a thought to consider: free will

[Ezra]

I am losing sight of what you are saying. Isn't the whole point we have free will to choose God's will or choose our own? We still have to make that choice, of our own free will.

The reason we have so much resistance to this very simple and basic truth is because there is a school of thought which equates human free will with "self-will" (which is opposed to God's will), and therefore with "the flesh".

 

When a sinner repents and receives Christ as Lord and Saviour, he or she freely surrenders his or her will to Christ.  However the flesh (the old sinful nature) is still present, and when Christians sin, it is because the flesh has taken control rather than the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:16).

 

If the will was not free (as some oppose in the face of plain Scripture) no Christian would ever sin.  All would be sinlessly perfect the minute they received the gift of the Holy Spirit.  After all, God's ultimate purpose for His children is sinless perfection (Mt 5:48).

 

So we should ask those who claim that there is no free will whether they are prepared to state publicly that they are as perfect as God the Holy Spirit. And if they cannot make that claim, what's preventing them from doing so? 

[enoob57]

1 John 1:8
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
KJV
The tense of the verb is present active indicative thus if we are in the light as he is in The Light this struggle is apparent
Rom 7:18-25
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to
will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth
in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law
in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity
to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall
deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our
Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the
law of sin.
KJV
This is the broken and contriteness of our lives now for He deserves our complete love shown through obedience

yet...  are we not in the process of this as Paul!   Love, Steven

[hmbld]

1 John 1:8

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

KJV

The tense of the verb is present active indicative thus if we are in the light as he is in The Light this struggle is apparentRom 7:18-25

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to

will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth

in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law

in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity

to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall

deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our

Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the

law of sin.

KJV

This is the broken and contriteness of our lives now for He deserves our complete love shown through obedience

yet...  are we not in the process of this as Paul!   Love, Steven

That is a great point, it is present, not past tense!