Posted on 06/12/2011 2:07:34 AM PDT by canuck_conservative
... why does he let the creeps succeed?
An outright fraud like Barack Obama gets elected, keeps spreading his lies and destruction, and keeps living the high life, with no penalty - on the contrary, all he gets is widespread praise for being so great. Bill Clinton gets worldwide "respect and adulation" as some sort of elder statesman, laughing all the way. Sandy Berger is a brazen thief, yet suffered no penalty. And on and on, every day....
Meanwhile, good people like Sarah Palin are routinely trashed and ridiculed, while their attackers endure no consequences, and are even rewarded - Joy Behar has her own show, for Pete's sake! Olberman is allowed back. Weiner gets a free pass for his creepy behavior. And Herman Cain will get trashed, with his attackers again getting off scot-free.
Where's the damn justice? And don't give me the line about "it'll be settled in the afterlife", these moral violations occurred in THIS world, why aren't they squared up in this world too?
Does this mean God isn't fair and just? Or maybe there's really no God at all?
I WANT to beleieve, but after what I've seen in the last few years (and continue to see now) I'm so confused and angry. Have I just been lied-to all these years??
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
God has mercy on us. Mercy is not giving us all what we richly deserve. For breaking a perfect and holy and loving God’s laws, we deserve an appropriate punishment. Yet He is patient and gives everyone time to understand their position and offers all people the same way to forgiveness, His plan of salvation. Jesus Christ. It’s the same for everyone so that nobody has it any harder or easier than anyone else. God’s mercy falls on everyone on earth, believer and unbeliever alike.
God also gives us His grace. Grace is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is giving us riches we could never earn. As co-heirs with Christ (prime example of grace) we can experience things with God even now unbelievers cannot. we can pray to God, we can have a relationship with God, God indwells us (the Holy Spirit). Jesus is always with us no matter what. We have the promises of God to fall back on. God has our back, and is always working things for our good even when things are difficult. We have a peace from God that helps us dela with things that unbelievers do not.
Ummmm...yikes
He isn’t making a personal judgment. Scripture says all men are sinners. He was referencing that fact. We all need a savior because we are all sinners and cannot save ourselves.
The Bible states clearly that the only perfect man who lived a perfect God-pleasing, sinless life lived about 2000 years ago. Nobody who lived before or after Him was sinless. Were/are some people living far more God-pleasing lives than other people? Of course. They will be rewarded for their good works. They all still needed Jesus Christ for their salvation.
God created us as a person, like Him.
I can imagine that it falls along the same lines of Adam’s thought process that man, as a person, was made for relationships. Not necessarily with EVERYONE, but as a being with needs to have a connection with others.
I believe that is part of being a person. And as God is a living person - three persons in one GodHead, in perfect union with each other, that He thought it good and well to use His perfect will to create living beings that would voluntarily want and desire to be in communion with Him as well, and love Him for loving them first. To love Him for who He, God, is.
I think an easier way to say what you are saying is that when you die and the “party” is over, there is still a very large bill that SOMEONE has got to pay. When you have trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior, you know that Jesus has already paid that bill for you. If you have never trusted Christ as your savior and Lord, it is entirely left to you to pay your bill.
Why did God create? The answer is obvious. He created because He wanted to. There is no other possible explanation. This world exists because it’s His will that it exists. His motivation? Christ explained that in parables.
Secret Agent Man: “God assures us nobody’s going to get away with anything.”
Excellent point. That’s why I pity anyone who hasn’t repented and made peace with God. Most unbelievers sell their souls for very little—it astonishes me how little sometimes. Some unbelievers are wealthy, powerful, or popular, but it all amounts to nothing when they die. What does it benefit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul? Some unbelievers actually believe it’s worth it to live it up now, even if they face judgment later. Some people, amazingly, actually proudly state they are going to Hell. I don’t think they understand the situation, because if they did, they’d be on their knees in an instant begging for forgiveness!
Adversity never strengthens a believer in fellowship with God through faith in Christ, but adversity, which is inevitable, may be used as a testing of believers. When we persevere through faith in Christ, then we pass another test and by our momentum in Him, continue to walk the walk.
Cvengr: “Adversity never strengthens a believer...”
Then answer this. Where do you find the strongest believers, in N. Korea or America? Steel is tougher after it’s tempered. Same thing with believers.
Only those who live in the cosmic system of worldly good think they are able to succeed independent of faith through Christ.
They aren't getting away with anything, rather those who succeed in a worldly system independent of faith in Christ are simply further scarring their souls and making any eternal rewards more difficult to evidence at the bema seat, if they are indeed believers.
The Cross points the way to Redemption, Propitiation, Regeneration, Reconciliation, Justification and Sanctification.
There still remains a Divine Angelic conflict, and filling of the Church. It has been suggested that all of human history is His Story and the Adversary is going through an appeals trial at present. His enemies have not yet been made a footstool to Him and these things must continue until the last member of His body has become a believer.
The present world is not heaven, but the rewards/crowns we win this life will merit us eternal crowns which will never fade. For every cursing endured through faith in Christ, there is a blessing.
Study Divine Discipline of His Client Nations throughout history. This is most easiest performed by OT studies of Israel and the Hebrew nation. Many of the same lessons suffered by Israel are repeated by the Gentile believing nations, mainly because we fail to study them through faith in Christ and recognize we are no better than adulteress Israel, when we are called to be a client nation in His Plan.
Quod erat demonstrandum. You're restating the conclusion I already set forth in that he decided to create.
His motivation? Christ explained that in parables.
I'm not sure I agree with you here. Certainly, one can argue that Christ explained God's motivations for a creation already in existence. The question is, why does it exist at all.
Our strength only comes from God, not from the Adversary.
Adversity, the trials of life, not the Adversary, aka Satan.
Tempering is stress relief. Through faith in Christ, stress is optional.
People sometimes do things they don’t want to do, but I’m assuming God wasn’t under any duress when He created the universe. A true sovereign who is beyond anything that man can imagine would also be beyond any form of persuasion or duress, although there are incidents in the Bible where God changed His mind based on man’s entreaties. I think it’s also safe to say He didn’t need to create the universe, that is, if you define need as not being able to survive without it.
The Bible says God created man in His own image. I often create things for pleasure that I don’t need. My survival, for example, isn’t dependent on posting on Free Republic, but I enjoy doing so. If Free Republic vanished tomorrow, all of my posts (creations) would disappear. That would sadden me, but it wouldn’t threaten my existence.
I assume God does what He does because He enjoys it. Of course, none of us can really fully grasp a power or will so vast as His, but the angels rejoice when someone repents. Their survival doesn’t depend on that either, but it brings them joy. Does God experience joy?
Gottfried Leibniz...Sufficient Reason. Read him...he will help you. Leibnezian theodicy deals with the problem of evil in the world to a great degree. His idea of “best possible world” is an essential element to his theordicy.
Cvengr: “Through faith in Christ, stress is optional.”
Agree in principle, but we aren’t perfect. If we had perfect faith, we would be completely unassailable by anything in the world. But we struggle. I, for one, don’t have faith enough to move a mountain. However, I believe such faith can exist. I do agree faith brings comfort and the more faith on has, the better they are able to withstand the trials and tribulations of this life.
That’s just the point. We are not perfect, but God is perfect. Through faith in Him, when we are in fellowship with Him, He indwells and continues to sanctify us. This means He provides us perfect faith, doctrine by doctrine, faith by faith, for us to use through faith in Him. Let Him do the work by resting in Him, so we can be at the right place, the right time, to do the right thing He has planned from eternity past in His Plan.
Justice is getting what you deserve.
Mercy is not getting what you deserve.
And for the record, America deserves far worse than Baraq Obama. How many babies have we killed in the last half century? How many schools have we kicked God out of? How many times have we allowed the destruction of marriage? See my point?
Yes, God's mercy is renewed daily. I will take it over Justice any time.
Well sure. But don't take too much comfort in being a modern conservative:
Luke 12
47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
Romans 2
1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
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