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.
sawdust said:
Sorry but I don't see where it says God forces you to be saved in those passages only that He is the Saviour.
Click to expand...

In essence....
Their way of thinking amounts to?

We become God's slaves if He forces us to be His.
Not sons...
 
brightfame52 said:
And it's beneficiaries are a specific people, the house of Israel and Judah. And it's not the physical ethnic people.
Click to expand...

The Israelites who originally received those New Covenant promises very likely thought they were the sole beneficiaries; yet, we come to the NT, we find that the "Jewish" beneficiaries, back in the days of the OT prophets, were expanded to include Gentiles in fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. There is no redemptive covenant in scripture that was ever made with the entire world in the distributive sense. And FWers have no answers for this glaring omission in scripture.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rogerg and brightfame52
sawdust said:
You need better reading glasses mate, it doesn't say that. If they weren't unbelievers the could hear the Gospel. It says so in the verse.
Click to expand...
Yes it does say that. And furthermore the lost in that scripture has the definite article, so they will always be lost, and never believe. It's literally the Gospel is hidden amongst the lost. Kinda agrees with Paul here 2 Cor2:15

15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
 
sawdust said:
Sorry but I don't see where it says God forces you to be saved in those passages only that He is the Saviour.
Click to expand...

You're actually telling me that you don't understand that verse?

[Luk 1:77 KJV] 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
 
  • Like
Reactions: brightfame52
Genez said:
That is so because God in His omniscience sees you as you are in your resurrected state. [/B]
That is positional truth. Not yet experiential truth.

In the mean while, we are either racking up approval, or disproval for our choices we now make which will determine if we have rewards added to our resurrection body.

We can not lose our salvation.

But, we can lose out on eternal glories in Christ because of our present sense of self importance over riding God's desire to humble us and instruct us into thinking with sound doctrine for every area of our lives.


For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ​
If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ​
their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be ​
revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has ​
been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will ​
suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.​
​
​
1 Corinthians 3:11-15​
Click to expand...

No, he sees his chosen ones in Christ due to his eternal decree. No one would ever be in Christ apart from God's eternal and perfect will.
 
brightfame52 said:
Yes it is a new birth or creation.
Click to expand...

I said it was a new spirit and a new heart. Two things, not one thing. The rebirth is not the new heart as someone said, it is the new spirit. The new heart comes to us in a different manner. The Spirit does not give birth to a new heart, He produces the new heart through the word. He takes the things of Christ, Christ is the word.
 
Genez said:
That is so because God in His omniscience sees you as you are in your resurrected state.
That is positional truth. Not yet experiential truth.

In the mean while, we are either racking up approval, or disproval for our choices we now make which will determine if we have rewards added to our resurrection body.

We can not lose our salvation.

But, we can lose out on eternal glories in Christ because of our present sense of self importance over riding God's desire to humble us and instruct us into thinking with sound doctrine for every area of our lives.


For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ​
If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ​
their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be ​
revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has ​
been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will ​
suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.​
​
​
1 Corinthians 3:11-15​
Click to expand...

So, God FORCES all his saints to remain saved, even if the sheep desire to wander from the flock?
 
sawdust said:
God wasn't revealing Christ. Why you try to make things say what they don't, beats me. :LOL:
Click to expand...
Yes Christ is not revealed by the natural creation of Rom 1:18ff it is senseless to bring it up. By nature man at best can only have a natural heathenistic perception of a God.
 
Rufus said:
Are you familiar with Judas' story and all the prophecies regarding him? You can get up to speed on Abimelech in Gen 20.
Click to expand...

What has any of it to do with force and choice acting simultaneously? Try to be a little more specific please or I have no idea to what I should respond.
 
Rufus said:
The Israelites who originally received those New Covenant promises very likely thought they were the sole beneficiaries; yet, we come to the NT, we find that the "Jewish" beneficiaries, back in the days of the OT prophets, were expanded to include Gentiles in fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. There is no redemptive covenant in scripture that was ever made with the entire world in the distributive sense. And FWers have no answers for this glaring omission in scripture.
Click to expand...
Very well said
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back