Gardeners, Farmers and God (vanity)

4/2/2002 | DonnerT

[DonnerT]

Gardeners do their best to control weeds whether in the flower bed or vegetable patch.

Farmers do their best to eliminate rats from their corn crib in order to feed the farm animals and have seed for future crops.

If the gardener did not remove the weeds and the farmer did not remove the rats what would they have?

If you were God, the gardener and farmer of this planet, who are the first 5 weeds (people) you would pull and which are the first 3 species of vermin (groups) you would exterminate?

[DonnerT]

Just wondering what you would do in His position?

[Jemian]

A farmer cannot take that weed and change its internal structure and make it into an orchid.

BUT GOD can take me, weed and vermin that I am, and take away my basic nature, recreate me and make me into a new creature. I am not new and improved. I am re-created, something else entirely.

If God were in the business of ripping up weeds, He could have started with me. But God demonstrated His love for me, in that while I was yet a sinner, Christ died for me.

[w_over_w]

" . . . of a Truth,I percieve that God is no respecter of persons".
-Acts 10:34

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[DonnerT]

Neither of you answered my question.

I know very well that God changes weeds and rats when they want to be re-creaed.

So,substitute re-create and change for exterminate or pull and try again. Or is it that you would not wish to see a world with less evil?

[B-Chan]

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.

The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them:
but gather the wheat into my barn.

St. Matthew 13:24-30
 

[RobRoy]

I would never have told Noah how to build the ark. As for what I'd do today, I think a comet or large meteor collision with the earth would make an excellent light show. Some microwave popcorn would top it off.

Let's face it, we all deserve it...

Aren't you glad I'm not God?

[DonnerT]

I take your reply to mean that you are a patient and tolerant of weeds and rats as God is of evil man.

Does that mean that you would not raise a hand to protect yourself or family from a rapist, murderer or terrorist?

[B-Chan]

I take your reply to mean that you are a patient and tolerant of weeds and rats as God is of evil man. Does that mean that you would not raise a hand to protect yourself or family from a rapist, murderer or terrorist?

Of course not. Defense of innocent life (one's own or others) is pleasing to God. My beliefs may be summed up thus:

Legitimate defense

2263 The legitimate defense of persons and societies is not an exception to the prohibition against the murder of the innocent that constitutes intentional killing. "The act of self-defense can have a double effect: the preservation of one's own life; and the killing of the aggressor. . . . The one is intended, the other is not."

2264 Love toward oneself remains a fundamental principle of morality. Therefore it is legitimate to insist on respect for one's own right to life. Someone who defends his life is not guilty of murder even if he is forced to deal his aggressor a lethal blow:

If a man in self-defense uses more than necessary violence, it will be unlawful: whereas if he repels force with moderation, his defense will be lawful. . . . Nor is it necessary for salvation that a man omit the act of moderate self-defense to avoid killing the other man, since one is bound to take more care of one's own life than of another's.

2265 Legitimate defense can be not only a right but a grave duty for one who is responsible for the lives of others. The defense of the common good requires that an unjust aggressor be rendered unable to cause harm. For this reason, those who legitimately hold authority also have the right to use arms to repel aggressors against the civil community entrusted to their responsibility.  [Source]
 

What I'm saying is that we have no right to judge which people are "wheat' and which are "tares" on this Earth. Only God can judge the hearts of men -- and He will, on the Last Day. Until then, we may judge the actions of others -- "by their fruits shall ye know them" -- but not their souls.

[DonnerT]

Aren't you glad I'm not God?

I guess the rest of the world is glad that neither of us is!

Make mine Orville Redenbacher with lots of coconut oil butter.
I wonder what the world population was when God drowned the rats?

[DonnerT]

You're still equivocating. At least Rob Roy is honest enough to admit he thinks it's about time for the cleansing by fire.

Does it never cross your mind, when you see what is happening in the world today, that it would be a better place without certain people?

I'm probably one of them.

[purereason]

"I would never have told Noah how to build the ark. As for what I'd do today, I think a comet or large meteor collision with the earth would make an excellent light show. Some microwave popcorn would top it off."

Why not throw it(the earth) into one of those big black holes.

[w_over_w]

Where do you get the authority to ask people to put themselves "in God's position"? I quoted God (Acts 10:34) to reproof the very idea that God doesn't respect the things that man does to exalt himself. Secondly, your comment "Or is it that you would not wish to see a world with less evil?" is clearly judgmental. That said,

"Thou art inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things." (Roms. 2:1)

Work the Word for God's approval and you won't have ask nondoctrinal questions.

God bless!

[vmatt]

HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST SINCE YOU BELIEVED?

[w_over_w]

"Like newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby" - I Peter 2:2

Wonderful read . . . God bless you brother!
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[DonnerT]

Now who's being judgemental? You obviously use God's Word to help you descriminate between what is good and what is evil. What is wrong with asking someone to point out who or what they think is evil?

As for Acts 10:34; Peter's words of self reproof regarding the Gentiles is qualified by the words in verse 35. I don't see how that confilcts with my question.

The mental exercise of plucking evil from the world brings about a self examination and a deeper understanding of God's patient forgivness and grace and helps define light and darkness.

[vmatt]

Wonderful read . . . God bless you brother!

Am I to take that as a yes?

[w_over_w]

"Or is it that you would not wish to see a world with less evil?"

"You're still equivocating. At least Rob Roy is honest enough to admit he thinks it's about time for the cleansing by fire."

"You obviously use God's Word to help you descriminate between what is good and what is evil."

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for the use of EDIFICATION, that it may minister GRACE unto the hearer"

- Ephs. 4:29

"The mental exercise of plucking evil from the world brings about a self examination and a deeper understanding of God's patient forgivness and grace and helps define light and darkness."

"Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, REBUKE, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctine (THE WORD), but according to their OWN DESIRES, . . . they will turn their ears away from the truth (THE WORD) and be turned aside to fables"("Just wondering what you would do in His position?")

- II Tim. 4:3,4

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."

- Roms.16:17

Goodbye . . .

[w_over_w]

"Am I to take that as a yes?"

I'm sorry . . . did I miss something? Please explain.

[Jemian]

You are right; I did NOT answer your question. I have no intention of answering it. I do not think it should be answered. We are ALL capable of sin, we ALL fall short of God's standard of righteousness. We are ALL deserving of hell.

I also disagree with your premise that God only works with those who want to be changed. He, many times, works outside of our wishes but always in accord with His lovingkindness.