Free Will Facts

[Curtis]

Now in the case of draftees, where people are inducted into the Army instead of
volunteering, their free will is not in line with the Army's free will, so we can
legitimately say that the Army's free will trumps the draftees' free will.

That is not true. If a solders will is not to be in the Army then he is not a solder.
In God's Army, there is no draft. It is an all-volunteer Army.

Nobody all of sudden finds out he is son without wanting to be one!

If Christians will is not to become a son of God then he is not a Christain.

 

[Beetow]

Here's one of Christianity's primary tenets.

● John 6:44 . . No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him

The Greek word translated "draws" essentially means to drag, i.e. to pull something
forcefully. There's several examples of helkuo in the New Testament for us to
examine:

"Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant,"
(John 18:10)

"Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore." (John 21:11)

"When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was
gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the
authorities." (Acts 16:19)

"Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were
shut." (Acts 21:30)

"Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging
you into court?" (Jas 2:6)

I think quite a few of the Lord's true sheep are going to be very surprised when
they find out that God rounded them up like wild horses and domesticated them
into believing, i.e. His free will trumped their free will.

There is an upside to this contest of free wills. All those whom God corralled for His
son are assured that it was for their own good.

● John 6:37-40 . . All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever
comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do
my will but to do the will of Him who sent me.

. . . And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that
He has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that
everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will
raise him up at the last day.
_

 

[B-A-C]

I think quite a few of the Lord's true sheep are going to be very surprised when
they find out that God rounded them up like wild horses and domesticated them
into believing, i.e. His free will trumped their free will.

Perhaps, but then does that mean for those who don't get saved, they can blame God?
On the judgment day before the Throne...
God: Why didn't you accept my Son Jesus?
You: It was your will that didn't get saved.

1Tim 2:3; This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
1Tim 2:4; who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth

2Pet 3:9; The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

How do you take these verses? What is God's will in these verses?
Do you think everyone is going to be saved?

 

[Beetow]

● 1 Tim 2:3-4 . . God our savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a
knowledge of the truth.

● 2Pet 3:9 . .The Lord . . He is not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come
to repentance.

Both of those passages were just as true in the days of Noah as they are now.

God already knew in advance which of the antediluvians that he would destroy in
the Flood and which he would spare-- likely knew all their names too. But He still
gave the lost ample opportunity to turn anyway. It was generous of Him to do that;
but nevertheless, quite futile as their destruction was already determined before the
Flood even began.

Bible teachers much brighter, and better trained than I, have yet to understand the
nature of God's patience. It's a hope-against-hope kind of patience; which makes
sense when the future is unknown, but God knows the future; He already knows
the names of every last one of the people destined for the lake of brimstone
depicted at Rev 20:11-15 but He still wants to give them a chance to turn even
knowing full well in advance that they won't.
_

 

[Rockerduck]

God directs our steps

Job 31:4 - Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
Psalm 37:23 - The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
Psalm 85:13 - Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.
Proverbs 16:9 - A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.