Can We Really Exercise Free Will?
- Thread starter LifelongLearner
- Start date
-
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.
I see, so now your back to being more intelligent,
funny thing that rufus I've understood every belief you've ever shared, the reality is tho your Span of attention and detail, is somewhat only in favour of your bias.
However if you want to grow concentration and attention to detail, you can do, you can truly switch on when you keep the mind active,
Ive understood how you've put Psalms 78 across, but a cross goes in both directions
Matt 6:9-10
9 "This, then, is how you should pray:
"'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
NIV
Jesus very clearly believed and preferred that His Father's holy, perfect will be done on earth as it is currently being done in heaven. But many professing Christians here do not share Jesus' sentiments. Genez, for example, cannot bring his heart into alignment with Christ's! He cannot confess or admit that God's restraint of evil here on earth (which is part 'n' parcel of His will) makes the world a better place in which to live since it also advances God's kingdom. The implications to Genez's "Christian" attitude are staggering. Instead of praising God and thanking Him for his Sovereign Grace that makes this world a better place, he attacks the messenger of that grace (namely, this writer)! This rejection of God's restraining grace amounts to nothing less than tacit approval of humanity's sinfulness and brings to mind this passage:
Rom 1:32
32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
NIV
In minds of the Genezs' of this world, it's evidentally infinitely better that God take a hands-off approach with sinners and allow every sinner to exercise their "freewill". And this amounts to a tacit approval of humanity's sinfulness.
9 "This, then, is how you should pray:
"'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
NIV
Jesus very clearly believed and preferred that His Father's holy, perfect will be done on earth as it is currently being done in heaven. But many professing Christians here do not share Jesus' sentiments. Genez, for example, cannot bring his heart into alignment with Christ's! He cannot confess or admit that God's restraint of evil here on earth (which is part 'n' parcel of His will) makes the world a better place in which to live since it also advances God's kingdom. The implications to Genez's "Christian" attitude are staggering. Instead of praising God and thanking Him for his Sovereign Grace that makes this world a better place, he attacks the messenger of that grace (namely, this writer)! This rejection of God's restraining grace amounts to nothing less than tacit approval of humanity's sinfulness and brings to mind this passage:
Rom 1:32
32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
NIV
In minds of the Genezs' of this world, it's evidentally infinitely better that God take a hands-off approach with sinners and allow every sinner to exercise their "freewill". And this amounts to a tacit approval of humanity's sinfulness.
“Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.” The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. John 8 v 47; Matthew 13 v 11; 2 Corinthians ch 4 v 4; Romans 8 v 9b
I see, so now your back to being more intelligent,
funny thing that rufus I've understood every belief you've ever shared, the reality is tho your Span of attention and detail, is somewhat only in favour of your bias.
However if you want to grow concentration and attention to detail, you can do, you can truly switch on when you keep the mind active,
Ive understood how you've put Psalms 78 across, but a cross goes in both directions
Or just having a longer attention span...
Or just having a longer attention span...
arrrrr free will at its bestOr just having a longer attention span...
and before you where saved what excuse did you have
None! Like the ancient pagan world of which Paul writes about in Rom 1, I was functionally a hedonistic atheist.
That's a given to all but the blind.So...are sinful humans freely doing sinful things the rulers of this world? God doesn't restrain evil?
I guess I dont see how evil was restrained in your trump example. 2 people died one got his ear shot. The shooter died. People were tramatized ect ect. Please explain to me how restrained that evil was on that day?
Does not God raise up all the rulers in this world? God sovereignly preserved Trump's life, while simultaneously allowing the shooter to take the lives of two spectators in the crowd (albeit in likelihood accidentally), which means the number of their days that was determined by God in eternity came to an end. Gods' sovereign will in both cases was accomplished. We mustn't forget that both good and evil proceeds from God's mouth (Lam 3:38) in order to accomplish His purposes on HIS world stage. So in the case of two murder victims, God did not restrain evil as He did with Trump.
I wasn't aware of needing any excuse, nor do I now.
The only reason I repented is because God gave me that kind of heart to repent and believe the gospel. I didn't conjure up faith or repentance.
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
rolleyes ... r-i-g-h-t, no "divine revelation" in Rom 1 ...Rufus said:
Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
smh
.
why stop at v 20?
Romans 1:19-21 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
That man disregards, obscures, and ultimately rejects God having revealed Himself does not mean man does not understand God's eternal power and godhead ... it means they suppress the truth in unrighteousness ... just as God tells us in Romans 1:18. Why do you not believe what God has written in His word?
For those who do not suppress the truth in unrighteousness, the promise of God remains sure ... just as sure as those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness are without excuse because God has revealed Himself. Instead of glorifying God, those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness engage in idolatry ... and all the wickedness described in Rom 1 springs from idolatry ... and idolatry is the result of first having suppressed the truth in unrighteousness.
again, the "ungodly world" having "no such knowledge" is due to their own rejection of God when God reaches out.Rufus said:
.
Again, you lop off what is written in Romans 1:16-17. What a farce!
Romans 1:16-19
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For those who believe, the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation.
For those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, they receive the consequence of having done so.
.
for someone who hates having labels attached to her, you sure do like to attach labels to others ... could be some fallaciousness going on here ... just sayin'
.
so because God never stopped the shooting he allowed it ?
Yep this is where your knowledge of certain things is all over the place.
More than likely rufus the shooter would have had some condemning thoughts not to go through with the shooting but he chose not to.
The reality of that is God did not allow it. Romans 2:15
All deeds are seen in the light all consciences get pricked God is everywhere.
God being omniscient can either mean he predetermines everything or he knows everything that is going to happen.
I go with he knows everything.
It seems to me that every single man born into this world will reject God, unless the Spirit renews them. Until the Spirit works in you, you will never have a desire for God. John 3:3
No, it's not a lie according to all the FWers who are closet deists. You shouldn't forget that God isn't an actual Savior -- only a potential one, since in FWT it's the sinner's "freewill" that effectually puts him over the finish line. God merely offers salvation to all men w/o exception.