Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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Well, I always truly enjoy encouraging seekers, when they are sincere. Flippant game playing pot stirrers are not that.
 
You desperately seek a definition of that which you wield moment by moment as a consequence of simply being alive?

Glad I don't have that problem.....:sneaky:
Not surprising to discover you use being able to choose what colour of socks to wear (which has zero to do with
the eternal fate of anyone's soul) to throw over a plethora of Scriptures concerning the eternal fate of one's soul.


I would say you have a very big problem. Eh. What do you care what Scripture says?

You can choose what colour of socks to wear.
 
That's the difference between us Cameron. You view the Bible as the word of God, I don't. I view it as the word of fallable bearded men written 2-3000 years ago. As much fallable and imperfect as you and me are.

Since you claim things about me, I feel free to claim things about you:

You are the result of some 3 500 000 000 years of evolution through natural selection. You are related to chimpanees and apes. Not only that. You are related to mice, fish, trees, flowers and all living matter - just because of this evolution of life. And if it is any comfort to you - exactly the same is true for me and all other humans reading this. We are all a product of evolution and related to all life on earth. And that is why we should have respect for life in all forms, protecting the environment and climate.
Actually Biblical prophecy is unfolding precisely as written and exactly on time to boot.

So good luck with your theories when all hell breaks loose.
 
That's the difference between us Cameron. You view the Bible as the word of God, I don't. I view it as the word of fallable bearded men written 2-3000 years ago. As much fallable and imperfect as you and me are.

Since you claim things about me, I feel free to claim things about you:

You are the result of some 3 500 000 000 years of evolution through natural selection. You are related to chimpanees and apes. Not only that. You are related to mice, fish, trees, flowers and all living matter - just because of this evolution of life. And if it is any comfort to you - exactly the same is true for me and all other humans reading this. We are all a product of evolution and related to all life on earth. And that is why we should have respect for life in all forms, protecting the environment and climate.
Well that's certainly 1 view. Let me ask, why is it that you won't take the word of people who were eye witnesses 2000 years ago, but trust people who tell you the earth is billions of years old who are merely speculating? Further, they are lying to you about evolution as no species has ever reproduced except after its own kind. Nothing in the fossil record that contradicts this.
 
Sceptical. You are only referring to what bearded men wrote 2000 years ago. Doesn't impress me.
You aren't skeptical about people who aren't eye witnesses and who lie to you, but are skeptical about people who are eye witnesses and want to help you. You don't find this odd?
 
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You aren't skeptical about people who aren't eye witnesses and who lie to you, but are skeptical about people who are eye witnesses and want to help you. You don't find this odd?
No, these wanna be "I am more rational than anyone who believes in Sky Daddy" people
do not find such massive discrepancies odd at all. It is their norm. They be smart, ya know.


Oops. They don't like it when people express their opinions. Only they are allowed to express theirs...

Maybe they need a safe room. This sure ain't it.

:ROFL:
 
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Psalm 14 verses 1-3; Job 15 verse 16 ~ The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Man is vile and corrupt.
 
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Well that's certainly 1 view. Let me ask, why is it that you won't take the word of people who were eye witnesses 2000 years ago, but trust people who tell you the earth is billions of years old who are merely speculating? Further, they are lying to you about evolution as no species has ever reproduced except after its own kind. Nothing in the fossil record that contradicts this.
Those evolutionary "scientists" maybe don't have beards. He seems not to trust bearded men.

Plus they are more modern day men, possibly clean-shaven hipsters, even if they are only wildly speculating
about things which nobody alive today witnessed however many millions or billions of years ago.
 
Correction: nobody alive EVER witnessed. Aside from Jesus that is. Bang!!! Berry big bang.

tenor.gif
 
You guys are the boasters. We credit God for our salvation. You boast in your choice.
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1 Corinthians 3 v 19-21a, 1 Corinthians 1 v 19 ~ The wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” Therefore, stop boasting in men. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
 
Further, in Acts 2:37, we find God giving hearing...when they heard this, circumcising the heart...they were pricked in the heart, which changed their will or volition...what shall we do? All this resulting from the word of God being preached and the Spirit of God using it to produce faith.
I believe Acts 2:37 reveals/confirms what the Lord Jesus Christ said about the Holy Spirit convicting the world. The unbelieving Jews were pricked in their hearts as Peter was preaching God's Word.

Peter did not pull any punches in his preaching. He flat out told them that Jesus was the Christ ... the Messiah spoken of by Joel, by David, approved of God by wonders and miracles. Peter told them of the resurrection and the ascension ... and he then told them in vs 36 God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

so of course they were cut to the heart ... they were convicted in their hearts ... this is God's Word working in the hearts of the unbelievers ... and to this day God sends faithful believers to preach His Word to the lost, the Holy Spirit convicts people and they either believe or suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

God's Word is the Word of life ... God breathed life into His Holy Word ... that is why it is imperative that we speak God's Word ... not man's word ... or God's Word mixed with man's word.

Only God's Word is life and life-giving and God will only bring increase to the heart of those who believe God's Word.


Proverbs 4:20-23 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
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Do all people really know? Can you document your claim? I do not know anything about God.

- Why am I a truth suppressor?
- You wrote: "Romans 1 is clear: all people know certain things about God"
Do all people really know? Can you document your claim? I do not know anything about God.
- You wrote: "I doubt you'll find many here that you can impress."
So what? I am not here to impress, but to have a serious discussion and to learn things.

Why are you here Studier ?

Read Romans 1
Yes I did.
Documented. Read Romans 1
Yes I did.
Begin with Romans 1. If you want to discuss it, let me know.

Apparently to tell you to read Romans 1.
 
Life in His name is eternal life, not regeneration.
Jesus came to give eternal life...John 3:16.
Eternal life is knowing God and Christ...John 17:3.
John recorded what he did that people would believe and have life in His name...John 20:31.
John recorded these things that people might know they have eternal life...1 John 5:13.
Those verses all refer to eternal life; not regeneration.

Let's see if we can get on equal footing for discussion.

From what I recall from previous discussion, we will end up at some point in John3 which is a section of the Text that Reformed tradition interprets as supporting its life > believe determinism.

You say eternal life and regeneration are not the same. At base, I'd agree. But are they interconnected?

If you don't mind, let's start here: define "regeneration" or post a verse that you think defines it or a place in the Text you want to use that you think speaks of it. Let's see if we can agree what it is.
 
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The problem y'all have is the estate of the natural man. You have to ignore what is true of him to make a volitional choice unencumbered by his nature. And while some try to bypass this by saying God withholds his nature in order to make a choice, the Bible nowhere makes such a statement. Others simply act as though the things written about men aren't true and simply ignore them. God has simply dealt with them once and for all by giving them new hearts and His Spirit so that they love and obey Him. You have people obeying God from a natural estate. That simply isn't possible.

W'all don't have a problem with the natural man. Y'all do.

Also, you're trying to tell us what is impossible for God - that God cannot make the unbeliever understand the Truth in order to make him responsible for active receipt or rejection.

Re: the Gospel, among other things, we think highly of God's power He's instilled in His Gospel and in the ability of His Spirit to convict/convince the unbeliever of what he needs to know to choose to believe God or to reject God. We think highly of Jesus' ability to draw all men to Himself.

@reneweddaybyday has covered the 1Cor2-3 Scripture well in this thread more than once. I've covered it also and @reneweddaybyday and I (and others) from what I read are in agreement. I think I've also taken it into some of the Greek wording which gives even more reason to see it as we do.
 
I haven't said that my beliefs aren't reformed. I told you explicitly that they were. But reformed beliefs didn't inform my doctrine. My doctrine informed that my beliefs were reformed. The great thing about getting saved later in life is that you don't have any preconceived ideas. You come in as basically a blank slate. So you can approach the Bible with far fewer presumptions.

Do you care to share how long you've sat under Reformed teaching?

Your beliefs are very consistent with Reformed tradition as you say. Not only are they Reformed but they are in ways very consistent with Calvinism's TULIP.

Do you think Cameronism is different that Calvinism?
 
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