EG, why is it you never post scriptures to support your theology? Why are you attacking UIC, instead of refuting his theology.
If there is such a thing as "free will" then post the verses. I've looked, and those 2 words never appear together in the Bible. Not in the OT or the NT.
If it is such an important doctrine, surely there would be many verses explaining free will, examples of free will, and demonstrations of how and why it works! If you want to talk about the importance of the cross, for example, the word appears all over the NT, and even in the OT. At first the disciples didn't understand, then Jesus opens their eyes to how important it is.
Same with election. The KJV lists election 6 times. Plus, there are many places that say God chose us, we did not chose him.
"even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will," Eph 1:4-5
As far as God's love, the last 2 words in v 4 are , "in love." I can think of no greater love than for God, in his great love, to elect someone to salvation! God loves us. Even if your free will was true, (and I don't believe it is!) it would still be a sign of God's love that he saved you.
The Bible is clear that not one of us is good enough to be saved.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," Romans 3:23-24
What a miracle that in spite of our unrighteousness, our dead and unclean spirit, God elects us to be justified.
"Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have also obtained access into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory." Romans 5:1-2
I went to Arminian churches for the first 25 years I was a Christian. I was faithful in my personal Bible studies, and I felt like what was being preached from the pulpit wasn't the same as what I was reading in my Bible. In seminary, we studied theology, including soteriology. We read material written by Arminians, articles on Lutheranism, and Reformers. And Catholics, Orthodox, and glimpsed a lot of other theology. We learned about the doctrinal changes in the history of Christianity. That was the first time I had ever heard about the Reformed viewpoint. By the end of year, I called myself a 2 1/2 point Calvinist. I kept studying theology on my own, and added another Tulip point. But I was stuck on God electing some, but not others. Then I learned more about the sovereignty of God. Someone recommended a book by RC Sproule, called "What is Reformed Theology?" It answered my last objections to Reformed Theology.
I think there are many biblical points which point to Reformed theology. But I think they can be summed up in one word "sovereignty." If we have some imaginary power like "free will," which does not appear in the Bible, it means that God is not sovereign. Because if we make the choice to be saved, then God is not on the throne. He might have been the creator or designer if the universe, but he is no longer interested in the daily workings of our lives. He just leaves us to make our own minds up, but with a heart of stone, dead in our trespasses!
But that is NOT what the Bible says.
"I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26
Paul refers to Ezekiel in this passage.
"revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not
on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts." 2 Cor. 3:3
I don't know about you, but dead rocks do not have the capacity to choose. I didn't! Rocks are dead and lifeless. But GOD declares he will give us a heart of living flesh. And that is what God did for me. He took my hard, dead heart, revealed himself to me, after he saved me.
Any other approach is works based, because we are in control, not God. And that is not who God is! He is in control, and he loved us and elected and called us, and saves us. Dead people cannot change. And we are all dead in our sins, before God saves us!
"And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, 29 because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?" Romans 8:28-35
This part of the passage answers many questions for me.
"Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies." Romans 8:33
Something more for you to ponder! Here's a link that might answer a question or two you might have.
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/chosen_by_god/what-is-free-will/
If you are going to respond to me with insults and condemnation, then don't bother. If you want to present your scriptural support, we can continue this discussion! I hope you will find the verses, and show me why you believe that humans are in control of their salvation, and not God. I am
Always ready to learn!