Free Will

[HelloFriends]

Free will is the gift of the holy spirit, when you are in bondage you do NOT have free will, your will has been taken captive by your demon owners.

2 Timothy 2:26

He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. 26Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will.

 

[HelloFriends]

this depicts deep drug induced hypnosis. I should Never take mind altering substances, anything that alters my mind is distorting my true mind.

the bible says those filled with holy spirit, drugs don't affect them because the spirit is not chemical but if you create a false state of chemical induced consciousness to escape the demonic then maybe it feels good but if you are filled with holy spirit it would make you feel worse. I think this is important to realize as there are millions on anti depressants and other satanic drugs that are putting people into hypnosis for mass demon possession. that is what we are living in right now, mass hypnosis/mass demon possession and it will not end well unless we fight

 

[bling]

I do not see any reason that a righteous God should be loving toward a creature who hates Him and rebels constantly against His divine authority. If grace is obligated, then it is no longer grace. God owes no one mercy.

I very much agree with you: God should not Love those that hate him and constantly rebel against Him, but God Loved Paul when he was torturing, imprisoning and killing Christians. That is the truly unique thing about Godly type love in that it is not logical, but goes way beyond emotion and logic. Just as we are to Love our enemies, God is our example of Loving your enemy and does it better than anyone.
God is not doing it because we earned anything or deserve anything or is God obligated to do anything for us, but God's Love would compel God to do stuff for us, because that is who God is.

 

[bling]

I believe all Adams posterity is fallen and is at enmity against God. Only those born of the spirit are the children of God. There are sheep and there are goats. There are those on the left and there are those on the right. There are those that will live in eternity with God and there are those that will live in eternity in hell. There are those that God knew from the foundation of the world and there are those that God will say to "I never knew you."

Matthew 7:
[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

You say God knows everything from the beginning yet the Bible says: "God never new those that are lost", so could the way God never new those that are lost be the same way God knows who is going to be saved?
God will know all those that accept Him and not know all those that refuse Him.

 

[Late Apex]

You say God knows everything from the beginning yet the Bible says: "God never new those that are lost", so could the way God never new those that are lost be the same way God knows who is going to be saved?
God will know all those that accept Him and not know all those that refuse Him.

You write: "God will know all those that accept Him and not know all those that refuse Him."

In direct reference to your above statement you have one of only two options.

1. Those that "accept" Him over those that do not "accept" have room to boast.

OR

2. God saves who He wants to save. No room to boast.

If you choose #1 please show me how these individuals have NO room to boast specifically over the ones who DO NOT accept.

If there was at least one work in my lifetime that would be the absolute most important work of my life it would certainly be the choice of God to come into my life. If that is the case, please explain the following verse to me, in conjunction with your selection above. You must explain away the "work" AND the room to "boast."

Ephesians 2:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

[GingerBeer]

Free will is not free the way we commonly think its is.

Whatever free will may be the experience of humanity is that human beings can make choices and perceive themselves to be free within the confines of their minds even if the state or invisible beings may constrain their actions.

 

[GillDouglas]

Whatever free will may be the experience of humanity is that human beings can make choices and perceive themselves to be free within the confines of their minds even if the state or invisible beings may constrain their actions.

They are those that perceive humanity is autonomous.

 

[GingerBeer]

They are those that perceive humanity is autonomous.

"perceive humanity is autonomous" is some kind of slogan?

Do you, being a member of the human race, feel free?

 

[GillDouglas]

"perceive humanity is autonomous" is some kind of slogan?

Do you, being a member of the human race, feel free?

No, absolutely not.

 

[GingerBeer]

No, absolutely not.

No? No to my first question? No to my second? or maybe no to both?

 

[GillDouglas]

No? No to my first question? No to my second? or maybe no to both?

I ignored the first one.

 

[GingerBeer]

I ignored the first one.

Okay.

 

[bling]

You write: "God will know all those that accept Him and not know all those that refuse Him."

In direct reference to your above statement you have one of only two options.

1. Those that "accept" Him over those that do not "accept" have room to boast.

OR

2. God saves who He wants to save. No room to boast.

If you choose #1 please show me how these individuals have NO room to boast specifically over the ones who DO NOT accept.

If there was at least one work in my lifetime that would be the absolute most important work of my life it would certainly be the choice of God to come into my life. If that is the case, please explain the following verse to me, in conjunction with your selection above. You must explain away the "work" AND the room to "boast."

Ephesians 2:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

It is simple: The nonbeliever is like an soldier fighting hard against God (his enemy), but this is very exhausting and as a soldier he can always surrender to his enemy, give up and really just wimp out.

At the very moment of a soldier's surrendering his enemy is still his enemy and he can well believe he will be tortured and destroyed for his war crimes, but he "hopes/trusts" he can just have some kind of livable life (like the prodigal son) and he is willing to accept his enemy's pure charity (something he knows he does not deserve). "work" is something you do to justly receive benefit for doing, you earn your reward, and it is not a gift to you, but payment for your work. The vicious enemy who surrenders is not worthy of anything and will have no monument built for his behavior, while monuments are built to soldiers that fought and died on both sides in this world.

The macho person (those that refuse God's charity) are willing to pay the piper and accept fully what they deserve and really not bother God further with their "needs", so it is the wimps who are "saved".

 

[Late Apex]

It is simple: The nonbeliever is like an soldier fighting hard against God (his enemy), but this is very exhausting and as a soldier he can always surrender to his enemy, give up and really just wimp out.

At the very moment of a soldier's surrendering his enemy is still his enemy and he can well believe he will be tortured and destroyed for his war crimes, but he "hopes/trusts" he can just have some kind of livable life (like the prodigal son) and he is willing to accept his enemy's pure charity (something he knows he does not deserve). "work" is something you do to justly receive benefit for doing, you earn your reward, and it is not a gift to you, but payment for your work. The vicious enemy who surrenders is not worthy of anything and will have no monument built for his behavior, while monuments are built to soldiers that fought and died on both sides in this world.

The macho person (those that refuse God's charity) are willing to pay the piper and accept fully what they deserve and really not bother God further with their "needs", so it is the wimps who are "saved".

I obviously view it differently. The soldiers are enslaved to their worldly master, sin and satan, dead in their own trespasses and sins. God quickens the soldier and makes him spiritually alive in Christ. The soldier is now free from sin and now becomes a soldier, a servant of Christ.

We are either one of two things.
1. A servant of sin and satan.
2. A servant of Christ.

Either way we serve a master. #1 is a kind of living death, living but being spiritually dead. Not seeking after God, enemies of God, serving sin.

#2 is still a servant, but actually free, because being a servant of Christ is true FREEDOM. No longer an enemy but a joint heir with Christ.

The answer and the difference between these two "soldiers" lies in the two words: "But God" NOT "But man.........."

Ephesians 2:
[3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
[5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved

 

[bling]

I obviously view it differently. The soldiers are enslaved to their worldly master, sin and satan, dead in their own trespasses and sins. God quickens the soldier and makes him spiritually alive in Christ. The soldier is now free from sin and now becomes a soldier, a servant of Christ.

We are either one of two things.
1. A servant of sin and satan.
2. A servant of Christ.

Either way we serve a master. #1 is a kind of living death, living but being spiritually dead. Not seeking after God, enemies of God, serving sin.

#2 is still a servant, but actually free, because being a servant of Christ is true FREEDOM. No longer an enemy but a joint heir with Christ.

The answer and the difference between these two "soldiers" lies in the two words: "But God" NOT "But man.........."

Ephesians 2:
[3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
[5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved

We are slaves of the one we serve and without the indwelling Holy Spirit we will go on sinning. We have already been through the concept of being still able to do stuff while being in a dead state, by Christ’s definition of dead, but I am not saying we have the power to do anything “worthy” of anything, righteous, and/or unselfish (which means it is sinfully done). We can for selfish reasons give up, wimp out, and surrender.

 

[GillDouglas]

We are slaves of the one we serve and without the indwelling Holy Spirit we will go on sinning. We have already been through the concept of being still able to do stuff while being in a dead state, by Christ’s definition of dead, but I am not saying we have the power to do anything “worthy” of anything, righteous, and/or unselfish (which means it is sinfully done). We can for selfish reasons give up, wimp out, and surrender.

The spiritually dead, having no power in the spiritual realm whatsoever prior to the indwelling of the Spirit, is unable to make themselves spiritually alive (change ones stripes).

 

[DeaconDean]

We are slaves of the one we serve and without the indwelling Holy Spirit we will go on sinning.

Just so I understand you, are you hinting that after the Holy Spirit indwells us, we cannot sin?

God Bless

Till all are one.

 

[sdowney717]

God has no requirement to save everyone. Most do not get saved. I think God's sovereignty is what set this whole system of salvation up to begin with. God has set the criteria for salvation, but he doesn't select who gets in and who doesn't based upon some mysterious arbitrary dice rolling.

Those who end up saved is no arbitrary rolling of the dice.
The saved are saved because God has chosen to save them.
God made that predetermined decision before their birth.
Our becoming saved was entirely due to His favoring grace by which God made us accepted into the family of God.

Ephesians 1New King James Version (NKJV)
Greeting
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Redemption in Christ
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

 

[section9+1]

sdowney
I believe God's church is predestined, which means God has a predetermined role and place for the church. So if you are one of his, you are predestined because his church is predestined. That predestination does not apply to individuals. If individuals are predestined for saving grace then others are predestined for damnation. I do believe in predestination to a limited extent meaning some people groups are disadvantaged when it comes to salvation and if you are born into that group your chances are weaker, but to be deliberately excluded by God without any chance or possibility, I don't think is biblical.

 

[GillDouglas]

sdowney
I believe God's church is predestined, which means God has a predetermined role and place for the church. So if you are one of his, you are predestined because his church is predestined. That predestination does not apply to individuals. If individuals are predestined for saving grace then others are predestined for damnation. I do believe in predestination to a limited extent meaning some people groups are disadvantaged when it comes to salvation and if you are born into that group your chances are weaker, but to be deliberately excluded by God without any chance or possibility, I don't think is biblical.

If people are honest about it, they would realize that they do not like the idea of some being saved over others. It's not fair! However, it is completely biblical that God has chosen one person over another, for many purposes in order that God's will be done. God reserves the right to do what He chooses, with whom He chooses and whatever He chooses is just and good for His purpose.