Joe may say, "I exercised my free will to accept Christ, but Jim did not."?

Question

All Christians agree that we are saved by grace apart from works. How then is the exercising of one's free will NOT a good work which provides grounds for boasting?

Answer 1

I think this is one of the big problems Arminians have concerning salvation. Yes, clap for Joe, oops, clap for God even though it was Joe who initiated his salvation and God followed Joe's will with a debt of gratitude. After all, who did the begging and pleading for Joe to come to him? He may as well have clapped for Joe, too. And what of the person who led Joe to Christ? Yayyy, they got him to do the repenting/accepting, oops, clap for God, 'cause he helped somehow.

If grace follows faith, then salvation becomes quite an accomplishment for us. A reward of eternity in heaven for the choice that we made, is something to be extremely proud of. It turns an on-your-knees response into "hey God -- Thenkyewww" as we pat ourselves on the back for our accomplishment. Congratulations all around, clap for Joe's baptism too, as he makes his statement of faith and as he works out his salvation in fear and trembling, only because he doesn't trust God to hold him in the palm of his hand. Maybe he needs the applause after all to help him in his walk.

Answer 2

there is no grounds for boasting. I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and do his will. I think if someone wants to make it know to the world or gives a speech is boasting what they have done, free will is the choice we make and if we make in Christ it's a good choice.

Answer 3

First you must hear the word of God in your lifetime for the seed to be sown . Romans 10:17 " So then faith commeth by hearing , hearing by the word of God ". John 6:44 " No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up on the last day ". Also John 6:65 ,John 14:6

Answer 4

More to the point, Jim exercised his free will to reject Christ. It is never passive. Each person in hell made the conscious descision to reject Jesus Christ and His claims to be the only Savior and only God.

Answer 5

Any act or work of "obedience" on man's part cannot save him to eternal life. His acts of obedience save him from the wrath of a dishonored Father. The problem is that God's people don't realize that every time the words "save, saved, salvation & etc" are written in God's word, it doesn't mean eternal life salvation; Peter's cry while sinking, save me lest I perish, is a good example. Back to acts of obedience for eternal life salvation; Romans 5:19-21, tells us that by one man, Adam's, DISOBEDIENCE, many were made sinners. Now, this act did cause all of mankind to fall but it continues on to say, "so by the OBEDIENCE of one shall many be made righteous". This is the obedience of Christ, one man, and His obedience made "righteous" the very same "many" that fell thru Adam's disobedience. In fact, it says, "grace did much more abound::: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life BY Jesus Christ our Lord". The belief, of too many of God's children, is that by the OBEDIENCE of MANY shall many be made righteous. This conflicts with God's word. By our obedience, we are saved from error, among so many other things but our service to God is because of what He HAS DONE FOR US and not inorder to get Him to do something for us. Wouldn't you rather your children obey you for the same reason?

Answer 6

this kind of free will is merely a submission to ignorance.
A real choice should be placed in light of the factual and the actual . So that one is not chosing to be deluded . Stick with real and tangible choices that can make sense.

Answer 7

John 1:12-13, "But as many as received him, to them gave he POWER to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name::::Which WERE BORN, not of blood, NOR OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD". These "believers" were given "power" to become "SONS" of God. This power is the Holy Spirit; "have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed". This Holy Spirit is the believers Comforter and teacher; John 14:26, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, HE SHALL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you". Have you ever had a question arise and almost immediately, the answer comes to you from God's word"? The answer came from the Holy Spirit. These newborn believers are babes in Christ, but the power of the Holy Spirit's teaching can bring spiritual growth and transform them from babes, who need only the milk in the word, into children, then Sons and finally Men of God, who are "throughly furnished unto all good works"; 2Tim 3:17. Now, remember John 1:12-13, told us that these newborn believers were not born OF THE WILL OF MAN, but OF GOD. Colossians 2:18-23, "Let no man beguile you of your reward in a VOLUNTARY humility and worshipping of angels, ...vainly puffed up by his FLESHLY mind...increaseth with the increase OF GOD. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, ...after the commandments and doctrines OF MEN? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom IN WILL WORSHIP, and humility, and neglecting of the body; NOT IN ANY HONOUR TO THE SATISFYING OF THE FLESH". "Voluntary" humility is the same as willful humility. Worshipping of angels; angels is #32 in Strong's exhaustive concordance and means a messenger or pastor. They look to man to save them and give man the Glory which belongs to God alone.

Answer 8

God has given us free will and we are free to act on his moral impulses and desires but we are not free to act contrary to them. The exercise of free will should be on our own moral impulses as God wants us to live. Jim’s way is his own free will and he will be accountable for his acts.

Answer 9

no boasting is good.i,personally believe in God,but not jesus .we are all his chlidren to me,no one man....................jesus