Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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sawdust said:
There are no opportunities without freedom.
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Absolutely correct. We are indeed free to avail ourselves of God's gracious opportunity provided in Christ Jesus. That thought which my post is intended to convey in no uncertain terms.

But.....will the Calvinists "get it"?
Given the endless series of strikeouts, prospects are indeed grim.
 
cv5 said:
Yup. Basically what I do with the flunkies and dropouts. They still serve a purpose.

They didn't make the cut.....but others might in the course of dialogue.
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Actually... They keep refusing to make the cut.
For grace would have solved their deficiency problem with the corrections to be given.

They will not accept correction needed to submit to sound doctrine.
They would rather keep defending the dogma that they like seeing others liking as well.
Its an ego issue.
 
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sawdust said:
What is that suppose to mean?

You think freedom only comes in two measures? None and all freedom?
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What are the Calvinists thinking?
All for me, none for thee?
Could it be? Watch and see....
 
Rufus said:
You may have "literally read" posts of mine but none of what I wrote do you understand. I have answered the question you ask numerous times. The answer to your question above is the same answer I gave for how God gives grace to only the humble, which is not man's natural disposition of heart. The answer to both is: Jesus Christ since He's my Federal Head. I owe ALL to Him! Since God chose me IN Christ in eternity, God identifies me with His Beloved.
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Just because many natural man are prideful doesn't mean every natural man is full of pride and still not saved. I know several people without God who literally make the average Christian look like they should be going to Hell instead of themselves.
 
I have to believe we can exercise free will because so many in this Op have been doing it constantly for hours.
But beware...... free will has sent many a soul to Hell.
 
cv5 said:
Here you go. So then now how many people exactly constitute these "sinners"? Half dozen? Or literally everyone?

[Mat 9:13 KJV] 13 But go ye and learn what [that] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
[Mar 2:17 KJV] 17 When Jesus heard [it], he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
[Luk 5:32 KJV] 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
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Call, isn't an issue to my prior post. Jesus was God on Earth.

1 Corinthians 2 tells us, man in the natural mind state cannot understand the things of God.Because those things are spiritually discerned.

Only when Holy Spirit (God) enters in,chooses to show grace to whom God calls through that contact,can the natural mind abate and then understand the things of God.
John 6:44

Even Jesus in his ministry did not teach in a way that would allow all to understand his teachings.

We know this when Jesus told his Disciples they did not choose him. He chose them.
We know this by the exclusive title afforded God's chosen,the Elect of God.
We know this by learning God wrote the names of whom he would Save in The Lambs Book of (Eternal) Life, before the foundation of the world.

And we know Jesus did not come to Save everyone or else he would not have said,no one can come to him unless he (being God on Earth) calls ,leads,them.

ny verse where Jesus says he will be lifted up and draw all people to himself, must be understood in the exclusive context repeatedly noted I. his teachings.

"And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why do you speak unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto YOU to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but unto them it is NOT given.” Matthew 13:10-11


“All these things spoke Jesus unto the multitude in PARABLES; and without a parable spoke He not unto them.” Matthew 13:34

All of which concatenates with Isaiah 6:9-10
9 He (the Lord) said, “Go and tell these people:
“‘Listen continually, but don’t understand.
Look continually, but don’t perceive.’
10 Make the hearts of these people calloused;
make their ears deaf and their eyes blind.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
their hearts might understand and they might repent and be healed.”


and Matthew 13,
14In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled:
‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15For this people’s heart has grown callous;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts,
and turn, and I would heal them.’
 
Edify said:
I have to believe we can exercise free will because so many in this Op have been doing it constantly for hours.
But beware...... free will has sent many a soul to Hell.
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God is Sovereign and has Dominion over his creation.

Psalm 24:1“The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps” Proverbs 16:9

Libertarian, autonomous ,free will is incompatible with God's Sovereignty and Dominion over his creation.

https://www.gotquestions.org/libertarian-free-will.html
 
Doll said:
God is Sovereign and has Dominion over his creation.

Psalm 24:1“The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps” Proverbs 16:9

Libertarian, autonomous ,free will is incompatible with God's Sovereignty and Dominion over his creation.

https://www.gotquestions.org/libertarian-free-will.html
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Yes but we must never forget that the falling away is becaused deceived christians have changed their minds on doctrine & believe the devil.
Satan never forced it on them They freely chose.
 
BillyBob said:
I agree that we must believe. And the very reason that we actually believe is because it is gifted to us through being renewed and drawn to Christ.
So when a new Christian asks what must I do, you can tell them “NOTHING”, Christ has already done it.
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What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

When the unbeliever asks what must I do to earn hell? Reply nothing, Christ has already done it.
 
Edify said:
Yes but we must never forget that the falling away is becaused deceived christians have changed their minds on doctrine & believe the devil.
Satan never forced it on them They freely chose.
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I don't believe all of those people are in Christ.
Some may be. However,that's part of God's plan.

God allowed Satan to tempt Job. Which tells us Satan can only do what God allows.
 
Edify said:
Yes but we must never forget that the falling away is becaused deceived christians have changed
their minds on doctrine & believe the devil. Satan never forced it on them They freely chose.
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1-John2-19s.png

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us.
:)
 
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Magenta said:
1-John2-19s.png

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us.
:)
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Dear sister, one can't "fall away" if they were never saved to begin with. This doctrine is for the church, which every epistle is.
Those being lukewarm (a church) was warned to repent or God would spew them out.
 
Edify said:
Dear sister, one can't "fall away" if they were never saved to begin with. This doctrine is for the church, which every epistle is.
Those being lukewarm (a church) was warned to repent or God would spew them out.
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Who is 1 John 2 v 19 written to?
 
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