predestination vs freewill

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Ivon

Member
Aug 30, 2016
66
2
6
MATT.5:19.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments, and shall teach men so,
he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them,
the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

scripture plainly says that 'works' are DEFINATELY-CONNECTED with 'reward',
although Eternal Life is a FREE GIFT,

MATT. 16:27.
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels;
and then He shall reward every man according to His works.

we are truly saved by GRACE...but REWARDED by our WORKS...
Yes @oldethennew, I agree, as the quoted verse you give. I was referring to the salvation part that God set us apart for, based not on anything we could do on our own effort, but based on the “free gift” of salvation offered by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Our ‘works’ play no role in our salvation. We cannot ‘earn’ our way into Heaven...
 

Ivon

Member
Aug 30, 2016
66
2
6
I believe the difference between the "all day" & the "one hour" workers was that the first were jews & the latter gentiles. The gentiles will go in before the jews because they accept Christ under His new covenant while the jews denied Him. I hope that helps. I'm not gonna go deep into it because someone will counter it with their own "version" of it.:)
I don't see any distinction between the full-time and last hour workers, in terms of associating them with chosen or called ones. In the parable itself, the landlord in fact was the one who approached and led them to His vineyard to work, not the other way round. All were chosen, like what Jesus says in John 15:16:

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
 

Ivon

Member
Aug 30, 2016
66
2
6
There are many replies to the question on the first thread. The subject is something that is hard to comprehend. Here is a good way to look at it.

Draw a straight line on a piece of paper. At the beginning of the line place a Dot (on the line), Place a Dot in the middle of the line and a Dot about 1/2 way between the middle dot and the end (3/4). Yes, place a dot at the end of the line.

This line is your life. Obviously the beginning and ending dots are self-explanatory.The middle dot represents you today. In a few day, years, etc., you accept Jesus Christ. (the 3/4 dot).

Now God see you before your beginning, sees your whole life including the 3/4 dot time period and the ending dot.

Yes, God has known from "eternity past" who will accept him (elect) and who will resist him (non-elect). Yes, we have free will and can (and do) exercise that free will to the damnation of our Souls. God, on the other hand has done everything (short of making us robots, preprogrammed, no free-will) to welcome us into his heavenly home.
@Blade, yes this is the same analogy of an incoming train on a track... My question was to understand about God's way of further intervention to people whom He already foreknew to be rejecting Christ in the end.
 

DP

Banned
Sep 27, 2015
3,325
41
0
yes



what has that to do with it?



ditto
You don't know your Bible then, because there are no more Apostles today. There was only 12 Apostle offices.

Same for God's prophets that He called, those offices are no more today. If they were, then He would be speaking 'directly' 'in person' to prophets today like He did with the OT prophets and like how Jesus did with His Apostles after His resurrection; and they would be warning the people what God said. The only ones attempting to do that, i.e., "God told me to tell you...", are false prophets. The way prophecy is given to His people today is through the preaching of His Word.

So you might be 'called' by The LORD to believe and for His purpose, but being a chosen 'sent' one, that's a different matter. The idea of being 'sent' in the NT Greek is about the word 'apostle'.
 

Ivon

Member
Aug 30, 2016
66
2
6
Does knowing something mean you make it happen?
My concern is not about attributing the blame to God if a person's ultimate decision is to reject Him & in no way I'm saying God's foreknowledgement means that He caused those decisions to happen, like I said in my previous posts, I want to understand what is God's way in approaching these people... (Will He be orchestrating events & sending people in attempt to change their ultimate decisions? But I find my question invalid when I ask this way because God will know if His intervention works or not in the end, so this is the part that has been causing tension in me) I just couldn't comprehend...

Or should I simply ignore about this part since His way is higher than ours and His thoughts are higher than us. Does that mean my question should end here?
 
Last edited:

DP

Banned
Sep 27, 2015
3,325
41
0
My concern is not about attributing the blame to God if a person's ultimate decision is to reject Him & in no way I'm saying God's foreknowledgement means that He caused those decisions to happen, like I said in my previous posts, I want to understand what is God's way in approaching these people... (Will He be orchestrating events & sending people in attempt to change their ultimate decisions? But I find my question invalid when I ask this way because God will know if His intervention works or not in the end, so this is the part that has been causing tension in me) I just couldn't comprehend...

Or should I simply ignore about this part since His way is higher than ours and His thoughts are higher than us. Does that mean my question should end here?
Thinking to know God's Own Mind is not the way of understanding Him. All we can do is understand what He gave us in His Word about these kind of things.

And if people are busy trying to use their own mind to figure out why He does something, instead of going to His Word in study and asking Him through prayer, then why should He show them anything?
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
Ro 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

God knows all things. God knows the choices a man will make in his lifetime. That does not mean that God will make man make specific choices. God hardened Pharaoh's heart

Ex 10:20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.

When Adam fell in the garden God gave man the knowledge to choose between good and evil. It is now the responsibility of man to choose between Gods righteousness and mans righteousness. God knows the decision but man must make it. God will not compel man to do right only make a way for man to correct his error.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 

valiant

Senior Member
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
126
63
You don't know your Bible then, because there are no more Apostles today. There was only 12 Apostle offices.
well that depends on whether you mean Apostles or apostles. Nor were there only twelve of the former. Scripture gives more than twelve of the former, and many more of the latter. YOU don't know your Scriptures.

Same for God's prophets that He called, those offices are no more today. If they were, then He would be speaking 'directly' 'in person' to prophets today like He did with the OT prophets and like how Jesus did with His Apostles after His resurrection; and they would be warning the people what God said.
your restriction of called and sent is unscriptural.


So you might be 'called' by The LORD to believe and for His purpose, but being a chosen 'sent' one, that's a different matter. The idea of being 'sent' in the NT Greek is about the word 'apostle'.
I have both been chosen and sent (Eph 1.4; Rom 10.15). Your limitation to 12 apostles is unscriptural.

You clearly have no conception of Christian teaching.
 
Aug 15, 2009
9,745
179
0
-- Need ministers to be saved now? Really? I'd love the complete rundown on how many Ways you think there are because you keep adding to the list. And you repeat, as if repeating makes it so. I already told you Jehovah made himself known to what is now China before China became a nation. I already told you Jehovah came to what would become Rome before Italy even had city-states, once more, a multitude of gods. Who "ministered" to the people in the OT? Can they not be saved simply because you are determined Man has to have something to do with it?

-- According to you, the Holy Spirit draws us as demonstrated in John 6:44? Have you read John 6:44? Two of persons of the triune God are talked about in that verse. The Holy Spirit isn't. You're just making this up as you go.

-- Mercy is universal? You ARE very much making this up.

-- On the last one we agree. No one is forced to choose Jesus -- automatically or otherwise. We never would, so he saves despite choice.

So what you teach is the fabrication and lie. What you think I'm teaching is your personal fantasy world. If you'd ever bother to listen, you might actually know what I believe versus what you are lying about when you're trying to pin me down as the opposite of your beliefs.
Well, obviously I've struck a nerve.....woohoo, did I strike one!

Firstly, we're not on the same page. When I say "minister", I don't mean the suit-behind-podium variety. I mean someone who ministers to the needs of another. You know, the no-license kind.

Now, John 6:44.

John 6:44 (NASB)
[SUP]44 [/SUP]"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.
Now how do you suppose the Father does that? Thru the Spirit, like He always does.
:)

Mercy is NOT universal? there's actually someone out there God HASN'T shown mercy to?

GOD DOES NOT SAVE DESPITE CHOICE! BLASPHEMY! The first man was given a choice, & the last man will, too.

About what you just taught in your post.... again a lie. Whosoever believeth in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life..... not whom "you say" God "chooses" against His own word.

God's word has been forever settled in heaven. God's word cannot be broken.

You was wrong in your previous post, & you're wrong in this one, too. That's not my fault, neither my fault to tell you so. It has nothing to do with me saying it..... except I'm the one that called you out on it. Quit perverting my Father's Word & I'll stop.
 
Aug 15, 2009
9,745
179
0
well that depends on whether you mean Apostles or apostles. Nor were there only twelve of the former. Scripture gives more than twelve of the former, and many more of the latter. YOU don't know your Scriptures.



your restriction of called and sent is unscriptural.




I have both been chosen and sent (Eph 1.4; Rom 10.15). Your limitation to 12 apostles is unscriptural.

You clearly have no conception of Christian teaching.
I don't know whether because of the Catholic church or christian tradition, but names & titles get blown up & superspiritualized untill no one else can ever hope to attain to them, & stop believing in them even when some are still called to it.

Greek Strong's Number: 652
Greek Word: ἀπόστολος
Transliteration: apostolos
Phonetic Pronunciation:
ap-os'-tol-os

Root: from <G649>
Cross Reference: TDNT - 1:407,67
Part of Speech: n m
Vine's Words: Apostle, Apostleship, Messenger


Usage Notes:

English Words used in KJV:
apostle 78
messenger 2
he that is sent 1
[Total Count: 81]


from <G649> (apostello); a delegate; specially an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ [“apostle”] (with miraculous powers) :- apostle, messenger, he that is sent.
Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.

How many of us are ambassadors of Christ? How many of us are sent by God? Aren't we all God's messengers? How many are commissioned with a ministry?
The first position I think of when I hear this word is "missionary", for they qualify with their ministry more than any other IMO.
Not saying we ALL could be apostles, but definitely some should.:)
 
Aug 23, 2016
31
0
6
Well, obviously I've struck a nerve.....woohoo, did I strike one!

Firstly, we're not on the same page. When I say "minister", I don't mean the suit-behind-podium variety. I mean someone who ministers to the needs of another. You know, the no-license kind.

Now, John 6:44.

John 6:44 (NASB)
[SUP]44 [/SUP]"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.
Now how do you suppose the Father does that? Thru the Spirit, like He always does.
:)

Mercy is NOT universal? there's actually someone out there God HASN'T shown mercy to?

GOD DOES NOT SAVE DESPITE CHOICE! BLASPHEMY! The first man was given a choice, & the last man will, too.

About what you just taught in your post.... again a lie. Whosoever believeth in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life..... not whom "you say" God "chooses" against His own word.

God's word has been forever settled in heaven. God's word cannot be broken.

You was wrong in your previous post, & you're wrong in this one, too. That's not my fault, neither my fault to tell you so. It has nothing to do with me saying it..... except I'm the one that called you out on it. Quit perverting my Father's Word & I'll stop.
[FONT=&quot] I have always been intrigued by this subject because it opens the door to debate like none other. If I was a lawyer, I would gladly defend either side. I have spent a great deal of time researching this subject and there are verses that could support either opinion. There are no ambiguities in the Bible; any ambiguities are man-made.
However, if I chose to defend the side representing Predestination, I would be challenged by the one that wrote the book‑- the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of Predestination does not fit in with the rest of the Gospels and to use a colloquial phrase common in the Deep South concerning Predestination, “That don’t make no sense.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I am not sure how many times I read the bible before I realized it is not as complicated as people make it; if you know how to read it! The Holy Spirit can explain the bible to any level of intellect. The first step is to leave our intellect hat on the hat rack and allow the Holy Spirit to do the heavy lifting and at a level, we can understand. Of course, many if not most people, will not accept the simplicity of God’s word. We are all free to voice our opinion, but there is no advantage in beating someone over the head that disagree with us. After all, it is God’s job to judge our opinions because in the end, He is the ultimate judge. Even so, it is a fascinating subject to ponder. [/FONT]
 
Feb 28, 2016
11,311
2,974
113
==============================================

Lynn, your statement is exactly right, it is just the opposite of most of theology,
most try and put our Saviour into a box, ain't goona work...
 
D

Depleted

Guest
Well, obviously I've struck a nerve.....woohoo, did I strike one!

Firstly, we're not on the same page. When I say "minister", I don't mean the suit-behind-podium variety. I mean someone who ministers to the needs of another. You know, the no-license kind.

Now, John 6:44.

John 6:44 (NASB)
[SUP]44 [/SUP]"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.
Now how do you suppose the Father does that? Thru the Spirit, like He always does.
:)

Mercy is NOT universal? there's actually someone out there God HASN'T shown mercy to?

GOD DOES NOT SAVE DESPITE CHOICE! BLASPHEMY! The first man was given a choice, & the last man will, too.

About what you just taught in your post.... again a lie. Whosoever believeth in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life..... not whom "you say" God "chooses" against His own word.

God's word has been forever settled in heaven. God's word cannot be broken.

You was wrong in your previous post, & you're wrong in this one, too. That's not my fault, neither my fault to tell you so. It has nothing to do with me saying it..... except I'm the one that called you out on it. Quit perverting my Father's Word & I'll stop.
Oh brother. Yeah. You have me shaking in my boots. You invent stuff -- whatever. You repeat the invented stuff. You pretend I said it. I corrected you.

Oh, and it's summertime, so no boots. Not even shoes.

 
D

Depleted

Guest
I have always been intrigued by this subject because it opens the door to debate like none other. If I was a lawyer, I would gladly defend either side. I have spent a great deal of time researching this subject and there are verses that could support either opinion. There are no ambiguities in the Bible; any ambiguities are man-made.
However, if I chose to defend the side representing Predestination, I would be challenged by the one that wrote the book‑- the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of Predestination does not fit in with the rest of the Gospels and to use a colloquial phrase common in the Deep South concerning Predestination, “That don’t make no sense.”


I am not sure how many times I read the bible before I realized it is not as complicated as people make it; if you know how to read it! The Holy Spirit can explain the bible to any level of intellect. The first step is to leave our intellect hat on the hat rack and allow the Holy Spirit to do the heavy lifting and at a level, we can understand. Of course, many if not most people, will not accept the simplicity of God’s word. We are all free to voice our opinion, but there is no advantage in beating someone over the head that disagree with us. After all, it is God’s job to judge our opinions because in the end, He is the ultimate judge. Even so, it is a fascinating subject to ponder.
Trying to study predestination on its own is much like trying to study happiness in the Declaration of Independence. It's in there. It really is part of the whole, but it's best kept as just that -- part of the whole. Try something. (And I'm not saying you have to agree with me after your done.) Read Romans for what it is -- a letter. A whole letter. Not divided into chapter and verse. A whole letter. Read it from beginning to end as if it is one thing, instead of multiple chapters with dozens of verses in each.

And then accept it like it is supposed to be -- a manifesto.

See if that helps.

(If it doesn't? Hey! It's still a great read.)
 
Feb 28, 2016
11,311
2,974
113
Yes @oldethennew, I agree, as the quoted verse you give. I was referring to the salvation part that God set us apart for, based not on anything we could do on our own effort, but based on the “free gift” of salvation offered by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Our ‘works’ play no role in our salvation. We cannot ‘earn’ our way into Heaven...
========================================================

ivon,

any Christian already has been blessed with the knowledge by the Holy Spirit what is what in the
realm of God's grace and mercy and sacrifice...

so, I am questioning your response as being either argumentative or just plain ole satan's
ignorant challenge...
 

DP

Banned
Sep 27, 2015
3,325
41
0
well that depends on whether you mean Apostles or apostles.

....
That Biblical illiteracy isn't even worth responding to. You're not wanting to learn anything, you're wanting to make things the way you want.
 
Aug 23, 2016
31
0
6
Trying to study predestination on its own is much like trying to study happiness in the Declaration of Independence. It's in there. It really is part of the whole, but it's best kept as just that -- part of the whole. Try something. (And I'm not saying you have to agree with me after your done.) Read Romans for what it is -- a letter. A whole letter. Not divided into chapter and verse. A whole letter. Read it from beginning to end as if it is one thing, instead of multiple chapters with dozens of verses in each.

And then accept it like it is supposed to be -- a manifesto.

See if that helps.

(If it doesn't? Hey! It's still a great read.)
I am totally baffled by you response to my remarks. I you were attempting to respond to them, I must once again use the colloquial phrase "that don't make no sense". Please try again.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,700
6,885
113
free will.....Free Will..........FREE WILL.............FREE WILL.......FREE WILL!


(can not say that enough........ :) )
 

valiant

Senior Member
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
126
63
Hmm..............pray tell........why did the crucifixion of Christ have to occur as you were chosen before the foundation?
The answer is simple, Because He knew that the only way to result in perfect human beings was to allow them to fall, and then save them at the cost of His own blood.

What a cruel god you serve...........sure glad he is not my God.............
I am certainly glad that my God is sovereign and not dependent on the vagaries of humans.

your god........hey, see those people over there? they is chosen........see those people over yonder? they is not chosen. those chosen have already received eternal life..........but i'm gonna send someone to suffer and die just because i can
your words are blasphemy. you will have to answer for them one day. God certainly does not take your blasphemous attitude. You clearly are unaware of what you are talking about. I leave you to Him.

All men chose to sin. All therefore face deserved judgment. But God in His mercy has chosen out some to be saved. Why He only chose some is the mystery of God. But if He had not chosen some NONE would have been saved. For all are enemies of God.
 

valiant

Senior Member
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
126
63
That Biblical illiteracy isn't even worth responding to. You're not wanting to learn anything, you're wanting to make things the way you want.
well I will certainly not learn anything from someone as ignorant and conceited as you :)