Can We Really Exercise Free Will?
- Thread starter LifelongLearner
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Do? Not sure what you mean by that. They don't "do" anything to become saved - it comes as a gift, Christ alone is the Savior, so He is the one who saves - fully and completely with no requirements to be satisfied by the one being saved - that's what makes it by grace - it is a gift.. After being saved, as Christians, we are to do the sharing of the gospel but that is not a requirement for salvation
Exactly, people can only refuse salvation upon hearing the Good News, that is why some are pre-selected and are already saved.
Make that, make sense.
straw man ... all believe we are saved by grace through faith ...
Romans 1:16-19 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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
those who believe the gospel of Christ receive the promise.
those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness receive the consequence.
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Matthew 9:10-13 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
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i understand, how about hedgehogs, what do you with hedgehogs digging your lawn up everyday
That was the whole point of it all.....
Christ would never make an offer that was fraudulent.
The bogus dogma of the determinists is effortlessly debunked.
Unfortunately, it is equally easy for them to deny the truth.
But if people are already saved what's the point of sharing the gospel? Is it to wake people up so they realize the divinity already within them?
If God intends that someone become saved, they will become saved - it is non-rejectable. The terms of New Covenant are unilateral -
from God to man, not bilateral, without a provision for acceptance or rejection by the one being saved.
yes of course there's a verse to wake you up everyday in the gospel.
Like this one, wake up you sleepers
For spiritual edification. No one becomes saved and wakes up the next morning with a full comprehension of it. It increases continually over time. Those who become saved however, come to an understanding/belief that it was through Christ as Savior alone, by God's grace.
Wait a minute, you said "becomes saved". I thought you said people were already saved, which I guess means since they were born.
They were elected to salvation from before the foundation of the world. But salvation itself happens in their life at a time of God's choosing, but happen, it must.
[Rom 8:2 KJV] 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
And what is that time demarcated by? In other words, what separates salvation from not salvation?
You are confusing fairness and justice for grace.
Paul tells us what grace is.
Many ignore its meaning and interject their own image of which grace is not to make themselves feel good about God.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may
rest on me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Grace is imparted POWER from God!
Paul tells us that God's grace is power.
Enabling power!
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Power that enables us to do what we are helpless to do in our own energy of the flesh.
God's grace is a powerful force that transforms weaknesses into strengths, allowing believers
to navigate life's challenges with divine support.
What is grace and often confused for?
It's not mercy. Mercy is mercy.
It is not even kindness. Kindness is kindness.
Grace is power from God to enable us to do and think what God sees as righteousness in action.
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—
And righteousness and sanctification and redemption. (1 Corinthians 1:30)
Our righteousness is from Christ!
For the Grace to be righteous comes from Jesus Christ!
Grace in operation is when you find yourself able to do and think what you know you normally could not achieve!
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.
No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." 1 Corinthians 15:10
Since many do not know what Grace is? The word is used to produce answers that are incorrect!
Grace is not mercy.
Mercy is mercy.
Grace is not even love.
Love (agape) is love and a fruit of the Spirit.
Grace, on the other hand, is God giving power to make Spirit filled Christians able to be what God approves of.
But by the grace of God I am what I am." 1 Corinthians 15:10a
At least know what Grace means!Grace is power from God that will enable a Spirit filled believer to achieve MATURITY IN CHRIST!
Too many are leaning upon their feelings and own understanding and are not walking in grace.
They are walking in dogma and rigidity. Which is not power from God.
Dogma and rigidity gives one a sense of power over weak believers who are not walking in grace and truth.
It gives them a bully personality when it comes to getting their way in how they demand you should think.
Bully personalities can be smiley and nice in approach.... "Pleasant gaslighters."
Well... Grace is Grace!
I believe it is as Paul stated in the verse I included - that God saved him when/by he being taken from under the law of sin and death and placed under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Notice that Paul had no part in the process but to be taken from
the one and placed under the other - the law of Christ is what made him MADE him free.
[Rom 8:2 KJV] 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
God can look at your whole life and sanctify you halfway though it, or even one 3rd of the way through it.
With God all things are possible.
Its like this you wouldn't expect God to sanctify someone's life half the way through it, without looking at there whole first would you.