Originally posted by RJHindsThere are a couple of ways it could be true:
I don't believe all will be restored to a right relationship with God.
It is a nice idea though.
1. God's design is to create only those people who will be saved (I use "saved" as shorthand). If God, who knows all, knows that a person will not be saved, why would God create that person just to see that person not be saved?
or,
2. By coincidence, all those created, will come to be saved. This has to be a possibility, otherwise if some people have no possibility of being saved, they have no free will about it.
It seems to me you have to grant the possibility of it being true, and if it is possible and that would make a better world, why would God not do it? I am not trying to change your mind, I just want to understand the thinking. I think God would have that option and being good, would do it that way.
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Originally posted by Rajk999For all to repent is God's will, but humans have their own will,
What do you make of this verse then:
2Pet 3:9 The Lord is ... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
which is usually opposed to God's. Most of us want our own will
to be done. An atheist is not going to pray, "let God's will be done"
because he does not believe there is a God to pray to. All he wants
is his own will to be done. Who does an atheist repent to? How
could this idea possibly work? I just can't envision it happening.
Originally posted by RJHindsGod has in the past manipulated situations despite man having free will so that certain ends can be acheived. What is stopping him from doing that sometime in the future so that all will come to repentance and believe in Him? Its an elementary matter to get an atheist to believe.
For all to repent is God's will, but humans have their own will,
which is usually opposed to God's. Most of us want our own will
to be done. An atheist is not going to pray, "let God's will be done"
because he does not believe there is a God to pray to. All he wants
is his own will to be done. Who does an atheist repent to? How
could this idea possibly work? I just can't envision it happening.
Are you saying that cannot happen ?
Originally posted by Rajk999Nothing is impossible with God. However, I am of the opinion
God has in the past manipulated situations despite man having free will so that certain ends can be acheived. What is stopping him from doing that sometime in the future so that all will come to repentance and believe in Him? Its an elementary matter to get an atheist to believe.
Are you saying that cannot happen ?
that is not going to happen. I must admit I am not infallible.
