Results 1 - 2 of 2
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Do you believe in being chosen? | Gen 2:9 | kalos | 126095 | ||
Divine Sovereignty, Human Responsibility [Country Girl: Yes, I am interested in your response. Nothing in this Note is intended to hurt or criticize you. I am merely attempting to respond to the points you raised in your two previous Notes. I do so much appreciate your interest and replies. Grace and shalom to you, kalos] You write: "I really DO NOT believe that God or any One of the Godhead really seeks out any particular person." One would have to ignore a lot of Scripture before one could NOT believe that God really seeks out any particular person. Using a concordance, you may want to read the verses in the Bible that contain some form of the words "choose" or "elect". God may be "eager", but He is not "anxious" about anything -- not in the sense in which the word is used in the English Bible. 'anxious '1 : characterized by extreme uneasiness of mind or brooding fear about some contingency : WORRIED '2 : characterized by, resulting from, or causing anxiety : WORRYING' (www.m-w.com) God is NOT worried. That which he predestines shall come to pass. You ask: "If that was God's plan to select certain ones to come to Him in Heaven, then why so much emphasis from the Apostles on living a Godly life?" Good question. Actually God chose us "that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him" (Ephesians 1:4). God has chosen us "from the beginning for salvation through sanctification" (2 Thessalonians 2:13). God has not chosen us to be robots. Thus, the need for the rest of the Bible. Thus, the need for so much emphasis from the Apostles on living a Godly life. The Bible emphasizes godly living BECAUSE that is what God chose us FOR. A very important point to consider is that the Bible teaches both the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. Both are true. Neither cancels out the other. How can divine sovereignty and human responsibility both be true? I don't know. I just know that, according to the Bible, they are. There are many paradoxes in the Bible. If one were to say that a belief in the sovereignty of God (His choosing us) would somehow give us a license to sin and live a careless life, then one would be contradicting the clear teaching of Scripture. For the Bible teaches both God's sovereignty in choosing us AND man's responsibility to live a life of holiness and obedience. "Predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son" Romans 8:29-30 (ESV) For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. [30] And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Predestine - "to destine, decree, determine, appoint, or settle beforehand" (www.m-w.com). Predestinate - destined or determined beforehand. I cannot agree with the way you use/define "pre-destined". Specifically, our parents do not predestine our future in the same sense in which God does. Predestine means "to decree, determine, settle beforehand." When God decrees, when God determines, when God settles beforehand, the thing that he decrees SHALL be done. This, after all, is the definition of the word predestined. You see, it really IS all that different from our own parents here on earth. You ask: "How do you reconcile all the scriptures you quoted in your post with all the rest of the Bible which clearly gives mankind a choice between these two lifestyles?" As I said earlier, both divine sovereignty and human responsibility are true. How? I don't know. I just know that they are, according to the Bible. No offense intended here, but I don't know that I need to reconcile the Scriptures. Scripture speaks for itself. The verses I quoted speak for themselves. The Bible does not contradict itself. Other verses in the Bible do not cancel out the verses I've quoted. "One of the basic principles of biblical interpretation is the analogia scriptura, the analogy of Scripture. In other words, we must compare Scripture with Scripture in order to understand its full and proper sense. And since the Bible doesn't contradict itself, any interpretation of a specific passage that contradicts the general teaching of the Bible is to be rejected." (To read the full quote, go to (www.gty.org). Click on "BIBLE FAQs". Under "SALVATION" click on "Is baptism necessary for salvation?" When you arrive at this page, search for "analogia scriptura".) |
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2 | Do you believe in being chosen? | Gen 2:9 | Country Girl | 126662 | ||
Of course you're correct in that God does not worry and isn't anxious about anything but I am convinced He does want all mankind to obey Him and thus come Home to Him in Heaven. But I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with you about predestination. If God has already predestened everyone into their respective places, Heaven or Hell, then there would be no real useful purpose to our lives or our attempts to carry out the Gospel message to the world. No, my friend there's just too much scripture and too many other main themes throughout the Bible in opposition to this rather weak position. But I do realize there are many folks who hold to it. I would just encourage you to keep studying on it and be open to all the rest of the Bible. I would emphasize yet again, most of God's Word is simple so that the vast majority of mankind can understand it and reach the goal God has intended for us and that is to become one of His. Your position on predestination is just too confusing and convoluted to believe it could come from the God and Father who had His Son come to earth and live such a simple, humble life and die such a simple but cruel death on a humble cross for a dying world. No our Lord, His Son died too horrible a death for this world for people who have already been condemned to Hell and have no chance for Heaven. It just doesn't make sense. I still pray God's blessings on you. Country Girl |
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