Can We Really Exercise Free Will?
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The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8 v 6-8 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2 v 13-14
Don't you reject that men are blinded, claiming all see? Like the others who claim everyone hears when Jesus said otherwise...
What Say You? ~ When Scripture says there are none good, does it mean some are good? When Scripture says we all fall short, does it mean there are some who meet God's standards? When Scripture says, "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..." Does it mean the natural man can understand the spiritual things of God? Does it mean he really can understand the gospel message even though it is heard as foolishness to him as Scriptures say? Is the natural man gifted with wisdom even though he has no fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom? Will the lover of darkness come into the light even though Scripture says he will not, because he suppresses the truth of God in unrighteousness and is actually defined as darkness itself, hates the light, and is a slave to sin, blinded to the truth and captive to the will of the devil, which many define as being free? Is the heart of the natural man, the stony ground which needs to be replaced, fit for receiving and growing the Seed of God's Word into faith? Will that incurably wicked heart choose of its own accord to believe? Will that bad tree bring forth the good fruit of faith even though Jesus said it was not possible?
John 8 verses 43, 47, Acts 13 verse 48, Romans 8 verse 8, John 8 verse 43 “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.” “Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.
Honestly Sis. Your mind is of the flesh. You are so focused on man and his flesh, that you cannot see the light of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8 v 6-8 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2 v 13-14
It is that darn freewill in us.
2 Corinthians 4 v 4The 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.
We were talking about calvinists who claim to know the Lord.
It would be very helpful if you could try to keep up.
I recommend carefully reading what a person says and then read what they were responding to.
I am talking about what Scripture says. This is the Bible Discussion Forum.
And YOU mentioned people not accepting the full counsel of God.
I responded because that describes you to a T.
Suck it up, buttercup.
I'm not talking about getting my way. I'm talking about things that affect what we actually desire.
What causes an individual to desire to live righteously? What causes one to live selfishly? These are the things that impact the will. As previously stated, we are either influenced by the flesh or the Spirit. We cannot make choices that aren't under some impact.
I believe a reason some are highly attracted to Calvinism, is because it helped some to stop feeling like no good pieces of garbage.
Because, the concept of total depravity gave them reason to think what they had been living is to be expected.
And, now they could stop hating themselves knowing we are all born depraved. Which is good to know up to a point.
But, then they take it too far, and enter into escapism by hyper ventilating about the sovereignty of God.
It becomes as a mind set of theological fantasy escapism when it comes to unbalanced thinking in regards to the Sovereignty of God.
As for that way of thinking?
Talking about what Scripture says?
Here is what Scripture says...
If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you;
for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than
for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes
you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for
you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be
cast into hell.
Matthew 5:29-30
DO IT!
What makes you think you know what living righteously is?
Many confuse living morally for living righteously.
Living righteously is a never ending process of growth until we die.
So how's the weather way out there in left field where folks don't know where their bible is, much less what's in it?
Tell me how many of these Scripture verses you disagree with:
Man’s heart is deceitful above all things and incurable (Jer 17 v 9), himself full of evil (Mark 7 v 21-23), loves darkness rather than light (John 3 v 19), cannot come to God on his own (John 6 v 44), does not seek for God (Rom 3 v 10-12), is helpless and ungodly (Rom 5 v 6), nothing good dwells in his flesh (Rom 7 v 18), is a slave of sin (Rom 6 v 20, John 8 v 34, 2 Tim 2 v 26), cannot receive spiritual things (1 Cor 2 v 14), is dead in his sins (Eph 2 v 1), is by nature a child of wrath (Eph 2 v 3), is at enmity with God (Eph 2 v 15), hostile to God and cannot submit to God's law (Rom 8 v 7), blinded by Satan (2 Cor 4 v 4), hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his evil deeds will be exposed (John 3 v 20). Therefore we rightfully conclude in accordance with the conditions described of the unregenerated man in Scripture that his inborn inclination is to reject God. Thanks be to God, Who appoints people to believe (Acts 13 v 48), chooses who is to be holy and blameless (Eph 1 v 4), predestines us to adoption (Eph 1 v 5), calls according to His purpose (2 Tim 1 v 9), chooses us for salvation (2 Thes 2 v 13), leads us to and grants us repentance (Rom 2 v 4, 2 Tim 2 v 24-25), grants the act of believing (Phil 1 v 29), works faith in the believer (John 6 v 28-29), causes us to be born again (1 Pet 1 v 3), born again not by our will, effort or desire but by His will and desire (John 1 v 12-13), grants that we come to Jesus (John 6 v 65), draws people to Himself (John 6 v 44), predestines us to salvation (Rom 8 v 29-30), and circumcises our heart (with the heart one believes [Rom 10 v 10]) as promised in Deut 30 v 6, all according to His purpose (Phil 2 v 13). The stony ground of man’s wicked heart is not good soil. A bad tree cannot bring forth good fruit. Jesus said so! (Matt 7 v 18 + 12 v 33; Luke 6 v 43). All this and more weighed against zero verses articulating the so-called “free will” of the natural man, which is a vain man-exalting philosophically based doctrine erroneously and egregiously elevated to Bible truth. Praise God and to His glory, what is impossible with man is possible with God.
Arguably, the clearest doctrine in the full counsel of God......He died For ALL, as in ALL.
John 1:29
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John 3:16
1 John 2:2
and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
2 Corinthians 5:19
that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Colossians 1:19-20
For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, / and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.
1 Timothy 2:5-6
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, / who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.
Isaiah 53:5-6
But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. / We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.