[[redundancy is often used for speedy recovery in vital systems.]]
Which was another aspect I was goign to noodle over today- but perhaps tomorrow now
[[Scriptures include prophecy (predestination) and commandments (free will) - and show prophecies fulfilled and commandments obeyed and disobeyed with consequences.]]
I think htough this can be argued both ways still. I don’t take a final stand on predestinaiton, but it is somethign I’ve familiarized myself with a little, as some churches are big on preachign it, while others stress free will- I think if I were to label myself religion wise, it woudl be Baptist first, and with some Calvanism to boot, which is why the subject interests me- but again, not goign to hitch my wagon to either really as it’s simply a hteological issue (which might have pretty serious implications about hte reality of Salvation/non salvation though, but whether free will, or directed,, the most important hting is that eternity is secured for me and my family, and that’s enough for me- other realities are just interests to me really)
Of a truth, God's Name I AM is my guide. Thus any man-as-the-observer time-relative theological debate is foreign to me.
And no, I haven't read the linked book yet but I did scan the passage you mentioned. The argument is familiar probably because the debate never ends on this forum.
I use this metaphor a lot, but it applies here as well. It is as if we Christians are looking at the same seven-faceted diamond but from different facets. What one sees in the diamond - the words of God - may be a bit different than the other guy, but it is the same diamond and the same Light.
Some who see the predestination facet would say all men are hopelessly depraved and condemned already, that God is not choosing them for that fate but rather choosing to save those He wills.
Some who see the free will facet would say that God wants "whosoever will" to be saved, that a man may accept or reject the gift. Each man is a blank slate, his fate the result of his free will.
Again, I do not see predestination v free will as an either/or. But in the same breath, I would not say that all men have "equal spiritual opportunity." Nor would I say that man's sense of justice, equality, righteousness, time, etc. should ever be used to measure God.
To God be the glory, not man, never man.
Nicely put! Same here.
Aside from the occasional exercise in head-butting with the likes of GGG, (who is guilty of daily spamming FR's "News" forum with multiple posts of editorials from [mainly three] YEC websites) I frequent these threads for the fellowship of like-minded believers who are thinking beyond Ussher's 1600s screed -- and Darwin's inadequate description of biological development...
I simply can't count the number of blessings God has sent me though the thoughtful and insightful words of folks like BB & A-G!
Too bad GGG claims that he/she no longer reads my posts. Otherwise I would have pinged him/her to this one -- instead of "talking about him/her behind his/her back"...