that man is a slave to sin, they claim he is free!

Even though Scripture attests to the fact that man is taken captive to the will of the devil?

Oh, yeah, that is what they call freedom. So strange!!!

"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.

yep it's getting a bit silly

Lol I think the best thing is to talk about having some doggy biscuits as a source of being saved

 

[rogerg]

Oh well.....looks like it's time to retrieve all of those earlier posts of yours indicating that you admit and agree to what I posted. Too busy with work maybe later. Not as if it matters much if you continually change your story and play your typical shell and pea distraction.

I agreed with you? Really? I think you must have me confused with someone else or you posted to the wrong person.
I don't recall ever agreeing with you on anything. I'd be interested to read what you have in mind.

 

[Jordon]

The "enabling grace" you speak of must be understood in the context of the unilateral, unconditional New Covenant promises. No effectual grace, no pricked conscience since this faculty, along with the other three, resides in the human heart.

Well it depends on whether you see enabling grace a one time act really, as in saved by grace.

So as I've pointed out enabling grace is God's power to help people decide also.

It can only be truly understood by exactly who is pricking the conscience, surely that has to God's word ?

 

[studier]

Agree. Human "free will" and volition are baked into the creation cake. I observe that animals also have free will within their own created domain, though sinless. Dogs, cats..... somebody tell me that they do not exhibit free will.

Cats mostly indicative of free will non-teachable independence. Dogs mostly indicative of free will teachability & commitment. @Rufus has 8 cats.