All of the goats. The meaning of the term 'goat' in the Judaic biblical sense is associated with demons,.
The Bible tells us that God created the lake of fire for the devil and his angels (the 'goats'). It also says that the goats will be separated from the sheep and commanded to depart into the lake.
In other words, some are 'goats,' devil's angels, those who, like Faustus, sold their soul to the devil the way Esau sold his birthright. This is clear from 'your father is the devil'(cf Jn 8:44), for the devil did not create them; God, the maker of everything and all, did. They turned to the devil. They are not saved because they are the unrepentant.
We absolutely do have choices, more so after we are saved. But even then, we have choices, but they are subject to parameters. With my age and experience, I cannot "choose" to be a professional baseball pitcher
You are mixing apples and oranges, FK. You cannot change your corruption (aging), but your soul doesn't 'age.' The only choice in your heart is to cling to God or not. You can make that choice at the very end of your life even. There is never a 'parameter' on that choice.
God imposes a changed heart upon His elect and then they are free to love Him as He intended
God does not impose, FK.
I keep getting the impression that you all use the Father-child Biblical analogy to refer to parents with adult children
How about just adults?. Is your own flavor of Protestantism not based on adult baptism? When you can accept Christ, and you can recite the sinners prayer?
God creates us rational and capable of being moral beings. Through our faculty of reason and a heart that forgives and loves. You have this idea that we are just a bunch of toddlers running around in God's playpen like a bunch of little morons.
God expects us to be able to forgive before we can ask for forgiveness. God expects us to be pure in heart, merciful and humble, to understand that loving those who love you is no feat but rather loving those who persecute you is. Are children like that? No they are not.
This is not a fairytale, FK.
Dear God, impose upon me and never stop.
"Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee" -- Psalm 65:4
All of the goats. The meaning of the term 'goat' in the Judaic biblical sense is associated with demons,.
I said "some" because not all goats are pretenders. Some are overt satan worshipers, atheists, Democrats, etc. They do not claim faith in the first place.
In other words, some are 'goats,' devil's angels, those who, like Faustus, sold their soul to the devil the way Esau sold his birthright. .... They turned to the devil. They are not saved because they are the unrepentant.
I just equate the goats to the reprobate. They are forever slaves to sin and do turn to satan.
You are mixing apples and oranges, FK. You cannot change your corruption (aging), but your soul doesn't 'age.' The only choice in your heart is to cling to God or not.
I thought you were speaking of free will choices generally. I agree with you that the choice to accept Christ can come at any time during life. That is, at any time for the elect.
God does not impose, FK.
Amen to Dr. E's answer. Lord, when it comes to me, impose your socks off! :)
FK: "I keep getting the impression that you all use the Father-child Biblical analogy to refer to parents with adult children."
How about just adults?. Is your own flavor of Protestantism not based on adult baptism? When you can accept Christ, and you can recite the sinners prayer?
Southern Baptists follow a believer's baptism, not an "adult" baptism. It is commonplace for children under 10 to be baptized in our church.
God creates us rational and capable of being moral beings. Through our faculty of reason and a heart that forgives and loves. You have this idea that we are just a bunch of toddlers running around in God's playpen like a bunch of little morons.
Are you kidding? Compared to God we don't even rate to the level of morons. We are less than toddlers. Sometimes, toddlers do what they're told. By ourselves, we never do. The objective suicidal stupidity of the sinner knows no bounds. How many OT stories have you read and just wound up shaking your head? There was God, right in front of them telling them what to do, and they blew it. Then they blew it again and again and again. How is that possible? Are we really truly smarter than they were? NO WAY. We are the same. If it wasn't so sad it would really be funny. This is why I think the Biblical comparison between parent-child only works to the extent the child is completely helpless. Without God, WE are completely helpless.
God expects us to be able to forgive before we can ask for forgiveness. God expects us to be pure in heart, merciful and humble, to understand that loving those who love you is no feat but rather loving those who persecute you is. Are children like that? No they are not.
God does not apply adult standards to our small children. But as to being pure in heart, being merciful and forgiving, and loving when it is difficult, I absolutely see evidence of this in children. It's not all the time, but I've seen plenty of it. You have too. It's a miracle of God when I see them doing it and then remember myself at that age not resembling anything like that. God wasn't in my life then. But a child with God in her life can do amazing things.
The difference isn't the age of the person, the difference is whether the person has Christ, at whatever age. Without Christ we, comparatively, are helpless children even as "adults".
"God expects us to be able to forgive before we can ask for forgiveness."
God expects us to forgive because we have been forgiven. The Lord's Prayer is for the sons of God, not the world. It is "Our Father" not to "Whomever this may concern".