3 replies to this topic

[Thinker]

"Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience...." (From I Peter 1:2). God knows if we will decide for or against Him. He foreknows if we will receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. He doesn't make us do this. He simply knows our choice before we make it. Some argue that if this is true, why do we have to actually decide. If we didn't actually decide, God wouldn't have foreknown our decision. He couldn't have foreknown something that never happened. Others argue that this puts God's sovereignty at the mercy of our free will. Not at all! Our limited free will operates only within the bounds of God's sovereignty, with His permission. I believe that it was Samuel Fisk's illustration that told of goldfish in a tank. Within the owner's limitations, the fish, by their own choice, can swim, eat, sleep, etc. They are not free to limit the owner in any way that he does not choose to allow them to do so. It was a dear black man who was asked if he were among the elect. His reply: "I don't know but I never knew anyone to be elected who wasn't running." How amazing that God would provide us with freedom of will and allow us to be reconciled to Himself, loving Him freely because He first loved us. This is a love that He proved at Calvary. He wins us rather than makes us. Any who would choose to reject such wonderful love deserve the fate they will face. Those that are the elect are set apart by the Holy Spirit. He leads them into the realm or sphere of obedience. Who but God could come up with a plan like His? Ron Pinkham

[Charles Miles]

I certainly agree with your thoughts here on free will. God gave man free will and as far as we know, man is the only being with that gift. Man has the free will to choose to love God and become one of His children, or to choose not to love God at all. What good would love do without the choice not to love also? Free will, however, gets us into a lot of trouble during this earthly walk and I think free will is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. I like to think of free will as carrying around an atom bomb with a timer ticking on it and I don`t know what to do with the thing. The simple answer is to give it back to the one who gave it to you and let Him deal with it. He actually understands it.
Until one realizes that God does not live in time(as we do), then the ideas of free will and predestination seem to contradict each other, but they actually don`t at all. When Paul speaks of the "death of the old man", I actually think it has to do with turning our choices over to the Father and letting Him decide for us on the matters of life and living.

[Travis Richey]

The cartoon character Pogo made this statement, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." I believe that can be rephrased to a theological statement that, "I have met the enemy, and he is me."

What stands between me and God? Me.

Who is on the throne of my heart? Sadly, it's usually me.

When you look at all the acts of the flesh that Paul lays out for us, what are their common root? Selfishness....or in another word, me.

John speaks of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life....all three are me focusing on myself and what I want.

The free will we have been given is really not a free will at all. It is a choice between me and God. I'm either selfishly following my own desires and will, or I am surrendered to God's will. As Paul writes, I'm either a slave to sin and self, or a slave to God and righteousness.

I have indeed met the enemy, and he really is me. But Praise the Lord, we have a Savior and Redeemer Who has overcome the world, and through and by the Power of the Holy Spirit we can live a life freed from the bondage to self, to flesh, and to sin.

[StevePage]

I believe that it was Samuel Fisk's illustration that told of goldfish in a tank. Within the owner's limitations, the fish, by their own choice, can swim, eat, sleep, etc. They are not free to limit the owner in any way that he does not choose to allow them to do so.

It was a dear black man who was asked if he were among the elect. His reply: "I don't know but I never knew anyone to be elected who wasn't running."

Wow, thank you.