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Do you believe in F R E E W I L L ?

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Dave in Tenn:
OK then.  After thinking about it much of the night, what I would say is that of course Man is not only presented with choices, but makes choices constantly.  Because of his (our) carnal heart--the one He created us with--most of the choices we make are short of the Glory of God at best.  Before we got here, the choices of other people have been piling up and also influencing us in our choices.  So far, you and I understand that none of the choices anybody has made have been without a cause.  Ultimately, God is and has been that cause.

Does your guy not understand that the Word of God (and the preaching and hearing of the Word of God) is not also in and of itself a Cause for the choices we make?  It is no less a cause for people doing what they do than who their parents were.  

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

That sure sounds like a list of Causes for the continual choices made by man to me.

Who is the man of God?  The one being made perfect.  The one He foreknew from the beginning.  The one who He is dragging to Himself against the current of his own carnality.

We can't understand Grace until we recognize the Sovereignty of God.  At least I couldn't.

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As a side note, I think you will find a lot of examples of members expressing reluctance to get into 3-way arguments and much more admonition to not get into arguments at all.  That's WHY I wanted to be clearer on what it was you were asking for.  This website is not for arguing, but for those of like-mind to gather.  But you explained yourself well.  

    

Deborah-Leigh:
Hi Dave in T
This question is brilliantly articulated!~


--- Quote ---Does your guy not understand that the Word of God (and the preaching and hearing of the Word of God) is not also in and of itself a Cause for the choices we make?
--- End quote ---

Here is a second witness to what you have pointed out.

Joh 11:24  Martha said to Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Joh 11:25  Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live.

Martha, as soon as she heard Jesus was coming, she ran ahead to meet Him. Not Mary. Mary stayed behind in consolation among unbelievers. It was Martha who believed and it was Mary who sat giving Jesus an audience and hearing Him. Jesus did not tell Martha's sister to go and help her sister Martha to serve. It was Martha who believed and served.

It was Martha not Mary who was acknowledged by Jesus for her belief and so Lazarus was raised from the dead.

In other words, though Mary sat listening to Jesus and her part would not be taken from her, it was her sister fretting about serving who ran ahead and to whom Jesus acknowledged her belief!

Martha, the sister of him who died, said to Him, Lord, by this time he stinks. For it is the fourth day.
Joh 11:40  Jesus answered HER, Did I not say TO YOU that if YOU(Martha) would believe YOU  would see the glory of God?

A few others got to see and came to believe that day! 8)
Arc

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