Replies

LOL.

Leave me out of this one.

I see both . . . facets of God’s mysterious diamond in Scripture. I’ve said what I have to say on the topic many times.

I think my perspective is akin to Angel-Gal who also sees Scripture on both sides of these issues.

When I see a topic where God seems to say things on both sides of what humans are inclined to see as a linear logic either or construction on reality . . .

I try and avoid yelling louder and beating brothers and sisters on the head harder . . . and just wait for God to clarify things IN HIS TIME—which, on this topic, will likely be in eternity.

When I asked our Assembly of God Chaplain [AOG is decidedly Arminian] to speak on the issue of “ETERNAL SECURITY” (I’d been running around with a lot of Baptist missionaries), I thought sure he’d give a resounding proof of Armianism.

Instead, he laid out Scriptures on both sides. He refused to take a stand and insisted we search the Scriptures and seek God for ourselves about it.

My abiding sense has been that it is a lot harder to lose one’s Salvation than some AoG hell-fire and brimstone preachers of my outh indicated . . . I used to think that if The Rapture occurred while I was frowning, I’d go to hell.

Yet, that there are some folks who curse God, say vile things about Holy Spirit and evidently deliberately actively reject God and the whole idea of a Salvation they once cherished.

And, I believe that there has to be—AT LEAST FROM OUR FINITE PERSPECTIVE SOME DEGREE OF ROBUST ABILITY TO CHOOSE NON-LOVE IF THERE IS TO BE ANY REALITY OR MEANING TO CHOOSING LOVE.

And, I like Dr Walter Martin’s explanation—imagine a computer as big as the universe. From the perspective of God, every possible choice of all possible organisms is already programmed into God’s computer with Him as programmer. From the perspective of each finite individual, the choices are real and authentic choices with authentic consequences for bad choices vs good choices.

However, God is able to jigger the program to achieve His will in all cases.

That’s my bit. I don’t care to argue any of those points.