"DRAWN" to be Willing

[Doowopjock]

I just read this and wanted to share with all my brothers- and sisters-in-Christ Jesus here. I hope it blesses you as much as it just did me:

"Christ has told us that none come to Him but such as the Father draws (John 6:44). We are not only weak, and cannot come of ourselves any further than we are helped, but we are naturally backward and averse to come, and therefore must pray for those influences and operations of the Spirit, by the power of which we are unwilling made [to be] willing."

--Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (New Modern Edition), Vol. 3, pg. 869. (brackets, emphasis mine)

This seems to explain what Paul is talking about that is happening within each of us after we are born again at Phil. 2:13--to will and to do of His "good pleasure". And what is the "good pleasure" spoken of there..?? THAT'S at Luke 12:32..!! To me, anyway, that's one of the most AWESOME bits of Truth I've read in a long time..!!

Y'all be blessed now, hear..??

[Openly Curious]

'Doowopjock' date='Nov 22 2009,

"Christ has told us that none come to Him but such as the Father draws (John 6:44). We are not only weak, and cannot come of ourselves any further than we are helped, but we are naturally backward and averse to come, and therefore must pray for those influences and operations of the Spirit, by the power of which we are unwilling made [to be] willing."

We are drawn to God by the convicting power of the Spirit of God. The conviction power of the Spirit is whooing every person born but some will reject the Lord despite the Spirit of God.

I believe that there are those who do come willing to Christ as they surrender to the Lord. They've given the Lord the altar of there hearts and let him sit on the throne of their hearts as well. This comes willing from our hearts and we are not made by God to do anything it's simply if we love the Lord we will keep his commandments. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are made new.

I just am having trouble with the statement ["by the power of which we are unwilling "MADE" [to be] willing."] The Lord does wash away our sins thus making us clean before him as the blood cleansed us. If you could give me more into what that statement means?

What are those influences and operations of the Spirit that we must pray about is it before salvation or after? The Lord does not make slaves out of us once were saved. It was Christ death of the cross that bought our freedom from the bondage of sin which Satan held us in prison slaves to him. But God is not Satan who makes slaves out of his children we are given a choice to lay our lives down willingly.

OC

[Doowopjock]

'Doowopjock' date='Nov 22 2009,

"Christ has told us that none come to Him but such as the Father draws (John 6:44). We are not only weak, and cannot come of ourselves any further than we are helped, but we are naturally backward and averse to come, and therefore must pray for those influences and operations of the Spirit, by the power of which we are unwilling made [to be] willing."

We are drawn to God by the convicting power of the Spirit of God. The conviction power of the Spirit is whooing every person born but some will reject the Lord despite the Spirit of God.

I believe that there are those who do come willing to Christ as they surrender to the Lord. They've given the Lord the altar of there hearts and let him sit on the throne of their hearts as well. This comes willing from our hearts and we are not made by God to do anything it's simply if we love the Lord we will keep his commandments. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are made new.

I just am having trouble with the statement ["by the power of which we are unwilling "MADE" [to be] willing."] The Lord does wash away our sins thus making us clean before him as the blood cleansed us. If you could give me more into what that statement means?

What are those influences and operations of the Spirit that we must pray about is it before salvation or after? The Lord does not make slaves out of us once were saved. It was Christ death of the cross that bought our freedom from the bondage of sin which Satan held us in prison slaves to him. But God is not Satan who makes slaves out of his children we are given a choice to lay our lives down willingly.

OC

To me, the "Power" spoken of is that of the Holy Spirit helping us to overcome our "natural" man, which is--by its nature--unwilling, and bent on keeping us unwilling, to will and do the Father's good pleasure. I reckon a comparison would be like a magnet drawing metal, and if the metal could be personified it would be like a person who wouldn't want to move toward the Magnet because of its own nature, which it wouldn't be able to overcome by itself without the help of the Power. I believe this is speaking of after we are saved, because it's only then that we have the Holy Spirit of Whom we are reborn. And I don't see it as us being made slaves either--we still have free-will. But a lot of free-will is just common-sense; i.e., I have free-will to cross the street against traffic or I can choose instead to wait until the street is clear (things LIKE that, I'm saying).

I know that no Scripture is of private interpretation, but at least that's what these things are saying to me.

[Openly Curious]

I have free-will to cross the street against traffic or I can choose instead to wait until the street is clear (things LIKE that, I'm saying).

Good Advice

gotcha