How Do They Know?

That I just cannot answer other than the drowning man and a hand to save.
Instinct, desire to survive?

I just took what was offered, and I needed it. I was quite broken at that time.

Maybe if I had been strong I might have even acted in a way that would have been indicative of despising.

Then again, if I had been strong it may have never come to me at all?

The world has insulted God enough as it is.

 

Sheer Mercy.

Thank you Lord Jesus.

 

I guess I would agree.

Lord, I worship You. For Your Name is Holy.

Lord have mercy on others.

 

Seriously, do you read my replies? I answered you already when I wrote:

"What you need to realize is that the drive to explain a truly free choice in this manner is really just a game of question begging because it assumes that a deterministic explaination is required. The choice between available options is what free will is all about and it is finally mysterious, beyond full explanation, for full explanations presuppose the very determinism we reject. Do you understand?"

 

I still reached out and took that hand I might add.

Man it's a fine line.

 

I later realized that when I reached out to take His hand, I was already being held in His other hand.

peace to youraying:

 

And in doing so you reveal your ignorance of the topic. You don't have to agree with me, but at least study opposing positions and come to a basic understanding before diving in with attacks.

Allow me to explain, those of us who hold to libertarian free will believe in "first cause choices." That is we believe in Self-determination...the belief that for a choice to be morally accountable it must not be determined by anything other than the agent making that choice (Agent Causation). Your desire to find a determination ("reason") for a moral choice assumes your premise that something other than the agent himself determined his choice and is a debate fallacy call "begging the question."

Libertarian Free Will still acknowledges the influence of outside factors and even leaves room for some decisions to be "causally determined," but it maintains that for a choice to be free, and thus morally accountable, then the agent must have had the ability to willingly do other than what he ends up doing.

That is a very precursory look at the subject, so may I suggest reading up on the topic and having another go at it.

 

Did the Hebrew people have the ability to keep the Old Testament Law?

In their fallen state, do people have the ability to love the Lord God with all their heart, mind, strength?

peace to youraying:

 

What kind of ridiculous question is that? You were regenerated when you sensed the Holy Spirit working in your life convicting you of sin. How did you think it worked? Did you think your nose lit up green when the regeneration signal hit your body?

 

You know what is amazing about your flawed theology, is that you believe you have it within yourself , in a fallen and sinful state, with your free will, to accept the call to salvation. Yet, once you attain that salvation, you believe you cannot lose it. In other words, you have the free will to accept salvation, but do not have it to lose it at a later date.

 

Many sense the Holy Spirit working in their life but resist it. Just because the Holy Spirit works in a person's life does not automatically mean they become regenerated. They become regenerated when they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and his atoning work on the cross.

 

You asked the question and you answered it. Your answer is wrong. A person knows when a work of grace is done in their life. It is done when they invite Christ to be Lord of their life. At that moment Christ, by the power of his Holy Spirit comes and takes up residence in that person. Most often the person is given peace, joy, a sense of forgiveness of sins. When you say "They don't! Neither can they!" You simply tell a lie. They can. The Holy Spirit now resides within. There is a difference between one who is dead and one who is alive.

 

I believe this is just more work games by OR. He will not stop until you say something he can twist and make it appear that you did not have a choice in responding to God, thereby saying that you, unknowingly, hold to the same doctrine he does.

Unless I read you wrong, you believe, like I do, that the Holy Spirit offers salvation and we have a choice as to whether or not to accept it.

BTW, I don't know why one accepts the Gospel while another one rejects it. I certainly don't believe the false doctrine that it is because God wants the lost to remain lost.