Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

  • 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.
brightfame52 said:
Salvation isnt offer to anyone, its promised to and given to a elect people
Click to expand...
Wrong. It IS an offer.....an offer of marriage. A legitimate offer without coercion or fraud. One that can ONLY BE RECEIVED by an act of volition, by saying "I DO", thereby entering in the BLOOD COVENANT of life and peace.

It should be obvious to you by now @Blain that these super-determinists are woefully and tragically biblically illiterate.
Why would anybody entertain them seeing as they are quite literally 100% wrong 100% of the time?

Exo 24:7
And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.

Exo 24:8
And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.

Jhn 3:29
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

Mat 26:27
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

Heb 13:20
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

Heb 12:24
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HeIsHere
NightTwister said:
Note the words "who believes"
Click to expand...
They had been appointed to eternal life is why they are believing Acts 13:48

48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

They were Gods elect who Christ died for Rom 8:33-34


33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us
 
cv5 said:
Wrong. It IS an offer.....an offer of marriage. A legitimate offer without coercion or fraud. One that can ONLY BE RECEIVED by an act of volition, by saying "I DO", thereby entering in the BLOOD COVENANT of life and peace.
Click to expand...

There are so many false teachings being promoted (works salvation, "Reformed" selection salvation, possible forsaken salvation, baptismal salvation, law keepers etc.,) on this discussion board, it is nearly unrecognizable from ten years ago.
:(
 
NightTwister said:
My point is "who believes" is a modifier of "everyone"; creating a subset.
Click to expand...
yes all who believe on the name of Jesus Christ will be saved am I missing something?
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:16
 
  • Like
Reactions: cv5
cv5 said:
My two cents:
I cannot say for certain that all of the "sign gifts" have ceased.
However what I can say for certain is that every single supposed "sign gift" that I have seen was undoubtedly false, bogus, fake.
Click to expand...

My contention is they are no longer given as a permanent gift for they are no longer needed. Does this mean that in special circumstances God doesn't use those gifts? Maybe, maybe not. I don't know and not about to tell God what He can and can't do.

What I do see are people picking a verse here and there that is being applied to a Church that is misusing the gifts without any thought to purpose or context.

Invariably I have noticed, those who oppose cessation the most? Are those who supposedly operate in one or more of those gifts. Call me a cynic if you will, but I find that highly suspicious. :cautious:
 
sawdust said:
No I think you are, ignoring purpose and context.
Click to expand...
then by all means explain the context I am missing because honestly I think you just cannot refute it so you cry context which by the way is not the issue here.
aside from a single verse in scripture that says they will cease which also is about the perfect becoming perfect and also about the chapter which speaks about why he said that and that is about love not discounting the gifts you have no real evidence to suggest they are not for today

You kbow I even searched for such a verse myself and could not find one
 
sawdust said:
My contention is they are no longer given as a permanent gift for they are no longer needed. Does this mean that in special circumstances God doesn't use those gifts? Maybe, maybe not. I don't know and not about to tell God what He can and can't do.

What I do see are people picking a verse here and there that is being applied to a Church that is misusing the gifts without any thought to purpose or context.

Invariably I have noticed, those who oppose cessation the most? Are those who supposedly operate in one or more of those gifts. Call me a cynic if you will, but I find that highly suspicious. :cautious:
Click to expand...
Even if only for certain situations the mere fact it is in operation says that God does not change
 
Today, as I was reading through Isaiah, I came across a passage which made me think about this particular discussion.
In Isaiah 34:5 the following statement is made - For my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it descends for judgment upon Edom, upon the people I have devoted to destruction.
“Devoted” - to give over or direct to a cause. God has set them aside for destruction!
Wow! That is a very harsh statement!
Then another passage came to mind. Heb13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Since God never changes, does that mean that even today He has a people, [His elect], who He treasures above all others and also the [non elect], who are devoted to destruction? Or, has He seen the error of His ways and now loves everyone and just hopes that they will turn to Him?

Food for thought!
 
  • Like
Reactions: rogerg
BillyBob said:
Today, as I was reading through Isaiah, I came across a passage which made me think about this particular discussion.
In Isaiah 34:5 the following statement is made - For my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it descends for judgment upon Edom, upon the people I have devoted to destruction.
“Devoted” - to give over or direct to a cause. God has set them aside for destruction!
Wow! That is a very harsh statement!
Then another passage came to mind. Heb13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Since God never changes, does that mean that even today He has a people, [His elect], who He treasures above all others and also the [non elect], who are devoted to destruction? Or, has He seen the error of His ways and now loves everyone and just hopes that they will turn to Him?

Food for thought!
Click to expand...
Hi @BillyBob yes when one has earned his wrath he does indeed have a people set aside for destruction and also an elect for his blessings remember that anyone who believes will be saved and those who don't are condemned
This of course does not mean that he had a preset people for salvation it simply means that that he has set apart the people of salvation the elect and those who do not believe for his judgement
 
Blain said:
Hi @BillyBob yes when one has earned his wrath he does indeed have a people set aside for destruction and also an elect for his blessings remember that anyone who believes will be saved and those who don't are condemned
This of course does not mean that he had a preset people for salvation it simply means that that he has set apart the people of salvation the elect and those who do not believe for his judgement
Click to expand...

[2Ti 1:9-10 KJV]
9 Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back