"I frankly confess that, for myself, even if it could be, I should not want "free-will" to be given me, nor anything to be left in my own hands to enable me to endeavour after salvation; not merely because in face of so many dangers, and adversities and assaults of devils, I could not stand my ground ; but because even were there no dangers. I should still be forced to labour with no guarantee of success.� But now that God has taken my salvation out of the control of my own will, and put it under the control of His, and promised to save me, not according to my working or running, but according to His own grace and mercy, I have the comfortable certainty that He is faithful and will not lie to me, and that He is also great and powerful, so that no devils or opposition can break Him or pluck me from Him. Furthermore, I have the comfortable certainty that I please God, not by reason of the merit of my works, but by reason of His merciful favour promised to me; so that, if I work too little, or badly, He does not impute it to me, but with fatherly compassion pardons me and makes me better. This is the glorying of all the saints in their God." - Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will (Grand Rapids: Revell, 1957), 313-314.
"I challenge the use of the Word of God as expressed by those who are misrepresenting it as you so often do. "
Your claim is that I misrepresent the Word of God. However, you have never been able to substantiate that. Not once. Show it and prove it or else cease and desist your claim. It's that simple. I've said this to you many times.
Just tonight, you have had three men directly refute what you have said in many instances showing the scripture itself. This fact seems to escape your notice altogether.
it is God [not man] which works in you BOTH TO WILL [God causes us �to will�] and TO DO [God causes us �to do�] of His good pleasure" to bring about His intentions (Phil. 2:13).
This is a good example of the father's commitment to man, but it is not inclusive of man's will and responsibility to the covenant.
"**** It's not about me being able to do anything through my own strength...it's about putting my faith and trust in God to help me."
You can't have it both ways. You know it sounds right to say it's not about your strength....Then you say something like, "It's about putting my faith and trust in God"....Sorry but that is through your strength in your belief.
No this is another example of not accepting the truth. and clear denial of the word of God.
WHAT CAUSED EVE TO SIN WILLINGLY?
Did Eve herself think that she "freely" willed to sin WITHOUT A CAUSE?
"And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that you have done? And the woman said [Yes, just what did �the woman say?� Did she say that she "freely willed" to commit this sin? Did she say it was her and all her and nothing but her that did this? Or did she say�], The SERPENT BEGUILED ME� [and BECAUSE the serpent beguiled or deceived her, we now have a CAUSE], and I did eat" (Gen. 3:13).
And what did God have to save about all this blame casting on Eve�s part? Did God say something like this:
"Oh really, Eve? Yah right, go ahead, try and blame it on THE SERPENT! No, Eve, you �FREELY� willed by your own �FREE MORAL AGENCY� which I gave to you and which is free from ALL CAUSALITY AND BLAME CASTING, to do this thing ON YOUR OWN."
Is that what God said? Let�s read it:
"And the Lord God said unto the serpent, because YOU HAVE DONE THIS, you are cursed above all cattle�" (Verse 14).
Your answer is simply that, your answer it has nothing to do with the truth.
You all have willingly hardened your heart to this simple fact, and mock god and all other's who accept it.
"God gave Adam the ability and responsibility to choose. Eve convinced him to eat the forbidden fruit, but it was Adam's choice. Eve could not MAKE him eat it anymore than the serpent made Eve to eat it. "
You say that because that is what someone told you the text implies,but that is not at all what the text,HIS WORD,says!
She said because she is walking in the light as he is in the light, in otherword's it is the truth.
Eve did not make Adam do it any more that Satan did, the both had the responsibility to exercise dominion overhim.
As all that deny this face simply willing choose to deny it.
"I challenge the use of the Word of God as expressed by those who are misrepresenting it as you so often do. "
Your claim is that I misrepresent the Word of God. However, you have never been able to substantiate that. Not once. Show it and prove it or else cease and desist your claim. It's that simple. I've said this to you many times.
Just tonight, you have had three men directly refute what you have said in many instances showing the scripture itself. This fact seems to escape your notice altogether.
Correction you did what you accuse the other of doing, in otherword's you exalt the unbelief over the truth, and you do it very willingly, and freelly.
The next step will be to deny simple english truth's that where learned in grade school.
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the SPIRIT which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man�s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy SPIRIT teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man [still being carnal-minded] receives not the things of the SPIRIT of God: neither CAN HE know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (I Cor. 2:12-14).
"For the wisdom [the �wisdom� mind you, not the �foolishness�]�the wisdom of this world is foolishness [Gk: �stupidity�] with God. For it is written, He takes the wise in their own craftiness" (I Cor. 3:19).
Salvation is 100% Free and Rewards are 100% Earned!!
GOD HAS PROMISED IN JEREMIAH 29:13: YOU WILL FIND ME WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH **ALL YOUR HEART**.�
John 14:23: Jesus says, �If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching, My Father will love him, and We will make Our home with him.�
Matthew 28:19,20: Jesus commands, �Go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to *OBEY EVERYTHING I have commanded you!�
I John 2:3-5: �We know that we have come to know Him **IF** we obey His commands. The man who says, �I know Him,� but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the Truth is not him. But if anyone **OBEYS HIS WORD**, God's **LOVE** is truly made complete in Him!!�
So let us read God's Word daily {Acts 17:11} and then *DO WHAT IT SAYS*! {James 1:22,25}
Acts 17:11: �The Bereans were of noble character, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures *EVERY DAY*!�
James 1:22,25: �Do not merely listen to the Word. *DO WHAT IT SAYS*!... and he who continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but *DOING IT*�will be blessed in what he does.
2 Peter 1:3-11: �His Divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith {a 100% Free Gift}; goodness, and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, LOVE. For if you possess these qualities in INCREASING MEASURE, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a **RICH WELCOME** into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!�
Matthew 16:27; Jesus says, �The Son of Man is going to come in **HIS FATHER'S GLORY WITH HIS ANGELS** {See Matt 24:30,31 & 2 Thess 1:6-10}, and *THEN* He will reward each person according to what he has done.� Revelation 22:12: Jesus says, �Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done!� {When Jesus comes in His Father's glory with His angels}
2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, {When Jesus comes in His Father's glory with His angels} whether good or bad.�
Ephesians 2:8-10: It is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is NOT from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. So Salvation is the ***FREE GIFT*** of God's grace and good works can only be performed by the saved.
Salvation is a 100% Free Gift and REWARDS are 100 % earned.
Matthew 5:14,16: Jesus says, �You are the LIGHT of the world...Let your LIGHT shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
I Corinthians 3:6-9: Paul says, �The Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed. Apollos watered it, but God made it grow... The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers!�
Daniel 12:3: �Those who impart wisdom will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever!!�
So let our lights *SHINE* with the many gifts God has given us and we can have a REVIVAL with the hope of countless eternal rewards for faithful and loving service.
I Corinthians 1:7: For �You do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be *REVEALED*!�:applause::angel::peace:
it is God [not man] which works in you BOTH TO WILL [God causes us �to will�] and TO DO [God causes us �to do�] of His good pleasure" to bring about His intentions (Phil. 2:13).
You left out man's part, you posted the will of God in the matter and excluded man's responsibility.
It could not be any more obvious that many refuse to walk in the light of the word of God.
Man is his own doer.
The father is not man's doer, nor is The Holy Spirit.
