My apologies ... I miss understood your motivation. My badMaybe it is at the moment but your response is a cop-out. I am interested in better understanding your view but if you're not going to help me then so be it.
Join For His Glory for a discussion on how
https://christianforums.net/threads/a-vessel-of-honor.110278/
https://christianforums.net/threads/psalm-70-1-save-me-o-god-lord-help-me-now.108509/
Join Sola Scriptura for a discussion on the subject
https://christianforums.net/threads/anointed-preaching-teaching.109331/#post-1912042
Strengthening families through biblical principles.
Focus on the Family addresses the use of biblical principles in parenting and marriage to strengthen the family.
Read daily articles from Focus on the Family in the Marriage and Parenting Resources forum.
My apologies ... I miss understood your motivation. My badMaybe it is at the moment but your response is a cop-out. I am interested in better understanding your view but if you're not going to help me then so be it.
Hi Link...More than a hundred replies.. Confusion is given.
Some here has given a perfectly good and short answer. Based on the Bible..
Get a hold of the truth and then move on to learn more.
Free will is one of the most obvious and strongest characteristics of man.
Period!
The degree of free will is due to the degree of freedom.
Freedom is found in the Word of God.
Focus on that!
Let's see, figure things out for ourselves.WIP
I'm one who likes to study things out for myself.
There are so many different opinions here, you could throw a dart to pick one .
May I suggest that you study it out for yourself and find a conclusion that comes from God.
According to scripture, we are to seek out the truth from scripture on our own, as the Bereans did in the book of Acts.
Man has a myriad of options to choose from, but God only has one truth, and He doesn't twist His meanings around either or confuse you as man does. False teachers are everywhere.
Yes, it's much more work, but you can be assured of the CORRECT TRUTH, and feel confident in your salvation and knowledge for the sake of others you talk to.
Good question.Why would God predestine some?
You don't have free will.Hi Link...
I agree with you,,,,but I do wonder how a person could believe that man does not have
free will.
I think it's a good idea to speak about this as long as everyone stays calm and we respect each other.
We're all brothers in Christ and are just speaking what we believe.
It's interesting how two different persons could read the same bible and come to different conclusion.
Read a couple systematic theology books and you will become "spiritually advanced". You will learn more than a decade worth of Sermons.I have no hope of debating on this thread as you spiritually advanced ones do
Happy wife happy life.You don't have free will.
You're a woman.
FF,Words have meaning. Your question was IMO obtuse to the point that I had to define it.
Fastfredy0 said:
Man = every Homo sapien born since and including Adam and Eve. (Adam and Eve not being technically born of the flesh)
Choose - They are able make a choice that will ensure their unending future life in heaven or hell.
Free - not restricted by an external force
So we have "will every person (man) able to make an externally unhindered decision that will determine their future destiny in heaven or hell".
Makes sense to me, but as originator of the thread it is your responsibility to formulate topics so there is no ambiguity. For example, I could answer in the affirmative to the question of "IS MAN FREE TO CHOOSE" but my definition of "FREE" I am sure differs from yours and therefore me answer lacks meaning.
Oh, thank you. LOL
Now I will make it simple for you. You have not defined "free choice" and therefore my answer has dubious meaning dependent of the audiences proclivity in regards to the definition of 'free choice'.
You misread my statement. I posted a URL and following it by a ":" indicating the URL was related to what occurred after the ":".
I can not do that. As I stated, you have not defined free will so I surely cannot find something when I don't even know what it (free will) is. Nor have you given ANY scripture to show God has given us "free will" (whatever that is, as it has yet to be defined).
Example: You cannot show me, biblically, where and how God decided to take away man's ability to fly by flapping his arms. Whereas God did ever give man the ability to fly, I surely can find a verse where God took away this supposed ability.
ASIDE: I don't think you know exactly what you even mean by 'free will' as you never clearly state what it is. Hospes tried once with little success
Well, the verse uses the words "free will", but the verse does NOT define it. Free will ... free from what??? Free from God's influence, free from the wife's nagging ...
I am not afraid to define free will. We always do what we desire more at the time ... thus in the verse, I could say the Spirit of God move me to do what I did. God is the cause for me freely desiring to make an offering.
You see the words "FREE WILL" in a verse (there are other verses with the words "Free Will" I believe) and light up like a Xmas tree. Unfortunately, the meaning is what you impose on it thus you vindicated in your mind. I try not to impose my meaning on the word, though admittedly I also am prone to bias.
I would answer "yes". You would, I assume, answer "no". I believe God ordains all things (Eph. 1:11) and you believe IMO God looked into future and He LEARNED from what we would do in the future as His KNOWLEDGE is DEPENDENT upon looking into the future to determine what we will do, that we control God by our actions (like a puppet I think someone recently articulated) as our FREEDOM to choose trumps God FREEDOM of sovereignty and God is obligated to act in ways that we control. Job 7:37:38, Isaiah 26:12; etc.
1 Corinthians 4:7 For who regards you as superior or what sets you apart as special? What do you have that you did not receive [from another]? And if in fact you received it [from God or someone else], why do you boast as if you had not received it [but had gained it by yourself]? To this you IMO answer, "LORD, I have my FREEWILL .. the ability to do what I want to some degree, that I can use to force you to adopt me as your daughter. John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood [Jews] nor of the will of the flesh [works, confession, repentance, pleading, etc.] nor of the will of man [God chose us and not of our own will], but of God AMP
I don't see free will in this verse. But, you refuse to define it so perhaps I don't know what to look for.
Agreed. Where in the verse does it say that they have the ability to serve God. There are plenty of verses that show they do not have the ability to choose God. They have a choice and none choose God unless He intervenes. That why Aminians invented 'prevenient grace' to try to solve the issue of the depravity of man. Romans 3:11; Genesis 6:5; \
- Job 14:4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one. The Libertarian Free Willer answers, "I can Lord ... thanks for giving me 'prevenient grace'.
- Isaiah 64:6 We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness’s are as filthy rags The Libertarian Free Willer answers, "I can Lord clean my rags ... thanks for giving me 'prevenient grace'.
etc. etc. etc.
The bible is not well organized in regards to topics and that leads to confusion. It also does not explain everything Deut 29:29.It's interesting how two different persons could read the same bible and come to different conclusion.
Let's see, figure things out for ourselves.
Then why should any of us even be here?
Brightfame....The question should be is God free to choose? Ps 65:4
Blessed is the man whom thou choosest,
and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts:
we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
John 15:16
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Jerry!The bible is not well organized in regards to topics and that leads to confusion. It also does not explain everything Deut 29:29.
Example: It was only after I read something in which someone took the time to put all the verses about prayer together did I have a clue what was meant by: "If you have the faith of a mustard seed you can move a mountain". Since I couldn't move a mountain, I assumed I didn't even have the faith of a mustard seed.
Hey Rollo...Let's see, figure things out for ourselves.
Then why should any of us even be here?
Good question.
No one can answer.
You don't have free will.
You're a woman.
Brightfame...The bible does not teach predestination! What bible are you reading? Rom 8:30
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
I will try to improve on that point.Please stop calling me an arminian
Well, you occasionally flood the post with too many verses. Max. of three. I will take arminian idea under advisement as I am not sure how that would work out as the context of the discourse could affect things.When I post a scripture, how about just explaining how you understand it instead of giving your version and the arminian version?
Well, max of 3 per post. YOU can list more, but that is max I would try to explain.I don't mind being put on the defensive because I believe what the bible teaches....
however, YOU must also reply to my verses.
Well, doctrine has consequences. I say, for example, God controls the purpose of every atom through out all time which is a way of saying God controls everything. What is the consequences of this believe? Can it be tested? Is there scripture to support the idea? For example, if God determines all things you could say "that suggests He planned for my 5 year old to be hit by a bus". I would either agree or backtrack.Your idea, for instance that our having free will limits God is interesting.
Your idea that somehow we rule over God is interesting.
I'd like to understand HOW you have these ideas when they are never mentioned by me or others on here.
DUDE (said in fun way) ... I've asked for your definition umpteen times ... sighPlease explain how you understand free will.
Well, I don't want to be on defense all the time. A comparison of ideas highlights the conversation. If your ideas do not sync up with Arminians, then say so and I will confront those ideas. My ideas are consistent with Reform theology, your seem to be of a unique, private interpretation which gives you an advantage as you have an idea where I am coming from, and I have to guess what you believe.Please just answer what YOU say, not what an arminian might say.
Well, I wouldn't say all 5 points depend on free will ('free will' yet to be defined by you so I am just spitting into the wind when I comment) ...one can be a 4 or 3 pt Calvinist. One can believe in total depravity and the propose prevenient grave as the solution.This is very interesting because, as I believe with the 5 points of calvinism...
all points start out by believing man has no free will...that he is so depraved
that he cannot choose God by his own will.
Again, I stated that the meaning of the thread IS MAN FREE TO CHOOSE was ambiguous ... so discussion would be ambiguous. So, IMO, not much sense going forward.This is why I've started this thread.
To show whether or not man has free will.
I've given you many verses but you do not reply to them.
Please do in the future.
Read a couple systematic theology books and you will become "spiritually advanced".
seriously ,i had a route ,I spukd photo the 100 year old churches on,it or 80 year old that all were pentacostal ,In 10 minutes from smiths grocery where I started i passed three of them.No you won’t. Just the opposite.
You will get someone else’s slant on the subject.
Read and study the scriptures. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you.
This is why the Church is so divided, because the follow the teachings of man.
Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 1 Corinthians 1:10-13
Again
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? 1 Corinthians 3:1-4
Spiritual babes follow the teachings of man.
To become mature, or as you put it, “spiritually advanced”, then read and study the doctrine of Christ for yourself.
Let Christ teach you. That is the promise of the New Covenant.
JLB
Jesus' instructions...
"seek and ye shall find"
"believe"
"have faith"
"love"
"forgive"
"do ye likewise"
"choose"
“follow me”
These are all things one does. In other words, they are a positive act of the will. If man does not have a free will, these instructions of Jesus would all be superfluous and useless. What kind of God asks man to do that which he is not even capable of doing?
God does not stuff his hand up our shirts like puppets. He doesn't need to move your pieces to beat you at checkers.