Posted on 01/05/2010 9:46:47 PM PST by the_conscience
It would take a sincere and intentional act of malice to describe the Vatican as a place "filled with changing, fallible old eunuchs and pederasts who presume to know better than the word of God?"That sounds like words authored by Satan and repeated by his followers and the insufferably ignorant.
Romans 3:This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
Phil 3:. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Romans 10:Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
We become slaves(servants) to Christ..HE is our righteousness,so that God gets the glory
Nice usage of the phrase “insufferably ignorant”.
How precious.
You're roving farther and farther from the question of free will.
Is God powerful enough to give us free will?
As Machen willed.
“Slave” conveys that the status is involuntary.
In contrast, one can be a servant of God willingly.
That’s Pope Benedict XVI to you.
Show some respect for a very good man.
None of the prophets were servants willingly. Just the opposite, starting with Moses. They were called, every one of them and had no right of refusal. Same with angels, they are made for the purpose of servants. Same with God’s elect. Same with the un-elect.
Do you guys know what we mean by "lectio divina?" It's a kind of prayerful reading of Scripture. One of my favorite ways of hanging out with God (I expect to do major time in Purgatory for severe flippancy) is to go to a chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is "reserved," and read the Bible. Reading the Word in the presence of the Word. Can't beat it!
If I'm strung out I may just read - Bible dipping(yeah Catholics do it too, don't tell.) There's always something good. If I'm less strung out its a more structured prayerful thing.
But I have been known to take a difficult theology book (or something like that) into the chapel and study with Jesus.
If not, then there is something in this world that is outside of, and stronger than, the will and purpose and good pleasure of God.
Which is laughable.
As we are reminded by the WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH (with Scriptural proofs per the footnotes)...
I. God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass;[1] yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin,[2] nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.[3] II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions;[4] yet has He not decreed anything because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.[5] III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels[6] are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.[7] IV. These angels and men, thus predestinated, and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.[8] V. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, has chosen, in Christ, unto everlasting glory,[9] out of His mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving Him thereunto;[10] and all to the praise of His glorious grace.[11] VI. As God has appointed the elect unto glory, so has He, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto.[12] Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,[13] are effectually called unto faith in Christ by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified,[14] and kept by His power, through faith, unto salvation.[15] Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.[16] VII. The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of His own will, whereby He extends or withholds mercy, as He pleases, for the glory of His sovereign power over His creatures, to pass by; and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of His glorious justice.[17] VIII. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care,[18] that men, attending the will of God revealed in His Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election.[19] So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God;[20] and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the Gospel.[21]
Of God's Eternal Decree
It’s amazing to note how many people use their God-given gift of free will to deny the existence of that very thing.
Simply amazing.
Of course, "authored by Satan" seems to mean something different to Calvinists. To wit:
Satan is a tool in the hand of God..he can not act without the permission of God...
Thank you.
Amen!
As William Munny said in "Unforgiven," "Deserves got nothing to do with it."
Hogwash. You imagine a god who is not powerful enough to endow a being with free will.
Your view denies the omnipotence of God.
So sayeth the Bhagavad Gita.
Interesting. Can you post those verses for us
That is not a decree of God.
It is the decree of the dark, vicious little pocket deity created by Calvin in his own sick image.
“At least one Freeper claimed to be the Messiah.”
“Gotta tell ya, it was a REALLY lonely Caucus thread.”
I don’t remember saying it was you!
We have the same will God has.. again does God have a free will?
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