Free will allows us to choose God or not.

SkyWriting · Jul 18, 2019

All people have been saved by the works of Jesus. Is there anything more God could do to cover for our imperfections? Nothing. Is there a stronger response man could pay for his imperfections? Nothing.

That being done and accomplished, "It is done."

Our only "work" is to acknowledge that what God did was "sufficient".
We must suppress our ego and desire and submit to what God did.

Having done that, we respect His Holy example:
Treat others, as you would have them do for you.
If you forgive others their sins, you open the door for being treated the same.
That's what Jesus did first. We are to follow His lead.

By free will, we believe this on faith and are not slaves to our belief.
Free will allows us to choose God or not. God is not interested in love slaves.

mukk_in · Jul 18, 2019

No. Most go to hell for that reason (Matthew 7:13). To choose God we have to be inspired, called and enabled by the Lord (John 6:44). Fallen man will never choose God by himself. If we feel we're God's slaves and not His children, then we've got a problem. I certainly don't feel that way about my Father in heaven. Peace in Christ.

Tolworth John · Jul 18, 2019

But we are either slaves to sin and the devil or slaves of Jesus.

If slaves, what freedom does a slave have?

Carl Emerson · Jul 18, 2019

We are friends rather than servants.
Certainly not slaves.
Slaves to righteousness - yes, but this transports us into the realm of the blessings of the Kingdom.

I believe that if we are truely born again, we have said "thy will not my will be done" in that sense we give up our free will in favour of His will.
I hear very few say that we no longer have free will as believers, yet many will talk about 'Jesus take the wheel' without realising that to do this is to relinquish free will.
Personally I see this as a matter of trusting in God's character to always do us good if we let go.

Many, many Christians miss taking this step because of fear of total commitment and lack of belief in God's goodness.

Dave L · Jul 18, 2019

SkyWriting said:
All people have been saved by the works of Jesus. Is there anything more God could do to cover for our imperfections? Nothing. Is there a stronger response man could pay for his imperfections? Nothing.

That being done and accomplished, "It is done."

Our only "work" is to acknowledge that what God did was "sufficient".
We must suppress our ego and desire and submit to what God did.

Having done that, we respect His Holy example:
Treat others, as you would have them do for you.
If you forgive others their sins, you open the door for being treated the same.
That's what Jesus did first. We are to follow His lead.

By free will, we believe this on faith and are not slaves to our belief.
Free will allows us to choose God or not. God is not interested in love slaves.

Being fallen in Adam, people cannot grasp spiritual truth. So they always choose a false Christ and hate the true when exposed to him. A simple illustration is; if Calvin was right about God, most hate him and choose an idol instead. So the will is limited by its capacity to understand truth.

Carl Emerson · Jul 18, 2019

Dave L said:
So the will is limited by its capacity to understand truth.

Can you expand on this Dave...

Dave L · Jul 18, 2019

Carl Emerson said:
Can you expand on this Dave...

here's a few passages bearing on the subject.

“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NASB95)

“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NASB95)

“that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” John 14:17 (NASB95)

““He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.”” John 12:40 (NASB95)

“in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 (NASB95)

“Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”” John 3:3 (NASB95)

sdowney717 · Jul 18, 2019

The whole world of people who are not OF GOD is at enmity with God and wont listen to Christ and believe.
To be OF GOD means God has chosen you apart from any good or bad choices you have made, so that His purposes according to His election of you would occur. Becuase if salvation was OF MAN then no one would believe.
How he accomplishes making you OF GOD, (of Himself) is by making you born again.
Only then will you listen to God.

John 8
43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.
46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?
47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

John 14:16-18 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another [a]Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

John 15:19 New King James Version (NKJV)
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

John 17:6 [ Jesus Prays for His Disciples ] “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

John 17:14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

John 17:15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
John 17:16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
John 17:20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;

Bible Highlighter · Jul 18, 2019

SkyWriting said:
All people have been saved by the works of Jesus. Is there anything more God could do to cover for our imperfections? Nothing. Is there a stronger response man could pay for his imperfections? Nothing.

That being done and accomplished, "It is done."

Our only "work" is to acknowledge that what God did was "sufficient".
We must suppress our ego and desire and submit to what God did.

Having done that, we respect His Holy example:
Treat others, as you would have them do for you.
If you forgive others their sins, you open the door for being treated the same.
That's what Jesus did first. We are to follow His lead.

By free will, we believe this on faith and are not slaves to our belief.
Free will allows us to choose God or not. God is not interested in love slaves.

Yet, Jesus says if you do not forgive, the Father will not forgive you (Matthew 6:15). Can you be saved and not forgiven? I think not. So it is more than just believing in Jesus to be saved.

redleghunter · Jul 18, 2019

SkyWriting said:
By free will, we believe this on faith and are not slaves to our belief.
Free will allows us to choose God or not. God is not interested in love slaves.

If you mean God’s Free Will, then I agree.

bling · Jul 18, 2019

Tolworth John said:
But we are either slaves to sin and the devil or slaves of Jesus.

If slaves, what freedom does a slave have?

A slave can either like or dislike the life he/she has.

sdowney717 · Jul 18, 2019

bling said:
A slave can either like or dislike the life he/she has.

Their is pleasure in sin for a season.

SkyWriting · Jul 18, 2019

redleghunter said:
If you mean God’s Free Will, then I agree.

God is not interested in robots or love slaves for company.
I am talking about those who choose God, and those who don't.

redleghunter · Jul 18, 2019

SkyWriting said:
God is not interested in robots or love slaves for company.
I am talking about those who choose God, and those who don't.

God doesn’t have a say?

sdowney717 · Jul 19, 2019

SkyWriting said:
God is not interested in robots or love slaves for company.
I am talking about those who choose God, and those who don't.

Only 3 verses have the word 'choose', and none say we choose God.
John 6:70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”
John 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
Philippians 1:22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.
Choose, chose, all references indicate God is the one doing the choosing, not us.
See if you can find scripture that says what your saying, in the NT.

SkyWriting · Jul 19, 2019

sdowney717 said:
Only 3 verses have the word 'choose', and none say we choose God.
John 6:70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”
John 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
Philippians 1:22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.
Choose, chose, all references indicate God is the one doing the choosing, not us.
See if you can find scripture that says what your saying, in the NT.

Likewise (You have no choice in this) is missing from many passages below.
But I have added to scripture, as you have requested the changes.
I have an appreciation for the whole Bible, including the obsolete parts.

Joshua 24
15 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.”
(But you actually have no choice in this)

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,
(But you actually have no choice in this)

John 1
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
(But you actually have no choice in this)

1 John 4
19 We love because he first loved us. (But you actually have no choice in this)

1 John 1
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (But you actually have no choice in this)

Matthew 7
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (But you actually have no choice in this)

Revelation 3
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (But you actually have no choice in this)

Acts 16
31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (But you actually have no choice in this)

Colossians 3
17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (But you actually have no choice in this)

Romans 10
9 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (But you actually have no choice in this)

Grip Docility · Jul 19, 2019

SkyWriting said:
All people have been saved by the works of Jesus. Is there anything more God could do to cover for our imperfections? Nothing. Is there a stronger response man could pay for his imperfections? Nothing.

That being done and accomplished, "It is done."

Our only "work" is to acknowledge that what God did was "sufficient".
We must suppress our ego and desire and submit to what God did.

Having done that, we respect His Holy example:
Treat others, as you would have them do for you.
If you forgive others their sins, you open the door for being treated the same.
That's what Jesus did first. We are to follow His lead.

By free will, we believe this on faith and are not slaves to our belief.
Free will allows us to choose God or not. God is not interested in love slaves.

SkyWriting · Jul 19, 2019

mukk_in said:
No. Most go to hell for that reason (Matthew 7:13). To choose God we have to be inspired, called and enabled by the Lord (John 6:44). Fallen man will never choose God by himself. If we feel we're God's slaves and not His children, then we've got a problem. I certainly don't feel that way about my Father in heaven. Peace in Christ.

Granted. Scripture is clear that God has chosen us before the world was formed.
But we don't have the same for knowledge as He does.

bling · Jul 19, 2019

sdowney717 said:
Their is pleasure in sin for a season.

OK. Is warring against God is a losing battle?

BNR32FAN · Jul 19, 2019

When the Son is lifted up He will draw all men to Himself. God’s calling is to everyone. Only those who answer His calling will come to Christ and only those who continuously come to Christ will be saved. God gives anyone who chooses of their own free will, the power and authority to become children of God.

Free will allows us to choose God or not.

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