Pleroma,

Thanks for pointing to Romans 9-11. I read it several times but have come to a completely different understanding. I conclude that we absolutely have free will but I agree that salvation is not in our hands but in a roundabout way is a result of our possession of free will.

First of all, Paul establishes that everything is dependent on God's mercy. Romans 9:14-16:
"What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion"
It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy."

God reacts in 2 ways; either mercy or compassion. Mercy, by definition, can only be extended to those who are guilty. Compassion, on the other hand, is extended to those who have suffered unjustly.

Romans 9:18........."Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden".
Now what does 'harden' mean? Romans 11:7-8......
"What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, as it is written:
"God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.""

What is this? Eyes that could not see? I would suggest that this spirit of stupor, eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear is a description of what we call the ego. It is the separation from God. If we were one with God....(i.e. not separated).....when we looked in a mirror we would see God. Instead, thanks to the ego, we see ourselves.....separate and distinct from God.

Now for the question of free will and why we all have it. Romans 11:32......."For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all."
The way I understand it, is that disobedience is anything that is contrary to the Divine will. To have this capacity for disobedience we must have a will that is free from God.......i.e. our own will.......in other words what we call 'free will'. We all have that.....as a matter of fact, we are bound to it, enslaved to it. It is really funny in a way. The very thing that makes us free we use to enslave ourselves(for all have sinned, etc.) but, remarkably and consequently, it is the very thing that allows God to display his full character and essence and is that which necessitates his extension of mercy to us.

One more thing: the question of 'the elect' vs. 'the hardened'. This is where I am wildly different from the Calvinists, etc. IMO, 'the elect' are very, very few. These are those that are 'elected' by God. Anyone that is elected is chosen to officiate. God has chosen those who will have the authority to officiate. In my mind, this is severely restricted. Personally, I think the celestial hierarchy.......in other words, archangels, etc.