Not everyone that God created loved - loves Him, else we would NOT have had to have this flesh age. Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
I am guessing that Christians believe that Christ existed before He came to this flesh age as a babe? Seems like a natural 'guess', and as stated here that the 'children' us existed prior to our conception. AND that is what Paul is referencing when the words 'foundation of this world', is giving a time signature, because the words are actually a verb meaning the casting down - overthrow. AND Genesis 1:2 describes what happened to this earth in that rebellion or casting down - overthrow, before this flesh age began.
We Christians know with certainty one thing, who is the victor when this 'mess' all gets sorted out. But as any loving Father/Mother have for their own flesh children it would take irrefutable proof to 'destroy' a child. Likewise, the Creator requires His own proof without question to destroy those that have no natural love for and of Him....
To say He already knows, who has that 'love' and who does not without total and complete understanding of WHO He literally is, says that God deliberately created 'evil', and I do not for one minute believe that is our Heavenly Father.
To me it is quite obvious that given the scenario of the Garden of Eden, there was Plan B.
Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter 1: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. But is he really saying that, "some were chosen/elected before the foundation of this flesh age", or is he saying that God predetermined that those who would come to saving faith would be "holy and without blame" and "adopted" into the family of God and conformed to the image of Christ? I read this and other verses not so much that God has already predetermined who would or would not be saved - as if no one has a choice - but that He KNOWS all that would and has determined that all that do ARE set apart in Christ to the praise of His glory. Again, God is outside of time and that is the ONLY way that He could know us before the foundation of the earth, know all our days before there was a one of them and work ALL things to the good and His glory. When you say Paul was not "allowed" to follow his anti-Christian ways, I disagree. Of course Paul had the choice just like Mary had a choice in bearing the Savior, just as we all have the choice to choose God or reject Him. Paul was God's chosen, "he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel" (Acts 9:15). But if Paul refused, he would NOT have been God's chosen one - he was not FORCED to be what God planned for him to be. I think the problem is that we try to understand things we don't have the ability to understand and those things we accept by faith because God SAID it.
The words 'foundation of this world' is a verb that means casting down - overthrow. Paul says before the casting down - overthrow some stayed loyal to the Heavenly Father. That is what makes them 'chosen/elected' to carry forth God's plan through this flesh age. And we can know some of them by who were chosen to put down the WORD of God.
I keep hearing/reading some write/say that God is outside of time, which makes NO sense to me. Because of what Peter wrote in IIPeter 3, whole chapter. Peter wrote IIPeter 3:5 For 'this' they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of OLD, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: (This is not talking about Noah's flood but referencing Genesis 1:2.)
6 Whereby the world that then *was* perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth which are *now*, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 BUT, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing,
that one day is with the LORD as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
This is not outside of time it is the ultimate perfect time setter and keeper.
Well, obviously not everyone God created will love Him - I never said any differently. As to us having to have "this flesh age", I can only say two things:
1) This flesh age is the time of man existing upon earth starting with Adam and Eve and ending at the Great White Throne Judgment after which God creates a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness (Revelation 21).
2) What is the name of the religion you follow? or is it part of just your thoughts?
I am guessing that Christians believe that Christ existed before He came to this flesh age as a babe? Seems like a natural 'guess', and as stated here that the 'children' us existed prior to our conception.
Yes, Christians DO believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that he is from everlasting to everlasting. He always was and always will be as the second person of the Trinity. He became a man - took on the form of a man - at the incarnation. It is spoken of in Hebrews 2 as well as several other passages. But, NO, I do not agree that "us" existed before conception nor from eternity simply because we are NOT God. We are created beings and that means we had a time where we began. The Son of God did not have a beginning. We are most certainly different. Jesus "shared" in our humanity so that his sinless life could be made a propitiation for our sins. By His death, he has redeemed us from an eternal death - separation from God for eternity.
AND that is what Paul is referencing when the words 'foundation of this world', is giving a time signature, because the words are actually a verb meaning the casting down - overthrow. AND Genesis 1:2 describes what happened to this earth in that rebellion or casting down - overthrow, before this flesh age began.
When Paul spoke of God choosing us before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4) it is NOT speaking about some preexistence of our souls but of God's foreknowledge and His foreordaining of what we were to become "holy and without blame before him in love". What you are saying sounds a little like the Mormon doctrine of preexisting souls that take on human form from "Father God" - who is populating the earth and who, at one time was also a man and is now exalted. Are you a Mormon?
We Christians know with certainty one thing, who is the victor when this 'mess' all gets sorted out. But as any loving Father/Mother have for their own flesh children it would take irrefutable proof to 'destroy' a child. Likewise, the Creator requires His own proof without question to destroy those that have no natural love for and of Him....
God knows the heart of every person, no outward proof need convince Him who are or are not His children. We are born again into the family of God when we accept the gift of eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ.
To say He already knows, who has that 'love' and who does not without total and complete understanding of WHO He literally is, says that God deliberately created 'evil', and I do not for one minute believe that is our Heavenly Father.
To say He already knows is stating the truth of what God, himself, has affirmed by His word. As for God creating evil, I would say he created the possibility for mankind and angels to chose evil. Giving of a free will allows that some will choose to reject the good. But we also know that "what is meant for evil, God meant for good", so nothing can supersede God's perfect will. I don't claim to understand how that happens, I just believe that is what God has said.
To me it is quite obvious that given the scenario of the Garden of Eden, there was Plan B.
I disagree. There is no need for a Plan B if you work all things according to your perfect will.
You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, You did not make me? Can the pot say to the potter, You know nothing? (Isaiah 29:16)
Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, What are you making? Does your work say, The potter has no hands? Woe to the one who says to a father, What have you begotten? or to a mother, What have you brought to birth? (Isaiah 45:9-10)