Do free will aligns with Christ’s will ?

[SANTOSO]

This is what the dictionary defines as the meaning of free will :

the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one's own discretion.

Have not many heard this :
And he SAID TO ALL , "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. -Luke 9:23

Why many have gone to church did not discern this ?

 

[disciple Clint]

This is what the dictionary defines as the meaning of free will :

the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one's own discretion.

Have not many heard this :
And he SAID TO ALL , "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. -Luke 9:23

Why many have gone to church did not discern this ?

And they could do that provided they had the freewill to make their own decisions, that is why freewill is so important we accept Jesus not because we are forced to do so but because we freely want to do so.

 

[Jeshu]

i think it is foolish to think people have a free will, a will to do wrong yes, but unless they are regenerated by God's Spirit, they have no free will at all but a will in bondage to doing it wrong.

Bondage to sin does not permit free will, it is a fallacy to think unbelievers have a free will. Only God's good Spirit can make us turn away from sinful path, in our own ability we will falter miserably.

So when we have been regenerated by God's Spirit we have a free will again, we can choose for good in the Spirit, or we can follow the way of sin again, that is free will. When i can choose to sin but do good then i have a free will again, not otherwise.

Peace.

 

[Carl Emerson]

This is what the dictionary defines as the meaning of free will :

the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one's own discretion.

Have not many heard this :
And he SAID TO ALL , "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. -Luke 9:23

Why many have gone to church did not discern this ?

Because they are not taught it...

 

[Carl Emerson]

And they could do that provided they had the freewill to make their own decisions, that is why freewill is so important we accept Jesus not because we are forced to do so but because we freely want to do so.

Those truely born again have given thier 'free will' over to God.

That is what "Thy will be done" means...

 

[timothyu]

Denying our self is rejecting the self serving behaviour we have as part of our makeup , in this case in favour of putting others best interest before what is in it for us.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Denying our self is rejecting the self serving behaviour we have as part of our makeup , in this case in favour of putting others best interest before what is in it for us.

I think it is more about hearing what He wants - sometimes He wants to do us good and we can frustrate His grace by the self denial of the flesh...

 

[Jeshu]

self denial of the flesh

It has to do with our spirit in control of the lust of the flesh that God is concerned, for such a spirit keeps us away from God.

A S(s)pirit led by His loving truth gives thanks for all things received, and so doesn't let material goods stand in the way of a relationship with God but rather re-enforces it. That is how it should be. In all of my flesh giving praise to God. That brings us back to the original design.

Has little to do with me having to deny my will but rather align my will with God's Will i reckon.

 

[disciple Clint]

i think it is foolish to think people have a free will, a will to do wrong yes, but unless they are regenerated by God's Spirit, they have no free will at all but a will in bondage to doing it wrong.

Bondage to sin does not permit free will, it is a fallacy to think unbelievers have a free will. Only God's good Spirit can make us turn away from sinful path, in our own ability we will falter miserably.

So when we have been regenerated by God's Spirit we have a free will again, we can choose for good in the Spirit, or we can follow the way of sin again, that is free will. When i can choose to sin but do good then i have a free will again, not otherwise.

Peace.

So if we have no freewill when we are in sin then a just God cannot hold us responsible for our sins since we had no option not to sin.

 

[disciple Clint]

Those truely born again have given thier 'free will' over to God.

That is what "Thy will be done" means...

OK if that is true then any sins we commit after we are born again are the fault of God since you claim that we have no freewill after accepting our salvation.

 

[timothyu]

I think it is more about hearing what He wants - sometimes He wants to do us good and we can frustrate His grace by the self denial of the flesh...

What He wants, is it not, is for us to put His will ahead of ours, our self serving nature. We cannot let God work through us for others if we are focused on self. The conduit is plugged.

Jesus said we should pray His will would be done in earth as in Heaven (not ours)

 

[UnpopularOpinion]

This is what the dictionary defines as the meaning of free will :

the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one's own discretion.

Have not many heard this :
And he SAID TO ALL , "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. -Luke 9:23

Why many have gone to church did not discern this ?

19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

 

[Jeshu]

So if we have no freewill when we are in sin then a just God cannot hold us responsible for our sins since we had no option not to sin.

That is not true, of course you are responsible for your deeds when you know they are wrong but you still do them. The way of salvation is open to all those who ask. God helps anyone who wants to do good.

It is not that the knowledge of good is not present but truth is despised because the lie seems so much nicer.

The Gospel is for those who mourn their wrongs not for those who revel in it.

 

[Hmm]

Before I became a Christian I sometimes chose to do good and sometimes bad things: free will. And this is also true now I am a Christian. And I've always been able to lift my hand up when I want to, again exercising free will.

So I don't think our free will changes with our spiritual state. It is our power of choice and is innate. So I believe we have always been able to say Yes or No to God before receiving the Holy Spirt and will have this same power of choice afterwards.

 

[disciple Clint]

That is not true, of course you are responsible for your deeds when you know they are wrong but you still do them. The way of salvation is open to all those who ask. God helps anyone who wants to do good.

It is not that the knowledge of good is not present but truth is despised because the lie seems so much nicer.

The Gospel is for those who mourn their wrongs not for those who revel in it.

Your post said we do not have a freewill, now either we do or we dont but if we dont then we are not responsible for our actions, it is that simple.

 

[Jeshu]

Your post said we do not have a freewill, now either we do or we dont but if we dont then we are not responsible for our actions, it is that simple.

The truth will tell you that if you want to do wrong, and you know it is wrong, you can call on right to help you to do right, for you yourself in wrong can not do it right, that makes your choice to do it wrong, wrong, and you will be held accountable by God who would have gladly given you the ability to do it right, for with Him you can do it.

Surely?

 

[Albion]

And he SAID TO ALL , "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. -Luke 9:23

Why many have gone to church did not discern this ?

What makes you say that many (how many?) have gone to church and not discerned this?

 

[BobRyan]

This is what the dictionary defines as the meaning of free will :

the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one's own discretion.

Have not many heard this :
And he SAID TO ALL , "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. -Luke 9:23

Why many have gone to church did not discern this ?

amen.

John 1:11 "He came to His OWN and His OWN received Him not'

A lot of whosoever will that wills not to follow Christ fully

 

[SANTOSO]

When the Lord calls us to deny ourselves ! Does that mean that we renounce our free will ? Are free will considered self will ? What God’s will consider ? that free will or and self will — do not consider ?

 

[Carl Emerson]

OK if that is true then any sins we commit after we are born again are the fault of God since you claim that we have no freewill after accepting our salvation.

That is not at all what I mean...

As a born again believer we give Him the right to override our will.

How does that work out in practice?

In a practical sense here is an example.

I used to work in electronics.

I was working on a tiny display which fell apart onto the floor.

I had to find the tiny screws - it was a nightmare...

I prayed...

All I can say is He took a hold of my eyes and I found myself staring at one place on the carpet - there was the last tiny screw - thank you Lord.

Now I had given Him permission to take over all aspects of my life - thy will be done.

Now that does not mean my sight is always perfect - but it does mean He can override my will when it matters.