The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Concerning the freedom of the will

Mr. Rabbit! hehe<br><br>I couldn't agree with you more in that it is the desires of the heart which will determine the acts of the will. Of course, the emotive element of man also works in conjunction with the noetic element of man; those two being the source and influence of the will.<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>[color:"blue"]Hence, IMO, the will is not as important as desire when it comes to the doctrine of predestination.</font><hr></blockquote><p>It is important to remember that "Predestination" is God's pre-determination TO something and really irrelevant to either desire or will. For example:<blockquote>Ephesians 1:4-6 (KJV) "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: <span style="background-color:yellow;">Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children</span> by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."</blockquote>Thus, God's predestination is teleological... there is an appointed end of things, including the eternal destiny of persons and the means by which that end will be accomplished. Again we can see that here:<blockquote>Romans 8:29-30 (KJV) "For whom he did foreknow, he also did <span style="background-color:yellow;">predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren</span>. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."</blockquote>In his passage, Paul tells us that not only were the elect predestinated [to be conformed to Christ's likeness; i.e., holy, righteous], but also that the Lord Christ was also predestinated with the end that He might be the "firstborn among many brethren". In verse 30 we see these "means" or "path" by which the elect are brought to perfection in Christ; effectual calling, justification and final glorification.<br><br>In His Grace,