Can We Really Exercise Free Will?
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People with CDS think man's inability is exclusive to Calvinism. It is not.
They don't seem interested in learning the truth of the matter, either.
They love their lies.
From Romans 7:18-19 Journey from Inability to Ability I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out... I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. Praise be to God for circumcising my sinful nature, causing me to obey by putting His Holy Spirit in me, and giving me a new heart.
They don't seem interested in learning the truth of the matter, either.
They love their lies.
From Romans 7:18-19 Journey from Inability to Ability I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out... I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. Praise be to God for circumcising my sinful nature, causing me to obey by putting His Holy Spirit in me, and giving me a new heart.
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Flesh serves the law of sin, for the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Because everyone born of God overcomes the world. In the mixed up unBiblical theology, of the free will crowd , man overcomes the world with his wicked heart and is then born again.
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Blessings and cheers Jimbone, i created this post as a raw rookie, now know that although there are genuinely spiritual people and posts on this forum, there are many trolls and flamers too. Actually, it doesn't take many of them to drag a post or forum down, only a few can cause much trouble.
Anyway, not here for long, arthritis problems at the moment so typing is a mission Blessings and all that's good for now.
Anyway, not here for long, arthritis problems at the moment so typing is a mission
Blessings and all that's good for now.-
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Oh but in your paradigm, the person can refuse the help, in fact they can only refuse.
I mean the man was so very helpless, blind, deaf and enjoying the life of being beaten up every time, in fact he was slave to being
beaten up and held captive by Satan ...... most likely walking the roads each day waiting for it to happen.
He, like all men, cut from the exact same fallen nature cloth determined to only behave in one way, because of course we always use
scripture to make wide sweeping generalizations removed from the entire point of the passage, was born at enmity with the Good
Samaritan, probably cursing him day in and day out trying to avoid him at all costs.
And well, the Good Samaritan planned it that way.
So then we why would the man accept any help if it was presented to him, I am absolutely sure he could not recognize his wounds
and need for help, he was a slave to the beatings.
Obviously the man's only response would be to fight tooth and nail against the Good Samaritan, I just wonder how the Good
Samaritan managed to subdue him probably had to force him onto that donkey.
Oh my goodness!!!!
Of course, eureka! the Good Samaritan gave the man a special unique divine regeneration/intervention so then the man could respond positively to the Good Samaritan's help.
Yes indeed every sin has been taken care of .... the point in @cv5 analogy are valid and pertain to directly to how/why someone receives the gift of salvation.
I mean the man was so very helpless, blind, deaf and enjoying the life of being beaten up every time, in fact he was slave to being
beaten up and held captive by Satan
...... most likely walking the roads each day waiting for it to happen.He, like all men, cut from the exact same fallen nature cloth determined to only behave in one way, because of course we always use
scripture to make wide sweeping generalizations removed from the entire point of the passage, was born at enmity with the Good
Samaritan, probably cursing him day in and day out
trying to avoid him at all costs.And well, the Good Samaritan planned it that way.
So then we why would the man accept any help if it was presented to him, I am absolutely sure he could not recognize his wounds
and need for help, he was a slave to the beatings.
Obviously the man's only response would be to fight tooth and nail against the Good Samaritan, I just wonder how the Good
Samaritan managed to subdue him
probably had to force him onto that donkey.Oh my goodness!!!!
Of course, eureka!
the Good Samaritan gave the man a special unique divine regeneration/intervention so then the man could respond positively to the Good Samaritan's help.Yes indeed every sin has been taken care of .... the point in @cv5 analogy are valid and pertain to directly to how/why someone receives the gift of salvation.
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Oh but in your paradigm, the person can refuse the help, in fact they can only refuse.
I mean the man was so very helpless, blind, deaf and enjoying the life of being beaten up every time, in fact he was slave to being
beaten up and held captive by Satan ...... most likely walking the roads each day waiting for it to happen.
He, like all men, cut from the exact same fallen nature cloth determined to only behave in one way, because of course we always use
scripture to make wide sweeping generalizations removed from the entire point of the passage, was born at enmity with the Good
Samaritan, probably cursing him day in and day out trying to avoid him at all costs.
And well, the Good Samaritan planned it that way.
So then we why would the man accept any help if it was presented to him, I am absolutely sure he could not recognize his wounds
and need for help, he was a slave to the beatings.
Obviously the man's only response would be to fight tooth and nail against the Good Samaritan, I just wonder how the Good
Samaritan managed to subdue him probably had to force him onto that donkey.
Oh my goodness!!!!
Of course, eureka! the Good Samaritan gave the man a special unique divine regeneration/intervention so then the man could respond positively to the Good Samaritan's help.
Yes indeed every sin has been taken care of .... the point in @cv5 analogy are valid and pertain to directly to how/why someone receives the gift of salvation.
I mean the man was so very helpless, blind, deaf and enjoying the life of being beaten up every time, in fact he was slave to being
beaten up and held captive by Satan
...... most likely walking the roads each day waiting for it to happen.He, like all men, cut from the exact same fallen nature cloth determined to only behave in one way, because of course we always use
scripture to make wide sweeping generalizations removed from the entire point of the passage, was born at enmity with the Good
Samaritan, probably cursing him day in and day out
trying to avoid him at all costs.And well, the Good Samaritan planned it that way.
So then we why would the man accept any help if it was presented to him, I am absolutely sure he could not recognize his wounds
and need for help, he was a slave to the beatings.
Obviously the man's only response would be to fight tooth and nail against the Good Samaritan, I just wonder how the Good
Samaritan managed to subdue him
probably had to force him onto that donkey.Oh my goodness!!!!
Of course, eureka!
the Good Samaritan gave the man a special unique divine regeneration/intervention so then the man could respond positively to the Good Samaritan's help.Yes indeed every sin has been taken care of .... the point in @cv5 analogy are valid and pertain to directly to how/why someone receives the gift of salvation.
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That caption says it all!
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.
God initiates...
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.
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Blessings and cheers Jimbone, i created this post as a raw rookie, now know that although there are genuinely spiritual people and posts on this forum, there are many trolls and flamers too. Actually, it doesn't take many of them to drag a post or forum down, only a few can cause much trouble.
Anyway, not here for long, arthritis problems at the moment so typing is a mission Blessings and all that's good for now.
Anyway, not here for long, arthritis problems at the moment so typing is a mission
Blessings and all that's good for now.
May you get well soon!
They love their straw men. They keep building with wood, hay, and stubble. It is too difficult for them to accept that being made alive in Christ is what enables a person to begin accepting the spiritual things of God, because in an unregenerated state, those things are incomprehensible and foolish to him. They would rather believe that a bad tree can bring forth good fruit even though Jesus said it was impossible. They believe that dead-in-their-sins person comes into the light (even though Scripture not only says they will not but that they are incapable of doing so) by making a decision which frees them from their incurably wicked heart. To them, incurably wicked means they can fix it the same way a leopard can change its spots, or an Ethiopian the colour of their skin. These are the exact comparisons made in Scripture. Nothing good dwells in the flesh nature and flesh cannot please God... unless you are a free willer, because in their theology that is all you need. I would not be surprised if they answer yes to every single one of these questions:
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?
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?
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