free will

[dchena]

Where in the Bible does it say that we have free will?

 

[Boanerges]

Pro 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

Psa 25:12 What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.


Were does it say we do not?


Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.


I like to think about it this way; God told Adam not to eat that fruit but Adam choose to follow Eve.


1Ch 21:11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee
1Ch 21:12 Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
1Ch 21:13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.


Php 1:22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.

 

[Jonah2005]

Here are a few scriptures that might help.

Leviticus 19:5.
5 " 'When you sacrifice a fellowship offering [a] to the LORD, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf.

Leviticus 22:17-18.
17 The LORD said to Moses,
18 "Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: 'If any of you—either an Israelite or an alien living in Israel—presents a gift for a burnt offering to the LORD, either to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering,

Leviticus 22:23.
23 You may, however, present as a freewill offering an ox [a] or a sheep that is deformed or stunted, but it will not be accepted in fulfillment of a vow.

Leviticus 22:29.
29 "When you sacrifice a thank offering to the LORD, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf.

 

[Hislovendures]

If we look in the New King James version, we will find "free will" listed as Jonah2005 shared in Leviticus, yet if you are asking when did God allow man/woman to have free will, then here are two scriptures to hold;
Biblegateway;
Genesis 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
1 Corinthians 6:12
[ Sexual Immorality ] "Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything.
1 Corinthians 10:23
[ The Believer's Freedom ] "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive.

True free will is walking with God in the Heart of Christ Jesus, other wise we are held in some kind of bondage, therefore robbing us of Gods true " free will ".

 

[HappySoul]

I believe God works through people. Someone might say just the right thing to the right person at the right time. When such divinity happens, does free will take a back seat?

 

[rlowe]

quote from talkjesus

God created things which had free will. That means creatures which can go either wrong or right. Some people think they can imagine a creature which was free but had no possibility of going wrong; I cannot. If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. - C.S. Lewis

You either have the possibility of love, goodness, joy, & evil
or your a robot incapable of all of the above.

 

[Jonah2005bt]

Also, another way to understand GOD gave us free will; please read what I quoted below, by Gracealone.

Originally Posted by Gracealone
The answer is very simple.....
God created us with a free will, so we had to have a choice to make.

He didn't want robots that couldn't choose to love him, so an alternative had to be in place.
God set before us, Life,and death.
He told us our choices,and warned of the consequence.
God knew before creation that we would fail, and sin, but they had already in place, the plan of our salvation.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish ,but have everlasting life.
Love must be given freely, or it isnt love.
Therefore the choices were in place, and so was the plan of redemption.

 

[Rene]

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (New International Version)

19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

 

[Gracealone]

I believe God works through people. Someone might say just the right thing to the right person at the right time. When such divinity happens, does free will take a back seat?

Free will never takes a back seat, it is just this, We are servants to whom we obey.
Therefore I choose to obey my Lord.
It is a privilege to be his servant, to walk with him in obedience.
That's my choice.
Many choose to live a carnal life, many more choose, to not choose, which is a choice, and leads to death.
From out of the heart comes the issues of life.

 

[DeeperStill]

I may be mistaken, let me know if I am, but the first mention of "Free will" in the word is back in Genesis when God told man that they are FREE to choose from any tree in the Garden, but that in the tree in the midst of the Garden they shall not eat.


You see God gave Adam, from the very beginning, a free will. With that freedom comes conditions. "If you eat of this tree, you shall surely die".

Dare I mention.....

But some followers of John Calvin, do not believe we have a free will.

I just tell them they are free to believe that and let it drop.

T

 

[HappySoul]

Free will never takes a back seat, it is just this, We are servants to whom we obey.
Therefore I choose to obey my Lord.
It is a privilege to be his servant, to walk with him in obedience.
That's my choice.
Many choose to live a carnal life, many more choose, to not choose, which is a choice, and leads to death.
From out of the heart comes the issues of life.

I do believe in free will, but I also believe in the everything happens for a reason theory. It seems kind of contradictive, doesn't it? However, I go on my feelings and not my mind... so I can believe in both without the understand of it.

 

[golfjack]

reply

I believe we do have free will. I don't believe in Calvanistic Theology. The question is, do we have free will after we are saved? Some don't believe this to justify their OSAS beliefs. I call this watered down Calvanist's doctrine. To me, to say believers don't have free will is ridiculous and goes against Biblical doctrine. Just study Heb. 10:26-30 and Heb. 6:4-6. So what do you believers say about my position?


Peace, Golfjack

 

[DeeperStill]

I believe we do have free will. I don't believe in Calvanistic Theology. The question is, do we have free will after we are saved? Some don't believe this to justify their OSAS beliefs. I call this watered down Calvanist's doctrine. To me, to say believers don't have free will is ridiculous and goes against Biblical doctrine. Just study Heb. 10:26-30 and Heb. 6:4-6. So what do you believers say about my position?


Peace, Golfjack

I think you are partially correct.

T

:wink:

 

[golfjack]

reply

Deeper, Where am I wrong?

Peace, Golfjack

 

[Chad]

the first mention of "Free will" in the word is back in Genesis when God told man that they are FREE to choose from any tree in the Garden, but that in the tree in the midst of the Garden they shall not eat. You see God gave Adam, from the very beginning, a free will. With that freedom comes conditions. "If you eat of this tree, you shall surely die".

Amen sister, in agreement. The Bible starts right off the bat indiciating man's free will to choose right or wrong.

 

[Jonah2005bt]

But some followers of John Calvin, do not believe we have a free will.

I just tell them they are free to believe that and let it drop.

T

Awesumely said T, I wonder how they like that one. LOL

 

[DeeperStill]

Deeper, Where am I wrong?

Peace, Golfjack

We don't want to hijack this thread by getting off topic. why not start a thread on your view of eternal security or ( OSAS << your words ).

or Heb 6.

 

[golfjack]

reply

Deeper, What I am saying is, if a believer cannot lose their salvation, then one doesn't have free will. Look at Heb. 10:26: For if we sin willfilly after we have treceived the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. This verse addresses believers. Sin willfilly implies free will to trample the Son of God underfoot. And if we do this, there is no more sacrifice. This sin is the unpardonable sin. Therefore, We can lose salvation as a result of free will. God will not and cannot override one's free will. The Bible supports my position.


Peace, Golfjack

 

[DeeperStill]

Deeper, What I am saying is, if a believer cannot lose their salvation, then one doesn't have free will. Look at Heb. 10:26: For if we sin willfilly after we have treceived the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. This verse addresses believers. Sin willfilly implies free will to trample the Son of God underfoot. And if we do this, there is no more sacrifice. This sin is the unpardonable sin. Therefore, We can lose salvation as a result of free will. God will not and cannot override one's free will. The Bible supports my position.


Peace, Golfjack

GolfJack.. That would be true if it was the persons responsibility to HOLD ON TO GOD in order to remained saved. This however, is not scriptural. Its not We who have to hold on to be saved. God is the One who hold us. It is His sustaining power which holds us. His promise is, He will never leave us. This can be seen in 1 John 3:9.

It says that " His Seed remains in us", We may backslide, we may fail, we may even fall away for a time, but that does not mean that the Seal of our salvation; The Holy Spirit, removes Himself from our hearts. NO!
His Seed remains in us.

btw, your understanding of Hebrews 6 is wrong. Look at who Paul (probably Paul) was speaking to. He was speaking to the Jews who had become Christians. Those Jews were struggling with their personal growth. They were stuck in the elementary issues like losing their salvation and Paul was correcting them saying they needed to stop laying this foundation over and over and over. They should be teaching the word themselves but instead, they were still feeding on milk. He told them that It was impossible for Christ to die upon the cross again and again every time they sinned. That Christ died once for all sin. So...... and I am going to paraphrase this.... STOP thinking that every time you fail or sin that you have to renew your salvation over and over... IT CANT BE DONE!!!!. Jesus died one time.. when you were born again, you are born again ONE TIME. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to lose your salvation... Just repent and return again.
His Spirit remains in you!


Do you think that Believers cannot sin? cannot fail? Cannot walk away from God for a time? Please do not think this.
But what we struggle with is not constantly being saved over and over, Its our faith that God is able to hold us.


HOw many time do you need to go to the alter and ask God to come into your heart? ONE TIME

And He will never leave you again

T

 

[golfjack]

Reply

Well, it is man's responsibility to get himself saved and to keep it. Otherwise man would not have free will. :shade:


Peace, Golfjack