I was called a fatalist and should consider Islam with my fatalist view.
When I first considered the idea of man having no "free" will I definitely struggled with it, but in the sense that I WANTED it to be true, even KNEW it to be true, but just didn't know HOW it could be true. It took me awhile to wrap my head around it. I have a dear friend who saw and accepted it right away, it seemed barely a struggle for her but that is not to say she doesn't have questions.
Others I've tried to share this with resisted immediately. They don't WANT it to be true. I've thought about this and I know part of it is because we are all different and even if God is opening someone's eyes to it they will still work through to understanding it in different ways. However, I also think that if they yet haven't seen their beast then they are not even ready to understand. It is simply not their time yet. If a person hasen't seen or understood themselves as the beast then the beast is still firmly on the throne of his heart....it does not WANT to get off, it does not WANT to relinquish its illusion of power. I have a feeling this is why some reactions that I've received were along the lines of: "Well, if we have no free will than God is a dictator tyrant forcing us to do everything!" "We are merely puppets!" They insist that if there is no free will than God is even FORCING us to love him! This is the flesh speaking. The carnal mind cannot understand God, it's AGAINST him!
The beast is being threatened and retaliates. If they still believe in eternal hell than they really do believe God is a tyrant. But we who have been blessed with understanding that God is truly LOVE, understand that he is not forcing, but rather inspiring, training and causing us to go one way or the other. He is molding us with a loving hand.
In Ray's audio he made a statement that really stuck with me:
"Sure, it would not be fun to be
forced to, for example, write a book that you don't want to write, but it's wonderful to be
inspired to write a book that you can't wait to write!"
I believe the carnal mind does not understand this difference. So you will have the spiritual side that weeps with joy at this truth, and you have the carnal side within you that rejects it. In my struggle I was able thankfully to recognize the two sides. Those who react with anger and disdain, do not even SEE their carnality and they don't see it because God simply hasn't given them eyes to see it yet.
If you don't even know that you, the beast, are on the throne, than you can't possibly be interested in wanting him off!
Jacke Lee, in your struggles to understand this, the evidence that right now in you, God is kicking the beast off the throne is beautifully apparent. This is something to greatly rejoice over, even if you don't yet understand the whole concept. It is why you are even here, at this forum, bringing up this question in the first place. It's God working in you...
John 15:5 MKJV
5
I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Peace and God bless,
Diana