Since I don't like arguments and dissention between Christians, then in order to stay here, I could say that by my own free will, I decided to break through the lies and deceit of Satan because I'm smart and righteous enough to do so. ;-) Others who choose to believe Satan aren't a smart as me. So I'm just a little bit better than they are. So they'll be punished for wanting to believe satan. They could muster up their faith in God by their own free will so they don't need the Holy Spirit either.
So I'm going to boast about my ability to beleive. Yeah, the Holy Spirit does something, but not as much as my own free will. It's both my free will and the Holy Spirit because human pride belongs in there somewhere along with the humility of the Spirit. We can't leave human pride out of it or we would just have to be humble before God and acknowledge that we can do nothing without him like Jesus did and we can't have that.
So it does depend on my desire and effort, not on just on God's mercy, as Romans 9:16 says. So God needs a lot of help from me to explain his word.
Jesus isn't quite right either. Yes, he chose me but I also chose him. So he needs me to clarify his words too. And Paul decided to become a Christian after thinking about what he's done to Christians. Oh, yeah, he decdided that only after he met the risen Lord and he was struck by lightning, but that didn't play as much a part in his decision as his free will did. The two events just happened to coincide with each other.
So we can give credit to Paul also for being smart and righteous enough to choose God.
So the bible isn't right either that no one is righteous and that no one seeks God. I was righteous enough to seek and choose God because of my own free will so I have won God's favor because of my good deeds in choosing him. ;-)
Boy, this exalting myself is fun. So that's another place where Jesus got it wrong. I will be rewarded for giving myself the credit for my belief and decision to choose God, not humbled.
So once I begin to take credit for what the bible says belongs to God, then I can even change the bible! I can change Ephesians 2:8-9 to say that it means that salvation is a gift from God, not faith. Then I can really feel justified in boasting about my faith!
So say people who believe in free will. :roll: That's why it doesn't do any good to quote the bible here since people feel the need to change the words in there to say what itching ears want to hear. And that ranges anywhere from "there's no hell" to I'm righteous enough to choose God" to Mary was sinless and a virgin all her life."
: Satan has a hayday with those who don't know what the Holy Spirit has done for them. But people who have believed something their whole lives and publicly proclaimed it, cannot admit they're wrong because of pride. So they'll continue to change scripture and chastize those who don't change scripture, all to keep from admitting they're wrong. They seem to see forums as a contest of who's right and who's wrong and then compete with each other to show how right they are instead of wanting the truth of God's word.
I used to believe in free will but after reading the bible have changed my mind. So I don't mind admitting I'm wrong because the truth of God's word is more important to me than my pride. So I can't change scripture to keep my pride. And that's not becuase I'm righteous enough to do that but because the Holy Spirit makes it way too uncomfortable for me to keep my pride. As Jesus told us, the Holy Spirit convicts us when we sin so that we can repent. So God gets the credit for my faith and ability to believe, not me. He keeps me from harm, He leads me out of temptation and convicts me when I sin. So I'm not ashamed at all to say that only God should be praised, not man. But since it's a very unpopular belief among many Christians here who want to take credit for their faith and acts of righteousness, which is called self-righteousness that the Pharisees had, not the true righteousness that only comes from God, then I don't belong on this forum since I would have to engage in arguments to do so.
So I'm going to boast about my ability to beleive. Yeah, the Holy Spirit does something, but not as much as my own free will. It's both my free will and the Holy Spirit because human pride belongs in there somewhere along with the humility of the Spirit. We can't leave human pride out of it or we would just have to be humble before God and acknowledge that we can do nothing without him like Jesus did and we can't have that.
So it does depend on my desire and effort, not on just on God's mercy, as Romans 9:16 says. So God needs a lot of help from me to explain his word.
Jesus isn't quite right either. Yes, he chose me but I also chose him. So he needs me to clarify his words too. And Paul decided to become a Christian after thinking about what he's done to Christians. Oh, yeah, he decdided that only after he met the risen Lord and he was struck by lightning, but that didn't play as much a part in his decision as his free will did. The two events just happened to coincide with each other.
So we can give credit to Paul also for being smart and righteous enough to choose God. So the bible isn't right either that no one is righteous and that no one seeks God. I was righteous enough to seek and choose God because of my own free will so I have won God's favor because of my good deeds in choosing him. ;-)
Boy, this exalting myself is fun. So that's another place where Jesus got it wrong. I will be rewarded for giving myself the credit for my belief and decision to choose God, not humbled.
So once I begin to take credit for what the bible says belongs to God, then I can even change the bible! I can change Ephesians 2:8-9 to say that it means that salvation is a gift from God, not faith. Then I can really feel justified in boasting about my faith!
So say people who believe in free will. :roll: That's why it doesn't do any good to quote the bible here since people feel the need to change the words in there to say what itching ears want to hear. And that ranges anywhere from "there's no hell" to I'm righteous enough to choose God" to Mary was sinless and a virgin all her life."
: Satan has a hayday with those who don't know what the Holy Spirit has done for them. But people who have believed something their whole lives and publicly proclaimed it, cannot admit they're wrong because of pride. So they'll continue to change scripture and chastize those who don't change scripture, all to keep from admitting they're wrong. They seem to see forums as a contest of who's right and who's wrong and then compete with each other to show how right they are instead of wanting the truth of God's word. I used to believe in free will but after reading the bible have changed my mind. So I don't mind admitting I'm wrong because the truth of God's word is more important to me than my pride. So I can't change scripture to keep my pride. And that's not becuase I'm righteous enough to do that but because the Holy Spirit makes it way too uncomfortable for me to keep my pride. As Jesus told us, the Holy Spirit convicts us when we sin so that we can repent. So God gets the credit for my faith and ability to believe, not me. He keeps me from harm, He leads me out of temptation and convicts me when I sin. So I'm not ashamed at all to say that only God should be praised, not man. But since it's a very unpopular belief among many Christians here who want to take credit for their faith and acts of righteousness, which is called self-righteousness that the Pharisees had, not the true righteousness that only comes from God, then I don't belong on this forum since I would have to engage in arguments to do so.
