Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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Kroogz said:
Acts 16
30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32And they spoke the word of God to him together with all who were in his house.
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you've still left the part out that there saved in his living hope m.
 
cv5 said:
Time for you to matriculate and do your own homework little buddy....😌🫡
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:rolleyes: Guess you were caught adding to Scripture again. We are told that His word is sufficient.
I enjoy reading other's thoughts on a particular passage. This allows you to examine it and see if you agree or disagree. But what you stated concerning the Gulf of Aqaba is nowhere mentioned. It is adding to His word. Therefore, I think that I will wait for them to revise the NKJ!
 
NightTwister said:
I've never read John Calvin's works, so I can confidently say I don't believe in the teachings of John Calvin. I believe what the Bible teaches, and if some of that happens to be similar to what John Calvin taught, it is a coincidence.

No I didn't. I've never read John Calvin's teachings.
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You can find the five points of TULIP from Calvinism in the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF):
  1. Total Depravity
    WCF Chapter 6 (“Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof”)
    It teaches that through Adam’s fall, all mankind became “dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body,” making man “utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil.”
    → Corresponds to Total Depravity.
  2. Unconditional Election
    WCF Chapter 3 (“Of God’s Eternal Decree”)
    It states that God chose certain individuals unto eternal life “without any foresight of faith, or good works… or any other thing in the creature as conditions.”
    → Corresponds to Unconditional Election.
  3. Limited (Particular) Atonement
    WCF Chapter 10, Section 3:
    “The quote here in the Westminster Confession states ‘Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth.’ This wording explicitly implies there are infants who are not Elect, since only the ‘elect infants’ are described as regenerated and saved by Christ.”
    → Corresponds to Limited Atonement and highlights that the atonement is definite and effective for the elect, including elect infants.
  4. Irresistible Grace
    WCF Chapter 10 (“Of Effectual Calling”)
    It says God “effectually calls” those He has predestined to life, “enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God,” and that this calling “is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man.”
    → Corresponds to Irresistible Grace.
  5. Perseverance of the Saints
    WCF Chapter 17 (“Of the Perseverance of the Saints”)
    Those whom God has accepted in Christ “can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end.”
    → Corresponds to Perseverance of the Saints.

In other words, The WCF reflects the theological consensus of international Calvinism in the mid-17th century, incorporating Reformed doctrines such as predestination, the sovereignty of God, covenant theology, and the doctrines traditionally ascribed to John Calvin and other continental Reformers. So if you adhere to the WCF, you are adhering to John Calvin’s teachings.



…..
 
Cameron143 said:
If God gives an individual a new heart, is that gnosis?
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Huh? You sure sound all mixed up there little buddy.

In fact this "new heart" is that which is graciously bequeathed to those who, of their own free will, consent (after being informed of the glorious divine auspices of the Bridegroom and then believing Him) to enter into that covenant of promise, by declaring from the heart "I DO" in faith.
 
cv5 said:
This is well known standardized Reformed/super-determinist gameplay sir.
Stick around here a while and you will encounter many more of these kinds of disturbing and unseemly psy-ops.

Truth MUST be avoided at all costs is the basic premise.
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I cannot say for sure, but the Lord knows his heart and thoughts.
I will leave it up to the Lord.
But I have heard the stories of churches being taken over secretly by Calvinists before.

Source:
A pro-Calvinist site that admits to this deception:
https://founders.org/articles/dishonest-calvinists-and-the-call-for-integrity/
Anti-Calviist site:
https://anticalvinistrant.blogspot.com/2021/05/when-calvinism-infiltrates-your-church.html



....
 
Bible_Highlighter said:
You can find the five points of TULIP from Calvinism in the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF):
  1. Total Depravity
    WCF Chapter 6 (“Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof”)
    It teaches that through Adam’s fall, all mankind became “dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body,” making man “utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil.”
    → Corresponds to Total Depravity.
  2. Unconditional Election
    WCF Chapter 3 (“Of God’s Eternal Decree”)
    It states that God chose certain individuals unto eternal life “without any foresight of faith, or good works… or any other thing in the creature as conditions.”
    → Corresponds to Unconditional Election.
  3. Limited (Particular) Atonement
    WCF Chapter 10, Section 3:
    “The quote here in the Westminster Confession states ‘Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth.’ This wording explicitly implies there are infants who are not Elect, since only the ‘elect infants’ are described as regenerated and saved by Christ.”
    → Corresponds to Limited Atonement and highlights that the atonement is definite and effective for the elect, including elect infants.
  4. Irresistible Grace
    WCF Chapter 10 (“Of Effectual Calling”)
    It says God “effectually calls” those He has predestined to life, “enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God,” and that this calling “is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man.”
    → Corresponds to Irresistible Grace.
  5. Perseverance of the Saints
    WCF Chapter 17 (“Of the Perseverance of the Saints”)
    Those whom God has accepted in Christ “can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end.”
    → Corresponds to Perseverance of the Saints.

In other words, The WCF reflects the theological consensus of international Calvinism in the mid-17th century, incorporating Reformed doctrines such as predestination, the sovereignty of God, covenant theology, and the doctrines traditionally ascribed to John Calvin and other continental Reformers. So if you adhere to the WCF, you are adhering to John Calvin’s teachings.



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this is just your view,

Unconditional election is God knowing your whole life ?

So you get chosen to be saved before your born.

It's cited in scripture, Paul was called by grace in his mother's womb.

And set apart for the day he would be filled with irresistible grace the filling of the holy spirit.

Nothing wrong with perseverance of the saints

Nothing wrong with total depravity either.

If you think limited atonement just means that for infants then your wrong John Calvin was a caring person.
 
Bible_Highlighter said:
You can find the five points of TULIP from Calvinism in the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF):
  1. Total Depravity
    WCF Chapter 6 (“Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof”)
    It teaches that through Adam’s fall, all mankind became “dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body,” making man “utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil.”
    → Corresponds to Total Depravity.
  2. Unconditional Election
    WCF Chapter 3 (“Of God’s Eternal Decree”)
    It states that God chose certain individuals unto eternal life “without any foresight of faith, or good works… or any other thing in the creature as conditions.”
    → Corresponds to Unconditional Election.
  3. Limited (Particular) Atonement
    WCF Chapter 10, Section 3:
    “The quote here in the Westminster Confession states ‘Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth.’ This wording explicitly implies there are infants who are not Elect, since only the ‘elect infants’ are described as regenerated and saved by Christ.”
    → Corresponds to Limited Atonement and highlights that the atonement is definite and effective for the elect, including elect infants.
  4. Irresistible Grace
    WCF Chapter 10 (“Of Effectual Calling”)
    It says God “effectually calls” those He has predestined to life, “enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God,” and that this calling “is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man.”
    → Corresponds to Irresistible Grace.
  5. Perseverance of the Saints
    WCF Chapter 17 (“Of the Perseverance of the Saints”)
    Those whom God has accepted in Christ “can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end.”
    → Corresponds to Perseverance of the Saints.

In other words, The WCF reflects the theological consensus of international Calvinism in the mid-17th century, incorporating Reformed doctrines such as predestination, the sovereignty of God, covenant theology, and the doctrines traditionally ascribed to John Calvin and other continental Reformers. So if you adhere to the WCF, you are adhering to John Calvin’s teachings.



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Poor @NightTwister buddy. Evidently he was duped into becoming a card-carrying Calvinist and didn't even know it ......🥲
 
cv5 said:
Huh? You sure sound all mixed up there little buddy.

In fact this "new heart" is that which is graciously bequeathed to those who, of their own free will, consent (after being informed of the glorious divine auspices of the Bridegroom and then believing Him) to enter into that covenant of promise, by declaring from the heart "I DO" in faith.
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Why would they need a new heart if they can obey the command to believe and believe on their own?
 
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Bible_Highlighter said:
You can find the five points of TULIP from Calvinism in the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF):
  1. Total Depravity
  2. Unconditional Election
  3. Limited (Particular) Atonement
  4. Irresistible Grace
  5. Perseverance of the Saints
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  1. Total Depravity - Gnostics believed it was impossible for anything of the material world to do anything spiritual or good
  2. Unconditional Election - Gnostics believed they were the elect who had been predestined to salvation through gnosis
  3. Limited (Particular) Atonement - Gnostics believed only the elect were given gnosis
  4. Irresistible Grace - Gnostics believed they were given a special grace that was perfected by practicing gnosis, whereas a temporary grace was given to ignorant Christians so they could do good works
  5. Perseverance of the Saints - Gnostics believed they could never be lost no matter what they did because they were spiritual by nature
 
Bible_Highlighter said:
I cannot say for sure, but the Lord knows his heart and thoughts.
I will leave it up to the Lord.
But I have heard the stories of churches being taken over secretly by Calvinists before.

Source:
A pro-Calvinist site that admits to this deception:
https://founders.org/articles/dishonest-calvinists-and-the-call-for-integrity/
Anti-Calviist site:
https://anticalvinistrant.blogspot.com/2021/05/when-calvinism-infiltrates-your-church.html



....
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The non-Calvinist/reformed folks seem to follow what is going on in the reformed arena more so than the actual reformed people. Could it be that they secretly want to join a reformed church? If so, I can list a few for your consideration.
 
Cameron143 said:
What is the spirit of truth?
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The spirit of God

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: John 15:26​
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Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16:13​
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This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 1 John 5:6​
 
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