Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

[HeIsHere]

Well, you are getting there. Still won't call it divine enablement, but you described it to a T. You're halfway there.

May it never be, plus @studier knows the scripture far too well.
Praise God!!

 

[Blain]

Everyone is fine.

1 John 1:9 if you need it.

Mary was faced with a CHOICE. And she made it.

This is a fine example of the lengths reformed/calvie/tulip theology will go to protect their sacred unbiblical beliefs.

Are you calling me a calvinist? and as far as her choice please show me where she was given a choice, she was told what was going to happen and she agreed where was she asked if she wanted to be the mother of Jesus? where was this question presented to her?

 

[Cameron143]

I've read the story ...

Gideon went down because He trusted God ... otherwise he wouldn't have gone, and he took his servant with him as God suggested ... is it your claim that Gideon did not trust God ... but Gideon went down anyway ?
.

If he trusted God, he wouldn't have needed to go down or put out a fleece twice. He walked by sight.

 

[Magenta]

May it never be, plus @studier knows the scripture far too well.
Praise God!!

He tells us what he has been taught to think. Not worth much, really, and certainly nothing to praise God for.

Since he rewrites Scripture to suit his presups and strips words of their main and plain meanings.

I very much doubt God is pleased with such.

 

[Magenta]

Are you calling me a calvinist? and as far as her choice please show me where she was given a choice, she was told what was going
to happen and she agreed where was she asked if she wanted to be the mother of Jesus? where was this question presented to her?

They are just liars and refuse to admit what Scripture plainly states. This is what they do with
their "free will." They use their freedom as a cover up for evil, spoken against in Scripture.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Galatians 5 verse 1 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6 verse 18 Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 1 Corinthians 8 verse 9 Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 1 Peter 2 verse 16 Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 1 Corinthians 9 verse 19

 

[Blain]

That is exactly the critical question, Blain.
Is a God who shows favoritism by electing only some the same as
a God who loves everyone and provides them the possibility of heaven?

There is only one true God and the God I know and have even met personally does not have favoritism and does not have a selected people to save and others not he is warm and full of love and grace like a big warm heated blanket that covers the entire earth

Everyone has their view of him but to know him personally to know his nature his traits his smile even that is another matter entirely.
people can provide all the scripture they want to me and I still will tell them who he is even if it contradicts all the evidence presented. My father the one I know and serve and have personally met he loves all gives grace to all and desires to save all

 

[BillyBob]

Only the super-determinists propound that God expected Israel to keep the law "perfectly".

He did no expect them to, He commanded them to!

 

[Blain]

not so, Blain ...

John 16:7-9 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter [the Holy Spirit] will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

The Holy Spirit convicts unbelievers of sin. Because the unbeliever does not believe in Christ, the Holy Spirit convicts so that the unbeliever will turn to the Lord Jesus Christ when the gospel is preached to him or her. It is the Holy Spirit working within the one when the gospel is preached to the unbeliever, to reveal to the unbeliever the need to believe in Christ.

The Holy Spirit convicts unbelievers of righteousness. Because the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to the father and He is no longer present on earth, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to reveal Christ. John 15:26 tells us But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. The Holy Spirit works within faithful believers to preach the gospel to the unsaved.

The Holy Spirit convicts unbelievers concerning judgment because the prince of this world is judged. Beginning in Gen 3:15, Scripture tells us that satan is defeated. Those who reject the gospel align themselves with the defeated enemy of God and those who reject will share in satan's ultimate defeat. The Holy Spirit seeks to convict unbelievers of this truth so that when the gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe (Rom 1:16) is preached, the unbeliever can believe what he or she hears. Sadly, some suppress the truth in unrighteousness and they will be cast into the lake of fire if they do not believe prior to the end of their earthly life.
.

ok fair point

 

[Blain]

They are just liars and refuse to admit what Scripture plainly states. This is what they do with
their "free will." They use their freedom as a cover up for evil, spoken against in Scripture.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Galatians 5 verse 1 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6 verse 18 Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 1 Corinthians 8 verse 9 Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 1 Peter 2 verse 16 Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 1 Corinthians 9 verse 19

Seriously though am I misunderstanding or did they just call me a calvinist? like do they know me at all?

 

[Magenta]

Seriously though am I misunderstanding or did they just call me a calvinist? like do they know me at all?

Here people call anyone they disagree with, those who promote Biblical truth to their religious fantasy, a Calvinist.

In that way they excuse themselves from dealing honestly with Scriptures provided. Oh you are a Calvie? Dismissed!

They also use it as a springboard to other more nefarious proclamations. It acts as a mask for Satan to do his work.

And if you pay attention, you will find they even lie about Jean Calvin. It seems to go with the territory.

 

[BillyBob]

All I know is that that self-circumcision thingy didn't work out too swell for Israel.

It hurts more when you do it yourself!

 

[Blain]

Here people call anyone they disagree with, those who promote Biblical truth to their religious fantasy, a Calvinist.

In that way they excuse themselves from dealing honestly with Scriptures provided. Oh you are a Calvie? Dismissed!

They also use it as a springboard to other more nefarious proclamations. It acts as a mask for Satan to do his work.

I did notice that the term is thrown around a lot quite casually I might add.

 

[Blain]

It hurts more when you do it yourself!

EEK! nope nope image out of my head image out of my head

 

[Magenta]

I did notice that the term is thrown around a lot quite casually I might add.

Just adding this as I missed doing that within the 5 minute edit window of my previous post:

For instance they call him a murderer when it was a council which condemned the heretic Calvin testified
against, but they never tell you that. It came out again earlier today and has several times before as well.
Calvin even wanted the death sentence to be carried out in a more humane manner but they don't tell you
that normally, either, they just say he was a murderer and burnt someone at the stake, which is a lie.

They use such lies to try to condemn you but their own lies condemn them.

Not to mention it being a logical fallacy! They are big on those, also.

Example: if man's will is not free then he is a robot. How often do we see that one?

 

[Cameron143]

The last 5 words were just for you. Belief > Life (incl new heart and spirit & God's Spirit).

Well, at least you admit that the choice was enabled by the work of the Spirit and the power of the Gospel. Not exactly a will that was free. More like a will that was freed.

 

[Magenta]

Well, at least you admit that the choice was enabled by the work of the Spirit and the
power of the Gospel. Not exactly a will that was free. More like a will that was freed.

You know they cannot admit that, as it runs counter to what they were taught to think.

Not to mention throwing over the whole free will delusion in the first place. No, they cannot have that.

 

[BillyBob]

That is exactly the critical question, Blain.
Is a God who shows favoritism by electing only some the same as
a God who loves everyone and provides them the possibility of heaven?

Why would God cast so many that you claim He loves into a lake of fire.................

 

[Magenta]

EEK! nope nope image out of my head image out of my head

Paul said something similar... about people emasculating themselves. Galatians 5 v 12

As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

So that refers also to those people claiming God never commands something people are unable to carry out.

I wonder if lrs is still paying attention.

 

[reneweddaybyday]

Could you possibly write something more absurd and illogical than what I bolded above!?

is it possible for you to be less bombastic ... do you think you have it in you?

I have to ask because it does not appear you have taken to heart what is written in Philippians 2 ... allow me to introduce you to vs 3 ... Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

How can anyone know what evil is apart from knowing what good is!?

by reading what is revealed in Scripture would be the best source for knowing "what good is!" ... knowing "what good is!" does not require someone to "know what evil is" notwithstanding your insistence to the contrary.

Since we're free moral agents created in God's image, God has instilled innately into every man's heart the knowledge of good and evil.

maybe you should study what does God mean that the knowledge of good is "instilled innately into every man's heart".

But what He hasn't instilled into every moral creature's heart is his efficacious grace to believe the gospel and to repent of sin.

According to Romans 1, the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe.

When the gospel of Christ which is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe is preached, the unbeliever either believes and receives the blessing or the unbeliever suppresses the truth in unrighteousness and receives the consequence.

And there is no good in man. Jesus said so. Only God is good. Man is evil.

yeah ... like I said ... y'all got evil down pat ... what you're blinded to is what God means when He tells us mankind has knowledge of good.

has it ever dawned on you that God left a remnant of the knowledge of good within mankind so that mankind can respond affirmatively when God reveals Himself?

or is this something you consider beyond His ken (which is an impossibility btw).
.

 

[Cameron143]

The last 5 words were just for you. Belief > Life (incl new heart and spirit & God's Spirit).

You also never answered my questions, BTW. How can someone under conviction of the Spirit not being given understanding?