Posted on 03/11/2010 7:21:53 AM PST by An.American.Expatriate
Since God is all-powerful, I don’t see how this could make the bible a fraud or God a liar, or any of those things. They can remain exactly as one believes. I think God made each of us individually, allowing for more than one of what we, men, believe to be truths.
Certainly there is more than one thing that is True, but — by definition — two things that conflict cannot both be True. While it is the case that many apparent conflicts between truth-claims are entirely resolvable upon studious examination, that is not always the case, and when it is not the case, there is only one position that can be True.
So it is in this case: either the bible is True in its portrayal that man does actually have the freedom to make choices that are wholly volitional, and man Truly does have that freedom, or man does not have that freedom, and the bible is not True in its portrayal that he does. The Author is either presenting Truth about reality, or purveying a lie about reality. There is no “both/and” solution, here, nor is there space for the blandish modernism “well, that’s fine for you, but I believe otherwise.”
Man either has free will or he does not. The bible portrays that, with rare exceptions, he does; its Author asserts a position on the question, and that assertion must be either consistent with reality, or contrary to it.
If it is consistent, then The Author is truthful, if it is contrary, then The Author is a liar. The Author cannot simultaneously be both.
The matter cannot be simplified beyond this, although I’m certain it would take little more than a PhD in philosophy to completely obfuscate it.
I think with God we can do away with our human definitions. After all, He is capable of anything, isn’t He? I see many people here say that God operates beyond the boundaries of time and things like that when explaining free will. If He can do that, and if men can believe that, then I don’t see how any of our definitions or even logic can really apply to Him and one should be open to believe that God can do anything, even those things that appear contradictory or run opposite of one’s beliefs.
I don’t believe that is so in this case. I think God is quite capable of providing each of us with His own truth, designed specifically for the individual. All in accordance with His plan for humankind.
You believe that God is the author of the bible. I believe that men have authored the bible and God has provided many with the faith to believe it is the word of God and many without that faith.
-- Human hands did the writing, but the text of the Bible was inspired by the God accurately (though not wholly) described therein.
-- In the Bible, God is actively seeking to reveal Truth about Himself to mankind, whom He desires will believe it, and respond with a desire to forge personal relationship with Him according to the terms He has laid out in the text.
-- To those who believe, and enter into relationship, God further desires to reveal things beyond what is revealed in the text, though NEVER at odds with it. IOW, He really IS more than the bible portrays, but all of that "more" is wholly consistent with what is in the text we have.
I testify to you, man to man, that YHVH is as revealed in the biblical text, and more. He is True, Real, Knowable, Relational, and engages actively in various forms of direct dialog, occasionally even speaking audibly, as some have experienced. Relationship with Him is imminently possible through simple ascription to the belief that Jesus is who he claimed to be, genuine repentance from sin, and earnest prayer to be forgiven, and reconciled to Him.
Understand this: my writing to you constitutes His direct, personal invitation into relationship with Him. I cannot sufficiently explain how this is, but His Spirit is alive upon my mortal frame as I type, investing Himself into the words on the screen. He is not forcing anything; I could be non-compliant (it is my choice, after all), but I choose to allow Him to speak to you in this way. So, in the context of our separate lives, we meet in this forum at THIS moment, and by my own hand The One True and Sovereign LORD bids you "Come."
How do you have 40 years of compiled first-hand a posteriori experience emphatically confirming that the men who wrote the bible were inspired by the hand of God? Is there a way of proving it? Besides, as I said, I’m sure the bible is the truth for those that believe it, as God intended. I just don’t believe it was intended for everyone.
I can say the same thing...Understand this: my writing to you constitutes His direct, personal invitation into relationship with Him. I cannot sufficiently explain how this is, but His Spirit is alive upon my mortal frame as I type, investing Himself into the words on the screen. He is not forcing anything; So, in the context of our separate lives, we meet in this forum at THIS moment, and by my own hand The One True and Sovereign LORD bids you “Come.”
This is what I mean when I say that I believe God has a plan for each of us, and we do as He desires.
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