Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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From Romans 6:19-21 You used to offer your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness when you were slaves to sin. What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.
 
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Oh my goodness, I would never attempt what you are doing, kudos to you! And we do have some here
who know their way around such components to some degree at least... so if you need any help, make
sure to ask in the user2user section. Ah, my panels. Many have been inspired from the discussions that
transpire here. One of our lovely members would like to see me employ more male figures in/on them,
but I am not very co-operative that way LOL. I have done a few... quite a few actually. I did even used to
construct figures representative of Jesus, but some found that offensive, so I ceased and desisted in
that endeavour for the most part....



John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
:)
Male ones like the above? Think it's lovely but hey, you can't please everyone, however, don't let people put you off posting them. They can scroll past if they don't like it.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
62,584
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From Romans 7:18-19 Journey from Inability to Ability I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out... I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. Praise be to God for circumcising my sinful nature, causing me to obey by putting His Holy Spirit in me, and giving me a new heart.
:)
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
62,584
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Male ones like the above? Think it's lovely but hey, you can't please everyone, however,
don't let people put you off posting them. They can scroll past if they don't like it.
Someone once falsely accused me of designing zero panels with a male figure, and when I started showing some to prove they were wrong, they added up pretty fast, because there are in fact quite a few, but overall, it is the female figure I work the most with, because it is what I relate the most to. And everyone's a critic haha. I had one guy come along and try to tell me do this and do that, more text he said, there is not enough text, then too much text he said, there is too much text LOL. He was all over the place with his criticisms and acted as if he knew what was involved in the design of them when he did not have a clue. Ah, well, he is another I eventually put on ignore because he went from all that to blatantly lying about what I believe and promote like so many who do not have a clue.


Galatians 5:4 and 6b ~ You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
62,584
31,440
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1 Corinthians 15:20 and 1 Corinthians 15:45 and 1 Corinthians 15:22 Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam a
life-giving spirit. In Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
62,584
31,440
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Romans 7:18-24a I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law. But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!
 
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Someone once falsely accused me of designing zero panels with a male figure, and when I started showing some to prove they were wrong, they added up pretty fast, because there are in fact quite a few, but overall, it is the female figure I work the most with, because it is what I relate the most to. And everyone's a critic haha. I had one guy come along and try to tell me do this and do that, more text he said, there is not enough text, then too much text he said, there is too much text LOL. He was all over the place with his criticisms and acted as if he knew what was involved in the design of them when he did not have a clue. Ah, well, he is another I eventually put on ignore because he went from all that to blatantly lying about what I believe and promote like so many who do not have a clue.


Galatians 5:4 and 6b ~ You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.
Not sure why but this image really floats my boat, admittedly, i do like indie rock and stuff like that. The scriptures you used seem to complement the image too.
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
15,087
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God gave title deed to the land to Abraham's seed, who is Christ. No one else has a right to the land. Only those in Christ will receive an allotment of the inheritance from him.
You’re confusing the children of Israel’s ( Jacobs ) earthly inheritance, with the children of Abraham’s eternal inheritance.

By faith he ( Abraham ) sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:9-10, 13-14, 16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:2-3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭16:19‬ ‭

“And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭1:10-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:

and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4:16-17‬ ‭

the promised land of the ot isnt our promise ours is better

“but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

…. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

…..Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3:7, 10, 13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

anrahams children are born through Christ but jacobs children are born of flesh and blood two different covenants and peoples and promised lands
 
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Romans 7:18-24a I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law. But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!
She really suits the scriptures you quoted too sweet friend. Almost my little cat's dinner time, God's blessings and hugs from me for now.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
62,584
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She really suits the scriptures you quoted too sweet friend. Almost my little cat's dinner time, God's blessings and hugs from me for now.
Enjoy the rest of your day dear friend... hugs to you! I just found this panel from late last year which
I do not believe I had completed before now so it has not been posted before either... with verses like
this, it becomes very clear to me that the uncircumcised heart is not the heart that comes to believe,
and I really wonder that so many are so blind to think Scripture teaches that such a person with their
hostile-to-God mind can produce the good fruit of faith when they are an evil tree incapable of producing
anything but evil fruit with their stony heart which needs replacing. Of course the Pelagians pooh-pooh
evil and say oh that evil guy is really not so bad, as if he is surely capable of doing what Jesus did. Oh yeah
Scripture says he is a slave to sin and a lover of darkness taken captive to the will of the devil and suppresses
the truth in unrighteousness but he is still a good guy and is free to do as he pleases. :unsure::oops::giggle: As if we
should just all accept that obviously people who are hostile in their minds to God are eager to please Him!



Romans 10:9-10 ~ If you confess with you mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. With your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you
confess and are saved.
 

Kroogz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2023
1,249
546
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"don't let me die since she was the cause of my behavior."
Adam was Not deceived. In any way. He knew exactly what he was doing. He had the Lord face to face, at all times. He knew he was going to die. He knew his wife was going to die. He knew all of humanity was going to die...............AND he knew and trusted that the Lord was going to save. He personally knew his Savior. It was not a blame game and rolling the dice.

He ate the fruit knowing the consequences for him, his wife and humanity.........And he trusted that his Savior would fix it all in the end.

If he didn't, he would have grabbed Eve and given her the fruit of the tree of life. But Adam was NOT DECEIVED, he knew what the consequences would have been for that choice.........The Lord taught them well.
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
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Adam was Not deceived. In any way. He knew exactly what he was doing. He had the Lord face to face, at all times. He knew he was going to die. He knew his wife was going to die. He knew all of humanity was going to die...............AND he knew and trusted that the Lord was going to save. He personally knew his Savior. It was not a blame game and rolling the dice.

He ate the fruit knowing the consequences for him, his wife and humanity.........And he trusted that his Savior would fix it all in the end.

If he didn't, he would have grabbed Eve and given her the fruit of the tree of life. But Adam was NOT DECEIVED, he knew what the consequences would have been for that choice.........The Lord taught them well.
“And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

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. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:2-6, 17‬ ‭

It seems like both Adam and his wife knew the fruit was forbidden and would cause death according to Gods word . But then Satan offered an alternative word about the same fruit and they both having the choice believed satans word about the fruit rather than Gods word about the fruit

God said to the man

“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.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2:16-17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The woman said to the serpent

the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die”

the serpent said to the woman

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: ( a lie )

( then reasoning why ) for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:4-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

and the result Of the first false doctrine

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, ( God said it was certain death ) and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, ( Satan pointed this part out ) she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

now what’s left of Gods commandment ? Only “ thou shalt surely die “ both knew Gods word about the fruit bit both heard another message . eve from the serpent and Adam from eve. And the false doctrine convince them to eat the fruit …..that again , God already said was certain death. Which they both knew but didnt believe and so they are the fruit
 

Kroogz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2023
1,249
546
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“And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

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. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:2-6, 17‬ ‭

It seems like both Adam and his wife knew the fruit was forbidden and would cause death according to Gods word . But then Satan offered an alternative word about the same fruit and they both having the choice believed satans word about the fruit rather than Gods word about the fruit

God said to the man

“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.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2:16-17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The woman said to the serpent

the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die”

the serpent said to the woman

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: ( a lie )

( then reasoning why ) for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:4-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

and the result Of the first false doctrine

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, ( God said it was certain death ) and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, ( Satan pointed this part out ) she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

now what’s left of Gods commandment ? Only “ thou shalt surely die “ both knew Gods word about the fruit bit both heard another message . eve from the serpent and Adam from eve. And the false doctrine convince them to eat the fruit …..that again , God already said was certain death. Which they both knew but didnt believe and so they are the fruit
Adam was not deceived. You are trying to say he was.

Adam knew exactly what was going on.
 

BillyBob

Active member
Dec 20, 2023
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Adam was Not deceived. In any way. He knew exactly what he was doing. He had the Lord face to face, at all times. He knew he was going to die. He knew his wife was going to die. He knew all of humanity was going to die...............AND he knew and trusted that the Lord was going to save. He personally knew his Savior. It was not a blame game and rolling the dice.

He ate the fruit knowing the consequences for him, his wife and humanity.........And he trusted that his Savior would fix it all in the end.

If he didn't, he would have grabbed Eve and given her the fruit of the tree of life. But Adam was NOT DECEIVED, he knew what the consequences would have been for that choice.........The Lord taught them well.
You are most correct. Adam knew God much better than we ever will and he had no need of a college degree – but was taught directly. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
 

Blade

Well-known member
Nov 19, 2019
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Adam was not deceived. You are trying to say he was.

Adam knew exactly what was going on.
"and she gave to her husband and he ate it". Pilgrimshope is spot on here. The fall has not happen yet. So if Adam was not deceived he would never have taken a bite. Again the fall had not happen yet. He would never have any thought or desire to disobey God.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
62,584
31,440
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"and she gave to her husband and he ate it". Pilgrimshope is spot on here. The fall has not happen yet. So if Adam was not deceived he would never have taken a bite. Again the fall had not happen yet. He would never have any thought or desire to disobey God.
Eh? He was not deceived and yet he ate the forbidden fruit. He deliberately disobeyed.

That's the whole point... either God is on the throne, or man has enthroned himself.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
62,584
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now what’s left of Gods commandment ? Only “ thou shalt surely die “ both knew Gods word about the fruit bit both heard another message . eve from the serpent and Adam from eve. And the false doctrine convince them to eat the fruit …..that again , God already said was certain death. Which they both knew but didnt believe and so they are the fruit
Scripture says no such thing of Adam.
 

Kroogz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2023
1,249
546
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"and she gave to her husband and he ate it". Pilgrimshope is spot on here. The fall has not happen yet. So if Adam was not deceived he would never have taken a bite. Again the fall had not happen yet. He would never have any thought or desire to disobey God.
If Adam was deceived.....He would have dragged Eve to the tree of life. Forever living with a sinner that had no hope of getting better.

Adam played a pivotal role in bringing us ALL the savior.......And He KNEW IT.