Does God have a free will?

It's proper name should be fatalism. Fatalism is like spitting into the wind. It comes right back and hits you in the eye. This is what Calvinist have to rely on for Salvation. Fate because God uses determinism and whether or not you get saved is fate. Gamblers are believers in fate if they're meant to win they will win. There is a reason determinism isn't found in scripture. It's foolishness.
MB

 

The description of the nature of the God of Calvinism is eerily similar to the nature of the God of Islam. Specifically, that both can and do act with pure will; unconstrained by nothing, not even his own goodness, commands and reason.

This is the antithesis of the God of Christianity, who is one of Logos.

 

The strawman was this:
"The God of Calvinism, like the God of Islam, is one who acts with pure will and is therefore completely unrestrained by any principle or reason."

The God of scripture (which means it's the God of Calvinism) is the God of grace to whom He wills. He is the God of Love, who became human flesh so that He would redeem and reconcile whom He wills and maintain perfect justice for all.

 

There is a reason why predestined and chosen is used in the scripture. It's God's Supreme authority.

 

I would be careful naming God as the God of any man made ideas. God is not the God of any ism and should never be described that way. It is a poor and sophomoric attempt at justifying that which one finds difficult to justify otherwise.

 

As a courtesy, please read the thread before interjecting straw man arguments. Had you done so, you would have seen my comment, "The God of Calvinism, like the God of Islam, is one who acts with pure will and is therefore completely unrestrained by any principle or reason" was a REPLY to this post, whereby a poster claimed God is not restrained by anything...

This concept and description of God (like the Islamic concept) demonstrates a belief that God is one who acts with pure will.

God is either Logos or Voluntas; that is, either reason or pure will. If He acts with pure will, then He acts above and contra-reason. He is unconstrained by any principle or any reason and capriciousness is essential to His very nature. Thus He can and does act completely arbitrarily (hence some are randomly elect while others were created simply for God to take pleasure in destroying). In Calvinism (and Islam), God acts Voluntas.

By contrast, if He is the Logos, then by His nature He acts with reason and love. Therefore to not act in accordance with reason and love would be contrary to His very nature. Thus in Christianity, God is in fact restrained by His own goodness. He cannot do that which is contrary to His nature.

 

Unless you are Jewish you aren't elect. No where in scripture is it ever said a Gentile is elect.. So your election is in your imagination. Which really most of Calvinism depends on there imagination.
MB

 

You are simply wrong. Many have shown you your error. You don't need to have a bloodline from Jacob to be elect. Your claim is silly and wrong.

 

The problem for you is that you are the arbiter of what reason and love is. The Sovereign God does act with reason and love when He chooses who will believe.
God cannot go contrary to His holy nature, which means his justice must be met. It is either met in the sacrifice of Christ or in the eternal punishment of sinful man, but it must be met. Anything else would go contrary to His nature.

 

Fatalism is impersonal, which is the view of darwinian naturalists.
You assume that humans seek God on their own. I recognize the Bible says the opposite.
Given the choice, humans will ignore and run from God to seek their own pleasure. Their own fate would be eternal damnation. For any hope of eternal life, God must extend his hand and graciously save us.
We have a fundamental difference. I am content in God being Supreme while you dislike that thought. You consider that to be controlling and ultimately evil, if God were to make the decision.

 

[QUOTE="Particular, post: 2554743, member: 15651]
We have a fundamental difference. I am content in God being Supreme while you dislike that thought. You consider that to be controlling and ultimately evil, if God were to make the decision.[/QUOTE]

Big #4.

 

Prove me wrong with scripture. Bet you can't.
MB

 

Ephesians 1:11.

 

Eph 1:11. The church at Ephesus was a Gentile Church

 

God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to reveal that He is the God of Logos and love.

This is what Christians just commemorated this past Wednesday.

 

Calvinist are fatalist and worship a God of there own making.

The Bible says it was a fool that said (" No one seeks God ")

You on the other hand believe your own imagination. and claim God saved you even if you are against it. This makes God look like a dictator and He is not

Of course you would have to be made to love God, Where I do it willingly..
2Co_8:12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

MB[/QUOTE]

 

Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
MB

 

Jesus is the Logos.
Jesus is Love.

Jesus is not your imagined version of Logos and Love as you personally define Logos and Love.

The Logos and Love cast man out of the garden. Only the Logos and Love can choose to bring them back in

 

Me thinks you would be content saying, "God could make a rock so big that even He could not lift it, He is Supreme." ...but would be wise to learn and acknowledge that objecting to fallacious reasoning goes deeper that "disliking". .

 

MB

The Bible is clear “without the preaching of the Gospel shall no flesh be justified”

You did not refute the passage I referenced