As I just asked Kolo a few posts ago, what was Mary's participation in our salvation?
FK: "So, Mary was the only human ever to live up to her potential and never sin? She bested not only all the Church Fathers and every Pope who has ever lived, but ALL OF THE APOSTLES as well."
No. Her and Jesus.
So Jesus could have sinned, but just chose not to??? Lucky us, I suppose. God could have rejected Himself? I do not understand this.
Calvinists don't say it, but their theology inevitably leads on down that heretical idea. IF man has no free will, then GOD is the author of an evil action. Thus, GOD creates men for the express purpose to condemn to hell.
I address this in my 3921, which, now that I have read further, is basically an expanded version of below.
FK: "He leaves them to their own natures and justice is done. There is no "duty" on God to save everyone. This is different from Him "sending" anyone to hell."
Fortunately, you still have retained some Christian sense from before your turn to Calvinism. This above is correct, but not in line with Calvinism's theology. Calvin would have God positively reprobating man to hell - for actions that were beyond man's ability to choose.
Well, what can I say? I haven't gotten to that lesson yet. It doesn't sound like one I want to learn. :)
No, I don't think that was theologically possible. Sin is the lack of God or turning away from God - how can God turn away from Himself? Jesus, being human, though, shows us that man CAN resist temptation. The point of this story is not to show "Na, na, I can resist the devil and you can't". It is to show that in our original state, man COULD have said NO to the serpent.
Well, what can I say? I haven't gotten to that lesson yet. It doesn't sound like one I want to learn. :)
The idea that God causes evil makes about as much sense as God giving in to the tempter... I am not aware of any Church Father who has written that God causes evil. This is certainly a Calvinist innovation and corruption of God's Word. We are supposed to believe that "God is Love" who creates and willfully condemns men to eternal hell for absolutely no responsibility that man has, since they cannot choose but evil?
Sad
Regards