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To: who_would_fardels_bear
An infinite, all-powerful, all-knowing creator created a universe where his greatest creation is no better than an avatar in a virtual reality machine.

"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." -- 1 Corinthians 15:10

Paul tells us everything he is is by the free, unmerited gift of the Holy Spirit within him. He goes so far as to remind us that even his extra effort of labor is accomplished by "the grace of God which was with me."

This is why the Reformation was fought and what we as Protestants are sadly conceding back to Rome -- we are saved not our own works of righteousness but Christ's righteousness and obedience being graciously imputed to men in order that they believe and be saved, according to the will of God and His plan and purpose for creation from before the foundation of the world.

As I've said to several Arminians who later became Calvinists, just try thinking that every thought, word and deed is ordained by God for His glory. Of course we still err because we are still fallible men and women, and if we say there is no sin in us we are liars, as Paul said.

But by the grace of God, His unmerited gift of the sanctifying Holy Spirit works Christ's righteousness in us and we become what He has ordained us to be -- children of the Triune God.

So if by "avatar" you mean "a graphical image that represents a person, as on the Internet," then we should all be so fortunate as to be "avatars" for, and by and through Jesus Christ "by whom all things consist.)

73 posted on 06/09/2009 11:49:13 AM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg
"Paul tells us everything he is is by the free, unmerited gift of the Holy Spirit within him. He goes so far as to remind us that even his extra effort of labor is accomplished by "the grace of God which was with me."

So basically what you are saying is that we don't have free will, and even if we did whatever we freely did has no merit before the eyes of God. It is only the Holy Spirit working within us that merits any interest of God.

So basically we are avatars in a virtual reality machine playing a game which is beside the point. As if we are all running around in a Donkey Kong simulation and God is judging us as if we were in a Mario Brothers simulation.

82 posted on 06/10/2009 10:43:25 AM PDT by who_would_fardels_bear (The cosmos is about the smallest hole a man can stick his head in. - Chesterton)
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