An Article on free will

27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

Jesus is referring to Himself as the food that endures to eternal life. The point is that they were more concerned about eating than Him. This isn't saying you should work to eat the flesh of Jesus.

Again, just because they asked, 28 “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

Doesn't mean you can translate verse as 29 Jesus answered, “The work God requires is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Jesus answered correctly. It's the work of God to believe in the one he has sent.
 
27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

Jesus is referring to Himself as the food that endures to eternal life. The point is that they were more concerned about eating than Him. This isn't saying you should work to eat the flesh of Jesus.

Again, just because they asked, 28 “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

Doesn't mean you can translate verse as 29 Jesus answered, “The work God requires is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Jesus answered correctly. It's the work of God to believe in the one he has sent.
"This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

Not that God believes for you. That ye believe. That is pure and unadulterated Synergism.
 
Why is it that you keep running away and subtracting verse 27???

Do you think readers don't notice you're insistently doing this when you've been told clearly what it states or at least I've shown this to other Calvinists on here.

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, Jn 5:27


Don't tell us Tom is adding anything here.....You and your fellow Calvinists are subtracting from the passage and the text here clear and simple. There's no reason for you to cut off 27 and just report 28 and 29. I think logic must dictate that you just don't want the verse which qualifies everything even spoken of.

They were told by Jesus not to labor for one thing....but THEY were to labor for something else....THEY WERE. So I encourage you not to blatantly and willfully seek to change that, or at least READERS be aware of what they're seeking to do. As the saying goes it's seeking to pull the wool over your eyes.
verse 27 and verse 28 and verse 30

In verse 27 Jesus tells them they must do something

In verse 28 the phrase works of God is defined as that which God would have them to do

In verse 30 the Jews show they understand it was their responsibility to believe

Only by isolating verse 29 from its context and assuming a meaning of the phrase "work of God" which is to their liking can they support their doctrine
 
"This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

Not that God believes for you. That ye believe. That is pure and unadulterated Synergism.

Nobody thinks or says God believes for you. It is the work of God to ENABLE you to believe.

John 6:65
He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
 
Nobody thinks or says God believes for you. It is the work of God to ENABLE you to believe.
You need to go back and see what some of your fellow Calvinists are saying, Here's a statement by one,

"The word of Salvation informs the saved they are saved, duh."

So they have them saved before they believe anything! Even before they know anything of the gospel. Well if they're saved before they know anything somebody had to do their believing for them!
 
You need to go back and see what some of your fellow Calvinists are saying, Here's a statement by one,

"The word of Salvation informs the saved they are saved, duh."

So they have them saved before they believe anything! Even before they know anything of the gospel. Well if they're saved before they know anything somebody had to do their believing for them!

I don't know how you managed to get "God believes for them" from that. Maybe I need a little LSD to catch up to your way of thinking.

Even if you can find someone crazy enough to claim God believes for them, that doesn't change the fact that the work of God is to enable one to believe.

"This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

John 6:65
He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
 
Nobody thinks or says God believes for you. It is the work of God to ENABLE you to believe.
Are you therefore first of all willing to admit that when Jesus told them, (I'll say it again) told THEM that THEY had to do a certain work in Jn 6:27 that it truly meant them?

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, Jn 5:27

Just so you know by doing so you'll be breaking ranks with two other Calvinists here on this board....so what say you?
 
I don't know how you managed to get "God believes for them" from that.
What do you mean you can't see how one would get God believes for them from that? ("The word of Salvation informs the saved they are saved, duh.")

If all the gospel is, is merely an informing thing and they were saved prior to hearing the gospel SOMEONE had to do their believing for them.

Maybe I need a little LSD to catch up to your way of thinking.
Maybe you need to get off your high horse and just tell your fellow Calvinists they've made a serious mistake.

 
Nobody thinks or says God believes for you. It is the work of God to ENABLE you to believe.

John 6:65
He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
God enables us in everyway imaginable including enabling us to think, but we are the ones who do the thinking. Same thing for believing and having faith. Paul goes so far as to coin the phrase "work of faith" that aligns with the fact that faith without works is dead.
 
It’s strange how they cannot see believe is the condition

It's strange how you think you can change "This is the work of God" to "this is the work God requires". No, it's not so strange. You'd have to give up your illusion of getting saved by your free will choice to "believe", sacrificing a modicum of credit for your own salvation. (As if anyone "believes" anything by their free will choice.)

I believe 2+2=4. You know why? Some teacher probably showed me 2 apples here and 2 apples there, and when she put them together, it amounted to 4. I didn't choose to believe 2+2=4, I simply saw the truth of it.
 
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It's strange how you think you can change "This is the work of God" to "this is the work God requires". No, it's not so strange. You'd have to give up your illusion of getting saved by your free will choice to "believe", sacrificing a modicum of credit for your own salvation. (As if anyone "believes" anything by their free will choice.)
"This is the work of God" is an emphatic statement that is manifested/actioned by our belief on Him. Basic English Comprehension 101.
I believe 2+2=4. You know why? Some teacher probably showed me 2 apples here and 2 apples there, and when she put them together, it amounted to 4. I didn't choose to believe 2+2=4, I simply saw the truth of it.
You're mixing up empirical beliefs with moral/spiritual beliefs. Not everyone willingly believes in morality/spirituality. Your example fails miserably.
 
I don't know how you managed to get "God believes for them" from that. Maybe I need a little LSD to catch up to your way of thinking.

Even if you can find someone crazy enough to claim God believes for them, that doesn't change the fact that the work of God is to enable one to believe.

"This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

John 6:65
He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
And how does God enable them?

He brings them revelation, without which they cannot believe

John 6:45 (NASB 2020) — 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.

Romans 10:14–17 (NASB 2020) — 14 How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? 15 But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” 16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
 
Try quoting what I actually said instead of assuming it

Get this straight, you issue a Like of TomL's post, so you convey your agreement with TomL's writing; therefore, you assume TomL's writing as your own writing.

Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

Free-will is a conjured concept of the traditions of men (Matthew 15:9).

In Truth (John 14:6), the Almighty God is Sovereign (Genesis 1:1) in the affairs of man (Daniel 4:34-35)! PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!!!
 
Same repeat nonsense ignoring the facts extolled multiple times

Christs choice was of his apostles

His disciples were given to him by the Father.

John 17:6–12 (NASB 2020) — 6 “I have revealed Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have followed Your word.

From them he chose 12 to be apostles

Luke 6:13–16 (ESV) — 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

John 6:70 (ESV) — 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.”

clearly Christ chose his apostles

and even Calvinist commentators rebuke your view

Ye have not chosen me. The word here translated chosen is that from which is derived the word elect, and means the same thing. It is frequently thus translated, Mar. 13:20; Mat. 24:22, 24, 31; Col. 3:12. It refers here, doubtless, to his choosing or electing them to be apostles. He says that it was not because they had chosen him to be their teacher and guide, but because he had designated them to be his apostles. See Jn. 6:70; also Mat. 4:18–22.11 Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: Luke & John (ed. Robert Frew; London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 341.

But I chose you (ἀλλʼ ἐγω ἐξελεξαμην ὑμας [all’ egō exelexamēn humas]). First aorist middle indicative of ἐκλεγω [eklegō]. See this same verb and tense used for the choice of the disciples by Christ (6:70; 13:18; 15:19). Jesus recognizes his own responsibility in the choice after a night of prayer (Luke 6:13

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Jn 15:16.

Notice the reference to Luke 6:13

13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:


True, the subject now in hand is not the ordinary election of believers, by which they are adopted to be the children of God, but that special election, by which he set apart his disciples to the office of preaching the Gospel

John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on the Gospel according to John (vol. 2; Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 119.

hello even Calvin

consider the various choices here in the wedding feast

Matthew 22:1–14 (ESV) — 1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Think of how many times passages like John 15:16 (“You did not choose me; I chose you…”) are used as proof texts for the Calvinistic belief of individual election to salvation when clearly Jesus is speaking to His servants who are being prepared to take the invitation to the rest of the world. They are using Divine Choice #1 as proof for their belief about Divine Choice #3.

Divine Choice #1: The choice of His servants, who were given the task of sending out the invitation.

Divine Choice #2: The choice to send the invitation first to His own and then to all others.

Divine Choice #3: The choice to allow only those clothed in proper wedding garments to enter the feast.

Yiu simply lump them all together assuming there is bit one cholicef

In John 15:16 we have the choice of the apostles

Your position suffers from the following defects

Christ is never stated as having chosen all his disciples. They were given to him by the father
Christ is stated to have chosen the 12 out of his disciples who were given by the Father
One who Christ chose was not saved
Matthiasus is never stated to have been chosen by Christ

you are reading your theology into the passage and assuming every choice refers to unconditional salvation

yet there is not a single passage in the bible that actually mentions unconditional election to salvation

Further we know God chooses to save those that believe

1 Corinthians 1:21 (ESV) — 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

That is his choice, and it does not support your belief in unconditional election.

You have the audacity to apply your heart's thoughts of "repeat nonsense" to the Holy Word of God "you did not choose Me, but I chose you" (John 15:16) and "I chose you out of the world" (John 15:19, includes salvation).

No Christian commits the heinous sin of calling the Word of God "repeat nonsense" and "garbage"!

You contradict the Christ with your "Christ is never stated as having chosen all his disciples" for the Christ says "you did not choose Me, but I chose you" (John 15:16) as well as "I chose you out of the world" (John 15:19), includes salvation) as well as "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29) as well as *]"What I say to you I say to all" (Mark 13:37 - Jesus had taken the Apostles Peter, Andrew, James, and John aside in private and said this - relationship verse John 15:20), so all the wonderful blessings of the Word of God mentioned above are to all Christians, every disciple of Christ, in all time. The Word of God is marvelous!

You propounded "Matthiasus is never stated to have been chosen by Christ" respecting John 15:16-20, so in your self-will (2 Peter 2:9-10) you reviled these angelic majesties by effectively labeling the Apostles as deceivers with your "Nothing mentioned about Joseph and Matthias being in the audience on that ocassion" as recorded in post #645 of which your thoughts there daringly contradict angelic majesties testimony of the Apostle Peter "men who have accompanied us all the time" (Acts 1:21) while Peter was with all the Apostles.

Joseph and Matthias were with Lord Jesus when He says "you did not choose Me, but I chose you" (John 15:16) and "I chose you out of the world" (John 15:19, includes salvation).

So, you call the Apostles all liars because all the remaining Apostles were witnesses to the Apostle Peter when Peter said:

Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us - beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us - one of these [must] become a witness with us of His resurrection.' So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias.
(Acts 1:21-23)
In the upper room occupied by Jesus' disciples who put forward Matthias and Joseph were Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James (Acts 1:13), and these disciples recognized Matthias and Joseph as disciples that were with them from the beginning, and not a single disciple contradicted Peter's prounouncement of "men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us - beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us".

Thus, Matthias and Joseph are at least two more people beyond the Apostles for a minimum total of 13 disciples who are specifically identified at the supper covered in John chapters 13-17; therefore, Lord Jesus Christ's "you" in John 15:16 and John 15:19 extends well beyond the Apostles, in Truth (John 14:6)!

Christ uses "you" to indicate all Christians in all time are chosen by God alone unto salvation as well as to bring the message of Christ's salvation to the world when King Jesus majestically decrees "you did not choose Me, but I chose you" (John 15:16) and "I chose you out of the world" (John 15:19, includes salvation). Your evasion of the King's decree is a terror.

You answered "Yes" to the question of "Do you think you are a friend of Jesus, @TomL?" as recorded in post #576, so you, @TomL, reveal your confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33) as you assert that in John 15:15-16, as shown below, that Jesus' first two "you" occurrences apply to you, @TomL personally, but that Jesus' second two "you" occurrences apply "exclusively to the apostles":

I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you
(Lord Jesus Christ, John 15:15-16).

Your heart's treasure results in "I have called you including that guy 2, 000 years from now named TomL friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You apostles here now did not choose Me but I chose only you apostles" (the self-contradictory word of TomL).

Regarding the "believe" recorded in John 3:16, the Christ of us Christians lovingly declares “This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He has sent” (John 6:29) in response to the people who asked Jesus “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God” (John 6:28); therefore, man does not work faith/belief inside of man thus causing man to believe in Lord Jesus, but God does work faith/belief inside of man thus causing man to believe in Lord Jesus (John 6:28-29).

Lord Jesus eliminates “the works of man” (John 6:28) entirely from the equation with His Powerful response “This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He has sent” (John 6:29), and the Apostle Paul is in accord with Jesus saying that God controls faith/belief unto salvation inside of man with absolutely no input by man:

by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast, for we are His work
(Ephesians 2:8-10).

You apply the concept of "garbage" to the very Word of God quoted above as recorded in post #1,116, and no Christian calls the word of God "garbage".

Your heart makes false statements about God. Free-will is a conjured concept of the traditions of men (Matthew 15:9).

In Truth (John 14:6), the Almighty God is Sovereign (Genesis 1:1) in the affairs of man (Daniel 4:34-35)! PRAISE BE TO MY LIVING SAVIOR, JESUS THE LORD!!!
 
Get this straight, you issue a Like of TomL's post, so you convey your agreement with TomL's writing; therefore, you assume TomL's writing as your own writing.

Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

Free-will is a conjured concept of the traditions of men (Matthew 15:9).

In Truth (John 14:6), the Almighty God is Sovereign (Genesis 1:1) in the affairs of man (Daniel 4:34-35)! PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!!!
I like allot of many peoples posts on the forum and just because I like someone's post doesn't mean I agree with every single word or sentence. I usually say ditto or Amen when I do.

And btw we are not here to discuss other posters its against the rules we are here to discuss scripture and defend our believes when they are opposed or questioned by others.

Fantastic verses above. Not your interpretation or assumptions(comments) about them. :)

hope this helps !!!
 
Get this straight, you issue a Like of TomL's post, so you convey your agreement with TomL's writing; therefore, you assume TomL's writing as your own writing.

Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

Free-will is a conjured concept of the traditions of men (Matthew 15:9).

In Truth (John 14:6), the Almighty God is Sovereign (Genesis 1:1) in the affairs of man (Daniel 4:34-35)! PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!!!
Of course we are not totally free to do as we will. I cannot fly like the birds just because I will it. Nevertheless, that fact does not dismiss the fact that we are volitional creatures by nature. I rebuked many of your volitional fallacies in the following post:

 
You have the audacity to apply your heart's thoughts of "repeat nonsense" to the Holy Word of God "you did not choose Me, but I chose you" (John 15:16) and "I chose you out of the world" (John 15:19, includes salvation).

No Christian commits the heinous sin of calling the Word of God "repeat nonsense" and "garbage"!

You contradict the Christ with your "Christ is never stated as having chosen all his disciples" for the Christ says "you did not choose Me, but I chose you" (John 15:16) as well as "I chose you out of the world" (John 15:19), includes salvation) as well as "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29) as well as *]"What I say to you I say to all" (Mark 13:37 - Jesus had taken the Apostles Peter, Andrew, James, and John aside in private and said this - relationship verse John 15:20), so all the wonderful blessings of the Word of God mentioned above are to all Christians, every disciple of Christ, in all time. The Word of God is marvelous!

You propounded "Matthiasus is never stated to have been chosen by Christ" respecting John 15:16-20, so in your self-will (2 Peter 2:9-10) you reviled these angelic majesties by effectively labeling the Apostles as deceivers with your "Nothing mentioned about Joseph and Matthias being in the audience on that ocassion" as recorded in post #645 of which your thoughts there daringly contradict angelic majesties testimony of the Apostle Peter "men who have accompanied us all the time" (Acts 1:21) while Peter was with all the Apostles.

Joseph and Matthias were with Lord Jesus when He says "you did not choose Me, but I chose you" (John 15:16) and "I chose you out of the world" (John 15:19, includes salvation).

So, you call the Apostles all liars because all the remaining Apostles were witnesses to the Apostle Peter when Peter said:
Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us - beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us - one of these [must] become a witness with us of His resurrection.' So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias.
(Acts 1:21-23)​
In the upper room occupied by Jesus' disciples who put forward Matthias and Joseph were Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James (Acts 1:13), and these disciples recognized Matthias and Joseph as disciples that were with them from the beginning, and not a single disciple contradicted Peter's prounouncement of "men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us - beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us".

Thus, Matthias and Joseph are at least two more people beyond the Apostles for a minimum total of 13 disciples who are specifically identified at the supper covered in John chapters 13-17; therefore, Lord Jesus Christ's "you" in John 15:16 and John 15:19 extends well beyond the Apostles, in Truth (John 14:6)!

Christ uses "you" to indicate all Christians in all time are chosen by God alone unto salvation as well as to bring the message of Christ's salvation to the world when King Jesus majestically decrees "you did not choose Me, but I chose you" (John 15:16) and "I chose you out of the world" (John 15:19, includes salvation). Your evasion of the King's decree is a terror.

You answered "Yes" to the question of "Do you think you are a friend of Jesus, @TomL?" as recorded in post #576, so you, @TomL, reveal your confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33) as you assert that in John 15:15-16, as shown below, that Jesus' first two "you" occurrences apply to you, @TomL personally, but that Jesus' second two "you" occurrences apply "exclusively to the apostles":
I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you
(Lord Jesus Christ, John 15:15-16).​

Your heart's treasure results in "I have called you including that guy 2, 000 years from now named TomL friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You apostles here now did not choose Me but I chose only you apostles" (the self-contradictory word of TomL).
Would it be ok if we did focus in a verse that does explicitly speak about election unto salvation?

(2 Th 2:13) But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brothers beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth,

We are elected by God unto salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Did you catch what I underlined? Your monergism just crashed and burned.
 
Would it be ok if we did focus in a verse that does explicitly speak about election unto salvation?

(2 Th 2:13) But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brothers beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth,

We are elected by God unto salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Did you catch what I underlined? Your monergism just crashed and burned.
they overlook belief all of the time in the sequence of salvation- it always precedes life throughout both testaments. the order always remains that faith always precedes salvation, regeneration, new birth, eternal life, justification, righteousness etc...... faith is always the prerequisite and condition God requires of man.
 
It's strange how you think you can change "This is the work of God" to "this is the work God requires".

It is strange that many want to change what Christ said. You included.

I believe 2+2=4. You know why? Some teacher probably showed me 2 apples here and 2 apples there, and when she put them together, it amounted to 4. I didn't choose to believe 2+2=4, I simply saw the truth of it.

There is no meaningful difference in you comparison. Seeing something as being true is equal to choosing the believe it to be true.

You're just claiming self serving claims of enlightenment.
 
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