so now you start the insults...free-will...I guess? see how you guys are?
Irresistible Grace & People "falling Away" From Christianity. How Does This Happen?
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You are missing out the part on how did these students get into the class room. Someone had to make a free will choice to be there.
No one who thinks they have free-will can, but one who understands the truth to die daily to "free-will" can.
But nobody with a hardened heart would make that choice.
We ought to remember that we are made in the image and likeness of God, and a big part of that is our free will. We have free will because He has free will.
There is a predestination factor because God knows all, but the factor is that we are all predestined to have free will. Love can only be freely given, and while God loves us, our salvation rests on our response being to love Him back.
There is a predestination factor because God knows all, but the factor is that we are all predestined to have free will. Love can only be freely given, and while God loves us, our salvation rests on our response being to love Him back.
Guess I didn't see anyone not caring.
I will quickly admit that as a still-adjusting Reformed person, I am still confused about how to pray for the lost. I just keep doing what I did as an Arminian and hope it is not an affront yo G-d.
Jesus gave us a model as to how to pray for an unbeliever,
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which said, "By hearing you shall hear and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see and shall not perceive; for this people's heart has become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." Mat 13:14, 15
There is a progression in the life the person the Father has laid on our hearts to pray for:
1. We pray that their eyes be opened to their spiritual state, that they are sinners destined for Hell.
When we see and understand this to be taking place in their lives, because when Father starts to awaken someone out of their death sleep, they feel the need to become religious.
2. We pray that their ears be opened to hear the Gospel message.
3. Then we pray that their understanding be opened so that they can understand the Gospel and realize their need of salvation and salvation comes only in the name of Jesus Christ.
As we observe this progression in the persons life we also pray that the Lord would open their heart to receive Jesus,
And a certain woman named Lydia heard us, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God; whose heart the Lord opened, so that she attended to the things which were spoken by Paul. Acts 16:14
We must be careful in observing the progression and not rush it, even if it should go on for years, because just like in most premature human births the fetus or baby dies, so it is when the progression is rushed without allowing Father to do the work, hence the reason we see today so many that used to go to church, the progression was rushed and it resulted in a still birth and if we are responsible for it then Paul tells us their blood will be on our hands.
Prayer for the lost is a commitment, a commitment that comes from love, ...the Love of Christ constrains us, it is to be taken seriously, Jesus said, "No one comes to Me unless the Father draws them," if the Father lays on our hearts someone to pray for then we need to be faithful to that call, not afraid, faithful, whenever, day or night the Spirit prompts us to pray for that person.
Blessings,
Gene
have you heard of parents and the law that demands that children must be in School? That's not free-will!
I'm sorry you took it as an insult - that was not my intent. Let me put it another way - no one disagrees that we have to surrender our will to God's Will. Not that I've seen, at any rate. Do you admit that a Christian can sin? If so, they have gone against God's Will. That implies choice.
Now you are talking about a different subject that after someone uses their free will choice to come to Jesus, they now submit the will of God daily
Ever hear of ditching school? That is free will.have you heard of parents and the law that demands that children must be in School? That's not free-will!
Ye free-will describes disobedience but not obedience ...that's my point and the term is not a biblical term that helps anyone understand the truth or to walk in the truth. Its been made up by religion to debate a false Calvinist idea and it hinders folks from seeing the truth.
Right free-will is sin and disobedience!
Its the same...as you have received Christ Jesus, so walk ye in Him.
I feel like what you guys are telling me is because I have "free will" I have the ability to save myself.
"Thanks God, but I can't really give you all the glory, because it was my choice.."
"Thanks God, but I can't really give you all the glory, because it was my choice.."
I don't think it's necessarily boasting in choosing God's way. I'd argue it's humbling in fact because it recognizes that we are in desperate need of Him. We ought to remember John 7:17. We do have free will, but what's important is if it matches God's will.
Let's not forget that will doesn't mean it is put into action. For example 1 Timothy 2:4, God wants for all of us to be in heaven, but we must will it too, and the only way to do that is to repent.
Love and faith is a choice.
Let's not forget that will doesn't mean it is put into action. For example 1 Timothy 2:4, God wants for all of us to be in heaven, but we must will it too, and the only way to do that is to repent.
Love and faith is a choice.
Well Peter boasted in his love for Christ also...and failed the test! John boasted in the Lords love for him, and was faithful unto the Cross...see we love Him, because He first loved us! We don't boast in "free-will" how we decided to love God!
No man has anything that is acceptable to God, unless he first receives it. And if you receive it? Why do you brag about it, as if its a product of your own will?
No man has anything that is acceptable to God, unless he first receives it. And if you receive it? Why do you brag about it, as if its a product of your own will?
100% right.
Though St. Peter's failing wasn't on account of His love for God, but his showing reverence to himself masked in his love for Christ. Self-love, I think, when overshadowing love for God, is absolutely boasting...but when we love God, it's because we recognize His worth compared to our own.
I have to agree with other folks. We are called not to boast, but to love God. They don't contradict each other, they align perfectly.
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