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 | God repented | Rom 1:18 | Morant61 | 20891 | ||
Response........................................ Greetings Joe! This is a very tricky topic! :-) Allow me to make a quick comment and ask a quick question! 1) Comment: What do you think is the best way to combine the Scriptures that talk about God's changing His response to nations or individuals and God's omniscience? Personally, I think the answer is that the passages that speak of God's changing are anthropomorphic. Obviously, God knows the future. This is clear from Scripture. However, it is also clear (in my opinion) that God has responded conditionally to people or nations. For me, the answer seems to be that God never really changed because He knew (take Ninevah for instance) what was ultimately going to happen. But, from Ninevah's perspective, they didn't know what was going to happen. They had a real choice to make. Thus, logically or temporally, God fully intended to destroy Ninevah depending upon their response. But, timelessly, God knew what would happen. 2) Question: I did have a quick question about one of your statements. You said: "He doesn't morally desire for someone to become a prostitute, but He knows that such a decision will be made before the prostitute does and has decreed that it will happen." I'm not trying to be a smart alex, but this seemed like a contradictory statement. Aren't decrees things that ultimately spring from God's sovereign will? Thus, how could God decree something that He knew would happen? I'm not trying to be nitpicky! This is just a very difficult topic to grasp or explain. Like you, I am very concerned that Christians don't fall into "Open Theism." The best explanation to me seems to be that God' interactions with man, because of our limitations, have a logical or temporal nature to them. Even though, God Himself doesn't have a temporal nature. Let me know what you think! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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2 | God repented | Rom 1:18 | Reformer Joe | 21186 | ||
Tim: As I was thinking about this again today, I realized that the Belgic Confession addresses this issue quite well. Here is what Article 13 says: We believe that this good God, after he created all things, did not abandon them to chance or fortune but leads and governs them according to his holy will, in such a way that nothing happens in this world without his orderly arrangement. Yet God is not the author of, nor can he be charged with, the sin that occurs. For his power and goodness are so great and incomprehensible that he arranges and does his work very well and justly even when the devils and wicked men act unjustly. We do not wish to inquire with undue curiosity into what he does that surpasses human understanding and is beyond our ability to comprehend. But in all humility and reverence we adore the just judgments of God, which are hidden from us, being content to be Christ's disciples, so as to learn only what he shows us in his Word, without going beyond those limits. This doctrine gives us unspeakable comfort since it teaches us that nothing can happen to us by chance but only by the arrangement of our gracious heavenly Father. He watches over us with fatherly care, keeping all creatures under his control, so that not one of the hairs on our heads (for they are all numbered) nor even a little bird can fall to the ground without the will of our Father. In this thought we rest, knowing that he holds in check the devils and all our enemies, who cannot hurt us without his permission and will. For that reason we reject the damnable error of the Epicureans, who say that God involves himself in nothing and leaves everything to chance. --Joe! |
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