Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

[Blain]

Trees are experts at leaving.

Yeah and they are all bark and no bite

 

[Magenta]

They had Free Will—- They chose to listen to Satan rather than to God.

Scripture says man is a slave to sin. Some are taken captive to do the will of the devil.

How do you see freedom in that? His sheep hear His voice.

2 Corinthians 4 v 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

 

[cv5]

In those verses, God tells us exactly who He is speaking about - and that they would seek Him but not as a matter of chance.

Seeking Him is NEVER a matter of chance.

It is a matter of WILL.

[Mat 9:27 KJV]
And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, [Thou] Son of David, have mercy on us.

[Mat 15:22 KJV]
And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, [thou] Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

[Mat 20:30 KJV]
And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, [thou] Son of David.

 

[reneweddaybyday]

John's epistle was written primarily to JEWISH believers,

nope ... John wrote to born again believers.

i.e. "our sins" contrasted with "BUT for the sins of the whole world" (1Jn 2:2). John purposely did not lump himself or his Messiah-believing Jewish audience in with the "whole world". Therefore, by reason of this exclusion, the phrase "whole world" must logically be understood in the limited sense.

nice try ... no cigar ...


2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
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[Cameron143]

Lol, that's obvious that it's impossible that I could be able to reach that purity and level of love for my neighbors.

Right. But you said God would never give us a commandment we couldn't keep. By your own admission, your statement was false.

 

[Magenta]

Right. But you said God would never give us a commandment we couldn't keep. By your own admission, your statement was false.

I would love to hear how people circumcised their own hearts and ears! It was commanded, after all...

Philippians 3 verse 3; Colossians 2 verse 11; Romans 2 verse 29b ~ For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh. You were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands. Circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.

 

[Cameron143]

I would love to hear how people circumcised their own hearts and ears! It was commanded, after all...

Philippians 3 verse 3; Colossians 2 verse 11; Romans 2 verse 29b ~ For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh. You were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands. Circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.

I do believe there is both a spiritual and natural experience of the circumcision of the heart. The former only God can do and accompanies the new birth. There is also a rending of our hearts before the Lord wherein we pour out our hearts before Him.

 

[lrs68]

Right. But you said God would never give us a commandment we couldn't keep. By your own admission, your statement was false.

We have the ability to love God more than those around us so I am not sure you are completely accurate.

 

[reneweddaybyday]

But what happened to both kingdoms AFTER Joshua?

all your bloviating does not change the fact that if you would read verses in the context within which the Author of Scripture has placed them, you probably would not have submitted your post stating ...

Joshua told the people straight up they're not able to serve God because He is holy.

​

And now you have been shown that Joshua said they could not serve the Lord if they forsake Him and serve idols. Even though we all know God is Holy ... what you claim Joshua said is not what Joshua said.

Quit arguing with God and study His Word ... and when you have been shown the truth of God's Word, humbly bow your head and thank Him for revealing His Word to you ... don't continue arguing in your prideful self-exaltation.

Here ... take your own advice ...

Why can't YOU believe what Joshua said?

​

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[Cameron143]

We have the ability to love God more than those around us so I am not sure you are completely accurate.

Some people can't admit when they are wrong.

 

[Jordon]

Hmm.... well I would say that without Christ then yes we would be held accountable but his love grace and mercy far outweighs our ability to disobey him su srevoc doolb stsirhC yhw si taht erutan ruo nid etnirpmi ertuan fo wal a saw ti ti fi neveos

Thanks for your natural input

 

[reneweddaybyday]

Lol, that's obvious that it's impossible that I could be able to reach that purity and level of love for my neighbors.

I love these verses in Ephesians ...

Ephesians 3:

14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

.

 

[Rufus]

The way you act...

I thought you were a dictionary.

Proving once again how little you can get right.

 

[Rufus]

Show us how to search for Jesus.

With our whole heart, not just 1/4 of it.

 

[Rufus]

Certainly.........

[Jer 25:15 KJV]
For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.

[Jer 25:16 KJV]
And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.

[Jer 25:17 KJV]
Then took I the cup at the LORD'S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:

[Jer 25:18 KJV]
[To wit], Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as [it is] this day;

[Jer 25:19 KJV]
Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;

[Jer 25:20 KJV]
And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,

[Jer 25:21 KJV]
Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon,

[Jer 25:22 KJV]
And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which [are] beyond the sea,

[Jer 25:23 KJV]
Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all [that are] in the utmost corners,

[Jer 25:24 KJV]
And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert,

[Jer 25:25 KJV]
And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes,

[Jer 25:26 KJV]
And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which [are] upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.

[Jer 25:27 KJV]
Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.

[Jer 25:28 KJV]
And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.

Jeremiah speaking to the nations does not equate to speaking to each and every person in the world w/o exception, anymore than God promising to make Abraham the father of many (or all) the nations does not mean God would make each and every person w/o exception in those nations his spiritual offspring.

 

[Rufus]

Seeking Him is NEVER a matter of chance.

It is a matter of WILL.

[Mat 9:27 KJV]
And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, [Thou] Son of David, have mercy on us.

[Mat 15:22 KJV]
And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, [thou] Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

[Mat 20:30 KJV]
And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, [thou] Son of David.

And a person's desires play no part in the functioning of the will?

 

[BillyBob]

Trees are experts at leaving.

Have you ever seen a crow flying in formation with geese?

 

[Pilgrimshope]

All who come into this world come into it spiritually dead, and therefore, blind and deaf. The dead can neither see nor hear,

As most of what you think that’s another faulty point that’s not found anywhere in the Bible .

 

[Rufus]

Have you ever seen a crow flying in formation with geese?

Give the poor crow some time. According to Studier animals and humans alike can learn to change their nature.

 

[Cameron143]

Have you ever seen a crow flying in formation with geese?

This breaks all bird protocols and is considered an egregious and fowl offense.