Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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Unbelief is the state of not believing, often meaning a lack of faith, skepticism, or outright rejection of known truth, especially concerning religious or divine matters, involving a spiritual condition of distrust or refusal to accept God's promises and revelation, rather than just intellectual doubt. It's often seen as a willful turning away from known truth, stemming from a heart issue, disobedience, or a preference for one's own way.

Key Aspects of Unbelief:
  • Rejection of Truth: It's not just not knowing; it's knowing or witnessing something (like God's power or love) and actively refusing to accept or act upon it.
  • Spiritual Condition: It's described as a state of the heart and spirit, affecting one's relationship with God, not just a matter of the head.
  • Infidelity/Disobedience: In religious contexts, it's synonymous with infidelity, a turning away from God, and disobedience to His commands, leading to a darkened understanding.
  • Root of Sin: Many traditions view unbelief as the root of other sins, stemming from a distrust in God's goodness, as seen in the biblical story of Adam and Eve.
  • Not Just Disbelief: While similar, some differentiate unbelief from simple disbelief (not believing something exists) by defining unbelief as the rejection of something known to be true.

In simple terms:
  • Webster's Dictionary: Incredulity, infidelity, or weak faith.
  • Biblical View: A hardened heart that rejects God's known truth and promises, leading to a spiritual bondage.
  • Modern Definition: A lack of belief or skepticism, particularly in religious or doctrinal matters.
https://www.google.com/search?q=ai+...uAeZBMIHBTMtMi4yyAdXgAgA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp
 
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BillyBob said:
Being saved by Grace will forever mean as a gift from God which is unearned so that none may boast. God does not require faith, trust, belief or anything that contributes or leads to our acceptance. All these things come as fruits from the work that only God can do.
To think otherwise is to say that our salvation is earned and that God repays us for being a fine, upright, God fearing person - [which scripture clearly tells us is impossible due to our total depravity]!
Satan himself sows the seeds that make men think this way, causing them to trust in their own efforts rather than the finished work of Christ.
The seeds sown by Satan are quick to grow and are impossible to get rid of without the Spirit's work in us.

1 Cor 4:7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
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Good grief open your eyes....:oops:

1 Cor 4:7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
 
lrs68 said:
Amen!

The Bible firmly explains people are blinded by Satan not God hiding His Truths.
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your ignorance is truly outstanding sir, I'm not even going to explain as you've had enough explanations to hold credibility to what quite a few people have took time in explaining, with enough reason for you to at least acknowledge what there saying.

But noooo you would rather suit yourself, sooooooo then , so be it then, suit yourself sir 🙂
 
Solitude said:
Unbelief is the state of not believing, often meaning a lack of faith, skepticism, or outright rejection of known truth, especially concerning religious or divine matters, involving a spiritual condition of distrust or refusal to accept God's promises and revelation, rather than just intellectual doubt. It's often seen as a willful turning away from known truth, stemming from a heart issue, disobedience, or a preference for one's own way.

Key Aspects of Unbelief:
  • Rejection of Truth: It's not just not knowing; it's knowing or witnessing something (like God's power or love) and actively refusing to accept or act upon it.
  • Spiritual Condition: It's described as a state of the heart and spirit, affecting one's relationship with God, not just a matter of the head.
  • Infidelity/Disobedience: In religious contexts, it's synonymous with infidelity, a turning away from God, and disobedience to His commands, leading to a darkened understanding.
  • Root of Sin: Many traditions view unbelief as the root of other sins, stemming from a distrust in God's goodness, as seen in the biblical story of Adam and Eve.
  • Not Just Disbelief: While similar, some differentiate unbelief from simple disbelief (not believing something exists) by defining unbelief as the rejection of something known to be true.

In simple terms:
  • Webster's Dictionary: Incredulity, infidelity, or weak faith.
  • Biblical View: A hardened heart that rejects God's known truth and promises, leading to a spiritual bondage.
  • Modern Definition: A lack of belief or skepticism, particularly in religious or doctrinal matters.
https://www.google.com/search?q=ai+unbelief+definition&sca_esv=d49a4369f0d2dc0b&sxsrf=AE3TifMxqq4Ykqn9ehCr6zIEiv6dIYs-IA:1765935798183&ei=tgpCaZf_Cseqp84Py_TQuQo&ved=0ahUKEwiXssm_v8ORAxVH1ckDHUs6NKcQ4dUDCBE&uact=5&oq=ai+unbelief+definition&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiFmFpIHVuYmVsaWVmIGRlZmluaXRpb24yCBAAGIAEGKIEMgUQABjvBTIIEAAYgAQYogQyCBAAGIAEGKIESNUVUP8JWJAUcAF4AZABAJgBrgGgAcIDqgEDMC4zuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIEoAKuBMICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAg0QABiABBiwAxhDGIoFwgIMECMYsAIYJxhGGPkBwgIHEAAYgAQYDcICCBAAGAcYCBgewgIIEAAYCBgNGB7CAgsQABiABBiGAxiKBcICJBAAGLACGEYY-QEYlwUYjAUY3QQYRhj5ARj0Axj1Axj2A9gBAcICBhAAGA0YHpgDAIgGAZAGCroGBggBEAEYE5IHBTEuMi4xoAfuH7IHBTAuMi4xuAeZBMIHBTMtMi4yyAdXgAgA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp
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hey dude nice to see you, have you got one of those marvelous YouTube videos to add more meaning 🤩
 
cv5 said:
Good grief open your eyes....:oops:

1 Cor 4:7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
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lambanō

Used fully FIVE TIMES in this verse alone.

Biblical Usage
  1. to take
    1. to take with the hand, lay hold of, any person or thing in order to use it
      1. to take up a thing to be carried
      2. to take upon one's self
    2. to take in order to carry away
      1. without the notion of violence, i,e to remove, take away
    3. to take what is one's own, to take to one's self, to make one's own
      1. to claim, procure, for one's self
        1. to associate with one's self as companion, attendant
      2. of that which when taken is not let go, to seize, to lay hold of, apprehend
      3. to take by craft (our catch, used of hunters, fisherman, etc.), to circumvent one by fraud
      4. to take to one's self, lay hold upon, take possession of, i.e. to appropriate to one's self
      5. catch at, reach after, strive to obtain
      6. to take a thing due, to collect, gather (tribute)
    4. to take
      1. to admit, receive
      2. to receive what is offered
      3. not to refuse or reject
      4. to receive a person, give him access to one's self,
        1. to regard any one's power, rank, external circumstances, and on that account to do some injustice or neglect something
    5. to take, to choose, select
    6. to take beginning, to prove anything, to make a trial of, to experience
  2. to receive (what is given), to gain, get, obtain, to get back
 
Rufus said:
Not only is it an answer, but it's a biblical answer grounded in biblical principles! You just don't like my answer. On this thread, we seem to have many FWers who worship, revere and hold sacred their so-called freewill. Don't you know that God is a Jealous God and will not take a back seat to any idol?

Also, anyone who believes that man's will is free to choose against his immutable evil nature is very obviously self-deceived. So, they could well have deceived themselves into also believing they were true believers in Christ. Sin is deceitful. This is what sin does! Just going through the formal, ritualistic motions of faith doesn't necessarily mean those motions were sincere. The Israelites went through many religious, ritualistic motions, but where did that land the vast majority of them.
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There you go again....
It has become pathological with you.
 
cv5 said:
lambanō

Used fully FIVE TIMES in this verse alone.

Biblical Usage
  1. to take
    1. to take with the hand, lay hold of, any person or thing in order to use it
      1. to take up a thing to be carried
      2. to take upon one's self
    2. to take in order to carry away
      1. without the notion of violence, i,e to remove, take away
    3. to take what is one's own, to take to one's self, to make one's own
      1. to claim, procure, for one's self
        1. to associate with one's self as companion, attendant
      2. of that which when taken is not let go, to seize, to lay hold of, apprehend
      3. to take by craft (our catch, used of hunters, fisherman, etc.), to circumvent one by fraud
      4. to take to one's self, lay hold upon, take possession of, i.e. to appropriate to one's self
      5. catch at, reach after, strive to obtain
      6. to take a thing due, to collect, gather (tribute)
    4. to take
      1. to admit, receive
      2. to receive what is offered
      3. not to refuse or reject
      4. to receive a person, give him access to one's self,
        1. to regard any one's power, rank, external circumstances, and on that account to do some injustice or neglect something
    5. to take, to choose, select
    6. to take beginning, to prove anything, to make a trial of, to experience
  2. to receive (what is given), to gain, get, obtain, to get back
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It's received because it has been given by grace. See Jn 3:27

27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

So a person can't boast when they receive spiritual blessings
 
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Rufus said:
There's no such animal in scripture as "spiritually dead believers". A total oxymoron! This is why Spiritual Life (regeneration) must precede Faith. The Dead have no ability to believe. Those who live and believe in Christ are true believers. Besides...God is not the God of the Dead, only of the Living. Therefore, God raises the spiritual dead in temporal reality through the Eternal Living One who conquered death on their behalf in eternity. In God's eyes, though, they were always spiritually alive in His Beloved.
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When you sin, and refuse to admit your sin to God? (1 John 1:9)
You become as good as dead spiritually.
Grieving the Spirit, is stage one.

Stage two?
When it becomes chronic?
You then enter into quenching the Spirit.

That is why Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:14 ...
​
This is why it is said:​
​
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”​

Arrogance keeps the Christian spiritually dead, yet can be emotionally supercharged.


“To the angel of the church in Sardis write:​

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. ​
I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead." Rev 3:1​


Spiritually dead believers can become dogmatic while pumping out their favorite memorized dogma.


........
 
Genez said:
Spiritually dead believers can become dogmatic while pumping out their favorite memorized dogma.


........
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Awe what a shame a person remembering scripture is just memorizing scripture to you, and dogmatic

And if you repeat scripture your dogmatic, gees controlling what people do with scripture by telling to them they should not be repeating there memorized scripture, is dogmatic, I feel like I'm listening to some evil doer telling me I can't quote scripture listening to you, do you have any consideration for just how controlling your thoughts are coming across here ?,

You got some serious issues there fella, maybe you should put your name on a bible and call it the Bible of all bibles with your rules and regulations of How it should be read, spoken and interpreted.
 
Magenta said:
So? Are you aware you quoted (and responded to) the part of my post that was something another said?
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So? You agreed.

We trust God because He is the reality and the source of reality, not simply because we are sinners. Are you trying to argue with that now or what?
 
Jordon said:
Awe what a shame a person remembering scripture is just memorizing scripture to you, and dogmatic

And if you repeat scripture your dogmatic, gees controlling what people do with scripture by telling to them they should not be repeating there memorized scripture, is dogmatic, I feel like I'm listening to some evil doer telling me I can't quote scripture listening to you, do you have any consideration for just how controlling your thoughts are coming across here ?,

You got some serious issues there fella, maybe you should put your name on a bible and call it the Bible of all bibles with your rules and regulations of How it should be read, spoken and interpreted.
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Yes!
When they do not understand what it is they memorized and are being dogmatic about the way they misinterpret it... Dead.

.
 
Genez said:
Yes!
When they do not understand what it is they memorized and are being dogmatic about the way they misinterpret it... Dead.

.
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You can't even interpret that God can make a person believe, and your dogmatic here all the time, your hardly in a place to believe your understanding is fit for deciding who's understanding is better.


Theres plenty of scripture which instructs us to remember scripture, even in Deuteronomy where people are in the process of being saved there, and once again it's you who hold your yourself above those still learning, your pride is a serious issue sir, that perhaps is being to easily influenced by temptation.

When are you going to stop your Malice ?
 
brightfame52 said:
It's received because it has been given by grace. See Jn 3:27

27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

So a person can't boast when they receive spiritual blessings
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Everything in this creation and existence is a result of grace. Nobody is refuting the patently obvious.
That is not in question nor the substantial matter of debate on this thread.
So show me in the text where it says that the gift being OFFERED TO THE POTENTIAL RECIPIENTS:

-is being stuffed down their throats against their will while they shriek in protest
-is a result of first having their will lobotomized, such that they are made oblivious to the import of their decision
-is a result of force or fraud
-is taken because they were given an offer they couldn't refuse with a spear in their back
-is a result of a shotgun wedding proposal

Tell your cohort @BillyBob that he has successfully torpedoed his own battleship.
You have lifeboats enough? I doubt it.
 
sawdust said:
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
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Heb 11:17
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Ask the Calvinists to prove that God forced Abraham to go thru the Genesis 22 ordeal without his consent, without his understanding of the gravitas of the matter, without his OWN faith, without his OWN willingness, without his OWN obedience, without his OWN belief.

Yes, Abraham was willing to do His will. Sometimes wavering (why?), sometimes imperfectly (why?), sometimes doubting (why?), but Abraham HELD ON much like Jacob.

[Gen 32:24-28 KJV]
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him, What [is] thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
 
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