[Christian_Capitalist]

What Is Free Will? In a nutshell, as I understand it, it would be the ability of the individual to to choose to follow or reject God; to obey or disobey at the discretion of the individual, without being forced or compelled to.

Oh. Well, if that's your definition of Free Will, Calvinists don't deny that.

Rather, Calvinists state that since the Fall, Unregenerate Men (which is all of us, prior to God's regeneration of our dead spirits) freely choose to Reject God, because that is what Unregenerate, Spiritually-dead Men want to do.

What would be heretical would be the suggestion that any Unregenerate Man would ever freely choose to Follow God while yet in their Spiritually-Dead condition; because the Bible clearly states that while a man is yet Spiritually-Dead his desires are Totally Depraved:

• "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it" (Jer. 17:9).
• "The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Gen 8:21).
• "The heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil" (Eccl. 8:11)."The heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live" (Ecc. 9:3).
• "Out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these things come from within, and defile the man" (Mk. 7:21-23).

And so, while yet in his Spiritually-Dead state, the Unregenerate Man will always freely choose to Reject God. This is the express teaching of the Bible:

• "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil" (Jer. 13:23).
• "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." (Rom. 8:7-8)

To suggest, therefore, that Men will freely choose to Follow God while yet in their Unregenerate State, is to preach the lie of Satan: that Fallen Men are not really Spiritually Dead, and will still sometimes freely choose to perform God-Pleasing actions. "Ye shall not surely die".

Thus, we as Calvinists understand that Men only freely choose to Follow God, after they have been Quickened unto Spiritual Life by the Efficacious Grace of God.

• "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. (John 5:21)"
• "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (Eph. 2:5)"
• "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Col. 2:13)"

Calvinists do not deny Free Will.

Rather, we simply affirm that Fallen Man REALLY IS Spiritually Dead. And that while a Fallen Man remains Unregenerate, he will always freely choose to Reject God, because that is what he Naturally wants to do.

Thus, only those whom God chooses to Regenerate unto Spiritual Life, do thence freely choose to Follow Him.

[metmom]

Acts 17: 24-27 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

I realize that my position is not far off from Calvinism, yet I remain convinced that in the end, for all the calling, drawing, enlightening, and pressure God brings to bear on men to give them an opportunity and reason to follow Him, that He leaves the final decision to the man.

Yes, it is God's will that all come to repentance, but I still find plenty of Scriptural support that God gives us the choice.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

[metmom]

I see what you’re saying. However, I think that God gives everyone the opportunity and the ability, through a removal of the blindness that Satan has put on them, the chance to repent and then gain eternal life, to become spiritually alive.

The order is different. They are enlightened, given the chance to choose, and then either granted eternal life or not based on that choice.

[RnMomof7]

Thanks, I think that you said it well.. we can not freely choose God until His grace has enabled us to ... Our salvation is all the grace of God, from beginning to end