But, then, evil cannot be evil, can it? if it's from God it's not evi.
Dr. E, as far as God not tempting, it's in the Bible; it says so on numerous occasions. Perhaps you search engine can find it. Then, again, a Calvinist model may not have that feature. Or maybe it's in those parts of the New Testament the Refromed never read.
God didn't tempt Adam. He planted the tree and told Adam not to eat of it. So, just because my neighbor has a hot new car doesn't mean I can just take it. It's not my neighbor's fault that his car is tempting me. I am the one who allows myself to be tempted.
The same with Adam and Eve. They could have said no (oh, goodness, free will! impossible!). God did not force them to say yes (what a weakling!). Of course that is not possible in the bizzarro control-freak Reformed theoogy, where evil is not evil because it is from God, as if evil were a creation of God and not absence of God!
Love is not attainable unless we have freedom to choose or accept Love
Love that is forced is not love..
Total Depravity is the destruction of love and is essentially the definition of Hell on earth.
Christ came so we may have life and live it abundantly!
Probably some Calvinists do, in the sense that God is the cause of all things. I don't like to use that type of language because I think it can be too easily misunderstood or misinterpreted to say that we believe in an evil God. Look at the abuse our side has taken over the misinterpretation of "sin boldly". :)
Dr. E, as far as God not tempting, it's in the Bible; it says so on numerous occasions.
Testing is different than tempting because of the expectations of the actor. When God tests, He expects success. When satan tempts he expects failure.
The same with Adam and Eve. They could have said no (oh, goodness, free will! impossible!). God did not force them to say yes (what a weakling!). Of course that is not possible in the bizzarro control-freak Reformed theology, where evil is not evil because it is from God, as if evil were a creation of God and not absence of God!
I agree that God did not force the sin, however, God did let the serpent into His Garden knowing full well what was going to happen. I think that we underestimate the enemy if we believe that we, by ourselves, with our inner goodness and free will can outmatch him. Ergo, I don't think that Eve and Adam had a fighting chance.