Free Will -tf

While it is true that certain things are predestinated of God, it is not true that everything is predestinated: man has been created with a free will. The receiving of the gospel involves both predestination and free will.

Proverbs 16:9 "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps."

Matthew 13:1-9 "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."

(Does the problem really have to do with a man’s ears?)

Proverbs 28:5 "Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things."

Predestination Involves The Knowledge And Will of God. (Consider how great this knowledge is.)

Romans 8:29-30 "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called. . . ."

(This is where Satan has men asking, "What about the Hindus?)
Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen." (Consider this.)
Matthew 7:6 "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine. . . ."

(Would the Lord, who gave this to us, ignore it entirely himself?)

Ephesians 1:3-6 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath . . . chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. . . ."

vs. 7-12 "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. . . ."

Examples:

Acts 7:54 -- 8:3 "As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison."

9:1-20 "But the Lord said unto [Ananias], Go thy way: for [Paul] is a chosen vessel unto me. . . ."

(What power, mercy, and glory!)

Romans 9:1-21 "Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth."

Coming to the Lord

Isaiah 1:18-20 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. . . ."

(Computers cannot do this.)

55:6 "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. . . ."

(Would this be said, if you had no choice?)

John 6:35-37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

(God has provided you with a choice: otherwise you would have no choice.)

v. 44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. . . ."

(Does "can come" here mean "is allowed to come" or "is capable of coming"?

The Nature of Man’s Free Will

Genesis 2:15-17 "And the Lord God commanded the man. . . ."

3:6 "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food . . . she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."

Exodus 16:4-5 "Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no."

vs. 25-27 "And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather. . . ."

Man Has A Free Will

Exodus 25:1-2 "

Leviticus 1:1-3 "

19:5 "

22:17-19 "

v. 29 "

Deuteronomy 23:23 " (There are 16 verses like this one.)

Ezra 3:4-5 "They . . . willingly offered a freewill offering unto the Lord."

7:10-18 "