Marines believe in 'one shot' 'one kill' very specfic.
Calvinist Preach the gospel to 'em all and let God sort 'em out.
Calvinist teach that God has already sorted them out in eternity past with His decree. Their fate has long been determined
Arminian God please, please, please ignore what I say about free will and change their hearts.
No, Arminians actually take all those 'whosoevers' and 'all's' as being real not some cosmic joke that God is playing on man
God He who sits in the heavens laughs.
Yes, He does laugh, because He knows that He is both Sovereign and man is free to accept or reject Him,
Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and powerL for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created (Rev.4:11)
And say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Stupid question for God to ask isn't it? Since they were all predestinanted to do so? Well, I better stop, I know how upset you get when I set one scripture against another!
Yes, He does laugh, because He knows that He is both Sovereign and man is free to accept or reject Him,
Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created (Rev.4:11)Stupid question for God to ask isn't it? Since they were all predestinanted to do so? Well, I better stop, I know how upset you get when I set one scripture against another!And say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
It seems pretty obvious that you have only one goal here and that is to mock. Do you even stop to consider that you actually do pit scripture against scripture and mock the very Word of God?
Acts 4:27-28 "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done."
…God's saving design are penultimate, not ultimate. Redemption, salvation, and restoration are not God's ultimate goal. These He performs for the sake of something greater: namely, the enjoyment He has in glorifying Himself. - John Piper
God would be unrighteous if he valued anything more than what is supremely valuable. And what is supremely valuable is His glory. If God did not value Himself above all other things, then He would cease to be God. He would deny the infinite worth of His own Glory and He would be implying that there is something more valuable outside of Himself. God would be an idolater.
Jonathan Edwards himself struggled greatly with the doctrine of God's sovereignty, but he does have some insightful words to help understand exactly how God can be pleased to allow the death of the wicked and still not have any pleasure from their death.When a distinction is made between God's revealed will and his secret will, or his will of command and decree, "will" is certainly in that distinction taken in two senses. His will of decree, is not his will in the same sense as his will of command is. Therefore, it is no difficulty at all to suppose, that the one may be otherwise than the other: his will in both senses is his inclination. But when we say he wills virtue, or loves virtue, or the happiness of his creature; thereby is intended, that virtue, or the creature's happiness, absolutely and simply considered, is agreeable to the inclination of his nature.
His will of decree is his inclination to a thing, not as to that thing absolutely and simply, but with respect to the universality of things, that have been, are, or shall be. So God, though he hates a thing as it is simply, may incline to it with reference to the universality of things. Though he hates sin in itself, yet he may will to permit it, for the greater promotion of holiness in this unversality, including all things, and at all times. So, though he has no inclination to a creature's misery, considered absolutely, yet he may will it, for the greater promotion of happiness in this universality.
Therefore, when you read Ezekiel 18, you must keep in mind that the salvation of the wicked is not foremost in God's purpose. The display of His glory is.
When you understand that God looks on both at the same time, you will understand Ezekiel 18 in its proper perspective. God delights in the display of His glory and He does not have any pleasure in the death of the wicked.
And this leaves me with a question. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked when considering them individually, that is sure. However, God takes infinite pleasure in the display of His glory. Were God to regard man above His glory, He would be an idolater. And, as Jerry has pointed out and as I have pointed out, if God truly does desire to save all men everywhere, then He doesn't seem to be very motivated to realize His desires. You will quote to me the citadel of man's free will.
Well, are you suggesting that men will burn in hell because God's hands are tied and the saints will not get out and evangelize the world? Are you suggesting that God has made salvation impossible because He must honor man's free will? Will the Almighty say on Judgement day: "I would have you saved, but it's not my fault. Blame Johnny because he wouldn't submit to My will and so you were never given the chance. Oh, well, enjoy the Lake of Fire."