Response to a Response to myself.

For those who have absolutely NO idea what on earth I'm about to talk about, please go here: www.homeschoolblogger.com/christinie and read her latest two entries. Thank you. :)

Christine, here is my response.
You make a good debate argument, and are certainly digging deeper into the discussion of free will. I shall happily continue with my point. (Please forgive spelling errors. I hate to make excuses, but I am still under pain medication from my wisdom teeth removal.)

"When I said "allow" it meant that, if we don't ask the Holy Spirit to do something, He most likely won't do it. So in a way we are not "allowing" the Spirit to work.

You ask where or when are we ever in control? It’s not really a control issue here…it’s a choice God has made, to give us a choice, and then He responds accordingly, in a predetermined way."

If we believe in a Sovereign God, then there is absolutely no need for us to "allow" or "ask" Him to do anything. I believe that God has in mind every single "decision" He "allows" us to make, because He decided to have us decide it ourselves. It's complicated... Let me explain.

In God's plan, He has everything worked out. From the time of Creation, to the time of Redemption. Everything that has happened since the Beginning has all been His doing. He knew that Adam and Eve were going to sin; He knew that Judas would betray His Son; He knew that I was going to rebel against Him at age 14, and return again. He knows every decision I will make in my life, He has named my hours, and He has already formed my future to its perfect state. (And I mean "perfect" in a sense that it is formed by God, therefore, it is "perfect" for me.) So, perhaps it is more God allowing US to have the free will to make our own decisions to help us grow and to learn. But He already knows the outcome of everything. Make sense? Sort of like He gives us the question, we answer, but He already knows our answer and already has a response.

I did not say that we were ever in control of God. No doubt we are never in total control of anything, much less our own lives. So I certainly disagree with this statement: "I am not saying that the Spirit CAN NOT work if we don't "allow" Him, but He most likely won't." How in the world does that work? If that were true, then it would be completely up to us for everything. If we sin and rebel, then we certainly aren't "allowing" Him to do anything, are we? If it were totally up to us to decide if/when to ever return to Him, it could never happen. If God's got everything totally under control, then He's working inside of us even during that rebellious time, and He's slowly bringing us back.

And it's the same situation with unbelievers. They have absolutely no power whatsoever to "allow" God to do anything. A lot of them have never even heard Christ's name spoken before, or if they have, some are certainly not asking Him into their hearts right away. They have no way to "ask" Him to work inside of them. They are completely independent on themselves. Does that mean He "most likely won't" work inside of them anyway? If that were true, none of us would most likely be believers today.

"Do you disagree with me when I said that you don't see many miracles in America, but that they're happening all the time where the gospel is going forth? Many miracles are happening in the USA, but not like they were in the New Testament, and not like they are where the gospel is going forth today."

Again, I have to disagree with you. The gospel is most certainly being spread throughout America, and I can tell you right now I've seen Him work firsthand in my family, and in my church. Very true, you don't see people rise from the dead; you don't see people miraculously recovered overnight too often. But that doesn't mean that God isn't working in America, simply because there aren't enough hearts "asking" Him too. And I don't know where you got the idea that very many miracles DON'T happen in the USA, because you yourself have proclaimed many miracles the Lord has performed in yours and your family's lives. There are a lot of Christians out there, and God has worked in every single one of them. Miracles happen every day - they just aren't quite as magnificent as they were in the Bible.

"Of course I am of the opinion that our main purpose in life, after glorifying God, is to "go and make disciples." I have a feeling that you are Presbyterian, and I know that some Presbyterians don't believe that we have to "make disciples" because some people are "chosen," and once you're saved, you're always saved (even if you murder someone and never repent) (I AM NOT saying that you believe that! I'm just speaking about the beliefs of Presbyterian I have heard speak)."

You went wayyy off topic here, I think. ;) You're right, I'm Presby, but what you posted here is something I think should be reserved for another convo... perhaps the one on Mrs. T's blog. And I am perfectly ready to defend my faith there if you should so wish to debate with me again.

So to wrap up my point, I believe that when it comes to free will, it is not about what WE do, but what God decides to place in our lives, and how we respond to it. He'll act in whatever way He sees fit, and while we are our own person, He is continually working in us, and is in total control, day in and day out.

Hope this all makes sense, and I'll continue further if you wish to keep discussing this. :)

Emma

P.S. The only reason I posted as Anonymous in the first place, is because some people seem to get offended whenever I post, and then get intimidated and back away, and then it never gets resolved. And then some have their ears too full with past arguments with me that there isn't enough room for my words from today to pass through. But since you opened the doors to my identity, I entered. :)