Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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sawdust said:
The heart does not begin that way, it becomes that way by constantly rejecting God's truth and correction. The Lord is here in grace and truth before we have the words to even think with. Will we take heed? I remember hearing once, "the problem isn't that God doesn't speak, the problem is are we listening?" God has given of Himself to ensure, that in spite of our "natural" condition, we can hear and see Him.
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Agree that the heart becomes more and more hardened as the truth is suppressed. This truth is clearly laid out in Romans 1:18-32.

If and when the gospel of Christ is presented to the natural man, he or she can either believe the gospel and receive the blessing ... or he or she can suppress the truth in unrighteousness and receive the consequence of having suppressed.


Agree that God has provided all that in necessary that "in spite of our "natural" condition, we can hear and see Him" ... but according to some who have posted in this thread, God just couldn't figure out a way to get through to the natural man ... what God has to do is cause the natural man to be born again in order that he or she can believe the gospel by which he or she is born again ... how many times must a person be born again before he or she is really, really, really, truly, scout's honor born again ???

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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
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studier said:
Not at the moment. I'd want to focus on it and can't commit to do so right now.

I don't think it's surprising that you get a lot of disagreement but few willing or capable to get into the Scriptural details to systematically explain and prove why. I doubt you're surprised at this point either.
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No, I am surprised when there IS agreement, and I understand that systematic discussion takes more time
than a ping here and a pong there.
 
Isaiah6-9-10.png

Isaiah 6 verses 9-10, Luke 8 verse 10, (Matthew 13 verses 14-15, Mark 4 verse 12, Romans 11 verse 8, John 12 verses 39-40, Acts 28 verses 26-27, Ezekiel 12 verse 2, Jeremiah 5 verse 21, Deuteronomy 29 verse 4, Psalm 115 verses 4-8, Psalm 135 verses 15-18) ~ The voice of the Lord said: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
 
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Mark 2:10 (Luke 5:24, Matthew 9:6) Mark 2:17 (Luke 5:32, Matthew 9:13) Acts 3:19-20 The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” WHO ARE THE RIGHTEOUS? THERE ARE NONE! NO, NOT ONE. Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Matthew 28:18
 
Magenta said:
Cameron, how shady and evasive is it of you not to tell us the names of those in your inner circle? While you are setting
the record straight, please also tell us the names of all your children, your wife, plus your address and phone number.
I am also curious to know how someone who never joined is able to post. Is that even possible? No. It is not.
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And lets not forget - your driver's license and SocSec number!
 
Magenta said:
Isaiah6-9-10.png

Isaiah 6 verses 9-10, Luke 8 verse 10, (Matthew 13 verses 14-15, Mark 4 verse 12, Romans 11 verse 8, John 12 verses 39-40, Acts 28 verses 26-27, Ezekiel 12 verse 2, Jeremiah 5 verse 21, Deuteronomy 29 verse 4, Psalm 115 verses 4-8, Psalm 135 verses 15-18) ~ The voice of the Lord said: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
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Notice that the Matthew 13 and Acts 28 wording places the blame on sinner instead of on God.
 
Magenta said:
Mark2-10-Mark2-17-Acts3-19-20.png

Mark 2:10 (Luke 5:24, Matthew 9:6) Mark 2:17 (Luke 5:32, Matthew 9:13) Acts 3:19-20 The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” WHO ARE THE RIGHTEOUS? THERE ARE NONE! NO, NOT ONE. Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Matthew 28:18
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Notice that the command to repent implies the ability to obey (MFW).
 
GWH said:
Rufus said:
How do children escape the imputation of Adam's sin?
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Scripture? Paul does not say infants go to hell.
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someone does not understand that God does not lay the sins of the parents on the children ... or the sins of the children on the parents ...

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
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John3-13-John6-33-John6-38s.png

John 3 v 13 John 6 v 33 John 6 v 38 No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven- the Son of Man. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
 
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John15-5c-Philippians2-13s.png

John 15 verse 5c; Philippians 2 verse 13 ~ Apart from Me you can do nothing. For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
 
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Komentaja said:
This is a caricature. The Bible says to teach your son the way he should go. Of course you teach him the Gospel and the law of God.
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The natural man can't receive the Gospel or the law of God UNTIL God saves them....According to the calvies.

Pointless mumble jumble to our sons until God saves him.....According to the calvies.
 
Komentaja said:
This is a caricature. The Bible says to teach your son the way he should go. Of course you teach him the Gospel and the law of God.
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Read the calvies and determinists posts on this thread.

This is their witness:

Has God elected you yet?

Yes. Well now you can understand and accept the Gospel.

No. Well, God possibly will elect you.
~~~~
Bible believing Christians?

John 3:16
Acts 16:31
 
Cameron143 said:
Now you are asking too much.
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Like expecting you to name your personal pastor isn't too much already. Just bizarre.
It just gets worse and worse. The Bible foretold this after all. The Bible also says those
from the world speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

Jesuswords-John15-19-John14-17r2.png

Jesus' words in John 15 verse 19 and John 14 verse 17 ~ If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.
 
LifelongLearner said:
Many have probably realised i don't think we can exercise free will, even think it's impossible for us to. Won't explain why i think it's an impossiblility for us yet, think it's useful for some to express why they think it exists first.

I have no doubt we have and can make choices throughout life, however, think our options are far more restricted than most realise. What do you think?
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You exercised free will when you started this thread and every time you posted to it.
Surely you do not believe you did this because God foreordained it.
 
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