Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
I wish you’d listen to @Bible_Highlighter on this. But it’s your choice, and you’re freely chosen to believe what you want. I have no issue with Calvinists. It’s not them I have an issue with per se, it’s the system of Calvinism that I have issue with.

Does it bother you that they have a coordinated effort and even "five years plans" to infiltrate the seminaries and Evangelical Baptist churches with their false doctrine?
 
I believe Calvinism is not in line with God's goodness or character and or fair justice. It would be like a coast guard saving everyone on a lifeboat except for you and your family and when you ask him why he is not saving you and your family, he says.... “No reason, I just do not want to save you.” “You should be thankful that I am saving these other people.”

Calvinism is sort of like a dog owner who kicks his dog across the room like a football because it has an uncontrollable pooping problem (due to the fact that it is sick) whereby the dog squeezes out hot piles of steamy goodness on his master's white carpets. So instead of the master taking his dog to the vet and trying to help him, he just decides to kick the poor animal and to punish it. That's kind of how I see the god of Calvinism. For it is called UNconditional Election. Meaning, in Calvinism: God is not electing anyone based upon any conditions found within the individual. So God is simply creating many for the express purpose to be tortured for all eternity. That is their destiny that they cannot escape and God has chosen this only path for them. God wants many lives to suffer for all eternity and we should just be thankful that He saves a few when He has the power to save them all (But He simply doesn't). This does not sound like the loving God of the Bible. For John 3:16 says God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. 2 Peter 3:9 says God is not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance.

Somehow Calvinists take words like "all" and "world" and reinterpret them to refer to the few chosen Elect who are saved.
They do not believe the call of salvation is freely offered to everyone.


....

....

Yes those trapped in this miserable supposed soteriology want company and that is why there is "stealth" Calvinism... look it up.
 
Ducking out of your Calvinist belief system again are we?

Indeed, Calvinists betray their deep-seated shame in like manner often.

However, these persistent episodes of confusion, self-loathing, inner turmoil and bitterness can end. If you are WILLING to accept the fact that the gospel message is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes......☺️

This is so very true .... I am very convinced of the self-loathing and inner turmoil.


Romans 1:16

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Obviously Paul is asserting people are able to believe the Good News and nowhere in his work does he states belief is gifted after regeneration.
 
If we act fast, we can make this a really scary movie before Halloween!
only if you change how the apples being eaten in duck apple, to one being dropped on there head so they hopefully become like albert Einstein, blessed with intelligence.
 
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.

Reviewing the last few days on this thread it certainly seems like there is a very strong effort to suppress the truth of correct soteriology and a lot of panic, very disturbing!

Pys-ops is a good description.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cv5
nice tulip for you oh kind sister 😁


Together United loving in people

When it comes to real every day life, scripture instructs us to mark false teachers and stay away.
If you do this maybe you can escape the TULIP indoctrination you have suffered.

I hope you will, there must be evangelical non Reformed churches in your area.
 
However, these persistent episodes of confusion, self-loathing, inner turmoil and bitterness can end. If you are WILLING to accept the fact that the gospel message is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes......☺️

It's a simple thing to compare one's beliefs with these beliefs. If there's a match, simply abandon that belief as gnostic heresy.
  • The belief that they are the enlightened elect and spiritually perfect, who because of their spiritual nature can never be lost no matter what behavior they practice. Against Heresies Book 1 Chapter 6 Paragraph 2
  • The belief that grace can never be taken away from them because grace is their eternal possession joined to them in a mysterious union from above. Against Heresies Book 1 Chapter 6 Paragraph 4
  • The belief that it is impossible for physical man to do anything good. ibid
  • The belief that Christians who believe it is necessary to do good works are ignorant persons with a carnal nature and imperfect knowledge. ibid
  • The belief that it is not righteous conduct that leads into eternal life (Pleroma), but it is the seed of grace within them that is brought to perfection through the perfect knowledge of their spiritual nature. ibid
  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
 
It's a simple thing to compare one's beliefs with these beliefs. If there's a match, simply abandon that belief as gnostic heresy.
  • The belief that they are the enlightened elect and spiritually perfect, who because of their spiritual nature can never be lost no matter what behavior they practice. Against Heresies Book 1 Chapter 6 Paragraph 2
  • The belief that grace can never be taken away from them because grace is their eternal possession joined to them in a mysterious union from above. Against Heresies Book 1 Chapter 6 Paragraph 4
  • The belief that it is impossible for physical man to do anything good. ibid
  • The belief that Christians who believe it is necessary to do good works are ignorant persons with a carnal nature and imperfect knowledge. ibid
  • The belief that it is not righteous conduct that leads into eternal life (Pleroma), but it is the seed of grace within them that is brought to perfection through the perfect knowledge of their spiritual nature. ibid

  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
By this reasoning, nearly everyone here is gnostic.
 
When it comes to real every day life, scripture instructs us to mark false teachers and stay away.
If you do this maybe you can escape the TULIP indoctrination you have suffered.

I hope you will, there must be evangelical non Reformed churches in your area.
well at least I tried to make light of the situation m 🤩
 
This is so very true .... I am very convinced of the self-loathing and inner turmoil.


Romans 1:16

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Obviously Paul is asserting people are able to believe the Good News and nowhere in his work does he states belief is gifted after regeneration.
You are correct of course....

[Rom 10:8 NKJV]
But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):

[Rom 10:9 NKJV]
that ***if G1437*** you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

[Rom 10:10 NKJV]
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

********************************************************************************

that ifἐὰν
(ean)1437: if (a conditional particle used like NG1487, but usually with the Gr. subjunctive mood)contr. from ei and an

The Greek particle ἐάν (Strong's number 1437) is a conditional conjunction meaning "if" (often implying a more probable or expected condition than the simpler εἰ). It is typically followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood.

What is the subjunctive mood?

The subjunctive mood in Ancient Greek expresses:


  • Possibility, probability, or contingency (e.g., "if this should happen")
  • Exhortation or command (in 1st person: "let us...")
  • Purpose ("in order that...")
  • Doubt, deliberation, or future intention

It is not about stating facts (that's the indicative mood) but about what might, could, or should occur.

Example with ἐάν (1437):

ἐὰν ἀγαπᾶτέ με, τὰς ἐντολάς μου τηρήσετε. (John 14:15) "If you love me (and you might), you will keep my commandments."

  • ἐάν + ἀγαπᾶτε (present subjunctive) = ongoing possibility.
  • The subjunctive reflects a real but uncertain condition.

In short: ἐάν (1437) introduces a condition using the subjunctive to show something possible or expected, not definite. The subjunctive mood is the "mood of contingency" — what may or should happen, not what is happening.

***************************************************************************************************

One little lexical study and the Calvinists COULD be gathered under His wings and healed. But they are not WILLING.

Mat 23:37
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!