12 Jan 05
Originally posted by PeregriniGod created mankind to truely love him, and therefore gave him free will; it is a sign of true love if a person chooses to loves someone when they don't have to. If God had not granted free will he would have simply created a bunch of machines (people) mechanically living as he determined; this does not show the love and relationship God desires. Now, because God gave humans free will, he also gave us the option to sin, with its consequences. Mankind did fall from perfection, but becuase of a love with no depths, instead or destoying us, he would go on to send his son to die for us. Today, with the new covenant, we choose to accept Christ or not, and choose to live our lives for him, or for ourselves. Even though everyone sins, including Christians, becuase of God's grace if we can still be with him in heaven if we do indeed make the choice to commit our lives to him.
How does the idea of Freewill and Christianity go together? Is it purely predestination or purely freewill? Or is it some mixture? Indepth, what do you think?
As for predestination, "For those God forknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son." Romans 8:29. The Lord knew both you and me before the begining of time and knew a thousand years ago each stroke of our fingers on these keys. However, I am still exercising my free will by doing this; God simply knows ahead of time what your thoughts, actions, etcetera, choosen by your free will, will be ahead of time.
12 Jan 05
Originally posted by rwingettIn reference to the above post, God made mankind with free will so we could show true love and have a relationship with him. With free will comes the choice to sin, and therefore evil exists in the world, as performed by humans. The Bible also declares, however, that Lucifer, who was once chief of the angles, grew jealous of God's power and wanted to be like him. He was therefore cast out of heaven and has been a force in our world since it was created; in the Garden of Eden he caused the fall of mankind. At the end of time and after the tribulation God will destroy Satan and all those in hell; until then Christians must surrender and let Jesus be their strength as they go throughout the course of their life, surely aflicted and facing evil in many forms. God will never leave us or forsake us; and what a eternity lies in wait for those who trust him!
How do you reconcile the presence of evil in the world with the concept of an omnipotent and omnibenevolent god?
12 Jan 05
Originally posted by bishop wolfSo god has the power to defeat Satan now, but chooses not to. Instead he chooses to let Satan wreak havoc amongst us, causing untold suffering along the way. Is that correct?
In reference to the above post, God made mankind with free will so we could show true love and have a relationship with him. With free will comes the choice to sin, and therefore evil exists in the world, as performed by humans. The Bible also declares, however, that Lucifer, who was once chief of the angles, grew jealous of God's power and wanted to be ...[text shortened]... God will never leave us or forsake us; and what a eternity lies in wait for those who trust him!
12 Jan 05
Originally posted by rwingettWell, you might like to be a robot, but God doesn't want robots. The reason there is evil in the world is because God created people to be "Free Thinking"...jeez, imagine that, rwingett....God created you just as you wanted...a free thinker
How do you reconcile the presence of evil in the world with the concept of an omnipotent and omnibenevolent god?
Man is responsible for ALL evil in this world: war, crime, corruption, etc....with a little cooperation from satan....😲
12 Jan 05
Sometimes when I walk down the grocery store aisle, an elderly woman will put her hand on her purse in her cart until I have walked past, in order to keep me from stealing it.
Now, the thing is, had she left her purse on top of my car, when I got out to the parking lot and saw the purse there, I would have taken the purse in to the store in order to get them to call for the owner to pick it up. And I would not take anything out of the purse during the time it was in my possession.
So, do you conclude that:
(1) women who do that are non-Christian, so that God refuses to tell them, "Don't worry about this guy, he is not a purse-snatcher,"
or is it more that
(2) God doesn't talk to anybody, at least not in modern times.
12 Jan 05
Originally posted by chancremechanicWhat about killer tsunamis? Is mankind responsible for those too?
Well, you might like to be a robot, but God doesn't want robots. The reason there is evil in the world is because God created people to be "Free Thinking"...jeez, imagine that, rwingett....God created you just as you wanted...a free thinker
Man is responsible for ALL evil in this world: war, crime, corruption, etc....with a little cooperation from satan....😲
12 Jan 05
Originally posted by rwingettNo, nature is....but, man is responsible for global warming, so, maybe indirectly our presence and mutilation of the ecosystem "may" have been the cause of this tsunami by unleashing unseen phenonena that could start a chain of events to cause such a catastrophe...case in point: California mudslides...where suburbia has compromised the natural holding capacity of tree roots in soil and thus over time....well, if you saw the news, you know what I'm talking about...
What about killer tsunamis? Is mankind responsible for those too?
the earth is constantly shifting...God didn't promise us a rose garden...but He does promise to be there with us...if we believe....
12 Jan 05
Originally posted by rwingett"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." Issiah 55:8 It is also not the Lord who brought evil upon us, we brought it upon ourselves. God made mankind perfect and we choose to sin, to remove ourselves from God; we pay the consequences by having to live in this world, however, not all is lost. "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 As Christians, if we die we will rise again to glory and spend eternity with the Lord God in perfection, feasting at his banquetting table. Also, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if neccessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith... may be found" 1 Peter 1:6-7
So god has the power to defeat Satan now, but chooses not to. Instead he chooses to let Satan wreak havoc amongst us, causing untold suffering along the way. Is that correct?
12 Jan 05
Originally posted by chancremechanicMan isn't responsible for earthquakes. Period.
No, nature is....but, man is responsible for global warming, so, maybe indirectly our presence and mutilation of the ecosystem "may" have been the cause of this tsunami by unleashing unseen phenonena that could start a chain of events to cause such a catastrophe...case in point: California mudslides...where suburbia has compromised the natural hold ...[text shortened]... d didn't promise us a rose garden...but He does promise to be there with us...if we believe....
Interesting to see that you seem to think the tsunami was an evil thing though.
12 Jan 05
2 edits
Originally posted by KneverKnightI think you need to go back and read my post again because NOWHERE did I say that the tsunami was evil, and NOWHERE did I say man was responsible for earthquakes...I said that we were responsible for global warming that MAY, without our knowing, unleash phenomena that MAY cause a chain of events that COULD cause an earthquake...just speculation....read it again....slowly
Man isn't responsible for earthquakes. Period.
Interesting to see that you seem to think the tsunami was an evil thing though.
Here's some food for thought...do you think it possible that nuclear weapons testing could fracture the quake faults further, thus precipitating an earth quake? 🙄
12 Jan 05
Originally posted by Paul DiracYour response to such a situation would be most admirable, however, I conclude neither of your statements. "Judge not, that you be not judged." Matthew 7:1 You do not know the situation of that elderly lady, perhaps she has been robbed several times and does not know of your admirable response to such a situation as you have mentioned. Have you ever talked to her? Introduced yourself? Tried to be friendly? As for your second statement, God continually talks to us both through answered prayer and imparting the holy spirit to us. "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?" 1 Corinthians 6:19
Sometimes when I walk down the grocery store aisle, an elderly woman will put her hand on her purse in her cart until I have walked past, in order to keep me from stealing it.
Now, the thing is, had she left her purse on top of my car, when I got out to the parking lot and saw the purse there, I would have taken the purse in to the store in order to ge ...[text shortened]...
or is it more that
(2) God doesn't talk to anybody, at least not in modern times.
12 Jan 05
1 edit
Originally posted by chancremechanicNuclear weapons? Perhaps if one really tried hard but I doubt whether they have in fact caused any seismic activity lately. Continental drift and all that will do it on its own, has done it on its own and will do so again. Crap happens.
I think you need to go back and read my post again because NOWHERE did I say that the tsunami was evil, and NOWHERE did I say man was responsible for earthquakes...I said that we were responsible for global warming that MAY, without ...[text shortened]... re the quake faults further, thus precipitating an earth quake? 🙄
EDIT You didn't say the tsunami was evil, my mistake.