Brennon's Thoughts: Verses All Arminians Should Know Part 5

Brennon has posted a great list of scriptures that support Arminianism. I'm not certain that they support the Arminian position. Rather than try to responding to them all at once, I will break them down into several posts based on how the list is presented.This topic interests me because I really wanna know what the Bible says. Here is part 5 regarding the idea that Bible teaches that humans have libertarian free will.
Verses that show man has libertarian free will

• Free will offering verses
• Exodus 35:29; 36:3 
• Leviticus 7:16; 22:18, 21, 23; 23:38 
• Numbers 15:3; 29:39

• Deuteronomy 12:6, 17; 16:10
• 2 Chronicles 31:14; 35:8
• Ezra 1:4, 6; 3:5; 7:16; 8:28
• Psalm 119:108
• Ezekiel 46:12
• Amos 4:5

I don't see how any of the scriptures above teaches Libertarian Free will. I don't think most Calvinists deny that people have a will of their own. I think the problem is that our will does not  trump God's will.

• Isaiah 1:19-20 - Can choose to be obedient or rebel.

 ¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,
       you will eat the best from the land;
 ²⁰ but if you resist and rebel,
       you will be devoured by the sword."
       For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

 Again...the passage does not say that we can choose to willing on our own.  It tells us what happens when we become willing aand what happens if we continue resisting and rebelling.

• Ezekiel 33:11 - Have the ability to choose from different options.

 ¹¹ Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?'

God in his sovereignty give us the options we have.  This does not contradict the scriptures that cover our depravity and inability to come to God on our own. It is more about the alternatives that ever human being will be experiencing. It does not suggest to me that you have the ability to make up your own mind to change.

• Luke 7:30 - Pharisees rejected what God wanted for them.

 ³⁰But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

As well as other scriptures point to that God does not want to destroy us. However I don't think this means that God's will can be frustrated. How can he be sovereign if he can decree something and it does not happen? He can't. 

• John 7:17 - A person must want to do what God is giving them the grace to do. This verse shows that God allows things He doesn't want to happen.

¹⁷If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.

I have to look at this in contest of John 7 and 8. In that contest you can't choose to do God' will unless the father draws you.

• 1 Corinthians 7:37 - Power over own will--not necessitated--that's the definition of LFW.

 ³⁷But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing.

 Again, i don't think anyone would argue that God never allows you to make decisions without his influence,  He does. That's how we sin. I just have a problem with assuming that God cannot or does not supersede human will or opinion when He wants to because He clearly does that in scripture.

• 1 Corinthians 10:13

 ¹³No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

 This example verse speaks against the idea of God not influencing our thinking or will. If God is going to prevent you from being tempted beyond what you can say "No" to, then that means he has to manipulating events around you and quite possibly what you want to do.



I've got to admit. that unless God moves on your heart and changes your obstinate and stubborn heart that loves your sin, you will never get saved. Hell-bound rebellious sinner is the default state for everyone. We are slaves to sin without any hope of being free if God does not help us.

Brennon's Thoughts: Verses All Arminians Should Know