Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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I have no problem with every grace coming as a result of Christ's merits for the Christian. I was merely pointing out that God is gracious to all.

Except when He isn't!

There's a huge difference between common and saving grace. Plus you would have to reconcile your common grace-only rebuttal with numerous scriptures that teach He gives grace only to the humble. Humility is a spiritual/moral attribute whereas God's preservation of this world and the universe in order to sustain all life in this fallen world is not something He is morally required to do. He could have destroyed the heavens and the earth a lot sooner rather than later if he so willed it in eternity.
 
Your attempts at exegesis are.....superficial, fail to address the meaning and intent of the original languages, are mostly one verse wonders out of context. This is hardly an exhaustive list of deficiencies, they go on and on.

You are swinging and missing continuously its really quite embarrassing to observe day in and day out.

And the thing is, top drawer resources and legit scholars have been provided. But rejected with contempt.

Too bad so sad. Sorry fake sorry.

Actually, coming from you I consider that an extreme compliment - I've seen the result of your deductive abilities before and cannot think of one single occasion where you've been correct. It's almost amazing that someone can be as wrong as often as you are and yet be as obnoxious as you - your mistakes defy random chance - almost like you choose to commit them on purpose. Astounding, really.
 
I told you...God. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights.
If God's grace was limited to the humble, there would be no humble.
James1-17-18-Numbers23-19c-Philippians3-21.png

James 1 v 17-18, Numbers 23 v 19c, and from Philippians 3 v 21 ~ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation. Does He promise and not fulfill? He has the power to subject all things to Himself.
 
James1-17-18-Numbers23-19c-Philippians3-21.png

James 1 v 17-18, Numbers 23 v 19c, and from Philippians 3 v 21 ~ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation. Does He promise and not fulfill? He has the power to subject all things to Himself.
oooh I like this one a lot fantastic job
 
As usual you have your soteriology backwards. God's chosen people were elected long before time began, and they come to saving faith precisely because God predestined them in eternity.
nope ... only the Lord Jesus Christ is the Elect from before the foundation of the world. believers are changed from natural man to "elect" at the time they are born again.




Rufus said:
And I don't add any words to scripture.
you certainly did add "words to scripture" ...

Here's what cv5 submitted:

False.

Num 32:12
Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.

Here's your post wherein you changed what was submitted by cv5 and which is written in Scripture:

False.

Num 32:12
Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have [by Grace] wholly followed the LORD.

FTFY!


you added the words [by Grace] and you did it furtively in your deception and dishonesty so that it appears cv5 added the words ... which is even worse ...




Rufus said:
Quit lying about me.
I did not lie ... you did what you did ... and I called you out on your manipulation of Scripture, your furtive deception in making it appear cv5 added to Scripture, and your anger at me for pointing out your deceit.




Rufus said:
Don't you know God hates liars!?
yes ... so why do you lie about what you did? ... you changed Numbers 32:12 by adding words to what the Author of Scripture wrote ... you submitting the post and made it appear that cv5 added to Scripture ... those were your actions ... you think you can hide from God??? He knows and because you did not turn to Him and ask forgiveness when I first pointed out your deceit, everyone who reads this thread can see ... smh
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Mankind knows the difference between good and evil. I never said differently. But what mankind doesn't know is God; for the world hates Him, hates his Son, hates wisdom, hates knowledge and loves the darkness unto death!
If you would re-read what I submitted, you would see that I did not say what you claim. What I said was:

God tells us in Genesis 3:22 that mankind can know good and evil ... if mankind can know good and God, in His great goodness, has given us His Word ... God's Word is good ... the gospel is the good news ... why do you insist that mankind can only reject when God reaches out?

I said ...

mankind can know good and evil
if mankind can know good
and God, in His great goodness, has given us His word ... God's Word is good ... the gospel is the good news ... why do you insist that mankind can only reject when God reaches out?

The only way mankind can know anything about God is if and when God reaches out first to reveal Himself. God reveals His eternal power and Godhead through His creation ... God reveals Himself in Scripture ... God reveals Himself as He sends His faithful believers to preach His Word.

You believe the only response mankind can make is one of rejection ... even though you acknowledge that mankind can know good. God's Word is good, so why is rejection of God's good Word the only response of mankind?




Rufus said:
And thanks for confirming your ignorance of the Word. You don't have the first clue who the "us" is in Gen 3:22. Not surprised!
I'm not surprised you believe what you believe about me ... cuz like you keep telling everyone you're oh so humble.
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If you would re-read what I submitted, you would see that I did not say what you claim. What I said was:



I said ...

mankind can know good and evil
if mankind can know good
and God, in His great goodness, has given us His word ... God's Word is good ... the gospel is the good news ... why do you insist that mankind can only reject when God reaches out?

The only way mankind can know anything about God is if and when God reaches out first to reveal Himself. God reveals His eternal power and Godhead through His creation ... God reveals Himself in Scripture ... God reveals Himself as He sends His faithful believers to preach His Word.

You believe the only response mankind can make is one of rejection ... even though you acknowledge that mankind can know good. God's Word is good, so why is rejection of God's good Word the only response of mankind?





I'm not surprised you believe what you believe about me ... cuz like you keep telling everyone you're oh so humble.
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The Calvinists are a joke around here. Infantile, ignorant, churlish, insulting, and use every dirty trick in the book.

Nevertheless, our work continues.....

Luk 7:35
“But wisdom is justified by all her children.”

Dan 12:3
Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.
 
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Except when He isn't!

There's a huge difference between common and saving grace. Plus you would have to reconcile your common grace-only rebuttal with numerous scriptures that teach He gives grace only to the humble. Humility is a spiritual/moral attribute whereas God's preservation of this world and the universe in order to sustain all life in this fallen world is not something He is morally required to do. He could have destroyed the heavens and the earth a lot sooner rather than later if he so willed it in eternity.
Can you tell me a time when the sun isn't shining or rain isn't given somewhere?
 
It exists in the bible! Are you suggesting that God's covenant promises He made with Abraham were something less than gracious? Same question for the unilateral New Covenant promises... No divine blessing flow from either of these redemptive covenants?
Waaaaayyyyy past your pay grade.
You will never matriculate. Too bad so sad.
 
You do realize that by saying that you're implying that salvation is a supernatural act of God every bit as much as the physical universe was when He created it? Are you taking God's great work of salvation out of the natural realm and placing it in the supernatural?
You just assume I am in this box whenever I oppose you or the Reformed but much of what you believe I also believe. I even believe in Election, Chosen, Predestination, God did it all, God is Sovereign, we're saved by God's act of Grace, etc... I just don't believe in it like you do. I believe God's Will is ALWAYS FULFILLED but it's not like you view it has to happen.

I simply believe I had the ability to accept or reject is all and nothing more than that.
 
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You just assume I am in this box whenever I oppose you or the Reformed but much of what you believe I also believe. I even believe in Election, Chosen, Predestination, God did it all, God is Sovereign, we're saved by God's act of Grace, etc... I just don't believe in it like you do. I believe God's Will is ALWAYS FULFILLED but it's not like you view it has to happen.

I simply believe I had the ability to accept or reject is all and nothing more than that.
And if you had said no, that means you were not chosen/predestined/elected through God's sovereign will.

Your reasoning is self-defeating. Those given to Jesus by God, come to Him. No ifs and or buts.

John6-37s.png

John 6 v 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
 
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If you actually practiced loving others you would attempt to cover what you perceive to be other's offenses. You would rather you yourself were thought of poorly that they would not experience that.
This is why Jesus warned about planks. Truly hope this helps you. Grace and peace.


You use that as a tool to manipulate with.
Like a cat walking past a dog on a chain.

iu
 
If you actually practiced loving others you would attempt to cover what you perceive to be other's offenses. You would rather you yourself were thought of poorly that they would not experience that.
This is why Jesus warned about planks. Truly hope this helps you. Grace and peace.
But we don't have to love the bogus dogma issuing forth from every clueless hack. And the Biblical prescription is to correct those so engaged in promulgating it.

And no, "pride" is not the motivational factor. Love is. No truth....no love.
 
But we don't have to love the bogus dogma issuing forth from every clueless hack. And the Biblical prescription is to correct those so engaged in promulgating it.

And no, "pride" is not the motivational factor. Love is. No truth....no love.
People may not be able to define love, but they do know when they have experienced it. Try actually preferring others before yourself. People will notice.
 
People may not be able to define love, but they do know when they have experienced it.
Try actually preferring others before yourself. People will notice.
1-Cor13-4-8a-Love-Light-Shiness.png

1 Corinthians 13 verses 4-8 ~ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
:)
 
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People may not be able to define love, but they do know when they have experienced it. Try actually preferring others before yourself. People will notice.
This thread exists for those who prefer the truth and sound biblical doctrine in deference to hacks, posers and carnival barkers peddling quackery.

And go sell your brand of banal insipid gooey catchphrases to somebody with a guilty conscience. You've got the wrong customer.