[betty boop]

I perceive the kind of willfulness which applies here is the desire to separate from God. Or to put it another way, God's assurance is absolute but He will not keep someone against his will.

Amen to that, dearest sister in Christ!

But the mysterious question remains: Why this "desire to separate from God?"

That's the part I never seem to get....

Thank you so very much, dearest sister in Christ, for your eloquent, insightful essay/post!

Truly, God's Name is I AM.

[wmfights]

But the mysterious question remains: Why this "desire to separate from God?"

Because that person was never with God to begin with.

I know free will is a very popular belief, but Jesus says He will not lose one that the Father has given Him and nothing can Snatch them out of His hand.

Another way to look at free will is God either knows all He will have at the end from before the creation or He doesn't. If God doesn't He is not all knowing. I doubt any Christian would say God is less than all knowing.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for all your wonderful insights, dearest sister in Christ!

But the mysterious question remains: Why this "desire to separate from God?"

That's the part I never seem to get...

It is certainly unthinkable for me. I count myself dead already to this world.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. - Colossians 3:3

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. - Galatians 2:20

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? - I Corinthians 6:19

Perhaps most of those who want to separate from God never knew Him in the first place, as wmfights suggests?

But I cannot read another person's mind or his heart.

So when a person testifies to me that he once was Christian but no longer believes, I join in earnest prayer for him - that God will give him eyes to see and ears to hear.

And if he is like the ones wmfights mentioned, there is hope for him. But if he actually knew God and then willfully chose to separate from Him, his fate has been sealed.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? – Hebrews 10:26-29

Nevertheless, like Enoch interceding for the doomed angels according to God's will, we must likewise intercede even if the person is doomed - a fate only God knows.

But back to your original question, I cannot conceive of a spiritually and mentally sane person wanting to separate from God.

Moreover, those who choose to deny God become insane by God's judgment:

And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. - Romans 1:28-32

However, some people may go through a phase of insanity after a great loss or during a physical or mental infirmity. They may say things they don't really mean. And I'm confident God knows the difference and His mercy and faithfulness will see them through.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

God's Name is I AM.