Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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Actually, it does help. You just demonstrated the utter duplicity to FWT! By claiming that all dead babies are saved, you just confessed that there are indeed at least two gospels -- one for the very little people and one for the older ones. You just admitted that Christ's work of atonement for the former deceased people was efficacious and that they were saved by that efficacy. Yet, no such efficacy exists for older people! But Paul tells us that there's only one gospel -- not multiple gospels. But many in the Reformed Tradition (myself included) do believe, as you do regarding children. But the major difference is we do believe that because we also believe that Christ's atonement was just as efficacious for the rest of God's elect, as well, since God knew in eternity and predestined his elect in Chirst! There are numerous explicit scriptures that limits the efficacy of the atonement to specific kinds of people, e.g. sheep, friends, Church, God's Old Covenant people, etc.

Moreover, the phrase "little children" is found in the NT at least 10 times, depending on translation; and each time it refers to adult believers! But you don't consider yourself to be a small, helpless, weak, vulnerable little child in God's eyes, do you? You consider yourself to be among the wise and intelligent

Even the 2Sam 12 passage you quote pertains to and is limited to God's covenant people. Clearly, David saw himself and his child as belonging to God! This is why the king was so confident that he would one day be reunited with his son and see him.

Also, you appear to be oblivious to your own argument. How was it just of God to take the life of David's son since you unwittingly claim that no sin was imputed to the child because there was no law of which he was aware? On what judicial basis, then, did God cut the "sinless" baby off from the land of the living? After all, the penalty for sin is DEATH, is not? God clearly violated his own edict!

And where in scripture does it teach that sin merely affects human beings physically!? Isa 1:5-6 makes it abundantly clear that there is no spiritual soundness in the entire human being -- body, soul, spirit, heart, mind, conscience, passions, etc. -- that man's righteousness is like filthy rags (Isa 64:6)! Or again...that a little leaven (sin) leavens (corrupts) the entire lump -- not just part of it (1Cor 5:6; Gal 5:9). Or that fresh water and salt water cannot flow from the same spring (Jas 3:11). Or again wherein Paul confessed that was no good thing in his sin nature (Rom 7:18). And for your info, babies have natures -- it's called a human nature.

And finally, you ignore the fact that Jesus said in the most unqualified terms possible that no human being is good, which means babies come into this world with sinful natures (Mk 10:18). Jesus made no exceptions for little kids!
It is often people who wish to emotionally manipulate others that bring babies into the conversation.

Emotional manipulation uses devious tactics to exploit and control another person's
emotions for personal gain, and can be part of a larger pattern of emotional abuse.
 
A man who seems to have departed Christian Chat for some unknown reason, a man I had some respect
for, a man I asked feedback from regarding a panel I was working on at the time, when asked if he thought
the woman in my panel was appropriate, he told me that he never even looked at the women in my panels,
as he was always only focused on the Scripture verses the panels carried. This to me is very telling of the
men who focus largely on the women in the panels, and very much highlights the fact that the problem
is not with the panels, as even the witch hunter admitted, but with where the men put their attention.
 
True belief is given by only God; it is not produced by man. I've also posted that to you before

[Phl 1:29 KJV] 29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Already thoroughly de-Calvinized. Many times.
I take it that you were slumbering through that lesson?
 
A man who seems to have departed Christian Chat for some unknown reason, a man I had some respect
for, a man I asked feedback from regarding a panel I was working on at the time, when asked if he thought
the woman in my panel was appropriate, he told me that he never even looked at the women in my panels,
as he was always only focused on the Scripture verses the panels carried. This to me is very telling of the
men who focus largely on the women in the panels, and very much highlights the fact that the problem
is not with the panels, as even the witch hunter admitted, but with where the men put their attention.
Really? So why bother putting these bejeweled and cossetted portraits of ladies in the chatroom to begin with?
Seems......bizarre to me. Off-putting to say the least.....:cautious:
 
Really? So why bother putting these bejeweled and cossetted portraits of ladies in the chatroom to begin with?
Seems......bizarre to me. Off-putting to say the least.....:cautious:
Not surprising given the level of hatred you show. And you missed the point. Typical.
 
Not surprising given the level of hatred you show. And you missed the point. Typical.
OK how does this sound:
Nobody really wants them or needs them other than yourself and a couple of glee club members.
 
It is often people who wish to emotionally manipulate others that bring babies into the conversation.

Emotional manipulation uses devious tactics to exploit and control another person's
emotions for personal gain, and can be part of a larger pattern of emotional abuse.

But when it comes to hard, biblical and logical facts the evil manipulators run for the hills. They have no answers.
 
If the above is believed to be true, would it be unfair of God to bless some with His Spirit and withhold the Spirit from others?
I spent about five minutes typing an answer to this, and ten finding all the right passages to cite :geek:

God is obligated to no one. In Adam we sinned and are by nature children of wrath. If God were to leave all mankind to perish, He would be just. Out of His love and mercy and for His glory, from eternity, He chose in Christ. For them, and them, Christ died; for them the Spirit is sent for salvation. That the Spirit does not work in others is not unfair but the counsel of God’s will, ‘He hath mercy on whom He will have mercy.’ Faith itself is the Spirit’s gift, not the natural ability of man. Salvation, from beginning to end, is of the Lord.

Scriptural References
Spiritual Death and Inability
God's Sovereign Grace
The Spirit and Faith
 
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But when it comes to hard, biblical and logical facts the evil manipulators run for the hills. They have no answers.
Not only that, they will demand answers from you while refusing to answer your questions, then pretend they never saw
you questions when they have been put to them multiple times. They are devious devils attempting to deceive the unwary.


They also pretend you have not answered questions you have, and they responded to, then demand
you show them where this happened. They seek to draw you into pointless pursuits with them.


Very much like troll behaviour. But they want you to believe they are mister nice guy.
 
Regeneration never precedes personal initial saving faith in scripture.

You biblical method of interpretation is one of insinuation onto passages an yet there are clear passages which show your insinuation to be false.

This being one and there are many more!!!


Ephesians 1:13

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit…”

Does not state gifted belief or given belief by God!

No regeneration prior to belief.

Your soteriology is false.

Okay...so you're adverse to the term "regeneration'. Fine. What about effectual saving grace instead that precedes faith? Cornelius had this New Covenant promised grace in his soul before he was saved.
 
Not only that, they will demand answers from you while refusing to answer your questions, then pretend they never saw
you questions when they have been put to them multiple times. They are devious devils attempting to deceive the unwary.


They also pretend you have not answered questions you have, and they responded to, then demand
you show them where this happened. They seek to draw you into pointless pursuits with them.


Very much like troll behaviour.

The manipulators take after their spiritual father who manipulated Eve into believing his lie.
 
True belief is given by only God; it is not produced by man. I've also posted that to you before

[Phl 1:29 KJV] 29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Wow! "Given" as in the way a gift is? Just the way the Gentiles were granted by God to believe the gospel?
 
You lose. Again. Enjoy your tough bananas.....:sneaky:

Oh, and you aren't making any sense either, the standard Calvinist calling card.

So in your world there is ZERO difference between Adam and his fallen progeny? :rolleyes:

You really do flatter yourself quite a bit, don't you? You have a true love affair with SELF and your contrived worldly wisdom.