Are you a monergist or a synergist?
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Yeah, it should be considered a preface. i never got to the meat of the answer. I got called away 3 times while trying to finish it. At the airport now awaiting my flight.
"The explanation that all man need do is stop resisting God is accurate, but it is very simplistic and doesn't actually account for all that transpires between God and the individual. I find so many who only concern themselves with what I believe are the visible responses of individuals, and little thought is given to the unseen spiritual activity of God."
The fuller truth is that “stop resisting God” only describes the final human moment, while Scripture shows a long, invisible sequence of divine activity already at work inside the person —
the Father drawing and teaching (John 6:44–45),
Christ illuminating every man (John 1:9),
the Spirit convicting the inner life (John 16:8),
and the conscience echoing God’s moral imprint (Romans 2:15).
By the time a person finally stops resisting, God has already initiated, revealed, pressed, stirred, and testified.
The visible human response is simply the outward point where the inward work of God is no longer opposed — which is why focusing only on human decision misses the rich, unseen divine action that makes that decision possible.
The fuller truth is that “stop resisting God” only describes the final human moment, while Scripture shows a long, invisible sequence of divine activity already at work inside the person —
the Father drawing and teaching (John 6:44–45),
Christ illuminating every man (John 1:9),
the Spirit convicting the inner life (John 16:8),
and the conscience echoing God’s moral imprint (Romans 2:15).
By the time a person finally stops resisting, God has already initiated, revealed, pressed, stirred, and testified.
The visible human response is simply the outward point where the inward work of God is no longer opposed — which is why focusing only on human decision misses the rich, unseen divine action that makes that decision possible.
As much as I agree with you it still doesn't make sense for God to Inspire Joshua while addressing the Hebrew people to make them choose to follow God or not if man had no say in the matter.
Joshua’s command makes sense because God’s commands reveal the heart, not because sinners have native moral ability.
When Joshua says, “Choose this day whom you will serve,” he is not assuming Israel has autonomous power to repent; he is confronting them with God’s covenant word so their true desire is exposed.
Scripture shows this pattern everywhere: God commands (“Turn to Me,” Isa 45:22), warns (“Do not harden your hearts,” Ps 95:8), and invites (“Come,” Isa 55:1), yet also says the natural man cannot submit (Rom 8:7), cannot receive the things of the Spirit (1 Cor 2:14), and does not seek God (Rom 3:11).
The command reveals the heart; the heart responds; and God enables obedience for those who truly turn. So Joshua’s challenge is not proof of native moral ability — it is God’s way of exposing whether Israel loves Him or idols.
God was in covenant with the Hebrew people. Joshua was calling them back into that relationship. He wasn't calling them to be saved.
Man is able choose, but man cannot make every choice, and neither can he insure the choices he makes come to fruition. So, that doesn't qualify, in my opinion, as freewill.
When it comes to life in general, and salvation in particular, I believe God is more active than people realize. For example, read Philippians 2:12-13. What is the Apostle teaching? He says God at work in us, and we are to be aware of this and adjust our actions accordingly. Jesus, Himself, said He always did what He saw the Father doing. Our lives are to be a response to what God is doing. Likewise, I believe this is true in salvation. I believe repentance is a response to godly sorrow and conviction of the Spirit. I believe obedience is the result of a new heart and spirit. I could go on but you get the point. I believe God is much more active in the affairs of man than most people know, and I believe many miss this because their relationship with God is not as intimate as it could be. I don't say this critically, but because I believe there is much more available to Christians than they have yet come to know.
Receiving the divine nature took place by God making us to become a new creation in Christ.
By giving us a human spirit that makes us able to be one with God's Spirit when He gives us a thought.
The divine nature makes us able to think with God's Spirit about a matter.
Thinking that will be based upon how much sound doctrine we have chosen to learn and accept.
........
By giving us a human spirit that makes us able to be one with God's Spirit when He gives us a thought.
The divine nature makes us able to think with God's Spirit about a matter.
Thinking that will be based upon how much sound doctrine we have chosen to learn and accept.
........
Considering that Jesus was tempted just as we are, what does temptation act on? At first glance, the flesh appears to be the obvious answer to that, but Jesus was tempted and did not sin, and so sin did not work on his flesh successfully in achieving what it did by Adam. And, surely, that distinguished, discriminating factor is revealed in His declaration, "Father, ...not My will, but Yours be done."
Calling them back means some left or considered leaving which is another act of the human will.
Making a choice is an an act of the will. But making a choice does not insure the choice comes to fruition. Jonah made a choice not to go to Nineveh and acted on that choice. But Jonah went to Nineveh. In James 4:13-15, a choice was made to go to a town to buy and sell and make much gain. James said what should have been said that IF THE LORD WILLS, we will buy and sell and make much gain. In Acts 17, Paul says that God appoints our times and the bounds of our habitation. I don't call that freedom.
I haven't even addressed our nature and how it limits us. If you conflate choice with freewill, then we all have freewill. If you believe freewill is the ability to make choices and carry them through to fruition, our will seems to be limited.
You all have credit. We all have credit. Our credit is not to us. Our credit is to the completed work on the Cross. If we transgress, we are saved. If we sin, we are saved. But in the end, how we have Felt toward the Lord, that is what He seeks from us, and that is our reward at the end of Life.
I'm not saying this for myself. I'm saying this because this is something that's true for anyone.
There's a reson why Jesus commands ‘But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say when he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down at the table’? 8Wouldn’t he rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink’? 9Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not. 10Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’”
and 3Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. 4If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” (Luke 17).
I'm not saying this for myself. I'm saying this because this is something that's true for anyone.
There's a reson why Jesus commands ‘But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say when he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down at the table’? 8Wouldn’t he rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink’? 9Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not. 10Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’”
and 3Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. 4If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” (Luke 17).
*something in you that is. But this is that. What goes on behind your eyes as they read this. What you decide for yourself what this is, and what you think to seek or how you reach out with what you can reach about it.
What will you pick up your hand to do with it? to eat and drink and be thankful, or will you will to argue? Because you do will to argue. You force yourselves to come here and battle against your fellows. You perceive that it's entirely vain what you're doing here. Should the Lord thank you for coming here to soil yourself with a rotten day? Because He certainly has not bought you here to do that.
Why are you vain? aren't you the first people who should know how vain this is? You're going to die, and you won't be taking this useless argument with you. Why then do you continue? You know the truth, but you have obfuscated the truth with yourselves. Are you or are not saved by election, grace, free will, or works? Why do you ask? That's not what life's about.
Look around you. That's what life's about. You are to go on adventures that make life count. you are to have hope and think thoughts which make life worth looking forward to.
Look around you. That's what life's about. You are to go on adventures that make life count. you are to have hope and think thoughts which make life worth looking forward to.
If the scriptures were just a word sitting on their own, they'd be useless. You have a life, and you are to make it pure, holy, and without seeking corruption. What is Holiness? Is it having some sort of useless beleif? No.
But why do you sit around clutching what's dead? This argument is completely dead. It's as mobile as a peice of trash on the road. It's a sitting duck as a pile of garbage, only fit for looking nasty wherever it's thrown.
Come now, you have your computers, phones, and other tools for living a life. Living a life, as in, seeking things that are new, in ways that please God. What's this all about? It's a trap that kills people. Move on if you want to live healthy.
But why do you sit around clutching what's dead? This argument is completely dead. It's as mobile as a peice of trash on the road. It's a sitting duck as a pile of garbage, only fit for looking nasty wherever it's thrown.
Come now, you have your computers, phones, and other tools for living a life. Living a life, as in, seeking things that are new, in ways that please God. What's this all about? It's a trap that kills people. Move on if you want to live healthy.
Being baptized in the name of the Father because the Father has chosen me to be part of the spiritual body of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Jesus in turn baptizes me with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit acts as a portal through which the Father can enter the being indwelled. In Isaiah 63: 9-10, the Holy Spirit is described as the "Angel of His presence". In otherwords, where the Holy Spirit is, the Father is. Jesus is the Temple of the Father and "One" with the Father because Jesus if filled with the Holy Spirit (the Father's presence) and Jesus obeys the Father. The Father speaks through and empowers the Son to do His will. That is why the Son is the image of the invisible God, the Father.
John 5: 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 7: 16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me.
John 12: 49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, He gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
John 14: 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works.
The Son is in the Father because those who are indwelled with the Holy Spirit belong to the Family of the Father. When Jesus ascended back to the Father to get "Glorified", he received from the Father of Glory, a spiritual body (the Church) composed of the souls chosen by the Father to get baptized by the Son with the Holy Spirit. In otherwords, those whom the Son baptizes with the Holy Spirit become temples of the Son and part of his spiritual body. Of course, when the Son enters our beings, so does the Father who is in the Son. Together, they fill us with love for the Father first (just as the Son loves the Father first) and all others as we love ourselves (the two greatest commandments upon which all other commandments are based). Through the Holy Spirit, we have direct and continuous communication and direction from the Father through the Son in us. That is why the veil was rent.
Ephesians 1: 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Him.
Matthew 11: 27 All things are delivered unto me by my Father, and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, except the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.
John 4: 23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
Ephesians 2: 18 For through him (the Son) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
I pray (communicate with the Father and Son) every day and everywhere and worship them in Spirit and in Truth. When, how, and where do you pray?