Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

[Bible_Highlighter]

Man has all the natural ability he needs in his own sin nature to be hateful, rebellious and hostile towards God. This is why circumcision of the heart is a vitally important grace that God bestows upon his elect that moves their hearts to fear God, worship Him and especially to LOVE Him.

Again, your logic fails. If Calvinism is true, there would be no resisting the Holy Spirit in Acts 7. God would not bother with the unregenerate or non-Elect. There would be no reason to rebuke these Jews because they did not have any capacity for rebuke by Stephen. It would be like trying to argue with your computer or punish a dog who has an uncontrollable pooping problem that soils your carpets because it is sick.



.....

 

[Rufus]

The answer is right under your nose:

uncircumcised in heart and ears

Can you see it now? Meh, I cannot make it any bigger! .

And Stephen was most likely alluding to Deut 29:2-5 since he likened his murderers' spiritual condition to their ancestors.

 

[Magenta]

It's clear that you ignored the message, but studied the image. What does that say about you?

He was wearing sunglasses? .

If Calvinism is true

Take off that stinking beard. Oh, wait, you have nothing else, just your logical fallacies and false accusations. Got it.

Will we ever hear the story of how you circumcised your own heart? And ears. I'd love to hear it... "I'm all ears!"

 

[cv5]

And Scripture speaks of David as a man after God's own heart. Go figure!

Calvinists choose to remain biblical illiterates.

Psalm 143:2
“Enter not into judgment with Your servant,for no one living is righteous before You.”

Psalm 40:12
“My iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head.”

Psalm 38:3–4
“There is no soundness in my flesh because of my sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.”

 

[BillyBob]

It could be a pearl, it could be a crystal ball necklace. Not all crystal ball necklaces are 100% clear. If you look at past necklaces involving her CGI artwork of these women, one looks like one of those Indian dream catchers. Godly women should not focus on wearing lots of jewelry. Their beauty is supposed to be from within.

Scripture says: "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." (1 Peter 3:3-4).

In any event, my point is that these images by her are a distraction from the discussion actually.
I cannot be the only one who found these images to be disturbing or off-putting.

,,,,,

Why are you looking past her necklaces? What are you looking for?
Get a grip on yourself!

 

[Solitude]

 

[Bible_Highlighter]

Already debunked so many times.


The grammar in Greek, which is gendered language btw, is saying that “salvation” is the gift, not grace, not faith, and its unlikely the whole phrase.

Grace is the means from God’s side (instrumental dative –te chariti), and faith is the meritless mechanism (dia + genitive) by which man appropriates the gift of salvation. Even though it is meritless people are held accountable for their choice.

That faith is meritless and the means by which anyone can appropriate the gift is well illustrated by John 3:14-15 and the Israelite being immediately healed by simply looking at the brazen serpent.

Nor is reasonable to consider this “look” a gift?

#Context kills Calvinism.

I believe in the Greek that faith is included as a part of the gift, but this is under God's enlightenment, drawing, conviction, etcetera.
God frees the will of man at the right moment in their life to no longer be blinded by Satan and they can make a free will choice to either accept the gospel by faith freely or reject it.

In other words, when Jesus says,
"This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6:29), I don't believe he is saying we are saved by a work because that would contradict Ephesians 2:8-9. I believe this is referring to God’s work in a person’s life, moving at the right time so that they have the capacity to believe.

Arminians call this Prevenient Grace, but I prefer to call it Divine Enlightenment or Enablement.
This teaching in Scripture supports free will and yet does not give man the glory.
No man can boast and lay all the credit to himself for choosing God and the gospel message because they could not get there without God's divine interaction in the exchange.

However, Calvinism takes it too far and says that one is regenerated before one even has faith.
This is false. A person is regenerated or born again after they have faith (i.e., after they receive the saving gospel message).



.....

 

[Rufus]

Again, your logic fails. If Calvinism is true, there would be no resisting the Holy Spirit in Acts 7. God would not bother with the unregenerate or non-Elect. There would be no reason to rebuke these Jews because they did not have any capacity for rebuke by Stephen. It would be like trying to argue with your computer or punish a dog who has an uncontrollable pooping problem that soils your carpets because it is sick.
.....

That pretty much describes sinners' HELPLESS spiritual condition! Stephen had every reason to rebuke them because the Jews SHOULD have (denoting moral/spiritual responsibility) known better. You have a very low view of sin and its universal destructive and addictive effects upon the mind, heart, soul and body of sinners , and an inordinately high view of unregenerate sinners. "A little bit of leaven leavens the whole loaf"!

 

[Magenta]

Why are you looking past her necklaces? What are you looking for?
Get a grip on yourself!

See, he does not even accept that I put that pearl there, he has decided it is something occult because
that is what he wants to see, just like how he views Scripture = he sees what he wants and not what is
actually there. The panel I posted should have given a clue but he rejects Scripture also, as we well know.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when
he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought.

 

[Bible_Highlighter]

That pretty much describes sinners' HELPLESS spiritual condition! Stephen had every reason to rebuke them because the Jews SHOULD have (denoting moral/spiritual responsibility) known better. You have a very low view of sin and its universal destructive and addictive effects upon the mind, heart, soul and body of sinners , and an inordinately high view of unregenerate sinners. "A little bit of leaven leavens the whole loaf"!

Again, no normal master kicks their dog like a football across the room because it has an uncontrollable pooping problem due to the fact that it is sick. The dog leaving hot large piles of steamy goodness on the master's white carpets is not the dog's fault. So the punish the animal is just sadistic and cruel. It's not justice but a disturbing display of heartlessness.



....

 

[BillyBob]

Calvinists choose to remain biblical illiterates.

I believe it was bible_highlighter who posted "I really wish the sin and still be saved belief was true. But it simply isn't. "

 

[Bible_Highlighter]

Why are you looking past her necklaces? What are you looking for?
Get a grip on yourself!

You missed the point of the verse I made.



.....

 

[Magenta]

Again, your logic fails. If Calvinism is true, there would be no resisting the Holy Spirit in Acts 7.

Paul speaks of the inability of the natural man. Ascribing it all to Calvin is dishonest of you and your ilk.

But it seems we can expect nothing better form you guys...

You reject Scripture.

Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. If they are not indwelt with the
Holy Spirit of God they are in the realm of the flesh opposed to the Spiritual things of God.

Furthermore, nobody can know God unless Jesus chooses to reveal Him to that person.

So much for free will!

 

[Blue155]

Calvinists choose to remain biblical illiterates.

 

[lrs68]

Clearly man always believed in a higher power than themselves because soon after the Flood we have established systems set up to a multitude of deities. So what Circumcision actually does is set a person apart from the other that follows man made god's.

In theory, Circumcision of the heart is no different than removing the foreskin because you are being set apart from those who have not been circumcised.

God was working in the hearts of those who removed their foreskin as much as God works in the hearts of those who are Circumcised by Faith in Jesus Christ.

 

[Bible_Highlighter]

I believe it was bible_highlighter who posted "I really wish the sin and still be saved belief was true. But it simply isn't. "

There are many things in life I wish we could do, but the Bible and reality says otherwise.
I wish I could fly and turn invisible and be indestructible. But that's just not the reality.
My point is if the Bible does not teach a sin and still be saved belief it does not matter what I wish or think.
I have to submit to what the Bible says whether I like that reality or not.
Most justify a sin and still be saved belief, which is something most Christians believe in.
I reject this belief wholeheartedly because it is not defended by Scripture even in the slightest.
That's the point I am making.
You can read something else into what I said that is not there if you like.
But I would not advise doing so because there will be a judgment someday.
Everything you say and do here can potentially be revisited.



.....

 

[BillyBob]

You missed the point of the verse I made.



.....

Maybe that's because your point was inaccurate, just like your view of Scripture. . . .

 

[Genez]

Question for everyone:

Were the angels that sided with Satan created with a fallen nature?

God would not create them fallen.

Why did they resist God then?

grace and peace ......

 

[BillyBob]

Question for everyone:

Were the angels that sided with Satan created with a fallen nature?

God would not create them fallen.

Why did they resist God then?

grace and peace ......

Why do you ask? Adam was not created with a fallen nature. He brought that upon himself!

 

[Magenta]

There are many things in life I wish we could do, but the Bible and reality says otherwise.

Inability... just like Scripture says of the natural man not being able to obey God. Only the spiritual man can.

But you don't know who those people are, as you ascribe to the former what is only true of the latter.

Just like most if not all free willers and Pelagian heretics do.