Every person is responsible for all of his/her decisions.
What is significant is Paul’s passage to the Romans in which he laments the sinful nature that is part of his being.
He says “the things I want to do, I don’t; the things I don’t want to do, I do....who shall deliver me from this body...? I thank God for my Lord Jesus Christ.” (forgive the Romans 7 inaccuracies here, I’m going by memory.)
In short, Paul, at that time a Christian is lamenting the continued influence of the human nature. His answer to the human nature that lives inside each of us is NOT “Try Harder.” The answer is Jesus Christ and His grace and forgiveness.
This is why the apostle John also said, “If WE say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” He went on to say, “but if anyone sins WE have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
Folks are not free to an intentionally sinful lifestyle; that is evidence that they are not elect. Yet, they are foolish if they don’t recognize the contaminating effects that their sinful human nature has on their lives even after their salvation. Residing in their flesh it can rear its ugly head at any moment.
We aren’t clean because we personally decide to do everything right.
We are always and forever clean because of the gracious sacrificial blood of our Lord Jesus.
Those who wish to make it on their own power are free to try. As for me, I willingly admit my absolute need for the crutch God has provided me.
Folks are not free to an intentionally sinful lifestyle; that is evidence that they are not elect. Yet, they are foolish if they don’t recognize the contaminating effects that their sinful human nature has on their lives even after their salvation. Residing in their flesh it can rear its ugly head at any moment.
This implies they have a choice. I believe the Calvinist view is they don't. Or is that only the elect have free will?
As for me, I willingly admit my absolute need for the crutch God has provided me.
Amen! But again that implies you can make choices.
We are always and forever clean because of the gracious sacrificial blood of our Lord Jesus.
Amen.
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." -- Romans 5:8
We are born sinning and we will die sinning. But by the inward work of the Holy Spirit as He sanctifies our lives, we will sin less and less until the end when we will be judged by His righteousness and obedience, and not our own.