Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
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Ultimately one has to choose/yield to receive, unless one is forced to receive.
One or the other.
Is that what you did when God gifted you with physical life: You chose and yielded to him? Or did God "force" his will upon you and tell you, "You will live whether you want to or not"?
 

studier

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2024
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You don't understand grace. It is not conditional.
And show me from scripture where it states that someone should choose God as a means of salvation.
Another bold statement. I'm certain you can't back this one up.

Receipt of some grace (theologically called "common grace" by some) is given to all upon the condition we're alive to receive it and partake of it - even choose to partake of it (like the sun and the plants you've mentioned).

You're making these statements. Let's see you back them up with Scripture. I just asked you whether or not you see the volition of men involved in actively receiving vs. rejecting God's grace for example.
 

HeIsHere

Well-known member
May 21, 2022
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Is that what you did when God gifted you with physical life: You chose and yielded to him? Or did God "force" his will upon you and tell you, "You will live whether you want to or not"?
How does this connect to accepting the very particular and specific gift of salvation?
I think it does not.
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
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LOL, the sunshine is not a personal gift.
But it is a gift -- a product of God's common grace to all mankind. So, does mankind have to give the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe their "freewill" permission to make his sun shine or rain to fall upon the earth?

When will you FWers understand that God's will is never contingent upon any of his moral creatures'? The Royal King does whatsoever He pleases in heaven and on this earth. His kingdom isn't a democracy.
 
Oct 19, 2024
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USA-TX
I have already addressed the tension between God's sovereignty and man's moral responsibility in both Deut 29 & 30. The conclusion you reach via Deut 29:9 totally obliterates what Moses said in v. 4. Explain to me WHY would Moses say such a thing if the Lord had given to the Jews a mind to understand and eyes to see and ears to hear? Apparently in your universe these things are not necessary for obedience. People imprisoned in their darkness with no spiritual understanding are just as capable of obeying as people with eyes to see and ears to hear, aren't they? So...again, what is the point to v.4? Why is it even in the bible?
And the conclusion YOU reach regarding Deut. 29:4 obliterates the rest of what Moses said including the clearest verse.
What is the point of the rest; why is it even in the Bible?
Which hermeneutical method is more valid?
(I note that you do not propose examining another passage.)
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
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How does this connect to accepting the very particular and specific gift of salvation?
I think it does not.
Read Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus someday in John 3. One must be born again to see and enter the kingdom.

You're operating under the assumption that all gifts must consciously be accepted by a freewill act of our own. Is that what happened when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead: Lazarus consented first? :rolleyes:
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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You received benefit you didn't strive for or choose. Plants grew today. You ate. All due to the grace of God. He is the fount of every blessing, and every good and perfect gift has come down from the Father.
Scripture is clear about that also but they deny it.
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
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And the conclusion YOU reach regarding Deut. 29:4 obliterates the rest of what Moses said including the clearest verse.
What is the point of the rest; why is it even in the Bible?
Which hermeneutical method is more valid?
(I note that you do not propose examining another passage.)
Answer my question: What purpose does Deut 29:4 serve if minds with no understanding and eyes that are blind and ears that are deaf can function just as well as if the mind did understand, and eyes do see and ears can hear? What you're trying to do is artificially mitigate or even obliterate the obvious tension between v. 4 & 9.
 

studier

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2024
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When will you FWers understand that God's will is never contingent upon any of his moral creatures'? The Royal King does whatsoever He pleases in heaven and on this earth. His kingdom isn't a democracy.
We understand that He has willingly provided His volitional creature - man - to choose to receive or to reject His gracious will for our salvation. And He does what He pleases with both receivers and rejecters.