Please only answer the questions listed. Stay on topic! And answer them in order. If you can not answer the question and/or stay on topic then do not answer at all. I don't think I can be anymore clearer.
I will post a series of questions and I can't stress this enough please answer them in order and stay on topic. I will post the first question today then sometime tomorrow I will post another question. And if you are a late comer then just answer the questions in order in a single post. Thanks.
First question: Now no one denies man has a will, but is that will free? In other words what is the definition of free will? How would you define free will? Why do we or don't we have free will? Explain.
That's it just that simple for the first question. Stay on topic! Oh and please do not crowd the forum with repost saying you agree or disagree with someone. If you don't have something to contribute don't post at all. If you want to give them thanks or what ever email them. Thanks enjoy!
Phillipjohn, did you just call John Calvin an angel of darkness? LOL, that's a new one. He's such a powerful little demon in God's side. Maybe if God were "more" sovereign he could deal with such pest, lol.
Folks If God Is all Knowing and Knows the future before it happens(which is what he claims to be according to scripture)Then logic DEMANDS that we can only conclude that he created EVERY man knowing he would choose evil and therefore according to his word be condemned to hell for his choice,so you may say that god CREATED Evil,directly or indirectly,either way,nothing exists that he did not create.The only logical conclusion is that God Knows that this temporary suffering is no match for the Eternal Joy we will experience in his kingdom.
God obviously states over and over in the scripture that he has chosen some for salvation before the earth was even formed,so intellectual honesty screams out to us to accept this truth,I for one cant begin to understand why he sees fit to work out his universe the way he does,but where was I when he laid the foundations of the earth?
Ill tell you where!
Not yet created by the infinitely superior being I AM!
so I'm going to trust him and take him at his word and I have all confidence that someday I will see his truths more clearly and say,oh now I understand Master
One�s �will� is the ability to make a decision. Thereby �free will� is the ability to make a decision without force from another.
The definition of �will� from the Webster�s 1828 Dictionary;
WILL, n. [See the Verb.]
1. That faculty of the mind by which we determine either to do or forbear an action; the faculty which is exercised in deciding, among two or more objects, which we shall embrace or pursue. The will is directed or influenced by the judgment. The understanding or reason compares different objects, which operate as motives; the judgment determines which is preferable, and the will decides which to pursue. In other words, we reason with respect to the value or importance of things; we then judge which is to be preferred; and we will to take the most valuable. These are but different operations of the mind, soul, or intellectual part of man. Great disputes have existed respecting the freedom of the will. Will is often quite a different thing from desire.
By �free will� I can put others before myself as God wants me to do or I can put myself before others as my own desires want me to do! God does not force one to live Gods will for their life; we by free will make that decision day by day, that�s why saved people fall and get back up so often.
What of God directing our steps? What about Prophesy? If we cab just do our own will, regardless of God's intention, how could prophesy ever come true?
Remember the donkey Jesus rode in to Jerusalem to fulfill prophesy? Do you think the man who tied that donkey to the pole could have just decided not to go to town that day? Or could he have told the disciples no?
Where was Pharaoh's free will? Or that of the 400 prophets of Ahab, when God sent an Angel to be a lying Spirit in their mouths? Where was Saul's free will when he was on the Damascus road?
It was in Him Leon, and he made his choice, your very argument is very clear in scrupture, time and time and again man said no and yes to the lord as they chose to, it doesn't change because you say it does, you proclaim by your statement's to make the lord unjust.
No, PJ. I don't make the Lord unjust. He is sovereign and is not subject to our human judgment.
Your doctrine is nothing new, it started with Satan. Everyone wants to be God, but we are not. God is in control. Let's see what the bible says.
Jas 4:13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit";
Jas 4:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Jas 4:15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."
Jas 4:16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
Exodus 7:3, 13, 14, 22, 8:19, 10:20, 27, 11:10, and 14:4 all say God hardened Pharaoh's heart.
I can post the rest, but I think your denial of scripture is evident to everyone.
#1 If we have a will, that gives us a choice. that is what free choice is. making a decision.
Also Gods plan will take place no matter what. We in our free choice can decide whose side we will be on.
#2 God can change his mind. I believe it was it was hezikiah the king who was praying because he was ill.The prophet told him he was going to die. As the prophet left hezikiah prayed and said have I not done your will. God stopped the prophet and sent him back to say 15 years will be added to your life.
God can change his mind.He can change the rules when ever he wants.
#3 free will is the abity to decide something. Some of you put to much into this.You make a simple thing to hard. Freedom is the abilty to choice between right and wrong. We chose to accept our saviors death. that is what Grace is----------> salvation and grace is the samething.
# 4 where there are propfcies they will cease, tongues will stop and the such. if we chose to leave the faith a prophecy over us stops and is dismissed.
#5 israel chose to reject the gift of being God's people, so God chose the church. With the statment that Israel would return someday.
Dennis there is a motive to the trying to establish, man can not choose and it boils down to he can act on the word of God to accept Jesus, according to Calvin.
It is no accident, all that is said concerning this truth.
