Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

[Jordon]

Suppose you found an ad in the paper that went out to everyone. The ad said “Hi! If you’re reading this ad, you have been called to receive a free prize on Friday. All you need to do from now until then is highlight the ad with a red highlighter, then come to the local mall at two o’clock with the ad highlighted in red. At 2:05, a bell will sound alerting the workers to give the prize. You will receive the prize due to meeting the call and its conditions in the ad.”

Now here’s the question: What was chosen/predestined?

Was it all the people who showed up at the mall?

Or was it the ad and its conditions, as well as the prize?

Clearly, what was chosen/predestined was the “plan”. The plan of how to receive the free prize, neither of which was deserved or earned. That was by grace. The result of meeting the conditions was the free prize. Both was not of works. It was based on grace. The “ad” describing how to receive the prize went out to everyone, but only those who “answered” the ad received the prize.

The plan (the ad and its conditions) and the result (receiving the prize) was foreknown, predestined, and ordained by the mall. The mall did not predestine or ordain man’s response to the call/plan/ad. The people at the mall foreknew not all would come, but they left it up to all to make their choice. Their foreknowledge did not cause anyone to come or not come. The plan and result was fixed before anyone responded.

Just as the mall predestined what would happen to whoever showed up, God predestined what would happen to whoever is in Christ—they will be adopted, justified, conformed, and glorified. And that’s the way it is with the gospel plan of salvation. God gave us the way to be saved through Jesus and the gospel. The gospel call goes out to and is for everyone (Rms. 1:16). The way to be saved through Christ (obedience to the gospel call and following Him, Acts 2:38-39; 2 Thess. 2:14; Heb. 5:9; Jn. 10:27-28) and the result (promise of salvation, eternal life, the eternal inheritance) is what has been foreknown, predestined, ordained (Eph. 1:11; 1 Peter 1:1-5; Titus 1:1-2). Man’s response, however, was not. God did not predestine, ordain or predetermine man’s response to the gospel. He left that up to man to decide (2 Tim. 2:21-22). God foreknew not everyone would come to Jesus to be saved (Mt. 7:21), so many are called by the gospel denote all kinds of people and ethnicity: Jew/Gentile, rich, poor, male, female slave, free (Acts 2:17-18; Gal. 3:28). But because not everyone chooses to answer the gospel call (2 Thess. 2:14; Acts 2:39 that is for all humanity (Mk. 16:15) few are chosen.

For those who have answered and responded to the gospel call of salvation, it has been foreknown and predestined that those who done so would be conformed to the image of His Son, as well as justified, and glorified. Those who are called were called by the gospel, and those who He called are Christians/the church/the body of believers. He has predestined, elected and conformed the church to be the image of His Son, as the church is the fulness of Jesus (Eph. 1:23). The result of being a Christian is what was elected/foreknown/predestined, which is adoption as sons by Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:5). The result of answering the call to be the chosen in God’s elect—Jesus (1 Peter 2:6; Isaiah 42:1) is to be holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph. 1:4).

Matthew 22:14

King James Version



14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

 

[Me_Clay]

So:

John 1:13, "children born not of natural descent [from human parents], nor of human decision [let's try for a baby] or a husband's will [let's have sex], but born of God [baptized with the HS per v.33]".

John 3:5-6, "unless a man is born of water [which exits the womb at birth] and the Spirit [by believing in the Son per v.15], he cannot enter the kingdom of God [have eternal life per v.16]; flesh gives birth to flesh [via DNA], but the Spirit gives birth to spirit [via faith in GW per v.18-21]".

I really dont understand what're saying?

 

[Genez]

That's unbiblical view

You did not know about the controlling ministry of the Holy Spirit?
Controlling our flesh so we can walk in the Spirit?

 

[Me_Clay]

You did not know about the controlling ministry of the Holy Spirit?
Controlling our flesh so we can walk in the Spirit?

With reference to his quote:
John 1:13, "children born not of natural descent [from human parents], nor of human decision [let's try for a baby] or a husband's will [let's have sex], but born of God [baptized with the HS per v.33]".

Did John or the bible say anything about "sex?"

The whole scriptures have been changed or wine mixed with water.

 

[Rufus]

@Rufus : I can't explain it.

Well...I do appreciate your honesty and humility by admitting that. There are many deep things of God that I don't grasp or at least understand fully.

 

[Rufus]

Does man reap what he sow?

Yup.

 

[Genez]

Matthew 22:14

King James Version



14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

The called?
Those are saved people.

And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; ​

those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:30​

And?

Out all of those whom He saved?
Only few have been chosen to reign with Him.
To reign because they were faithful to fully mature in Christ.

Many of the called not chosen are the ones who never reached spiritual maturity.
But they will remain being saved just the same!
We can not lose our salvation.


..............

 

[Me_Clay]

Yup.

My next question is what free will are we talking about here?

 

[Rufus]

GRACE

So, God is gracious to Himself, since he's in bondage to his nature?

And besides, Grace is given only to the humble, remember? And it's only given to Abraham's descendants. It's only given to God's covenant people.

Get busy and scour the bible for texts that say God gives grace to the wicked.

 

[Genez]

In the last few verses of the Bible when it states "and if any man take away from the words of the book of this prophecy God shall take away his part out of the book of life."

You can not be taken out of a book you were never in. And you cannot be in that book unless you were saved.

So while no power, principally, man, angel or government can take you out of that book or out of Jesus hand. God who put you in there can. Not only does his inspired word state that it also gives a reason why he would do that.

It goes completely against the P in that acronym in my opinion. When it says "God shall take away"... it is saying He put you in there He can take you out.

Only if He can undie for our sins.
For it would be some sin he would take us out for.

Or, did God forget some sin to pour upon Jesus?

 

[Rufus]

The called?
Those are saved people.

And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; ​

those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:30​

And?

Out all of those whom He saved?
Only few have been chosen to reign with Him.
To reign because they were faithful to fully mature in Christ.

Many of the called not chosen are the ones who never reached spiritual maturity.
But they will remain being saved just the same!
We can not lose our salvation.


..............

So...Jesus made a contrast between two different groups of people and noted with the "but" that separates both groups. And you're saying both groups are saved? So, what is the point to Jesus' words if both groups are exactly the same.

Try reading the Parable of the Banquet in Lk 14 someday.

 

[Genez]

I agree with this m

Aww I'm sorry I have you all wrong I've been reading your posts.

Why do you add the "m"?

"I agree with this m"

 

[Jordon]

Why do you add the "m"?

"I agree with this m"

abbreviation for mate

 

[Genez]

With reference to his quote:
John 1:13, "children born not of natural descent [from human parents], nor of human decision [let's try for a baby] or a husband's will [let's have sex], but born of God [baptized with the HS per v.33]".

Did John or the bible say anything about "sex?"

The whole scriptures have been changed or wine mixed with water.

Sex? Where was sex even mentioned?

 

[Me_Clay]

Sex? Where was sex even mentioned?

Read his post again

 

[Rufus]

Jackson129 said:


For God so loved the world... probably a few sinners in the world just my guess. Plus let's not forget every single one of us in this room is a sinner. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So yes he loves people even those who are sinners otherwise he would hate every single human there ever was. And no one would be saved

That's a downright lame statement. God has been loving his chosen ones in Christ for all eternity and the grace given to them by God was in eternity!

 

[Genez]

abbreviation for mate

No one uses it stateside.
It can get confusing to us like thinking your pinky keeps accidently tapping the m before posting.

Got that, mate?

 

[Me_Clay]

So, God is gracious to Himself, since he's in bondage to his nature?

And besides, Grace is given only to the humble, remember? And it's only given to Abraham's descendants. It's only given to God's covenant people.

Get busy and scour the bible for texts that say God gives grace to the wicked.

Not really, grace is a free gift from God

Ephesians 2:8

Please dont bother to reply this post.

 

[Rufus]

Again... Evil is not the same thing as sin. Though sins can be evil.

Show us one verse where is says Jesus died for evil and you might have something.

Every evil person is a sinner.
But, not every sinner is evil.

So every sinner who is not evil must be good, right? There's such an animal out there as good sinners.

 

[Genez]

Read his post again

There are too many posts. And who is this "his"?

Go to the number in the upper right hand corner of that post, and right click it.
You will see - Copy link address.
Copy it, and then paste it in your post to me, so I can look it up.

thanks...