Can We Really Exercise Free Will?

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Could you plz site verses that you’re referring too? Thx!
19 because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse:
 
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We've either received the Spirit of promise or we haven't. I was 55 years old when the Lord saved me. I had called myself a Christian for over 40 years. I thought I had accepted Him. It doesn't work that way. Jesus builds His church.

These are just a few verses, it's everywhere. Take heed of 2 Thessalonians 2. Jesus saves.

John 3
King James Bible
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

Ephesians 1
King James Bible
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

John 14
King James Bible
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.


2 Thessalonians 2
King James Bible
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
 
Regeneration preceding faith is a lie.

Have you never read of the apostle Thomas? He was saved yet didn't believe until seeing the resurrected Christ.
In vs29, we read that those who have not "seen", first must be blessed, and from/by that blessing, they believe - it is not given to everyone but only to those who become saved - which means believers aren't true believers, until and unless they fully and completely believe the gospel of Christ, not just parts of it.

[Jhn 20:24-29 KJV]
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: [then] came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace [be] unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed [are] they that have not seen, and [yet] have believed.

The idea that Adam had the power and authority to break us so we wouldn't come to Jesus, is also not Biblical.Calvinism makes Adam more sovereign than God.

[Rom 5:19 KJV] 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

[1Co 15:21-22 KJV]
21 For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

[Eph 2:1, 5 KJV]
1 And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins; ...
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
 
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We've either received the Spirit of promise or we haven't. I was 55 years old when the Lord saved me. I had called myself a Christian for over 40 years. I thought I had accepted Him. It doesn't work that way. Jesus builds His church.

These are just a few verses, it's everywhere. Take heed of 2 Thessalonians 2. Jesus saves.

John 3
King James Bible
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

Ephesians 1
King James Bible
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

John 14
King James Bible
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.


2 Thessalonians 2
King James Bible
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
Yes, Jesus is the Head not the pope/ man.
 
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Have you never read of the apostle Thomas? He was saved yet didn't believe until seeing the resurrected Christ.
In vs29, we read that those who have not "seen", first must be blessed, and from/by that blessing, they believe - it is not given to everyone but only to those who become saved - which means believers aren't true believers, until and unless they fully and completely believe the gospel of Christ, not just parts of it.

[Jhn 20:24-29 KJV]
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: [then] came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace [be] unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed [are] they that have not seen, and [yet] have believed.



[Rom 5:19 KJV] 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

[1Co 15:21-22 KJV]
21 For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

[Eph 2:1, 5 KJV]
1 And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins; ...
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Not sure what you mean by "he was saved?"
 
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Not sure what you mean by "he was saved?"

It means (not a complete list) of being placed in-Christ by God, from that he was justified through His righteousness, forgiven of his sins, and given eternal life - all of the attributes that pertain to salvation, come as a result of salvation.

what then did you mean by restoration?
 
It means (not a complete list) of being placed in-Christ by God, from that he was justified through His righteousness, forgiven of his sins, and given eternal life - all of the attributes that pertain to salvation, come as a result of salvation.

what then did you mean by restoration?

He was saved yet didn't believe until seeing the resurrected Christ.

So Thomas was saved, but he was not a believer?
 
So Thomas was saved, but he was not a believer?

Correct - Thomas did not believe the full gospel, and if the full gospel was not believed at that point, he was not yet a true believer. Did you read what Jesus said to him - it is pretty conclusive - that Jesus clearly told him that he was not a believer. Actually, by that, Jesus commanded Thomas to believe, by which command, Thomas was given belief, and which Jesus likewise does to everyone whom He saves but spiritually not visibly.

[Jhn 20:27 KJV] 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
 
Correct - Thomas did not believe the full gospel, and if the full gospel was not believed at that point, he was not yet a true believer. Did you read what Jesus said to him - it is pretty conclusive - that Jesus clearly told him that he was not a believer. Actually, by that, Jesus's commanded Thomas to believe, by which command, Thomas was given belief, and which Jesus likewise does to everyone whom He saves but spiritually not visibly.

[Jhn 20:27 KJV] 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Regeneration does not precede faith, plucking situations here and there and then performing eisegesis does not support this tenet.

There is nothing in the text that Thomas was regenerated prior to belief.
 
Regeneration does not precede faith, plucking situations here and there and then performing eisegesis does not support this tenet.

There is nothing in the text that Thomas was regenerated prior to belief.

"plucking situations"? Really? Oh, my! It's right there before your eyes and as clear as it could be. Okay, whatever.
 
Ironically, after reading Romans chapter 9, I am not sure that we actually have free will either. The chapter goes as such,

"
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.

19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?"

Essentially, the Lord can soften us to do his will or harden is to do the latter and express wrath/ judgment against us, and in the end it's all for His glory (which is fine) but do I actually have a say then in who I am or what the Lord has created me to be?
 
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Jesus did not come/preach to the living non-elect/unsaved after His resurrection. By the fact that He came to Thomas and gave faith and belief to him, meant that Thomas had been saved

Well at least you are up front about it.