Can We Really Exercise Free Will?
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Everywhere He calls us to believe for that is something we cannot do unless the will is freed from the sin nature in the flesh.
One either walks after the flesh and is bound to it (even after salvation) or one walks after the Spirit and is free. Grace makes the difference.
Everything you stated above is incorrect. God alone gives true belief but only to those saved after they’ve become saved but it is not given to everyone.
You've added to scripture things not mentioned, nor supported, nor supportable, by scripture.
The question remains: where do you find mentioned in scripture anywhere where the temporary freeing of will occurs, without having to add your own personal assumptions to supplement scripture: personal assumptions don't count. I can save you time and effort- there is nothing like that, nor even close to that, found anywhere in scripture. It is manufactured assumption on your part to support your POV.
God Enlightens All People:
John 1:9 KJV
“That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”
This is universal enablement. Christ enlightens every person, not just the elect.
John 12:32
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”
Christ draws all men without exception. The drawing is real but not irresistible.
Titus 2:11
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.”
Appeared means manifested or brought within reach. This is enabling grace.
God Opens the Heart or Ears to Hear:
Acts 16:14 KJV
“Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.”
Lydia’s heart was opened so she could attend. This is enablement, not compulsion.
If Calvinism were true, the verse would read like this:
Acts 16:14 (Calvinistic Influenced Version)
"Whose heart the Lord caused to believe, compelling her, not only to attend unto the things which were spoken of by Paul, but that she must needs believe them, having no other course.”
Acts 7:51
“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost. As your fathers did, so do ye.”
Here Stephen reveals that the same Spirit who opens hearts and ears can also be resisted. The Jews resisted the very influence meant to lead them to the truth. This proves that divine enablement is not irresistible and that God’s work on the heart does not force a person to believe.
Spirit (God) convicts or reproves the world of sin:
John 16:8 KJV
“And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”
The Spirit reproves the world of sin, not just the elect.
The purpose of the Spirit reproving the world is because they do not believe on Jesus.
So obviously, the conviction of sin upon this sinful world is to get them to repent and accept Jesus ss their Savior.
But not all the world is going to repent and accept Jesus.
God Strives with Man:
Genesis 6:3
“And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man.”
Striving is pleading, convicting, and urging, and it is not permanent.
Genesis 4:7 (KJV)
“If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”
In fact, as we see in the above verse, God even reasoned with Cain in doing good instead of sinning.
God Calls All, but the Call Can Be Resisted:
Isaiah 65:12 KJV
“When I called, ye did not answer. When I spake, ye did not hear.”
They resist the call.
Proverbs 1:24
“Because I have called, and ye refused. I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded.”
God’s call enables but does not force.
Universal Repentance:
God Gives “Space to Repent”
Space equals opportunity.
Revelation 2:21
“And I gave her space to repent of her fornication. And she repented not.”
God enabled a church an opportunity to repent, but she refused.
Acts 17:30
“And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to repent.”
Here we see God commanding all men everywhere to repent. This is universal and for all men and not just the Elect.
The Wicked Perish because they received not the love of the truth that they MIGHT be saved:
2 Thessalonians 2:10 KJV
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
Notice again. This verse does not say that the reason those who perish are perishing is due to the fact that they were not Elected. It's because they received not the love of the truth that the MIGHT be saved.
Yes, the verse actually says MIGHT be saved.
There is no MIGHT be saved in Calvinism.
Nothing
....
No it's not that m,Talk about irony. The wicked are free to choose to go to hell but no-one is free to choose to follow the light?
Whatever happened to the new heart they were supposed to get that makes them want to follow the Lord?
Your doctrine is full of inconsistencies.
Gods life he breathed into man existed before there was no sin, The life where speaking about here is also his word m.
The life and word has always been.
The word that was breathed into Adam knew the life m.
Just like when you here John 1 was saying the word was Jesus in the begining m, it means his word existed before there was no sin.
And his word was there decreed of what would happen if his life did not accept life.
Well in nutshell the life spoke to his word in Adam.
And well we know the story.
Every knee will bow was also decreed.
And every life from life, me you m, will all know the life from the beginning as the life speaks to the word in us.
Christians are commanded to bless people in his name.
It's a funny thing
Could you bless the Calvies in Jesus name
The same Spirit that enables also blinds. Are ye blind to this fact? I think your CDS blinds you.
Ezekiel 36 v 27 I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
[Jhn 1:10-11 KJV]
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Jhn 12:32 and Titus 2:11
The "all' are all of those the Father gave to Jesus, not everyone. The "all" does not mean everyone, or the verses would contradict each other which isn't possible.
[Jhn 17:2 KJV] 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
and
[Jhn 17:9 KJV] 9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
Acts 16:14
God opened her heart; she did not open her own heart
Acts 7:51
They were uncircumcised of heart and ears meaning they weren't saved and because of that, will ALWAYS resist the
Holy Spirit:
[1Co 2:14 KJV] 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
John 16:8
[Jhn 16:11 KJV] 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Gen 6:3 - Proverbs 1:24
Not applicable for those God places under the New Covenant.
Rev 2:21
Corporate Church that fell short; the true church which never can.
Acts 17:30
Refers back to Old Covenant not New Covenant. The "men" are those of Jhn 17:2 and 17:9
God gives repentance to those He has chosen for salvation:
[2Ti 2:25 KJV] 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2 Thessalonians 2:10 KJV
1) Everyone born into this world comes into it spiritually perished (dead).
2) Everyone born into this world comes into it not loving the truth
3) The "everyone" (1 & 2 above) includes both the elect who will eventually become saved, and the non-elect who will never become saved.
4) Therefore, the "might be saved" of the verse, encompasses both groups: the elect and the non-elect.
5)Consequently, since some will be saved and some won't be saved, the "might" (which your interpretation hangs upon) does not imply the possibility of salvation for everyone but holds it out only for the elect group- they will satisfy the “might” part of the total when viewed in totality.
6) The elect - those predestinated to salvation - will be made spiritually alive by God: un-perished
7) The elect - those predestinated to salvation - will be given a love of the truth by God
8) Even though born being perished and also not loving the truth, God, through Jesus Christ the Savior, through salvation grants them all of those things
In closing, it is clear that God does not enlighten all people, only those He saves
Not:
[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:
Only a universalist would say this applies to all.
I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from Me. from Jeremiah 32 v 40
I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from Me. from Jeremiah 32 v 40
What's passing you bye Sis, is his life has always been and his word.
His word that speaks, speak to his life in you m. And the life in you will know in you as his life giving word is spoken.
This is why you know that every word the lords says is true.
It's because his life in you knows.
So when you hear the words of all have fallen short , that word was also from the beginning.
And when your falling short, and you hear this message it rings bells in his life, as the life in you knows its bread and his word from the beginning, which was decreed also before there was no sin.
The life in you either springs into action, or it just keeps falling short m,
But thats not going to happen in the saved.
So therefore. In the unsaved what they hear is I am the lord your God who rescued you from the land of Egypt and I commanded that you obey me.
This word was also decreed from the beginning before there was no sin to, and the life in you from the beginning also knows the word as it's spoken to you.
This is where you either walk with the light or you don't m.
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not,
neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 14:17
and 600.000 men turned away from him in the desert with this will in them by the there free will.Only a universalist would say this applies to all.
I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from Me. from Jeremiah 32 v 40
And well the lord left them in the wilderness
John 17 verses 2-3 ~ You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him. Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent.
Only in your attic are there any inconsistencies. Both groups get to act freely according to their nature. The condemned gladly play their roles that leads them to perdition, while the redeemed joyfully, thankfully and lovingly praise God for his gracious gifts which empowered them to choose to repent and believe according to the new life and nature given to them. No inconsistencies.
Great verse, thanks Magenta. The Holy Spirit must first dwell within someone to know Him, not before.