I Believe In Free Will

The book usede by God to convice me that free will is not really a bbilical truth!

 

Not true when Paul cited the consequence for himself for not keeping under his body and bringing his body under subjection daily unless he should become a castaway.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

You will not find scripture anywhere to validate that. There are too many warnings from Jesus for believers to be ready that it leads credence that many believers will not heed His warnings to be ready to go when the Bridegroom comes.

There are scripture to validate what I am sharing. Check out Luke 14:15-33 & Luke 21:33-36 on His warning that some believers will be ensnared by the cares of this life that they would not want to leave when the Bridegroom comes. That is the cost of discipleship in following Him because that means following Him up to the Marriage Supper by leaving this life & loved ones behind. I certainly need His help not just for abiding in Him as He helps me lay aside every weight & sin, but also to be willing to go too when the Bridegroom does come. I do so hope in His mercy as I trust Him as my Friend & Good Shepherd to do this.

2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

That is what it means to live by faith in Him and all His promises to us; we surrender to the Truth that we cannot save ourselves but He can and we are to surrender to the Truth that we can't follow Him by our will power, but He can help us to follow Him.

 

I was wondering if this scripture proves that this atmosphere in this thread is why the entire section of Calvinsim & Arminianism Debate should be done away with.

1 Corinthians 3:1And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.....20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's; 22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's; 23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

I don't believer none of us should be identifying ourselves with Calvin or Arminius since one can find error on both sides. It does seem to bring out the carnal nature in these threads as if one can convince the other by arguing to prove it when it is all on Him to cause the increase.

Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

2 Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

 

Paul NEVER though that he was in danger of being lost or left behind, did he not record Romans 8 to us?

 

1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Explain 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 above where he cites the risk to himself in becoming a castaway.

Romans 8 is not opposing what Paul has said above because there is no loss of salvation as He is still in them, thus no separation in that respect. He is still even in former believers that have not repented yet but gets left behind when the Bridegroom has come, because that is where the vessels unto dishonor comes from that are in His House.

2 Timothy 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

That is why the call to depart from iniquity is also being given to former believers because they still have His seal. This is done so that they may depart from iniquity with His help in seeing the lies that turned them away from Him and to repent of it so that they may obtain the eternal glory that comes with our salvation of being that vessel unto honor in His House.

2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. 14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth...……24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.