Lockman - Bible questions and answers

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Results from: Notes Author: John Reformed Ordered by Date
Results		Verse	Author	ID#
1	Then it's all settled?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102810
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2	Then it's all settled?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102806
	I've just been informed that my membership has been revoked. While saddened by this I accept it as God's will. Good bye my friends, I pray God will lead you and bless you all. John Reformed
3	Then it's all settled?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102804
	Dear Hank, It is possible for us to debate without rancour. We have been doing so quite succesfully on the topic of God's immutability. Nary a harsh word has been spoken (Praise God!). There is no reason why two christians cannot disagree without becoming disagreeable. In fact it's a good witness. And who knows, we each may come to know God better than we had. John John
4	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102780
	Dear Ed, The two lines are 'The soveriegty of God" and "The responsibility of man". Both exist simultaneously. How this can be...only God can tell. His ways are not our ways. Who has known the mind of God? His thoughts are infinitely higher than our own. If I have gone too far one way, it is in reaction to what I see as others going too far the other way. It is not a bad thing that we wrestle with one another over these great doctrines, for it forces us to prove our doctrines by diligent study of Holy Writ and prayer. The way I see it is that God has for-ordaned to occur allthings which do occur. I also believe that man is responsible for his words deeds and actions. I can (without twisting Scripture) prove that the Bible holds both of these positions simultaneously. They are both true...I just can't say how they can be true. No creature can. God bless, John
5	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102738
	The system of truth is not one straight line, but two. No man will ever get a right view of the gospel until he knows how to look at the two lines at once. I am taught in one book to believe that what I sow I shall reap: I am taught in another place, that "it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy." I see in one place, God presiding over all in providence; and yet I see, and I cannot help seeing, that man acts as he pleases, and that God has left his actions to his own will, in a great measure. Now, if I were to declare that man was so free to act, that there was no presidence of God over his actions, I should be driven very near to Atheism; and if, on the other hand, I declare that God so overrules all things, as that man is not free enough to be responsible, I am driven at once into Antinomianism or fatalism. That God predestines, and that man is responsible, are two things that few can see. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory; but they are not. It is just the fault of our weak judgment. Two truths cannot be contradictory to each other. If, then, I find taught in one place that everything is fore-ordained, that is true; and if I find in another place that man is responsible for all his actions, that is true; and it is my folly that leads me to imagine that two truths can ever contradict each other. These two truths, I do not believe, can ever be welded into one upon any human anvil, but one they shall be in eternity: they are two lines that are so nearly parallel, that the mind that shall pursue them farthest, will never discover that they converge; but they do converge, and they will meet somewhere in eternity, close to the throne of God, whence all truth doth spring. (from a sermon by C.H. Surgeon)
6	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102720
	Dear Tim, It's not that I think your translation is cock-eyed, it's just because I have greater confidence in translations that are peer-reviewed by those who have devoted a lifetime to the ancient languages. So don't feel :-( God set them up! Whats so hard to understand about that. They were wicked sinners bound for Hell and He used their love for evil in fore-destining the evil deeds which they thouroughly enjoyed commiting. You have the idea that God made them do evil. No way! They act in accordance to the desires of their own wicked hearts and gleefully carry out the will of their father, the devil (2 Tim 2:26). They jump at any chance to overthrow God and to win the favor for themselves. Why do you think that God calls them children of wrath...because, underneath it all they are sweet guys? Give me a break! I'm not saying we were any better ourselves at one time. But for the grace of God we would have plucked out His beard and spat on His face, laughing the whole time in anticipation of His taking His last breath. John
7	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102716
	Dear Tim, No offense, but I'll stick to the translations of the experts. :-) "Where I disagree is in the implication that God 'made' the people involved do what they did." Keep in mind that those people who killed the Lord of Glory, did so out of the wickedness of their own hearts an NOT because God forced them to do it.. We see the same thing in the story of Joseph and his brothers and in God's use of the Assyrians as a rod in His hand in punishing wicked Israel. In each case we see that it was the invisible hand of God accomplishing His eternal purpose. "Where I disagree with you is that there is nothing in the text which indicates that the actions of the people were dicated by Divine fiat." Then you must look up the meaning of the term "ordain". To set in order; to arrange according to rule; to regulate; to set; to establish. 2. To regulate, or establish, by appointment, decree, or law; to constitute; to decree; to appoint; to institute. John
8	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102703
	Dear Tin, "Oh no John! I have went to great lengths to avoid going down that path! :-) Your not going to intice me there! :-)" 2 Tim 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; "Jonah did not say that it was God's plan all along. He said that it was God's nature to show mercy. Here is what he said, in Jonah 4:2b:"... I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity." Was this not the very thing that Jonah hoped to avoid...God's gracious granting of repentance which would lead to His display of patience, love and forgiveness? "I still can't get my mind around a false statement being used to state God's intention. If God says He was going to do something, then He must have meant it. :-)" Well Tim, we agree that God does not deal in falsehood. And we also agee that there is no such thing as "new information", where God is concerned, so there must be another way of looking at this passage. The alternative which I have offered have not been acceptable to you, therefore, I leave it up to you to offer one that I might find convincing . Your Brother in Christ, John
9	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102681
	Dear Tim, The following passages show that repentance unto God is not a natural virtue, but a gift which is given to those of God's choosing. Does this fact affect your thinking regarding God changing His mind? Acts 5:31 "He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. (see Rom 9:6) Acts 11:18 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life." 2 Tim 2:25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, John 3:27 John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. The reason I ask is, because our discussion has revolved around the question as to whether or not it was God's plan, all along, to spare Nineveh. Jonah must have thought that it was God's plan to show mercy and grant repentance, for he went to great lengths to prevent God from sending there. Jonah loathed the Ninivites. John
10	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102677
	Dear Tim, How does one ordain something, but not be the author of it? I'm dealing with the text in Acts 4. . And it says God pre-destined the crucifiction and the deeds that brought it to pass. This arguement, that this leads to God being the author of sin, is a red herring thrown in to divert our attention from the text itself.. Let's deal with the text first and then the question of God being the author of sin. What does the text say? If we can agree on what it means, we can then bring forth other scripture to establish it's full meaning John
11	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102662
	To what end?" To know God and the power of His might. John
12	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102661
	EdB, Do you believe that God pre-destined the acts of the wicked men that led to the crucifiction and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, as Peter said in acts 4:27,28? John
13	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102659
	New Creature For the last time...God is NOT the author of sin! But He does ordain evil deeds as in the case of Acts 4:28,29. This passage says Acts 4:27 "For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, Acts 4:28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. This is not a difficult passage to understand. Anyone who knows how to read can understand it's meaning. The hard part is getting it to fit a pre-concieved idea that is in opposition to it's clear teaching. So words must be twisted to say something other than what they mean and people who disagree with twisting scripture are accused of heresy! For the last time. when it is said that God pre-destines or to fore-ordains that a thing happens, it means that it happened because He had willed it to happen beforehand. To say that He knew that it was going to happen and thats the reason why He pre-destined it is nonsensical. If you don't see that itis nonsense, then, I must conclude that you are willfully refusing to believe what the passage teaches because it does not fit your conception of God Himself. May God grant you enlightenment. John
14	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102574
	NC, Why then does the apostle say fore-ordained? Words mean things. Ordain means to order by virtue of superior authority; Fore means beforehand. Put them together and they mean that God, beforehand ordered that the evil deeds, which were done by the murderers of Jesus, were by His authority and power. But they did it for for their own wicked reason. They did'nt mean it for the salvation of untold thousands of people. John
15	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102573
	And your statement is shakey as well Ed.:-) Read Act 4 and then tell me what you think. Did God fore-ordain that which He said He fore-ordaned, or not? John John
16	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102571
	The following is from John Piper: Now the question is: Does the Bible teach that God laments some of his decisions in the sense that I have described above (which does not imply that He is ignorant of their future consequences), or does the Bible teach that God laments some of his decisions because he did not see what was coming? The answer is given later in 1 Samuel 15. After God says in verse 11, "I repent that I have made Saul king," Samuel says in verse 29, as if to clarify, "The Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent" (KJV). The point of this verse seems to be that, even though there is a sense in which God does repent (verse 11), there is another sense in which he does not repent (verse 29). The difference would naturally be that God's repentance happens in spite of perfect foreknowledge, while most human repentance happens because we lack foreknowledge. God's way of "repenting" is unique to God: "God is not a man that he should repent" (the way a man repents in his ignorance of the future). For God to say, "I feel sorrow that I made Saul king," is not the same as saying, "I would not make him king if I had it to do over." God is able to feel sorrow for an act in view of foreknown evil and pain, and yet go ahead and will to do it for wise reasons. And so later, when he looks back on the act, he can feel the sorrow for the act that was leading to the sad conditions, such as Saul's disobedience. Hence we have our precious fighter verse in Numbers 23:19 - "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" I say it is precious, because here God's commitment to his promises hangs on his not repenting like a man. In other words, God's promises are not in jeopardy, because God can foresee all circumstances, he knows that nothing will occur that will cause him to take them back. John
17	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102563
	Dear NC, Did God fore-ordain the sinful actions of men? Based upon God's Holy Word, yes I do believe God fore-ordains EVERYTHING. It is His creation and does with it whatsoever pleases Him. I'm sorry, but, your read on Acts 4 is not reasonable. You wrote "I believe that the determination of God to do something, even the predesting of things is based on His foreknowledge. By that I mean I believe foreknowledge precedes any predesting.(see Rom. 8:29 for example)" That would mean that God knew what He was going to do, so, He pre-ordained that He would do it. Which means His knowing was pre-ordained....and around and around and around! God knew that Jesus would be crucified because He fore ordained that Jesus would be crucified. You can't have God looking into the future and discovering what would happen and then say He made it happen before He looked into the future. It just does'nt make sense that way. Whats wrong with simply accepting what the verse says, which is that the wicked actions ot those responsible for the crucifixion carried out God's plan even though they thought they were doing it for their own evil reasons. Same with Josephs brothers and the Assyrians. John
18	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102561
	Dear Tim, From a book by Arthur Pink God is immutable in His counsel. His will never varies. Perhaps some are ready to object that we ought to read the following: "And it repented the Lord that He had made man" (Gen. 6:6). Our first reply is, Then do the Scriptures contradict themselves? No, that cannot be. Numbers 23:19 is plain enough: "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent." So also in 1 Samuel 15:19, "The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for He is not a man, that He should repent." The explanation is very simple. When speaking of Himself. God frequently accommodates His language to our limited capacities. He describes Himself as clothed with bodily members, as eyes, ears, hands, etc. He speaks of Himself as "waking" (Ps. 78:65), as "rising early" (Jer. 7:13); yet He neither slumbers nor sleeps. When He institutes a change in His dealings with men, He describes His course of conduct as "repenting." Herein is solid comfort. Human nature cannot be relied upon; but God can! However unstable I may be, however fickle my friends may prove, God changes not. If He varied as we do, if He willed one thing today and another tomorrow, if He were controlled by caprice, who could confide in Him? But, all praise to His glorious name, He is ever the same. His purpose is fixed, His will stable, His word is sure. Here then is a rock on which we may fix our feet, while the mighty torrent is sweeping away everything around us. The permanence of God’s character guarantees the fulfillment of His promises: "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee" (Isa. 54:10). The above are excerpts from The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink I was gratfied to discover that my own thinking was not at variance from the author's. I hope this helps. John
19	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102554
	Mal 3:6 "For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. Dear Tim, Think about it...If God actually changed His mind, it would mean that His original judgement was less than perfect! You have already agreed that He never learns new information, rather, He is omniscient. Therefore, (unless you want to re-think this doctrine as well) the times in which He say He changed His mind, were instances of God's graciousness in speaking to us in terms which we are capable of grasping. Like a mature parent to a child just beginning learn to understand complex thoughts. You know.. using baby talk. It is God condescending to our weakness. Giving us milk instead of strong meat. It's not a matter of sweeping difficulties under the rug, but of using our God given reasoning abilities and prayerfully attempting to reconcile difficult passages. Of course, we also have pre-suppositions and cultural biases which also influence our conclusions. We must bear them in mind and be scrupulous in preventing them from taking precedence in our interpretation the texts. I have to return to work. John
20	Is God subject to change?	Bible general Archive 2	John Reformed	102549
	Dear NC, You wrote " I do however believe that God in His omniscience fore-knew everything that would happen before it came to pass. I also stated that I also believe that the actions or inactions of God's creatures can never in any way alter God's purpose or divine plan." The problem is that that is not what the text says. Please found what you believe on the Bible and then we will have something solid to work from. What do you believe that Acts 4 28,29 teaches us? John

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