Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

[Magenta]

The world cannot receive the Spirit of truth, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. The world does not recognize Him. No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. The one who loves God is known by God. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile toward God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it. Whoever is not from God does not listen to us.

 

[lrs68]

His arrogant, belligerent, prideful tone kinda suggests to me that God deprived him of Grace.

So we should ignore the fact that God has done EVERYTHING FOR US so in return we half heartedly worship and praise Him?

I think how people praise and worship God reveals more about a person than anything else.

 

[lrs68]

Amen. Our witness should blaze forth with the love (begotten by newfound life) we have for/in Him Who first loved us.

Who here thinks that the dessicated decrepit moldering doomer message of the determinists reeks of death and hate? Anybody?

Amen!

 

[lrs68]

So, let me get this straight:
If you were the Pastor and decided to precede your normal service using the Apostles' Creed, you would first begin with a disclaimer as follows:

Folks, before we begin let's recite the Apostles' Creed.
But please remember, it was not written by the Apostles'.
So, please ignore just a couple other man made idealisms and stick directly to the Bible

OK, now repeat after me!
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.. . . . . . . . . . .

I believe in facts and the Church Fathers tells us when certain Creeds were developed.

 

[Rufus]

Jesus is still continually being lifted up when He is truly worshipped and the [Lost] witness it or whenever the Gospel is preached. So the circumference of ALL MEN is changing and it will be that way until everyone has heard the Gospel preached.

Jesus' work on the Cross was completed nearly 2,000 years ago. This is why He is now SEATED at the right hand of his Father.

 

[lrs68]

Jesus' work on the Cross was completed nearly 2,000 years ago. This is why He is now SEATED at the right hand of his Father.

But we're still lifting Him up unless you oppose and hate God which your beliefs indicate that sometimes.

 

[Pilgrimshope]

So we should ignore the fact that God has done EVERYTHING FOR US so in return we half heartedly worship and praise Him?

I think how people praise and worship God reveals more about a person than anything else.

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: he is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:46-49‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:21-22‬ ‭

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:21‬ ‭

“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:17‬ ‭

“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:12-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

…….he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”….

 

[Magenta]

Jesus' work on the Cross was completed nearly 2,000 years ago. This is why He is now SEATED at the right hand of his Father.

Behold (then sings my soul)

 

[studier]

A distinction with no difference.

How am I not surprised...

When rules of language and definitions and corrections mean nothing...

 

[Pilgrimshope]

But we're still lifting Him up unless you oppose and hate God which your beliefs indicate that sometimes.

Some take Jesus dying for them as a reason to never do anything god said and continue living for thier own Will and desires

others receive it and then give thier lives to god in return Knowing it’s value and turn and live for him there’s an exchange of life

“and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

He didn’t die to excuse us and allow us to bc ti ur in sin he died to set us free from sins dominion . Some accept that and others use his death as the reason not to obey

 

[Magenta]

How am I not surprised...

When rules of language and definitions and corrections mean nothing...

You call yourself a Biblical Christian while rewriting what you don't like to suit the way you have been programmed to think.

A Biblical Christian would be more accurate but not expected from you.

It is not accurate at all. Your specialty is redefining words.

 

[lrs68]

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: he is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:46-49‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:21-22‬ ‭

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:21‬ ‭

“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:17‬ ‭

“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:12-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

…….he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”….

Amen!

 

[lrs68]

Some take Jesus dying for them as a reason to never do anything god said and continue living for thier own Will and desires

others receive it and then give thier lives to god in return Knowing it’s value and turn and live for him there’s an exchange of life

“and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

He didn’t die to excuse us and allow us to bc ti ur in sin he died to set us free from sins dominion . Some accept that and others use his death as the reason not to obey

Amen!

 

[sawdust]

When we believe, we evidence that God has indeed done a work in us, has transformed us, has converted us. Until He has, no one believes.

Well aware you think we are saved in order to believe. Horse before the cart.

 

[cv5]

A distinction with no difference. In either case, the belief is that man's will is FREE FROM all moral/spiritual restrictions. Your own duplicity prevents you from stating what your ARE positively...instead you want to hide your true identity and tell us what you are NOT! So..whether you like it or not, you are a libertarian/libertinist because you do believe in the efficacy of man's "freewill" -- a will that can definitely do what God cannot, i.e. make choices that are contrary to your moral/spiritual nature. Are you going to deny this? Are you going to deny that unregenerate sinners don't have the will power to make good and evil spiritual choices?

You have a (very shoddy) theory, we have vast quantities of hard- boiled Scriptural evidence.

Who is gonna win the case?

 

[cv5]

Well aware you think we are saved in order to believe. Horse before the cart.

Calvinist dogma before Biblical doctrine.

 

[sawdust]

Maybe he chose them because it was His will, not their will....

Of course it's His will He saved them because He has always declared He will save believers. If you think any man's will can do what is required to save oneself you're delusional. It has been stated many, many, many, many, many, many times we are saved by the will of God. By grace through faith.

God calls us to believe. If that were not possible when grace is introduced to the equation of fallen man then God would be delusional, asking something of us that is impossible to do.

 

[reneweddaybyday]

He didn’t die to excuse us and allow us to bc ti ur in sin he died to set us free from sins dominion . Some accept that and others use his death as the reason not to obey

Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
.

 

[sawdust]

God choosing saved people for His purpose

Basically agree. God is choosing those who choose to receive the offer, sealing the COVENANT.

There are no other options or contingencies. It's the one and only way, "the perfect plan".

It seems to me the Reformed position has a double election. First He elects to saves us then He chooses to Elect us. <need head scratching emoji>

 

[sawdust]

He chose a set of people to fulfill a purpose.

Yes, those people are the ones who believe. They're not plucked out at random, they all have one thing in common, they believe when the Lord reveals Himself.