Review of Martin Luther and Free Will

Right before we get saved!

 

I see that you have neglected your advanced Gnostic teaching that some say we calvinists are all into! that is the gnostic term for really!

 

We are born as sinners by nature.

 

“το πνευμα οπου θελει πνει και την φωνην αυτου ακουεις αλλ ουκ οιδας ποθεν ερχεται και που υπαγει ουτως εστιν πας ο γεγεννημενος εκ του πνευματος”

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Here are some of what ‘pneuma’ means in the Greek...

1. a movement of air (a gentle blast)
   
   1. of the wind, hence the wind itself
      
      
   2. breath of nostrils or mouth
      

 

Pneuma is where we get pneumatic from. What does pneumatic mean?

 

What I wrote was:
God does not 'force His will' on anyone; He changes our will by giving us a new heart, a new spirit, a new birth so that we delight to do His will (Psalm 40:8). 'But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)......' (Ephesians 2:4-5).

I stand by that; there is no Christian saying, "Oh how I wish I didn't love God. I really want to hate Him but I.....just.....can't ......do.....it!" No, no! God has taken away our hard heart and replaced it with a heart that loves Him and desires to do His will (Ezekiel 36:26-27) and He has written His moral law, 'not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, that is, the heart' (2 Corinthians 3:3; c.f. Jeremiah 31:34).

 

Oh boy! 'For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.....'
Does this sound as if Paul 'had a heart that really wanted to serve God?
'.......But when the kindness and the love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.......'(Titus 3:3-7).

 

Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you.
But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.

Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I.
But when the trees bow down their heads,
The wind is passing by. [Christina Rosetti]

 

Oh boy? OK Martin Oh boy! You didn't happen to read as well Paul's statements in Rom 10:1-2 which states,

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God Rom 10: 1-2

ZEAL==> ζῆλος, ου, ὁ ---zelos----eagerness, zeal, enthusiasm

So...eagerness of God....zeal of God....enthusiasm of God.

 

LOL! Well I think if I filled up an auditorium of 1,000 people not religious and the question was asked if one changed the will of another without their permission to a position they were beforehand against would that have been they forced their will upon the other? Yes or no? I know who would win the vote of such a thing. Absolutely staggers the mind that religious people can claim it wouldn't be forced with a straight face.

Sorry that's not a proof text for your position. It's merely showing even when we were in the state of being separated from God with no way to keep the law or the higher law of love God could take our choice to allow him to come in with the Spirit of salvation and make us a new creation.

Well then you're standing by your position that God changes one by irresistible grace and you admit they didn't WANT to serve God. But he changes that against their will and you say that's not forced. And then you say you don't know any Christians saying they don't love God. Well how could they NOT SAY they don't love God when they were forced or made to do so against their will? Did they have a decision to say ya or nay? You say no. I think you should admit it...there is no real, true, genuine love in the Calvinistic doctrine of irresistible grace.

 

That's right! Our Lord is making a comparison; the work of the Spirit is like the wind.