God's Sovereignty and Man's Free Will

[Foxx]

So I stumbled across this series recorded advocating free will. This gentleman uses multiple verses from Jeremiah stating that because God does not decree that the people would sin neither did it enter His mind that somehow this verifies "free will" I haven't watched the whole series yet but I'll quote 2 of the verses that he uses that defeats his own arguement from the very first installment.

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

Verse 14 goes on to state that we are "lured and enticed by our own desires".  I make no argument against the truth that God is not the one who tempts us.  Why can God not be tempted with evil?  Because HE CREATED BOTH GOOD AND EVIL!  God doesn't have to make us sin! We are sinning machines. Just because he doesn't force us to sin or tempts us to do so, doesn't mean he does not know exactly how to manipulate, control, direct, etc. everything within our lives.  Furthermore, if God allows something, does that not mean he is control of that very thing?  Also, if he allows us to sin then that must also mean just the opposite, he allow us NOT TO SIN!  He most certainly directs us without sinning or contradicting Himself!  If he allows us TO sin then he must be able to keep us FROM sinning. How does he do this? By calling us to him...all good comes from God. There is no verse describing how man does good all on his own. Neither is man capable of coming to God without God choosing us in his own manner and time.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but within the temptation he will also provide you the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

This man just admitted he was wrong without even knowing it. He says this proves we have a free will because God "allows us to to act outside his control".  This says nothing of the sort...

"God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability"

Answer me this, how can it be FREE if God had to ALLOW it in the first place?  God WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED beyond your ability. Does man have "ability"? Absolutely. Is that ability beyond God? Clearly it isn't if you are reading this verse because God is saying he won't let you be tempted beyond it. As Ray likes to ask, "Where is the free will in that?"

"but within the temptation he will also provide you the way of escape"

Once again, if it was all up to us to escape why would we need God in the first place?  HE PROVIDES it, there is no free will in any of these verses. How can it be free will if God had to give it to us in the first place? It makes no sense! It's laughable to argue in such a way.  I agree God doesn't force us to sin but that doesn't mean we have free will...It's funny how people will always try to make scriptures contradict one another but after thinking, reading and praying I believe I saw the truth in this. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed (and someone doesn't have to be to understand these things). Its just incredible how only when it comes to spirituality do these "scholars" throw the laws of reason, nature, the universe, etc out the window.


Just look up the name of this thread on youtube and you will find the video series. I know we can't post links so I'm not going to do so.

God Bless, and I hope everyone has a great week!

**EDIT**
If anyone would like to add some input on this or if I'm missing the mark in some way please let me know! Thanks!