Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

[reneweddaybyday]

So, Jewish believers in your world = Jewish non-believers? How could you not understand that Jewish believers = believers in Christ?

"believers in Christ" ...

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Your claim that "John's epistle was written primarily to JEWISH believers" has been proven incorrect more than once ... let it go ... quit resurrecting your dead issue ...
.

 

[reneweddaybyday]

God is preserving unregenerate Jews at present who have not entered into the Church.

He is preserving them for what will take place after the Rapture, and the age of the Jews will be reinstated for the duration of the Tribulation.

You don't know this?

he's just resurrecting his tired old claim ... he's been told the truth ... and he is rejecting the truth ... and freely at that.
.

 

[Genez]

All of that has nothing to do with 1Jn 2:2. Tell me: To whom was John writing his first epistle?

I was responding to what you said here.....

So, Jewish believers in your world = Jewish non-believers? How could you not understand that Jewish believers = believers in Christ?

Jewish believers in Christ are no longer Jews.
They are a new creation in Christ.
Jews remain being Jews otherwise.

.

 

[reneweddaybyday]

Give me chapter and verse, please on what God has told us that we "can do".

Ephesians 4:

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27 Neither give place to the devil.

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.


of course, if you are not born again, you cannot do those things as instructed by God.

And if you are in need of being born again, God's Word can remedy that situation as well.
.

 

[reneweddaybyday]

I was just making a comment on why God still sees Jews, as Jews... even if at present they do not believe in Jesus Christ.
And, that most importantly, God is not done with the Jews as His chosen people.

amen ... but I'm thinking some of the folks here are into the lie of RT...
.

 

[Rufus]

I must express tho only his sovereign will is known to him.

Not entirely true! God's revealed Dispositional, Preceptive and Decretive will is known by us. It's only the secret things of God that we do not and cannot know.

 

[Rufus]

Ephesians 4:

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27 Neither give place to the devil.

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.


of course, if you are not born again, you cannot do those things as instructed by God.

And if you are in need of being born again, God's Word can remedy that situation as well.
.

There's nothing in those texts that speak to man's innate ability. You read your assumption into those passages.

 

[Genez]

amen ... but I'm thinking some of the folks here are into the lie of RT...
.

Lie of RT? What is that?

 

[Rufus]

When you say to the surgeon....
"Go ahead! You have my consent!"

You are not the one performing the actual surgery.

Can't you guys think?

You're trapped.

God's will is not contingent on any of his free moral agents' wills. He does whatsoever He pleases and consults with no one! Why would the Potter consult with the clay pots He made? Are the clay pots equal to the Potter -- or even superior to Him?

 

[Rufus]

So thankful every day, sometimes I read the testimonies of others who have left, after spending time on this thread to remind myself.


We need to remember that this very fallen nature they harp on is created by their god, something they do not really speak about very often.

They make it sound like this "nature" is mankind's fault as well, but really in their system god decreed it.

So humankind can't/won't believe, because god gave them a nature which inhibits believing and on top of that

omnipresent Satan also has them captive night and day, blinding, enslaving them and god selectively activates those

whom he chooses, there are people who know this system and their only hope, is that they too will be activated at some point before death.



Talk about destroying the Good News!!

Well let's just say, all the condemnation this system has garnered over the years, is fully warranted and appropriate.

Actually, it was CV5's champion and superhero Adam who gave his progeny an evil nature. Read Rom 5 someday.

 

[Magenta]

There's nothing in those texts that speak to man's innate ability. You read your assumption into those passages.

Yes, the whole passage starts with addressing how corrupt the old man is.

Clearly the born again are in view there... being exhorted to live as the new and not the old.

Oh, dear, another text telling us the unregenerated person is corrupt.

Flesh serves the law of sin, for the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Because everyone born of God overcomes the world. In the mixed up unBiblical theology of the free will crowd, man overcomes the world with his wicked heart and is then born again.

 

[Rufus]

Ahhhh, digging up dirt to level the playing field even though God said Noah was a righteous man and Moses had the training to be Pharaoh which God used for His Will mightily.

It's good to know that you think that biblical truth that doesn't appeal to you is merely "dirt". I wonder how much of the bible is DIRT to you!? You're lame reply to Cam implies that he was lying to you. Was he, though? Did you know that God was even ready to kill Moses because of his disobedience?

 

[Rufus]

Cameron143 said:


On one level I agree, but OT saints are always said to have righteousness accounted to them, and not imputed. It's similar to their sins being covered. I believe the language employed because Jesus had yet to go to the cross where He pays for sin and accomplish all righteousness. The promise is there because the cross will inevitably come, but has no actually been accomplished

Ponder Ps 87 when you get a chance. I wrote very briefly on it in 13,887.

 

[Rufus]

"believers in Christ" ...

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Your claim that "John's epistle was written primarily to JEWISH believers" has been proven incorrect more than once ... let it go ... quit resurrecting your dead issue ...
.

You haven't proved anything! Try to befriend reality some day.

 

[Genez]

God's will is not contingent on any of his free moral agents' wills. He does whatsoever He pleases and consults with no one! Why would the Potter consult with the clay pots He made? Are the clay pots equal to the Potter -- or even superior to Him?

Isaiah 1:18a​

​

“Come now, and let us reason together,”​

Says the Lord.....​

While God's grace is keeping our flesh at bay, and the Gospel is being given...
The Holy Spirit reasons with us as to why we should believe.

Otherwise?

God does as he da_n well pleases, according to your over bearing God concept.

 

[Rufus]

I was responding to what you said here.....



Jewish believers in Christ are no longer Jews.
They are a new creation in Christ.
Jews remain being Jews otherwise.

.

Of course, they are! Abraham's spiritual descendants consist of Jewish and Gentile believers. And TOGETHER in Christ, they comprise the Israel of God!

 

[Rufus]

Isaiah 1:18a​

​

“Come now, and let us reason together,”​

Says the Lord.....​

While God's grace is keeping our flesh at bay, and the Gospel is being given...
The Holy Spirit reasons with us as to why we should believe.

Otherwise?

God does as he da_n well pleases, according to your over bearing God concept.

But he does all things according to the counsel of His Own will! Furthermore, the text you quote is an invitation to reason together. So, the invitation must be accepted! Also, God is not inviting his OC people to give counsel to Him! Read the latter chapters of the Book of Job someday.

 

[Inquisitor]

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?

Whether or not anyone has a freewill is a philosophical question rather than a Biblical question.

Semantics will shred the debate between determinists and freewill in philosophy.

It's not whether your will is totally free or restricted in some ways in the Bible.

The Bible is clear that all are fallen, unrighteous, unable to do anything good (in a Christian sense).

God told us we cannot be saved except through Jesus Christ.

So can anyone freely choose Jesus Christ?

Once again, no we cannot freely accept Jesus as Lord without the influence of the Holy Spirit.

The million dollar question then becomes.

Can anyone believe in Jesus with that encouragement of the Holy Spirit?

Certainly, anyone can believe in Jesus.

The atonement that Jesus gave us was an unrestricted gift.

Don't impress your own philosophical opinion on Christianity.

 

[Genez]

Of course, they are! Abraham's spiritual descendants consist of Jewish and Gentile believers. And TOGETHER in Christ, they comprise the Israel of God!

No they do not. Show me where is actually says that, please.
They do not comprise the Israel of God. Israel remains Israel.

 

[Inquisitor]

Of course, they are! Abraham's spiritual descendants consist of Jewish and Gentile believers. And TOGETHER in Christ, they comprise the Israel of God!

As long as you accept that Israel was chosen but the Gentiles were grafted in later on.