God judges us on our choices that we make. I disagree with your exegesis of Deut 31. As to John 15:16, Jesus is talking about the Apostles, not all people who choose to be Christians.
I know. Augustine was wrong. I guess that makes the Pelagian right.
Please. Pelagian was wrong. I have already given you the heart of Pelagianism, as seen by St. Augustine. It is the ability to come to God WITHOUT God.
God, since He sees into ALL time, can see our response to His graces.
Oops, look above. (referring to a St. Augustine clip)
Again, you only post part of the clip. Pelagian's idea of free will is different then the Catholic's idea of free will. To Pelagian, it is decidely a free will WITHOUT God. St. Augustine refutes that. And while later, St. Augustine considers that God chooses men WITHOUT foreknowledge of man's response, this is not taught by the Church. Considering how God sees time, I don't see how God can NOT see our response to His love - since He sees all time as one instant.
Unless you have an explanation for my Pharaoh example of how God could hardened Pharaoh's heart, your comment is a bit disingenuous
Hardly. You yourself mentioned that Exodus notes that God hardened Pharaoh's heart, AND Pharaoh hardened HIS OWN HEART. Thus, even the Scripture does not weigh in on one side or the other. We Catholics say there is an unexplainable interaction. You continue (along with your Arminian counterparts) to argue the EITHER / OR.
God certainly FORCIBLY changed Paul's life
I disagree. Paul recognized the Lord's voice - but Paul didn't HAVE to go to Damascus. He obeyed the Lord because He chose to based on the tools God gave him and his decision to follow Who he believed was God. Certainly, God knew that Paul would - before the earth was created (if we look at this from inside time).
Regards
jokus-I disagree. Paul recognized the Lord's voice - but Paul didn't HAVE to go to Damascus.
This is like saying Jonah didn't have to go to Nineveh. God zaps Paul with blindness and tells him to enter the city and "what he must do". And you say Paul had a choice??? Paul said God "set him apart even from my mother's womb" and Paul recognized it as God's grace (Gal 1:15).
It is astonishing to me on these posts to see how many do not really believe in the grace of God. There is no grace except some "general" grace given to all mankind. This was Pelagius' view. God's caring is reduced to metaphors, His magnificent work happenstance, and Christ teachings were only meant for the apostles-not for us. Although God has a fish swallow up a person, hardens someone's heart, or zaps someone with blindness many here still insist it's up to man to make the decision-not God. Man isn't REALLY that bad but he can be just like God if he really take on the cloak of Christ. After all Mary did it. There is no original sin. This would almost be laughable if it wasn't so horribly sad.
I'm only beginning to understand what a terrible lie this all is and how it has cloaked the hearts of many Christians. It denies the scripture. It denies God's grace to chose. It denies the active working of God throughout history. Your disagreement isn't with me but with the plain interpretation of the inspired word of God.
This is consistent with the actions of God in the Old Testament-the actions many seem willing to deny. It is not consistent with this "God loves everyone and really wants the best for them" crowd. Undoubtedly I will get the argument that I'm pulling the verse out of context as I apparently have pulled hundred of verses out of context. Perhaps our Lord Jesus was speaking just to the apostles?-NOT