Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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Then you might want to go back and reread what has been said. There is no salvation apart from grace and truth.
ok Thanks,

But to be honest I would rather not bother, theres to many racist comments, that will just make me feel sad to be a Christian

But you have a nice day.
 
And...John the Baptist was commissioned by God to give the knowledge of salvation to GOD'S PEOPLE (v. 77) -- not to the ungodly world. And God has come to redeem HIS people (v. 68) -- not all mankind w/o exception.

What's also very interesting is that the term "from" in vv. 68-74 is used three times (vv. 71-74).
And what's even more instructive is that God rescues his people FROM the hand of their enemies so that they will be able TO serve the Lord without fear all the days of their life (vv.74-75). God rescues from the hand of his people's enemies just like he rescued the Colossian Church from Darkness (Col 1:13-14).

Just this one Lukian passage alone is devastating to FWT!

Sorry, I didn’t reply sooner, Rufus, but I have been taking care of end-of-year stuff, doctors, etc.

In rereading Luke 1:76 and 1:77, another possible interpretation slightly different than the above jumped out at me, but not sure which is correct, so I thought I'd ask for your opinion, and the opinions of any other non-FWers, who would care to join in. I know this may initially not seem correct nor easy to see (unless you’re looking for it), but basically, it is that instead of John being the one who would "give knowledge of salvation, " that possibly it might be Jesus who would actually do so, with John just preparing His ways, by heralding Him (through John’s introduction of Jesus, water baptisms, and preaching), although, I can see either being possible, and go back and forth between them. It seems to me, though, that ultimately it is Jesus, at least in a spiritual sense, who truly gives that knowledge to everyone who becomes saved, not John, but again, not sure which one was intended.

IOW, it might be read as: " go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways to give the knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sin". I don't think a semi-colon or a comma was in the original text.

[Luk 1:76-77 KJV]
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
 
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as I understand the argument put forward by free will, free has the capacity to choose whether to be saved,

Or freewill has the ability to make a conscious decision to choose between good and evil, where a person can either follow Gods path or there own path, which really says it must be a silly free will if it can simply choose to follow it's own path

But I believe the more well learnt appropriate understanding is mans will needs guidance first 🙂

That's basically my understanding
thanks for replying, Jordon.

My understanding is that all who have posted in this thread agree that God reaches out to mankind first ... that God always makes the first move.

I'm still waiting to hear from Rufus ...

.
 
wow rogerg ... bold mine ...

I thought I'd ask for your opinion, and the opinions of any other non-FWers

1 Corinthians 12:14, 21,


14 For the body is not one member, but many.

...

21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.






rogerg said:
IOW, it might be read as: " go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways to give the knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sin".
yes ... John Baptist was the forerunner ... and yes, Zacharias prophesied concerning the ministry of John Baptist.


John Baptist faithfully fulfilled his ministry.




rogerg said:
I don't think a semi-colon or a comma was in the original text.
correct.



If you did not want me to respond to your post, you need to provide the definition of the term "FWer" or "freewiller" as no one has defined the term in a manner that removes me from the body of the Lord Jesus Christ ... which, according to 1 Cor 12:21 we are instructed not to remove any member of the body ... please consider 1 Cor 12:18 before you lop off needful members of the body ...

1 Corinthians 12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

... iow ... the body of the Lord Jesus Christ is His body over which He is the Head. It's not your body ... you are a member in particular in His body ... all born again ones are members in particular.


1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

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thanks for replying, Jordon.

My understanding is that all who have posted in this thread agree that God reaches out to mankind first ... that God always makes the first move.

I'm still waiting to hear from Rufus ...

.

Tulipists believe God reaches out/saves/favors/loves only the elect/them.
 
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thanks for replying, Jordon.

My understanding is that all who have posted in this thread agree that God reaches out to mankind first ... that God always makes the first move.

I'm still waiting to hear from Rufus ...

.
That would be called being told what to do 🙂
 
John 2:5

New International Version



5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
 
That would be called being told what to do 🙂
actually Jordon ... it's asking for clarification of the term ... Rufus said "you FWers" in response to me ... I'm asking Rufus to define "FWer" or "freewiller" because all definitions I have seen do not apply to me ...

hope/pray you have a blessed day!!!

.
 
Absolutely there are, which again proves that man's ways are NOT in himself!
Exactly my point! But this fact went right over their head. . .
And guess what? We do not earn a brownie point when we perform an action which God has directed us to do!
 
actually Jordon ... it's asking for clarification of the term ... Rufus said "you FWers" in response to me ... I'm asking Rufus to define "FWer" or "freewiller" because all definitions I have seen do not apply to me ...

hope/pray you have a blessed day!!!

.
oh yes your correct you can tell Rufus what to do, you can tell him if your right eye offends you pluck it out, his free will. Will say no thanks 😋

But what I meant was the way God helps people is by telling them what to do
 
oh yes your correct you can tell Rufus what to do, you can tell him if your right eye offends you pluck it out, his free will. Will say no thanks 😋

But what I meant was the way God helps people is by telling them what to do
Rufus can continue to call whoever he wants a "FWer" or "freewiller" ... however, he may or may not be correct in his use of the term. for all I know, when the term is bandied about, it could refer to you ... just sayin'

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Rufus can continue to call whoever he wants a "FWer" or "freewiller" ... however, he may or may not be correct in his use of the term. for all I know, when the term is bandied about, it could refer to you ... just sayin'

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to be honest my little pony, I think your beautiful 🙂❤️

I don't care what Rufus has to say anymore, his free will is out of control if you ask me
 
Already been thoroughly explained. And you are definitely wrong. Sorry fake sorry.

Scripture thoroughly explains with it means by partiality. The Jews (like Peter, for example) thought of themselves as being "clean" and the Gentiles as being "unclean", hence the vision Peter received in Acts 10.

Acts 10:27-29, 34-35
27 Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?
"...34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
NIV

And,

Acts 11:18
18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life."

NIV

And,

Acts 11:1
11:1 The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

NIV

Acts 14:27
27 On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles

NIV

Rom 3:29
29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,

NIV

Rom 9:30
30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;

NIV

Rom 10:12-13
12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

NIV

The Impartiality of God is all about Him making no racial or ethnic distinctions among the sons of men, since God is the God of both Jews and Gentiles. Period.

So, since all men are sinners, then in your universe what would be the basis for God for showing any partiality towards anyone? Good looks, wealth, intelligence, social status, religious piety...what???
 
[Luk 1:76-77 KJV]
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
I see what you are saying!
I have always read this statement too quickly and assumed that verse 77 was still talking about what John was to do. But you know what they say about assume, it makes an ass out of U and me.
 
I see what you are saying!
I have always read this statement too quickly and assumed that verse 77 was still talking about what John was to do. But you know what they say about assume, it makes an ass out of U and me.

Yeah, me too - same thing for me - still not completely sure I know which is correct, at least not by those verses. And glad to
hear it is just not me who sees that possibility - thanks, BillyBob.
Think it might be clarified in other verses though.