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G
Is the cross just something we do 'daily?' Or, more thanx that un our life?
Show me 'that' word in Scripture, robotic?
We are, so not to make you search for something nor there, that is, if you would have begun a search, the Lord leads, He may have gifted you with that foreknowledge, or, not. But, this for you to know, one's relationship with Christ, speaking strictly of a believer, is not a day to day doing, it is a moment to moment doing. What is our cross? It is simply following God's plan, because He leads, which YOU choose to do, or, not.
How green?
By grace. We remember the good things God's given us in life, the things we don't deserve, this is done how, green?
Through faith, through painstaking, completely trusting (think 'Abraham willingness sacrifice son, Issaac) .
God gave us brains , He gave us faith He gave us His Holy Spirit (Himself).
Is it silly to 'think' that we don't have free will, including the will to hate, the will to Love, the will, also, He gave us, is to live.
From these choices listed is our ability to understand who God wanted His creation to be. His. For we are to Love Him, Love others, and, hate evil, God truly wants us to hate evil, He wants us to LIVE for Him, too, our lives are to bring glory to Him. This is our choice. God will do 'great' things through those who acknowledge He is greatest and submit their being to His good pleasure and will. And, this, too, is a choice. We are created for good works too, but this is passive construction in Eph. 2:10 paraphrasing here, it is up to US to decide to DO the works He created us to do.
We ARE His 'workmanship,' God wills us His gifts, manifests them in us, but we CHOOSE to move on faith and do them. IF you are living for Him, with He in you, then and there will your work be 'great.'
You are MADE to bring GLORY to God. God WILL get His glory, things will be done His every way, the only question for YOU to decide is will He use YOU?
I must admit, robóthi, YOU sound like someone who, through faith, has accepted the unleashing power of His Holy Spirit unto His life, but, there, too, is freewill, do YOU grasp this?
God knows everything, but He chooses us to become something, each and every one of us , to become 'grace,' to become 'mercy,' to become 'faith,' to become 'Love,' because He first Loved us.
Why should we do ALL these things? Because we will best live our Life
YOU ARÉ created to do something 'great' for IAM. Will YOU ? He's willing. Aré YOU ?
Show me 'that' word in Scripture, robotic?
We are, so not to make you search for something nor there, that is, if you would have begun a search, the Lord leads, He may have gifted you with that foreknowledge, or, not. But, this for you to know, one's relationship with Christ, speaking strictly of a believer, is not a day to day doing, it is a moment to moment doing. What is our cross? It is simply following God's plan, because He leads, which YOU choose to do, or, not.
How green?
By grace. We remember the good things God's given us in life, the things we don't deserve, this is done how, green?
Through faith, through painstaking, completely trusting (think 'Abraham willingness sacrifice son, Issaac) .
God gave us brains , He gave us faith He gave us His Holy Spirit (Himself).
Is it silly to 'think' that we don't have free will, including the will to hate, the will to Love, the will, also, He gave us, is to live.
From these choices listed is our ability to understand who God wanted His creation to be. His. For we are to Love Him, Love others, and, hate evil, God truly wants us to hate evil, He wants us to LIVE for Him, too, our lives are to bring glory to Him. This is our choice. God will do 'great' things through those who acknowledge He is greatest and submit their being to His good pleasure and will. And, this, too, is a choice. We are created for good works too, but this is passive construction in Eph. 2:10 paraphrasing here, it is up to US to decide to DO the works He created us to do.
We ARE His 'workmanship,' God wills us His gifts, manifests them in us, but we CHOOSE to move on faith and do them. IF you are living for Him, with He in you, then and there will your work be 'great.'
You are MADE to bring GLORY to God. God WILL get His glory, things will be done His every way, the only question for YOU to decide is will He use YOU?
I must admit, robóthi, YOU sound like someone who, through faith, has accepted the unleashing power of His Holy Spirit unto His life, but, there, too, is freewill, do YOU grasp this?
God knows everything, but He chooses us to become something, each and every one of us , to become 'grace,' to become 'mercy,' to become 'faith,' to become 'Love,' because He first Loved us.
Why should we do ALL these things? Because we will best live our Life
YOU ARÉ created to do something 'great' for IAM. Will YOU ? He's willing. Aré YOU ?
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J
s'actly diggs.
seems pretty simple.
even experientially << danger
seems pretty simple.
even experientially << danger
This is why people will quote verses such as Matthew 23:37, or any number of "choose you now.." verses thinking they have immediately "won", and thus having quoted some kind of choice, all other verses speaking to the limits of the human will are now null and void. Of course, the nullification is without addressing the other verses.
When I saw that you had liked my post, I decided to respond. This is a choice, an act of the will. It does not tell you though in and of itself, without further information, as to what the nature of that choice, or the will of the agent (agent being the chooser) is.
I am a hard-determinist. Yet, I do not deny that humans make choices.
Romans 8:7
7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.
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God is not the creator and author of sin but allowed sin to manifest and operate and enter the first humans as they freely chose to rebel against God's authority and will and yes He does manipulate our wills so that His will is done..what we intend for evil, God intends for good and since the fall of humans, our wills are enslaved to sin until God frees our wills by the actions of the Holy Spirit on us and in us through the finished work of Jesus..once our wills are free then we can choose to love and serve God or we can choose to grieve His Spirit..but that choice can only be made as God works in us and through us and not if we assert any kind of independence from Him
J
I think you missed the ".. it cannot" part.
A mind set on the flesh cannot submit to God, which it must submit to God to be anything other than a mind set on the flesh.
So, we have a "limit" to the will. We also have regeneration that must begin with something other than the mind set on the flesh.
We cannot will ourselves to be something that is not our nature.
Most "Free Will" advocates may not realize it, but they believe that we can will ourselves to be something other than what is our nature. When you point this out, by asking that they will themselves to be an elephant, they refuse to become an elephant. Then they use the excuse of, "but I'm not an elephant! I can't be an elephant! I'm a human!"
A mind set on the flesh cannot submit to God, which it must submit to God to be anything other than a mind set on the flesh.
So, we have a "limit" to the will. We also have regeneration that must begin with something other than the mind set on the flesh.
We cannot will ourselves to be something that is not our nature.
Most "Free Will" advocates may not realize it, but they believe that we can will ourselves to be something other than what is our nature. When you point this out, by asking that they will themselves to be an elephant, they refuse to become an elephant. Then they use the excuse of, "but I'm not an elephant! I can't be an elephant! I'm a human!"
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C
Nah, I got it.
A mind (soul) set on the flesh cannot submit to God, which it must submit to God to be anything other than a mind (soul) set on the flesh.
IMO, the only limit is good or evil, life or death, flesh or spirit, and that is a soul's freewill. Someone said that there is no fence in between. To me, freewill = free choice (choose you this day........).
IMO, that regeneration is a new birth where the soul is set upon the things spiritual through his spirit and by His Spirit.
A mind (soul) set on the flesh cannot submit to God, which it must submit to God to be anything other than a mind (soul) set on the flesh.
IMO, the only limit is good or evil, life or death, flesh or spirit, and that is a soul's freewill. Someone said that there is no fence in between. To me, freewill = free choice (choose you this day........).
IMO, that regeneration is a new birth where the soul is set upon the things spiritual through his spirit and by His Spirit.
J
Let's see.
Well, there are multiple limits actually.
I think, however, one could accurately categorize them all under "Nature", in regards to "the nature of the agent".
If you are saying a soul's "freewill", is that it may choose from among the choices that it's nature will allow for, (I.e., God's nature is that he is good, thus he cannot by his nature do that which is not good) then you as a non-determinist, disagree with the hard-determinist on much less than you might have previously thought.
I cannot will myself to be an elephant. Even, if I am regenerate.
It is for this reason that many sinless perfectionists, often deny Original Sin outright, or simply reduce it to a cold that one shakes off.
A fallen person, by nature, cannot be anything other than a fallen person.
That choice is not "free" in that sense, of the will is "limited" to it's nature.
The mind set on the flesh will choose rebellion every time the option is presented, even over the other option. It will continue to do so, until God steps in and changes(regenerates) the will/mind/soul.
Regeneration is being born-again, which is an act of God and God Alone. (Ezekiel 36:26, John 3, etc.)
There is no amount of "free will" that can possibly bring on regeneration. Regeneration changes the mind/soul. The mind/soul, cannot change itself.
Well, there are multiple limits actually.
I think, however, one could accurately categorize them all under "Nature", in regards to "the nature of the agent".
If you are saying a soul's "freewill", is that it may choose from among the choices that it's nature will allow for, (I.e., God's nature is that he is good, thus he cannot by his nature do that which is not good) then you as a non-determinist, disagree with the hard-determinist on much less than you might have previously thought.
I cannot will myself to be an elephant. Even, if I am regenerate.
It is for this reason that many sinless perfectionists, often deny Original Sin outright, or simply reduce it to a cold that one shakes off.
A fallen person, by nature, cannot be anything other than a fallen person.
That choice is not "free" in that sense, of the will is "limited" to it's nature.
The mind set on the flesh will choose rebellion every time the option is presented, even over the other option. It will continue to do so, until God steps in and changes(regenerates) the will/mind/soul.
Regeneration is being born-again, which is an act of God and God Alone. (Ezekiel 36:26, John 3, etc.)
There is no amount of "free will" that can possibly bring on regeneration. Regeneration changes the mind/soul. The mind/soul, cannot change itself.
G
Everything we do is of our own freewill. The only question is which master are we offering it,through. Even so, breathing, living, loving, being, ALL result from freewill.
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Righteousness or wickedness, which do you choose to do. Both God 'counts,' both result in a 'numbered' end. Righteousness is a simple word, it means 'right standing with God.'
This is the word's base meaning, it's OUR choice do we want to obey God, let Him leas, as we worship , in spirit and in Truth. And, of course, His Spirit is in those choosing (electing) to worship Him.
Since we defined 'righteousness,' maybe another freewill word should be defined: worship.
Any takers?
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Now, remember 'few are chosen' because they don't choose Him. Again, man's choice.
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----- FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES STUDY, from christianityoasis.com website, Christ peeps.
Some healthy perspective
FREE WILL
WHAT IS FREE WILL AND HOW DOES FREE WILL AFFECT CHRISTIANS?
Romans 9:15-16 For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
So, God will have MERCY on whomever He chooses.
Easy enough.
BUT, it also says:
It is NOT of him that willeth or him that runneth?
It sounds like this is saying that another person’s will, words or works (Whether it be the soul being given the Grace or another's) will NOT determine or hinder God’s Grace from being bestowed as GOD sees fit …
This suggests that another human’s will, words and works do NOT define our destiny.
WHAT IS THE TRUTH?
Let us look into the Bible to find the truth ...
FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES
FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES STUDY ON FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES STUDY MEANING WITH FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES STUDY MESSAGE
Another interesting aspect of God's will is ...
God uses whoever He wants to have His will to come to pass. Even those whom most may find to be unrighteous people.
Romans 9:17-18 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth.
God ALLOWED Pharaoh to do what was done as to be able to show His power to all down the road.
This brings to mind something Jesus answered the Apostles:
John 9:1-3 And as Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind from his birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: BUT THAT THE WORKS OF GOD SHOULD BE MADE MANIFEST IN HIM.
This man was blinded for his entire life just for that very day as for God to receive glory.
This brings to mind and heart a question which is asked by many doubting souls who write the Oasis.
It just happens to be the next verse as well:
Romans 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will?
The question is, how do humans have free will, if God’s will cannot be resisted and if we are used as pieces of a Spiritual chess match, for righteous causes (such as the Apostles) and for what most deem as bad such as when God used Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar? How is it that fault or favor is found in or given to an individual if they could not contend with or resist God’s will.
The answer is within the next verse:
Romans 9:20-21 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Who are we to question God's choices, will or motives.
Romans 9:22-23 WHAT IF God, willing to shew His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had AFORE PREPARED unto glory,
There is a question in the minds and hearts of many Christians ...
Do we, as Christians have Free Will
OR
Are all of our Choices pre-determined?
FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES DEBATE ON FREE WILL BIBLE ISSUE WITH FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES TRUTH
In other words ... Do we have the freedom to choose or are our choices made for us by cause, circumstance and external factors leading to a destiny already planned out for us?
This ideology that there is a pre-determined plan for our lives and we are just sojourning down this pre-determined path is what is titled by many as Determinism.
You see ... We Christians believe that God is omniscience or all knowing and therefore knows what is going to happen before it does. So He has determined what is to be.
We believe this because He has prophesied future events throughout the Bible.
Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure ...
It is obvious that God DOES know what will be in the END.
Sooooooo, the question becomes ...
Can Free Will exist on a predetermined path?
Many Religious researchers, like to ask ...
IF God has already determined what is to be, how is it that humans have Free Will ... Which is the ability to FREELY CHOOSE to do our own will.
WELL I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU ... WHY MUST IT BE ONE OR THE OTHER?
Is it because mankind's limited carnal mind has such limited Spiritual insight? Why do some tend to put God in a lil box and limit Him to their understanding?
WHAT IF ...
FATE is the result of our day to day choices that we make by applying our free will, which our Lord allows us to use ...
BUT
DESTINY is where we will be in the END and God knows that outcome.
Let's be honest ...
God DID give man Free Will to make their own Choices from the start ...
Adam and Eve were given Free Will.
Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
This reveals that God commanded that they NOT do something and yet said IF they CHOSE to do so, they would suffer consequences of said CHOICE.
Well ... We ALL know that they DID exercise their FREE WILL and CHOSE to eat from the TREE.
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Their CHOICE ... Has affected every human born from that day on.
Due to this Choice made by the first man and woman ... The Sin is now in the flesh of all mankind and when we are born, we are destined to death ...
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
UNLESS we make the CHOICE to believe in Jesus. When we become Christians, we are REBORN and receive Salvation and Eternal Life. This New Covenant of Grace ... Has the destiny of death made void by the Blood of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
So, Adam and Eve DID have FREE WILL and their CHOICE did have consequences that changed the DESTINY of all humans ...
BUT ... GOD has given us another way to return to the original predestined path before Adam and Eve's CHOICE altered the destiny ...
BUT ... We must use our Free Will yet again and CHOOSE to believe in Jesus.
Another Example ... God promised Abraham a son would be conceived by Sarah.
BUT ... Sarah and Abraham utilized their Free Will and CHOSE to take matters in their own hands.
Genesis 16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
The chain of events resulting from their exercising Free Will and their CHOICE had another bloodline created through that child (Ishmael) which are still warring with the Jewish people to this day.
Of Course God DID keep His promise to Abraham and Sarah bore a child named Isaac.
Even Angels have Free Will ...
Genesis 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
There were also Freewill offerings
Leviticus 22:18-23 Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering; Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD. Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
Deuteronomy 23:23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.
Ezra 3:4-5 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required; And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD.
And what of the Free Will offerings "of the mouth" ...
Psalms 119:108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.
Free Will to CHOOSE righteousness or wickedness
Ezekiel 33:18-19 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
The New Testament is also filled with parables of Jesus which reveal this Free Will where man is given the ability to CHOOSE.
Here is but one example ...
Matthew 22:2-14 The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.
Many are called but few are chosen ...
Because few will CHOOSE.
Man must be able to CHOOSE and to do so WILLINGLY.
Philemon 1:14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
Every aspect of Christianity, we are asked to WILLINGLY CHOOSE to act.
2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
People will have Free Will to CHOOSE ... Right up to the End of Times.
Revelation 9:20-21 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Then there are those who exercise their Free Will to serve the Lord and even CHOOSE to die for Him.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Still believe we do not have Free Will to choose?
Then why does the Lord say that those who overcome will not have their names BLOTTED OUT of the book of life?
Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His Angels.
Think about it ...
If we did not have Free Will, there would be no reason for judgment because if our path was predestined AND we did not
have Free Will ...
Why would we be punished?
Unless the CHOICE was ours?
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
So the judgment is based on CHOICES made.
We DO have Free Will ... And we are to CHOOSE the right path.
And whosoever WILL
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
FREE WILL BIBLE TRUTH IS THAT THE FREE WILL BIBLE CHOICE IS YOURS.
Free will is the ability to make choices and yet possessing this free will has us
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------
Righteousness or wickedness, which do you choose to do. Both God 'counts,' both result in a 'numbered' end. Righteousness is a simple word, it means 'right standing with God.'
This is the word's base meaning, it's OUR choice do we want to obey God, let Him leas, as we worship , in spirit and in Truth. And, of course, His Spirit is in those choosing (electing) to worship Him.
Since we defined 'righteousness,' maybe another freewill word should be defined: worship.
Any takers?
----------
Now, remember 'few are chosen' because they don't choose Him. Again, man's choice.
-----
----- FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES STUDY, from christianityoasis.com website, Christ peeps.
Some healthy perspective
FREE WILL
WHAT IS FREE WILL AND HOW DOES FREE WILL AFFECT CHRISTIANS?
Romans 9:15-16 For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
So, God will have MERCY on whomever He chooses.
Easy enough.
BUT, it also says:
It is NOT of him that willeth or him that runneth?
It sounds like this is saying that another person’s will, words or works (Whether it be the soul being given the Grace or another's) will NOT determine or hinder God’s Grace from being bestowed as GOD sees fit …
This suggests that another human’s will, words and works do NOT define our destiny.
WHAT IS THE TRUTH?
Let us look into the Bible to find the truth ...
FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES
FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES STUDY ON FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES STUDY MEANING WITH FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES STUDY MESSAGE
Another interesting aspect of God's will is ...
God uses whoever He wants to have His will to come to pass. Even those whom most may find to be unrighteous people.
Romans 9:17-18 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth.
God ALLOWED Pharaoh to do what was done as to be able to show His power to all down the road.
This brings to mind something Jesus answered the Apostles:
John 9:1-3 And as Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind from his birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: BUT THAT THE WORKS OF GOD SHOULD BE MADE MANIFEST IN HIM.
This man was blinded for his entire life just for that very day as for God to receive glory.
This brings to mind and heart a question which is asked by many doubting souls who write the Oasis.
It just happens to be the next verse as well:
Romans 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will?
The question is, how do humans have free will, if God’s will cannot be resisted and if we are used as pieces of a Spiritual chess match, for righteous causes (such as the Apostles) and for what most deem as bad such as when God used Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar? How is it that fault or favor is found in or given to an individual if they could not contend with or resist God’s will.
The answer is within the next verse:
Romans 9:20-21 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Who are we to question God's choices, will or motives.
Romans 9:22-23 WHAT IF God, willing to shew His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had AFORE PREPARED unto glory,
There is a question in the minds and hearts of many Christians ...
Do we, as Christians have Free Will
OR
Are all of our Choices pre-determined?
FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES DEBATE ON FREE WILL BIBLE ISSUE WITH FREE WILL BIBLE VERSES TRUTH
In other words ... Do we have the freedom to choose or are our choices made for us by cause, circumstance and external factors leading to a destiny already planned out for us?
This ideology that there is a pre-determined plan for our lives and we are just sojourning down this pre-determined path is what is titled by many as Determinism.
You see ... We Christians believe that God is omniscience or all knowing and therefore knows what is going to happen before it does. So He has determined what is to be.
We believe this because He has prophesied future events throughout the Bible.
Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure ...
It is obvious that God DOES know what will be in the END.
Sooooooo, the question becomes ...
Can Free Will exist on a predetermined path?
Many Religious researchers, like to ask ...
IF God has already determined what is to be, how is it that humans have Free Will ... Which is the ability to FREELY CHOOSE to do our own will.
WELL I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU ... WHY MUST IT BE ONE OR THE OTHER?
Is it because mankind's limited carnal mind has such limited Spiritual insight? Why do some tend to put God in a lil box and limit Him to their understanding?
WHAT IF ...
FATE is the result of our day to day choices that we make by applying our free will, which our Lord allows us to use ...
BUT
DESTINY is where we will be in the END and God knows that outcome.
Let's be honest ...
God DID give man Free Will to make their own Choices from the start ...
Adam and Eve were given Free Will.
Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
This reveals that God commanded that they NOT do something and yet said IF they CHOSE to do so, they would suffer consequences of said CHOICE.
Well ... We ALL know that they DID exercise their FREE WILL and CHOSE to eat from the TREE.
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Their CHOICE ... Has affected every human born from that day on.
Due to this Choice made by the first man and woman ... The Sin is now in the flesh of all mankind and when we are born, we are destined to death ...
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
UNLESS we make the CHOICE to believe in Jesus. When we become Christians, we are REBORN and receive Salvation and Eternal Life. This New Covenant of Grace ... Has the destiny of death made void by the Blood of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
So, Adam and Eve DID have FREE WILL and their CHOICE did have consequences that changed the DESTINY of all humans ...
BUT ... GOD has given us another way to return to the original predestined path before Adam and Eve's CHOICE altered the destiny ...
BUT ... We must use our Free Will yet again and CHOOSE to believe in Jesus.
Another Example ... God promised Abraham a son would be conceived by Sarah.
BUT ... Sarah and Abraham utilized their Free Will and CHOSE to take matters in their own hands.
Genesis 16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
The chain of events resulting from their exercising Free Will and their CHOICE had another bloodline created through that child (Ishmael) which are still warring with the Jewish people to this day.
Of Course God DID keep His promise to Abraham and Sarah bore a child named Isaac.
Even Angels have Free Will ...
Genesis 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
There were also Freewill offerings
Leviticus 22:18-23 Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering; Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD. Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
Deuteronomy 23:23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.
Ezra 3:4-5 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required; And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD.
And what of the Free Will offerings "of the mouth" ...
Psalms 119:108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.
Free Will to CHOOSE righteousness or wickedness
Ezekiel 33:18-19 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
The New Testament is also filled with parables of Jesus which reveal this Free Will where man is given the ability to CHOOSE.
Here is but one example ...
Matthew 22:2-14 The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.
Many are called but few are chosen ...
Because few will CHOOSE.
Man must be able to CHOOSE and to do so WILLINGLY.
Philemon 1:14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
Every aspect of Christianity, we are asked to WILLINGLY CHOOSE to act.
2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
People will have Free Will to CHOOSE ... Right up to the End of Times.
Revelation 9:20-21 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Then there are those who exercise their Free Will to serve the Lord and even CHOOSE to die for Him.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Still believe we do not have Free Will to choose?
Then why does the Lord say that those who overcome will not have their names BLOTTED OUT of the book of life?
Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His Angels.
Think about it ...
If we did not have Free Will, there would be no reason for judgment because if our path was predestined AND we did not
have Free Will ...
Why would we be punished?
Unless the CHOICE was ours?
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
So the judgment is based on CHOICES made.
We DO have Free Will ... And we are to CHOOSE the right path.
And whosoever WILL
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
FREE WILL BIBLE TRUTH IS THAT THE FREE WILL BIBLE CHOICE IS YOURS.
Free will is the ability to make choices and yet possessing this free will has us
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but the soul is, nevertheless, given the choice to choose what was presented to it by God. If I (my soul) chooses the Light over the Darkness, it still I who choose to be led by God. So, by my choice to beackon to His Voice instead of the darkness as a child of the rebellion, I hand over my will to Him as my Lord. It is that time that I have chosen good over evil, life over death, Light over Darkness. Inasmuch as I willed my soul to be led by darkness as a child of the rebellion, I too have willed my soul to be single upon the Light. It is our choice as to whom shall be our lord.
If there is no free will, then no one can blame me for my incredibly bad taste in fashion.
If there is free will, then why in the world am I still wearing velvet suits and zebra-striped platform shoes?
On a more serious note, I will post below a debate I uploaded to YouTube that could perhaps contribute positively to this important discussion on free will. The debate is between Calvinist Michael Horton and Arminian Roger Olson. I hope it helps.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D2SWKbZSIU[/video]
If there is free will, then why in the world am I still wearing velvet suits and zebra-striped platform shoes?
On a more serious note, I will post below a debate I uploaded to YouTube that could perhaps contribute positively to this important discussion on free will. The debate is between Calvinist Michael Horton and Arminian Roger Olson. I hope it helps.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D2SWKbZSIU[/video]
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Every 'things' is of God's creation; freewill is NO exception.
Plentiful number of verses speak of free will, why my post of verses last post, we NEED to focus on God's Word. Whosoever. How about Revelations 21. Word 'will,' for who will have 'life' forevermore, talking of past ALL PAST and every thing , who in book of life, to Heaven with God, new every things
Plentiful number of verses speak of free will, why my post of verses last post, we NEED to focus on God's Word. Whosoever. How about Revelations 21. Word 'will,' for who will have 'life' forevermore, talking of past ALL PAST and every thing , who in book of life, to Heaven with God, new every things