Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

[Genez]

Can see there have been some replies i will attend too but just wondering if others are finding it a nightmare loading and staying connected to CC at times too?

When loading i get a site error msg near 50% of the time, which often happens on a different forum/thread load too. I clear the cache before reloading the site, so it isn't old page problems etc. Stability is reduced on quite a few sites over the past few months, including major ones like Amazon and Asda UK. It suggests to me there's a systemic issue, interested in finding out how widespread it is.

Edit: When i say systemic i mean network issue, don't think it's CC.

CC has been terrible lately.

One person told me that he is considering not coming here any more.
It is getting ridiculous.

Makes me feel that my donations have been in vain.

 

[Genez]

always a pleasure you seem to have a good spirit in the lord and very pleasant to discuss with I appreciate the time

“It's so hard for many to understand that the notion we have free will is based on lies, which have a dark purpose. We certainly have will and choice, which are huge components of our lives but it's rare for us to be able to take successful, unilateral action, unless what we want to do is inconsequential to others.”

“We certainly have will and choice,”

ok. Is someone else controlling our Will and choices or are we ?

thats sort of what I’m wanting to get at “ how “ is our Will not free ?

We have to will to have Him have his will done through us.

That requires learning and gaining lots of sound doctrine.
Why?
Because we will not know when His will is being desired, owing to the fact that His ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)


Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only,
but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." Philippians 2:12-13

One reason for our fear and trembling is because God does not fear what we fear!
We are to be learning His ways as to walk as He walks!

 

[Pilgrimshope]

Yep, the error loading page issue again, will try to answer another comment before it strikes again

Lol yes makes it hard to converse.

 

[Pilgrimshope]

We have to will to have Him have his will done through us.

That requires learning and gaining lots of sound doctrine.
Why?
Because we will not know when His will is being desired, owing to the fact that His ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)


Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only,
but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." Philippians 2:12-13

One reason for our fear and trembling is because God does not fear what we fear!
We are to be learning His ways as to walk as He walks!

“We are to be learning His ways as to walk as He walks”

Amen and in that mind , is our security in him. And the effectual power of the gospel

 

[GWH]

Anyone Here ever consider The Two Kingdoms mentioned in The Bible Scriptures; and who, which One belongs?

Of course! That is the subject of the entire biblical revelation: God's heavenly kingdom and the atheist evil dystopia.

 

[GWH]

Lol yes makes it hard to converse.

Have the administrators ever explained what the problem is?

 

[LifelongLearner]

always a pleasure you seem to have a good spirit in the lord and very pleasant to discuss with I appreciate the time

“It's so hard for many to understand that the notion we have free will is based on lies, which have a dark purpose. We certainly have will and choice, which are huge components of our lives but it's rare for us to be able to take successful, unilateral action, unless what we want to do is inconsequential to others.”

“We certainly have will and choice,”

ok. Is someone else controlling our Will and choices or are we ?

thats sort of what I’m wanting to get at “ how “ is our Will not free ?

Sorry for the late reply friend, not just the site issues, sorting out mega installations on two rigs as well. Have explained in several comments i don't think our will is controlled at all, we certainly have both choice and will and can exercise both. Free will is near impossible tho as there are 8/9 billion wills of other people to contend with, which means we can only exercise our will unilaterally on occasion.

Free will is the ability to exercise/execute our will and choices unilaterally, which we can only do occasionally. I do think we are less regimented/have more leeway than angels, different tasks/strokes for different folks. However, they are more powerful than us and clearly have will/make choices too.

Anyway, hope all's good with you and what i've said makes sense.

 

[LifelongLearner]

“Do enjoy our chats Pilgrimshope, i'm one of those who thinks if we genuinely had free will, humanity would have snuffed it during its infancy.”

After just the tenth generation of mankind’s existance

“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭6:5-7 ‭KJV‬‬

You believe if they had free Will , something like that would have happened probably once they were exposed to good and evil ?

That made me laugh friend, the Lord was entitled to get a little irate at all our shenanigans but i was thinking more we'd have driven ourselves to extinction in our early days, if we had free will. Only the LORD has the moral chops to cope with FREE will, as i said in my comment above, even the angels don't have free will.

 

[LifelongLearner]

When you consider free will, you must also consider man's ability.
Adam had the ability to obey or to not obey. We basically lost this ability in the fall.
After the fall God tells us:

Gen 6:5
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Now there is no way possible to please God unless the HS restores the ability that was lost. If you think that man has this ability then you do not understand just how depraved man actually is.

So yes, you can freely choose to post on this site, but you cannot put your trust in God without the HS doing a work in you.

Forgot to reply to this yesterday BillyBob, it's such a great comment which i really agree with. I do wonder if Adam and Eve might still be resurrected, hopefully we'll refrain from lynching them if they are.
Bit busy with stuff i need to sort out at the moment but so happy i'm visiting the site again. There are quite a few really lovely people here and you're one of them for sure. Hope i might be back later on, depends on how these installations go.

 

[NightTwister]

If we did not have free will then how did anyone sin.

Lucifer was created perfect in his ways until iniquity was found in him but if he did not have free will then how was iniquity found in him when he was created perfect in his ways.

Adam and Eve were created in the image of God an innocent nature in flesh with no sin on their record so if they did not have free will how did they sin.

Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

If Adam and Eve did not have free will that would mean that God wanted them to fall which goes against His nature of being good and wanting us to be good.

God does not want us to sin so He is not going to cause us to sin.

If we did not have free will then God's kingdom is not true love but robotic love and God is not evil to condemn people that do not have a choice but to not accept the truth because they do not have free will.

If God did choose in the beginning who will be saved without their choice then what is the purpose of the earth.

God could of made them to be with Him and cut out the earth and the result would be the same for they do not choose their salvation.

The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world for God calls things that have not happened yet as though they already happened.

The saints are predestined to salvation means that God had the plan to give mankind salvation from the foundation of the earth and this salvation is to whoever wants it.

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.

Rev 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.

God wants all people to be saved so we have free will to choose salvation or reject it.

Your God is too small.