Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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HeIsHere said:
Dead in scripture means separated not inability.
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Death is inability in its purest form. And, no, it doesn't mean that; dead means dead, as-in completely spiritually dead - just as a physically dead person is physically dead.

Why did God have to make those in the below verse spiritually alive WITH CHRIST THROUGH GRACE UNTO SALVATION, if not spiritually dead (and notice that God alone gave them spiritual life - those who were dead didn't assist Him in any way)?

[Eph 2:5 NIV] 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.

[Col 2:13 NIV] 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,

As brightfame52 posted, if not spiritually dead, then why would God make someone who is already spiritually alive spiritually born-again?

[1Pe 1:23 NIV] 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
 
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Kroogz said:
This is for believers only. Before the foundation of the world, He chose that believers(the Church) will be "in Him" and be "Holy and without blame before Him in love."

Acts 16:31~~The moment an unbeliever believes......they become a part of this predesigned plan.

Simple.
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An unbeliever must be made to believe. The cannot of themselves believe because they are dead.
Salvation is not a, ‘God has done what He can and now we…’ situation.
Just like Lazarus, man cannot come forth before he is made alive.
Dead men do not ask for life, they are simply made alive according to the will and grace of God. He comes to those who cannot seek Him, and makes them alive while they were yet His enemies.
 
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BillyBob said:
An unbeliever must be made to believe. The cannot of themselves believe because they are dead.
Salvation is not a, ‘God has done what He can and now we…’ situation.
Just like Lazarus, man cannot come forth before he is made alive.
Dead men do not ask for life, they are simply made alive according to the will and grace of God. He comes to those who cannot seek Him, and makes them alive while they were yet His enemies.
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This is why the Lord Jesus Christ GRACIOUSLY came to mankind.

It is the epitome of arrogance to think He came for me......And possibly for someone else.

Salvation is equal privilege and equal opportunity for ALL.....Acts 16:31

He died for ALL. Ponder this truth. Get it right. And THEN you can continue in THE faith.
 
brightfame52 said:
Yes we are by nature, that is the human heart by nature. The only remedy is a new heart given in regeneration. Ezekiel 36:26

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh
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When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, ​
“Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” John 1:47​

Merry Christmas!
 
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Kroogz said:
This is for believers only. Before the foundation of the world, He chose that believers(the Church) will be "in Him" and be "Holy and without blame before Him in love."

Acts 16:31~~The moment an unbeliever believes......they become a part of this predesigned plan.

Simple.
Click to expand...
Of course this is the Biblically supported fact of the matter.
Furthermore, these two passages together are yet another marker/pointer/beacon toward this PLAN.
The PLAN being that God will obtain a BRIDE for His SON.
This Jewish wedding protocol is an aspect of the PLAN made before the foundation of the world.

Eph 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (THE GROOM):
Eph 1:4
According as he hath chosen us (THE BRIDE) ***in him*** (TO BE UNIONED WITH HIM) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
 
GWH said:
Me thinks you do not agree with Jesus' concept of authority per Matt 20:26 (cf. 1Pet. 5:1-3), which indicates spiritual leadership is servanthood rather than dictatorial authority.
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Was Jesus a dictator? Yet, he had authority!

Matthew 7:28-29

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ​
because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.​
​

Don't confuse one for the other.
 
cv5 said:
Of course this is the Biblically supported fact.
Furthermore, these two passages together are yet another marker/pointer/beacon toward this PLAN.
The PLAN being that God will obtain a BRIDE for His SON.
This Jewish wedding protocol is an aspect of the PLAN made before the foundation of the world.

Eph 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (THE GROOM):
Eph 1:4
According as he hath chosen us (THE BRIDE) ***in him*** (TO BE UNIONED WITH HIM) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
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This is a perfect example of why the reformed/calvie/tulip crowd remain as spiritual babes/morons. They only see or inject their dogma or theory in 99.9999% of scripture.....and completely miss the vast riches of His word.

Stuck on stupid.
 
Genez said:
Was Jesus a dictator? Yet, he had authority!

Matthew 7:28-29

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ​
because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.​
​

Don't confuse one for the other.
Click to expand...

So Jesus has no royal authority as King of kings and Lord of lords? Jesus is still in servant mode, is He?
 
NightTwister said:
The plural of anecdote is not data. This verse in no way even suggests "pastoresses" nor "deaconesses."
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It is evident that you also do not have a “one flesh” marriage. My parents modeled such for me, and my wife and I also have that relationship, which a young man told us was a good witness for Christ.
 
Kroogz said:
This is a perfect example of why the reformed/calvie/tulip crowd remain as spiritual babes/morons. They only see or inject their dogma or theory in 99.9999% of scripture.....and completely miss the vast riches of His word.

Stuck on stupid.
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Satan herds them up, and locks them up.

False doctrine is the electric fence from which they see us to throw things and shout at us from.

They are so jealous, but they will not admit it.
They can only repeat the distorted version of the verses they have piled up in the corner of their confines.

Sad about it?
No more. For they are without excuse.
 
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Kroogz said:
This is a perfect example of why the reformed/calvie/tulip crowd remain as spiritual babes/morons. They only see or inject their dogma or theory in 99.9999% of scripture.....and completely miss the vast riches of His word.

Stuck on stupid.
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Just look at the "dogma bullet point" one liner replies that we get.
Its little more than vacuous Reformed propaganda "winter soldier trigger terms".
Sound Bible exegetical treatments are nowhere to be found.
 
Kroogz said:
This is a perfect example of why the reformed/calvie/tulip crowd remain as spiritual babes/morons. They only see or inject their dogma or theory in 99.9999% of scripture.....and completely miss the vast riches of His word.

Stuck on stupid.
Click to expand...
Tragic but true.
"in Christ"
"in Him"
 
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Genez said:
He is more like Allah than God.
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Why is that? Because God hates sinners, as required by the moral nature of his Love?

Ps 5:4-6
You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.
5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.
6 You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the LORD abhors.
NIV

Ps 11:5-6
5 The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence
his soul hates.
6 On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.
NIV

Prov 11:20
20 The LORD detests men of perverse heart
but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
NIV

And there are a lot more of these kinds of verses throughout scripture, including those that teach us explicitly who precisely God loves!

So...go whine in your beer.
 
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