Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
to be fair to him he did say when man has free will, he is still in charge.

Made me think about whom the lord sets free will be free indeed.

On a level playing field I have to look at reasining is he saying when man is saved the will of man still remains in the flesh.

Did he ask God 🤩
John8-36plus-Romans8-2s.png

John 8 v 36 plus Romans 8 v 2 If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.
:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: OLDBUTNEW
freedomfrombondage.png

from Romans 5 verse 10 / John 8 verses 31b-32 / Ephesians 5 verse 8 / 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 5 / Romans 6 verse 18 / John 8 verse 36 ~ While we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son. “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OLDBUTNEW
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16


31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.Acts 16:31
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

2 Corinthians 5:15 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.
 
Hebrews2-14-16.jpg

Hebrews 2 v 14-16 Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not the angels He helps, but the descendants of Abraham.
 
John8-36plus-Romans8-2s.png

John 8 v 36 plus Romans 8 v 2 If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.
:)
hence the reason to respond m, I thought if I could address him with nice will he may agree God has no value for his will 😉
John8-36plus-Romans8-2s.png

John 8 v 36 plus Romans 8 v 2 If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.
:)
that's the one m, I thought maybe he was thinking of this ,😉 I was waiting for his answer
 
  • Like
Reactions: OLDBUTNEW
From-Romans6-16-18s.png

From Romans 6 v 16-18 ~ Do you not know that you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OLDBUTNEW
From-Galatians4-22-24plus28-29and5-1s.png

From Galatians 4 v 22-24 plus 28-29 and 5 v 1 Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise. These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery. We, like Isaac, are children of promise. The son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OLDBUTNEW
From-Romans6-19-21s.png

From Romans 6 v 19-21 You used to offer your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness when you were slaves to sin. What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cameron143
From-John8-34-2-Peter2-19a-Gal4-8-Rom7-14-Eph2-3-Rom6-6.png

From: John 8 verse 34; 2 Peter 2 verse 19a; Galatians 4 verse 8; Romans 7 verse 14; Ephesians 2 verse 3b; Romans 6 verse 6 ~ “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” They are slaves of corruption. When you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. You were of the flesh, sold under sin. We were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Our old self was crucified so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OLDBUTNEW
I’ll never understand why (and it is nothing against them, but the system of Calvinism) why anyone would want to believe in the god of Calvinism, and quite frankly I don’t want to. I’ll stick to wanting to understand the God of the Bible. I guess Calvinism would say I was predestined not to understand?
Even for those of us who were stuck in it for years........We don't understand calvie theory.;)

In the end it is a self righteous, intellectual system......For the leaders and voices of the calvies.

Most folks do not advance in solid Bible doctrine, so the "system" can fool many.
 
to be fair to him he did say when man has free will, he is still in charge.
Correct. God is still in charge. To suggest He is not if man has free will is to say free will is stronger than God, and it’s also saying the only way He can be in charge is to make man without free will, without the inability to choose or seek, as if that somehow prevents God from being in charge/control? It would take a weaker god to want to have man be made without free will in order for him to stay in charge. Thankfully, the God of the Bible is not like that.
 
Even for those of us who were stuck in it for years........We don't understand calvie theory.;)

In the end it is a self righteous, intellectual system......For the leaders and voices of the calvies.

Most folks do not advance in solid Bible doctrine, so the "system" can fool many.
Did you use to believe in Calvinism?
 
Just putting my 1 cent worth into this debate:

This could be a possible Calvinist versus Free Will person, dialogue:

"You stupid Free-Willy-ER!"; "Yeah: and you're a stupid Calvie!"

So, the question is: do you prefer to be a Free Willie, or a Calvie?!



And on a final note, I just want to say: "Hey, man: I really dig these cool abbreviations!! I feel really "with it", when I say Free Willie, and Calvie!!!!!" !!!


Carry on!!!
There are not many "stupid' calvies. The system is geared towards intellectualism.

A "smarter than thou" attitude is recommended in the calvie theory.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OLDBUTNEW
Colossians2-8-Romans16-18-Romans10-2-Proverbs19-2.png

Colossians 2 v 8, Romans 16 v 18, Romans 10 v 2, Proverbs 19 v 2a ~ See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge. Zeal is no good without knowledge. They teach as doctrine the precepts of men.
 
1-Corinthians1-27-29s.png

1 Corinthians 1 v27-29 God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast in His presence.
 
Correct. God is still in charge. To suggest He is not if man has free will is to say free will is stronger than God, and it’s also saying the only way He can be in charge is to make man without free will, without the inability to choose or seek, as if that somehow prevents God from being in charge/control? It would take a weaker god to want to have man be made without free will in order for him to stay in charge. Thankfully, the God of the Bible is not like that.
That's one way of looking at m.
I suppose God could have thought if I don't create man with free will, man might think I'm not powerful enough to control there will.

But dont you think if you create someone with free will, a person may not believe that ? He must have created them with the ability to believe God more than anything else.


According to the word man recognised his power by all the miracles he performed the creations he made the fear he struck in people and by the power to save and other things.

Could it be possible mans free will could have been born out of a sin nature. Once Gods seed became corrupted in the Garden.
 
ah your only human after all m 😋

Do you have anyone else on your list for not finding a solution.

Cuz man can not live by bread alone m.

You have to think about this m,

When it says man does that include the calvies 😬
From-Matthew4-4s.png

From Matthew 4 verse 4 Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jordon