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Introduction This post brings together the complete written exchange between Colton Carlson (a self-described "thorough-going compatibilist") and myself (a self-described "libertarian freedom fighter") on the meaning of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “You are able.” At stake in this debate is no small matter. Does Paul’s assurance point to categorical ability (C-Ability)—a genuine, here-and-now power to either sin or take the way of escape at the moment of temptation—o

Recently, I had the opportunity to assist my colleague Dr. Tim Stratton in an online debate with Colton Carlson concerning 1 Corinthians 10:13 and its relation to libertarian freedom. In this article, I want to expand on that exchange—not merely to come to a friend’s defense, but to make a specific, academic point grounded in the Greek text itself. I will argue (in line with leading Greek scholars today) that 1 Corinthians 10:13–14 most naturally supports C-Ability (Catego

In our continued "why we're not series" Dr. Tim Stratton and Josh Klein turn their eyes towards Catholicism. Why aren't they Catholic? They give four reasons why and the fourth one may surprise you! Sound Faith Conference 2025: soundfaithomaha.com Why we're not Open Theists: Why I Love The Catholic Church and Why I'm Not A Catholic Article: https://freethinkingministries.com/why-i-love-the-catholic-church-and-why-i-am-not-catholic/ What it means to be protestant by Gav

Introduction This dialogue brings together Colton Carlson and Dr. Tim Stratton in an extended written exchange about the meaning of Paul’s assurance in 1 Corinthians 10:13. At issue is whether the apostle’s statement—“you are able”—supports a libertarian understanding of human freedom (C-Ability) or whether it can be explained within a compatibilist framework (W-Ability). Across the discussion, Carlson presses Stratton to demonstrate why libertarian freedom is the stronger re

Dr. Leighton Flowers joins the program as Dr. Tim Stratton and Josh Klein discuss the philosophical, theological and pastoral importance of 1 Corinthians 10:13 in the Free Will discussion. It is NOT, something that you can just hand wave away and it only makes sense if Libertarian Free Will is true. Take a look! You can find Dr. Leighton Flowers at @Soteriology101 and @BraxtonHunter . Visit https://trinitysem.edu/ for more information on advanced degree programs. Sup

You won't want to miss this! Recently a guy named Andy went viral for releasing his conversation with ChatGPT to the world. One in which he discovered, in real time, that Atheism was false and Theist, particularly Christian Theism, was true. Did ChatGPT REALLY lead this man to Christ or was something else happening? Dr. Tim Stratton and Josh Klein explore these questions and his testimony on today's show. Andy Koons: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andykoons?lang=en X:...

Introduction The debate over 1 Corinthians 10:13 , freedom, and responsibility continues. In this exchange, I (Dr. Tim Stratton) respond to Colton Carlson’s ongoing attempts to redefine “ability” in ways that obscure Paul’s plain assurance. Colton insists that his dispositional compatibilism can capture Paul’s promise, but as you’ll see, the very foundations of his view collapse under scrutiny. In what follows, I engage Colton point by point—addressing his appeals to authori

Introduction This written debate between Dr. Tim Stratton and Mr.Colton Carlson centers on the meaning of Paul’s promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13 : that God always provides a “way of escape” when believers face temptation. At stake is whether this passage affirms categorical ability (C-Ability) —the genuine, libertarian power to do otherwise in the actual world—or whether it can be sufficiently explained by weaker notions of ability (W-Ability) consistent with compatibilism

In a recent exchange, in the YouTube comments under a video featuring Leighton Flowers , Colton Carlson offered a detailed attempt to defend a compatibilist-friendly reading of 1 Corinthians 10:13. He leaned on Vihvelin’s notion of “W-Ability” (dispositional ability plus opportunity) to argue that Paul’s words need not entail categorical ability (C-Ability) or libertarian freedom (LFW). Below, I’ll first share Mr. Carlson's case in his own words, and then respond point by poi

Introduction: A High-Stakes Exchange on Freedom and Scripture Few biblical texts strike as deeply at the heart of human responsibility as Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:13 : “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. 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 endure it.” For centuries, theologians and philosophers have debated what this verse

As I sat down to write a review of Brandan Robertson’s book Queer and Christian (see review here: Queer and Christian Review ) I quickly came to the realization that I would need to choose between reviewing the book and refuting the arguments. While I addressed some of the arguments in the review I left much on the cutting room floor. However, given that Robertson declares that the arguments he offers in this book are, “…the best arguments to disarm the anti-queer interpreta

“Hey, stop judging me! You can’t judge me and my beliefs!” How many times have we heard something like this? The implication of such exclamations are clear: someone’s personal beliefs about religion or morality are off limits—they cannot be discerned to be right or wrong. Beliefs are subjective and thus true for some and not others. Such a sentiment fences off one’s beliefs from being analyzed and weighed for validity. But is it true that we should not judge others' beliefs?

Warren McGrew (aka, "Idol Killer") is a friend. I deeply respect his passion, his boldness, his humor, and his tireless efforts to challenge theological systems he believes are flawed. He has been a consistent voice pushing back against Calvinism and determinist frameworks, and I’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with him in many of those battles. On that front, we are not only friends—we are allies. That’s part of what makes this conversation so difficult—and so important. Warre

Artificial Intelligence is taking over the world and people are using it more than ever. But, using AI is only as good as the ideology of the one’s programming AI. There is an issue with taking AI at its word. Dr. Tim Stratton and I recently pointed this out in a recent podcast episode but I felt the need to press this point further. If you are a parent of teens, they are likely going to be using AI for research purposes and for writing papers. The question is – should we tr

Recently someone on X used Grok to refute Dr. Tim Stratton's DoD (Deity of Deception) argument against Calvinism. In this episode we discuss this attempt, why it failed, and why when we use AI we need to be VERY careful how we use it. Join the team! https://freethinkingministries.com/donate/ The original Grok prompt and response: https://grok.com/share/c2hhcmQtMg%3D%3D_f1239435-2f06-4419-8592-35cecae10edd Josh's prompt and Grok's Response: https://x.com/i/grok/share/QObRj

Recently, my colleague and friend Dr. Tim Stratton issued a challenge on X which led to many responses. Dr. Stratton posited a form of what he calls a “Deity of Deception” (DoD) argument in an attempt to refute Deterministic Calvinism and show that Exhaustive Divine Determinism (or EDD, as he calls it) leads to epistemic meltdown if consistently applied in matters of faith and reason. This argument isn’t just a clever thought experiment; it goes straight to the heart of wheth

Calvinists often cite Isaiah 10 as evidence that God deterministically caused the Assyrian invasion of Israel. They claim that because God sent Assyria as a tool of judgment, and later punished them, this supports the idea that God ordains all events—including human sin—while remaining just in holding people accountable for actions they could not have avoided. Isaiah 10:5-6 Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger, in whose hand is the club of my wrath! I send him against a g

I recently posted this tweet (X) for my Calvinist friends to consider: Here’s the argument I want my Calvinist friends to consider: If God determines all things, then He determines every thought, belief, and action. All people—including Christians—hold false theological beliefs. Therefore, God determines all people to affirm false theological beliefs. A being who intentionally determines people to believe falsehoods about ultimate reality is—by definition—functioning as a dec

In the previous article, we looked in depth at the actual structure of Colossians 1:15-20. But what is the passage actually about? What is Paul writing to the Colossian believers? At its core, we find the message of vv. 15-20 is about Christ and his relationship to creation. As previously mentioned, each stanza—though in relation to one another—has a different theme. The first stanza is about Christ and his relationship with the original creation. The second stanza focuses on

The Apostle Paul is known for the power and elegance of his writing. Of the authors in the New Testament, none compare to his rhetoric. Though his writings take the form of letters, he manages to fill them with instruction, warnings, loving encouragement, and in some instances passages that are almost poetry. The two greatest examples of possible poetry are Philippians 2:6-11 and Colossians 1:15-20. The latter, Colossians 1:15-20 is the focus of our study. Like Philippians 2: