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The Free Will Thing

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rick:

This free will thing is so deep that it blows my mind and me off the throne. I see God in full control of the entire universe with no exception to His rule or laws. ALL IS OF God right down to the smallest decision I make or rather think I make.

                                                        "  Rays Words in part D of Free will "



Maybe the biggest single aspect of "coming out of Babylon" is giving up the unscriptural "free will"/"free choice" idol of the heart. We've seen the sin for which, the King of Assyria was punished by God, the sin of "free self will." Believing that he, himself, had the power of will and choice to act independently of God’s foreordained intentions.


I understand I don't have free will as Ray has used multiple scriptures from part A through D from the free will series in pointing this out from the word of God and I believe IT.

So now as scripture says ( its not in man to direct his footsteps ) I see that , I really see that. Ray reference also free choice too and this I keep talking to God about trying to reconcile temptation as we are also told to mortified the deeds of the flesh.

So what's in my understanding concerning this is that we don't have free choice either so what ever choice I think I'm making is the only possible choice I could of make at the time I made the choice but the choice was of God as its not in man to direct his footsteps.

Rene:
Hi Rick,

Having "no free will" is probably one of the hardest truths for humans to fully comprehend, since we do make choices all day long.

Here is an email that Ray replied to that should help increase your understanding. :)


http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,1744.0.html

Free Will

Now that I got your attention, Mr Smith, I would like your comments on a brief subject.
 
If God causes circumstances that influences your decisions, then He is responsible for your desires. Correct?
If you are lazy or have no desire to accomplish anything in your life, then if must be God. Correct? Of if you desire to succeed in life, be accomplished in any profession, then it must be God. Correct? So, if God causes circumstances, then God must give you the desire to pray for accomplishment of that desire. Correct? If God causes (inspire) a person to pray for something (material or nonmaterial), then we should be excited and pray for it and follow-up with action to accomplish it.  What is your thoughts on this?
 
Thank you for your response.
 
Joe V.
 
P.S. I read your article on Answered Prayer. (to pray for God's will)
 

Dear Joe:

No, I have never said or suggested all of the things you state above. I understand that these things are "spiritually discerned," and that people frustrate themselves over trying to understand spiritual things with a carnal mind. When a man rapes a little girl, IT ASSUREDLY IS NOT GOD!  When one prays to be rich and famous, IT ASSUREDLY IS NOT GOD!  ALL IS OF GOD, but not is all of God directly.  God created man--man SINS, God if free from sin and never sins or MAKES OR FORCES anyone to sin. Neither does He FORCE people to be rich or famous. God created man and man chooses what he does based on the strongest motivation in his heart.
And most people's heart consists of lust, lies, blasphemy and the like.
 
"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of HIS OWN LUSTS [whether for bad and evil things or for for what we may perceive as good things which may not be good or righteous things], and enticed" (James 1:13-14).
 
Man has the ability to make choices. He does not have the ability to make choices that are free from any cause. The "cause" of most of our choices is our mind and heart.  And of the abundance of our heart, our mind thinks, our tongue speaks, and in our body we take physical action.  Only God can give us a "new" and pure heart.

God be with you,
Ray

rick:
Rene, I have not read this E mail you have given, its points are excellent and does help with my understanding. I have only one desire which is to receive the right understanding. I have many more thoughts about this free will series and will post them only for the feedback that will let me know and understand that I'm walking on the right path.

Thanks for your response Rene as this is what I'm seeking which is God's truth.

The Professor:
Exposing the myth of free will was one of the easiest things for me to accept and understand.

I liken a person's life to waking up out at sea on a raft not knowing how you got there.

Think about it, no one made the choice to be alive...that's like knocking down the first domino...all subsequent choices are made based on the fact that we are alive.

Also, when one considers we don't decide our sex, our race, what family we're born into, where we are born, when we are born, whether we have any physical disabilities, etc, etc, etc...

All these things have a 100% influence on our character and the decisions we make...this is common sense.

AwesomeSavior:
I know that human beings have no free will, but did Ray ever discuss whether God has a free will? I think I recall this conversation happening before, but I can't remember the answer. Can someone help?  Thanks.

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