Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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Magenta

Magenta

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Despite what the un-Biblical free will doctrine promoters put forth, the natural man does not have everything he needs in order to grow the good fruit of faith from the stony ground of his incurably wicked heart which is opposed to the things of God, and he cannot change himself, being a lover of darkness who suppresses the truth in unrighteousness as a slave to sin, being inherently hostile in his mind toward God, and blinded to the truth while under the power of the evil one. Those who promote the free will of the natural man reject a plethora of Biblical truths. Praise God if Jesus has set you free!
 
Magenta

Magenta

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"Free will" in the Bible? ~ Freedom is something believers are called to (Galatians 5 verse 13). We need Jesus to “set us free” (Galatians 5 verse 1). If Jesus has not freed us from the bondage of sin, then we are still slaves to sin (Romans 6 verses 6-7). Freedom is found in the presence of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3 verse 17). Only Jesus can give us true freedom (John 8 verse 36). Only through His lovingkindness can we truly make choices unfettered by a nature that is inherently hostile toward God.
 
BillyBob

BillyBob

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I have listened to some say that they have always been a Christian. They do not remember a time in which they were not a Christian. Others who say that they are not sure when it happened, it just did. And still others, like myself, who remember the moment that the change took place due to a brand new feeling of happiness and thankfulness.
Do you think that there is a correlation that occurs which causes you to lean toward Man's Free Will or a person who tends to to see Grace Only as (God's Gift)?
 
G

GWH

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Magenta said:

"Free will" in the Bible? ~ Freedom is something believers are called to (Galatians 5 verse 13). We need Jesus to “set us free” (Galatians 5 verse 1). If Jesus has not freed us from the bondage of sin, then we are still slaves to sin (Romans 6 verses 6-7). Freedom is found in the presence of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3 verse 17). Only Jesus can give us true freedom (John 8 verse 36). Only through His lovingkindness can we truly make choices unfettered by a nature that is inherently hostile toward God.
Click to expand...
MFW in GW:

"IF" is the fulcrum of faith, the condition that makes sinners blameworthy
and God just for ordaining self-imposed punishment for sin,
because "IF they repent" implies that they may repent or not,
--unless God is being tricky! IOW, IF implies MFW/Faith
and the possibility of salvation obtained "by faith from first to last" (Rom. 1:17).

Thus, whenever you see "IF" in the Bible, you are seeing MFW.
 
Magenta

Magenta

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It came to my attention recently that when the natural man who does not comprehend the gospel
is mentioned, some (many more than one) of our free willers have no idea who that refers to!


In 1 Cor 2 verse 14, the natural man, still unsaved, cannot comprehend the spiritual things of God. He does not understand Christ’s atoning sacrifice, for that is foolishness to him (1 Cor 1 verse 18). The Holy Spirit Himself must convict him of its reality, and of his standing before God (John 16 verses 7-11).So this natural man is unregenerated, one who does not have the Holy Spirit residing within him. As Jesus said, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (John 3 verse 6).


 
Magenta

Magenta

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#2,226

Man is born in transgression and sin (Psalm 51 verse 5, 58 verse 3), dead in transgressions (Ephesians 2 verse 5), his heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure (Jeremiah 17 verse 9), held captive by a love for sin (John 3 verse 19; John 8 verse 34), so that he will not seek God (Romans 3 verses 10-11), because he loves the darkness (John 3 verse 19), and does not understand the things of God (1 Corinthians 2 verse 14), nor can he change himself (Jeremiah 13 verse 23). He suppresses the truth of God in unrighteousness (Romans 1 verse 18) and continues to willfully live in sin because he is totally depraved; this sinful lifestyle seems right to men (Proverbs 14 verse 12); they reject the gospel of Christ as foolishness (1 Corinthians 1 verse 18), and their mind is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. (Romans 8 verse 7).
 
Magenta

Magenta

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We are to test all things through the lens of the Bible. How many of these questions do any of you FWers answer "Yes" to?


What Say You? ~ When Scripture says there are none good, does it mean some are good? When Scripture says we all fall short, does it mean there are some who meet God's standards? When Scripture says, "The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned..." Does it mean the natural man can understand the spiritual things of God? Does it mean he really can understand the gospel message even though it is heard as foolishness to him as Scriptures say? Is the natural man gifted with wisdom even though he has no fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom? Will the lover of darkness come into the light even though Scripture says he will not, because he suppresses the truth of God in unrighteousness and is actually defined as darkness itself, hates the light, and is a slave to sin, blinded to the truth and captive to the will of the devil, which many define as being free? Is the heart of the natural man, the stony ground which needs to be replaced, fit for receiving and growing the Seed of God's Word into faith? Will that incurably wicked heart choose of its own accord to believe? Will that bad tree bring forth the good fruit of faith even though Jesus said it was not possible?
 
HeIsHere

HeIsHere

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cv5 said:
R

About as vain and self-exalting as a starving man gratefully taking a piece of bread from the kind soul who offers it.
Or as vain and self-exalting as a kid dying of cancer getting free life saving treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Get a grip on reality lady.
Click to expand...
I like this analogy, anyone who has actually been there gets it.
 
Magenta

Magenta

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John 3 verse 27~ “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” John 1 3 verses :12-13~ To all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God - children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God. John 6 3 verse 44~ “No man can come to me except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” Romans 9 3 verse 16~ So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. Romans 8 3 verse 16~ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
 
Magenta

Magenta

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HeIsHere said:
I like this analogy, anyone who has actually been there gets it.
Click to expand...
You like saying God is unfair also and you agree with him who says God acting unilaterally makes Him
an unjust tyrannical monster kidnapping people against their will. So suspect what you agree with!
 
HeIsHere

HeIsHere

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Cameron143 said:
We don't need analogies. We have the Bible. Tell me about the man in the story of the Good Samaritan. Did he reach out?
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Analogies are good in fact many times they are awesome, maybe even Jesus stated some during His time on Earth, not every word was recorded.
Is that story about how people are saved?
Really how about that. :unsure:
 
cv5

cv5

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HeIsHere said:
Analogies are good in fact many times they are awesome, maybe even Jesus stated some during His time on Earth, not every word was recorded.
Is that story about how people are saved?
Really how about that. :unsure:
Click to expand...
The bronze serpent type/object lesson, Passover type/object lesson and parable of the forgiving Father aka parable of the two sons DESTROYS super-determinism root and branch.

As does the rest of the Bible cover to cover. Undeniably.
 
HeIsHere

HeIsHere

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cv5 said:
The bronze serpent type/object lesson, Passover type/object lesson and parable of the forgiving Father aka parable of the two sons DESTROYS super-determinism root and branch.

As does the rest of the Bible cover to cover. Undeniably.
Click to expand...
I know, this inability (from birth) to believe/respond positively without unique/special divine intervention is complete ridiculousness.

Wait for it, here it comes, the usual you do not understand. People even make memes about it..
,
Calvinism.JPG
 
Magenta

Magenta

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Matthew 16 verses 15-17 ~ What about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven.
 
Cameron143

Cameron143

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HeIsHere said:
Analogies are good in fact many times they are awesome, maybe even Jesus stated some during His time on Earth, not every word was recorded.
Is that story about how people are saved?
Really how about that. :unsure:
Click to expand...
Did the man who was beaten reach out for help? No need to make up stuff when the Bible is quite clear.
 
Magenta

Magenta

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Luke 24 verses 27 + 31 their eyes were opened and they knew Him
:) Jesus did come to seek and save the lost, unstop the ears of the deaf, and open the eyes of the blind.

Praise the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever!!!

 
Cameron143

Cameron143

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cv5 said:
The bronze serpent type/object lesson, Passover type/object lesson and parable of the forgiving Father aka parable of the two sons DESTROYS super-determinism root and branch.

As does the rest of the Bible cover to cover. Undeniably.
Click to expand...
Yes, they all responded to the word of God by faith. Notice it was the word of God that precedes faith. Faith comes by the word of God.
 
Magenta

Magenta

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John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day."


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