He [God] willed it for Himself, so that others may live. But He is not the source of death, since death was already ushered into the world; He merely took our sins and paid with His life for them. That was His choice. He didn't will it on anyone else.
I have learned through these discussions just how fervently you ignore the OT and it still amazes me. Yet Jesus referenced the OT as God's word to be obeyed hundreds of times. I'll go with Him.
It is the same God.
It often looks like the EO try extra hard to deny an omnipotent Hebrew God in favor of a pastey, passive, regressive Greek God. But that's not accurate. Christ came to save the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 15:25) for a reason. All those who are His are all Jews inwardly (Romans 2:29). And the Jews have always known who is in control of both life and death. "See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand." -- Deuteronomy 32:39
God did not change from one testament to the next; He revealed more of Himself to us, giving us a "better testament," a fuller knowledge of the exact same omnipotent, omniscient God He has always been.
As for the OT not being "reporting," tell that to Moses and Job and David.
If God is not in control of both life and death, this would be a really frightening existence indeed. Thankfully, mercifully, all of it, one way or another, is by His hand, for His glory.
The LORD hath made all [things] for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." -- Proverbs 16:1,4"The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, [is] from the LORD...
This is from the same God who tells us...
"As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." -- John 17:2"And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." -- John 6:65
The same God who gives light to all His words...
"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue" -- 2 Peter 1:3"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" -- 2 Timothy 1:9
It is the same Scripture, the same God. Men are fallen; God is all holy. Men flee God's face; God grabs hold of whom He will and drags them to Him. Men plan; God ordains. Men stumble; God is all strength and ever victorious.
Consider Egypt. Is the God of Isaiah 19 a different God from Colossians 1?
And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts... The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit." -- Isaiah 19: 1-4,12,14
"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." -- Colossians 1:16-17 "The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.
Thanks for the ping.
It amazes me that the Reformed are stuffing Christ into the OT mold. When I said "He merely took our sins and paid with His life for them," that is what He said (John 6:51)
God came to give life, not to take it away. Christian God created life not death.
It often looks like the EO try extra hard to deny an omnipotent Hebrew God in favor of a pastey, passive, regressive Greek God
I don't speak for the EO community. I speak for myself. I have said it before and you choose to ignore it. I have no credentials to speak on account of any community. I simply give my opinions. So if you are going to take shots at my opinions do so without slinging mud on the whole Orthodox community.
Christ came to save the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 15:25)
Yes He did. What you left out is that He also specifically forbade going into the land of the Gentiles and even the Samaritans (which the Jews subsequently accepted as Jews!).
"See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal [Deut 32:39]
Who is this speaking? Zeus? Akhriman? It certainly isn't Christ!
The LORD hath made all [things] for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." -- Proverbs 16:4
Show me where Jesus teaches that God created evil and death.
The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit." -- Isaiah 19:14
God sends a "perverse spirit?" You call that Christian?
God grabs hold of whom He will and drags them to Him
So, we should imitate this "God" by dragging others to us? What does this teach us? You call that morality? Is this what "following" the Lord is understood by the Reformed? Is this what Christ taught?
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." -- John 6:65
Okay, in that case they didn't "follow" Christ. He simply "grabbed" them with His divine tractor beam and led them blindly. Is that what you believe?
I think I will stick with my "pasty" God. I am not into S&M.
Amen, Dr. E.!! Excellent post. I can't imagine what my faith would be like if I thought that I or other humans were the boss. A very dismal prospect.
And glory be to God for showing us that He does not change and the God of the OT is exactly the same as the God of the NT.