Greetings,
It is only the Western churches which debates God's free will and man's....the rest of Christianity has seen no paradox in the two. Since the very beginning Man's free will has been held as fact. Saint Morgan of Wales (aka Pelegius Britto) was in fact called before two Synods in the East, replied to all of Augustine's arguments and false statements about his positions and found "ORTHODOX." One of his Latin followers, who was condemned by a Synod in Carthage was also found pure and ordianed a Presbyter in Greece. I bet you never knew this. What is denounced as Pelegian error was never espoused by the Welsh Monk nor his followers in the Celtic Church. It was Augustine who was in error as to Anthropology, Sin, Law and Human Volition...as well as Soteriology.
Adam had free will and chose to misuse it and thus sinned...no sin nature required to sin......nor is one passed on or Adam's Guilt. Each souls that sins shall die. All have sinned, and walk in Adam's Way...which leads to death. All may have Life if they are faithful and walk in Christ's Way. God's Grace enables us to Walk in the Light, and without it we cannot continue in it. Adam proves this. As the Eastern saying goes,"God became man, so that man might become like God" sharing in His nature by the Grace of His Holy Spirit provided by the Work and Faithfulness of Christ. Many are summoned, but in the end few are selected. God foresaw and thus foreknows all who shall accept Christ and become conformed into His image, as well as all who shall reject Christ and remain conformed to Adam's Image. Two classes are foreseen and thus their ends foreknown....the Righteous Faithful who will inherit Life and the Unrighteous Unfaithful who will inherit Death. This was taught in the Torah of Moses, the Prophets, the Writings, the Gospels and the Epistles...and Revelations seals this.
So in the Eastern churches and those of us in the West who follow in their Path do not bother with arguing the point.....
The Latinate West is in bondage to Augustine, Luther and Calvin. Yes Luther holds Augustinian views too.....ever read his book, The bondage of the Will"?
evenso.....we are saved by grace not our fallible prouncouncements concerning it and it's origins.
Ken
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