Can We Really Exercise Free Will?
- Thread starter LifelongLearner
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It appears you haven't looked very far. See Jn 6:28-29; Act 3:13-16; 15:9; 18:27; Rom 12:3; Eph 2:8-10; 1Tim 1:14; 1Pet 1:3-5; 2Pet 1:3-4; 1Cor 4:7.
It is a gift because it is given freely by God to those whom He willed to have it.
[Gal 5:22 KJV] 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
None of those say faith is a gift, except perhaps Romans 12:3, which says God has allotted to every man a measure of faith.
You omitted self-control in the next verse. God doesn't give self-control, so fruit can't be said to be totally produced by the spirit
Do you see the "through the righteousness of " below? Faith was given to them through Christ. It was not produced from/by themselves but through Christ. If they didn't produce it yet they obtained it, then it was a gift.
[2Pe 1:1 KJV] 1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
Okay, this is getting ridiculous. He does give self control as it pertains to things spiritual. Since He is the Holy Spirit, then
that which He gives are spiritual.
Self-control pertains to the natural world, ie, controlling the flesh. God doesn't/can't do that for us. It's self-control, not God-control
It says to those whom Peter wrote that they have been allotted a faith equal in value to the faith of the apostles.
I don't know what you're taking about. Anyway, in a spiritual sense, it means to be kept in the faith. That we remain in it is a gift from God:
[1Pe 1:5 KJV] 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." -- Eph. 2:8-9 ESV
No, it is saying they were given the same faith, which faith is as equally precious as Peter's.
Give me chapter and verse. Why are you concealing what you allege Paul taught? And please tell me that you're not alluding to Rom 12:3!
Not to interject, but if salvation is a gift, then that which went into producing it must also be of the same gift. If any part of
it isn't part of the gift, then neither can salvation be a gift.