Is God able to change a person's will?

worshipjunkie said:

I think the Bible is clear that we have free will, that we choose whether or not to follow God, and that God will not force a person's will for the good.

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15). Kind of a ridiculous choice if there is no true choice. It’s clear you’ll have a choice whether to do God’s will or not.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13). Why provide a way of escape if you can’t escape, if you can’t choose to accept or reject temptation, to choose God’s ways or our own ways?

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. (James 1:13-16) We tempt ourselves. We lure ourselves towards evil. God doesn’t do it.

God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:25-26) It is clear here there is an interplay between the person choose and repenting, and coming to their senses, and God granting them repentance.

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live. (Ezekiel 18:30-32) If God did not give free will, what is the point of His pleading?

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:6-7) Again, man can return. They can repent. God calling for us to repent makes no sense if there isn't at least some element of free will in there.

I pray for unbelievers. I was one, and I repented. If God saved one such as me, if by His grace I repented, then there is hope for anyone. I don't believe there was any virtue in my act, anymore then if I was dying of thirst in the desert and I drank the water someone offered me. But I admit I struggle with this. There are people I know who are very set in their sin, and short of God forcibly changing their will, I don't see any hope for them. And I don't believe God will forcibly change someone's will. But I pray, because God has commanded it, and because you never really know where a person is. Just a short while ago someone very well could have said there was no hope for me.

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LaBèlla said:

I think you're misunderstanding me. So I'll put it another way.

You can approach someone through your convictions and have no effect. Or, you can feel an inner prompting to speak to the person. Or forge a connection that has nothing to do with faith. When you're dealing with unbelievers few will embrace the gospel through one discussion. And they're paying attention to your character and conversation more than you know.

I was in that place and I found my way back to God outside of Christian influence. The heavy handedness would have never worked. It would have sent me in the opposite direction. Only the Holy Spirit knows the condition of their soil.

Some people are so concerned about delivering the gospel and what the person really needs is a cup of a coffee and good conversation. It's a process and God's there from start to finish.

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yeshuaslavejeff said:

Faith is a gift from God, sheer grace for all who receive it.

Few if any are born with it. BUT RAISE a child in the way they should go, and when they are older they will not depart far from it. (might help, but no guarantee of faith)

Repenting is recognizing the terrible sinfulness of one's own self and turning to God away from sin, ashamed of sin, and seeking God's Help to be free forever from the power of sin, and especially by God's Promise to be free from the penalty all the world is under for sin: death.

Only God's opening one's eyes can reveal to them their sin.

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David Cabrera said:

Because God doesn't want robots to obey him

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yeshuaslavejeff said:

No.

Few.

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Kenny'sID said:

God changes no ones will, however he does offer a pretty good reward/deal if we're willing to voluntarily change it.

Eternal life in paradise is a very tantalizing bargaining chip.

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David Cabrera said:

Yes.

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yeshuaslavejeff said:

He guaranteed suffering , pain, and tribulation to all those who would follow Him. (yes, even death as a martyr to many)

He required them to give up everything to be His disciple.

Pretty good incentives ?

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