This is where it gets a little confusing for me. It sounds like we are saying the same thing...yet, were really not,..LOL
Yeah, I think we would agree much more (and both "predestination vs free will camps" generally) if we would define words properly before we will use them in a discussion.
For me, when you say that we have free will, its making us like Gods, absolutely free in our decision making, not needing any gifts, any grace, any information. We are small gods and can do whatever we want. We are even free to want what we want (yeah, complicated formulation).
If we agree that we need gift of faith, that we need good and relevant information, new heart etc to positively respond to God's calling, I do not see how this can be called free or independent. Its dependent and gifted.
Jesus came and died to make us free of our circumstances not matter what they might be...if we call upon him then he frees us...Isn't this what Jesus preached?
Luke 4
[FONT=&]18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,[/FONT]
[FONT=&]19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.[/FONT]
Yes, Jesus came to make us free. I do not think its context means that we are free and independent in absolute sense, but rather that we are free of death, of satan, of this world, of sin, of darkness etc.
