we have free will. But, our free will are limited in GOD's absolute decision and plan. It's really a difficult, yet interesting topics to be talked about.GBU

To all my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, first of all i would like to apologize,if the word or parable that i use on my latest posting are confusing and really unacceptable. I hope you all will forgive me for the wrong thing i have done.

"Each person remains responsible for the life and choices they make."

I really agree with the quote from Raphu.

For Heidi, the verses are(if i'm not wrong) Psalm 139 : 13
"for Thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb."

I will give a few verses about predestination, please judge it by yourself.
Romans 9 : 10-13
" And not only this;but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth;) it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have Iloved, but Esau have I hated.

Romans 9 : 15
" I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion"

Romans 9 : 18
" Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will he hardeneth"

Romans 9 : 20-24
" Nay, but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory, even us,whom He hath called..."
     
I Peter 2 :8
" And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient:whereunto also they were appointed"
GBU allways.

sorry if i made some misunderstanding justme. what i mean with "GOD loves you all" are refer to you and all fellow friends in Jesus Christ, whom i believe are the "chosen people" of GOD. HIS love for us (HIS children) are exclusive and private. Yes, HE also love all people in the world (this time i mean alllllll the people that includes the people outside christianity) but, it's better that we call it generosity. GOD gives rain to everybody in the world, doesnt matter if you are some saints or the most crooked man in the world. But, the gift of salvation are only to a few people. please correct me, if i have any thought that against the Bible. and by the way, i fell that  our discussions has change from sin to predestination.GBU

Thank you Heidi for your explanation. if Jesus Christ had died for the sin of the world, then why does HE still needs our willing to receive HIM as our Saviour? if it's right then HIS death will be a half success and half failure, because only people who willing to receive Jesus Christ as HIS Saviour will be saved. So it goes this way, Jesus Christ had died for your sin( it makes you clean), but you don't wanna receive HIM as your Saviour, so you remain unsaved. Aren't this a vanity? Sorry if my word are little rude. If Jesus Christ had died only for HIS chosen people, than HIS death is 100 % success,because HE will draw all HIS chosen people (by HOLY SPIRIT calls) to receive HIM in faith as their GOD and Saviour.
GOD loves you all.

thank you sojourner for your explanation. but i don't agree the quote "The resurrection and salvation is for all men" i believe that only chosen people of GOD will get salvation. i know that this things will remain unanswered till we all enter to Heaven. So let's focus our attention not on our disagree but to the things that we all have faith on it, that is we worship Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord. love in Christ.

same as samson, does it means that in heaven we won't have free will anymore? i mean a long-long time ago in eternity the sin can exist through lucifer (who are perfect, even become GOD's no.1 angel) why it's impossible for sin to occur again? I don't mean to make any controversy. i myself believe that only by GOD's grace we can be saved. i believe by HIS incredible work through HOLY SPIRIT i can be made more perfect day each day, until we all as HIS children will be gathered in Heaven with HIM. i just wanted to know how to give some explanation, if somebody(outside christianity) ask the same question. it's all about apologetics.

as we all already know the first sin are committed by lucifer on the kingdom of Heaven. Do you think it's possible that someday in the eternity( if we all already been gathered in Heaven) the sin may occur again?

Personally, i like christian rock music. But in general i like many music genre : jazz, instrumental, classical choir, as long as it's christian music. And i also prefer the one with that has bass accompany playing in it. i come from Indonesia, in my country there are many christian music band. If you ever heard about GMB (Giving My Best), they are my favourite indonesian christian music band. Beside that i also like to hear music from hillsongs australia.

i think everybody has his own music "appetite", but it's not a problem if it's dedicated only for the name of Jesus Christ, The KING of kings and the LORD of all.

Helo alice, i'm new to this community, but i want to share my faith with you. I know what you think, that christianity it's just a bunch of hypocrisy. But do you know, that Jesus Christ also hate false religion/hypocrisy? HE come to this earth not to proclaim a new religion, because he know that religion can't saved people. That's why many religious leader at Jesus timeline very hate HIM, because HE blow out their evil cover/their hypocrisy. Many people thinks that only by their good deed they can go to heaven. But we all know that only by faith in Jesus Christ we all can be saved. Jesus Christ doesn't demand you to fullfill some religious tradition, HE want you to know that HE really loves you, and hope that you will love HIM too. When you loves someone, you don't feel any burden in every thing  you done for him. Jesus Christ has given all that HE have for us, because of HIS love. I hope you don't see the christianity as a religion, but as an identity of the people who accept Jesus Christ love, and dedicate his/her entire life for Jesus Christ(because they have fallen in love with HIM too). We all love you, and hope that someday we will meet you again in Heaven, where we'll praising and worshipping GOD together & forever in the atmosphere of our FATHER'S love.

Ephesians 2:8

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"

shallom all my bro and sis in Christ. Thank you very much for your loving greetings. it's wonderful to have many friends to share our Faith in Christ. May GOD bless you all.

Love in Christ,
me

hello, judge not, thank God i'm still safe till this day. In case you don't know, indonesia are also ready to elect new president this day, and the campaign already started a few days ago. I can only pray the next leaders are better than before. When you see people on the big city you can say that indonesia are just fine. But when you take a look on the small city(in indonesia we call it daerah kecil), you can see the hatred for christianity(little example: you're building Church, next day the native villager trying to stop it. So it isn't strange that you can build mosque wherever you want it, but you can't build church easily). it's sad however to see my fellow moslem brothers so desperately trying to go to heaven(even if it can only be accomplished by killing "infidels christian"). The greatest shock they will find, i think it's when someday they found out that their judge in eternity is Jesus Christ(The ONE whom they trying to rid from this world) and meet "muhammad" on the hell(saying:"hello, what took you so long?"). I hope they will realize this fact before it's too late.

Sorry, for my (not so good) explanation. but aren't we suppose to use only Mt 1:16 as an basic explanation. When we quote from other verses, i think this topic wouldn't be too complicated. We can't taking assumption only from little verses. Please forgive me if i acting arrogant (i'm not). Jesus is GOD HIMSELF, and we all know that. Let's not discuss about basic topic.
Hebrew 6 : 1
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance form dead works, and of faith towards God."  

Hello my fellow in Christ, i'm new to this community.
I live in Indonesia, where 5 different religion are acknowledge (but in reality only this country is trying to become moslem country).
I don't believe in the harmony of different religion in 1 nation.
I hope someday Indonesia will become God's nation where Jesus Christ is the only ruler ( no president, no p.m.), although i think it will be when we all come home to heaven.
I hope we can all together become Jesus Christ's steward in this world to shine as HIS light.

Dear Bawili, my opinion is (God forgive me if i'm wrong).

The Holy Spirit enable us to :
a) Calling GOD abba father.
b) trust and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour.

The Holy Spirit also applicating  The Lord's salvation on our life.

If anybody blasphemy The Holy Spirit, then he/she also rejecting the salvation of Jesus Christ.