The Bible says not only what you say about God's holiness and the culpability of man in sin. It says a great deal more............... There is a contradiction in your belief system here. For on one hand you are saying God is not the author of evil. However, on the other hand you are saying God planned evil (Which would in fact make him the author of evil).
The Bible says not only what you say about God's holiness and the culpability of man in sin. It says a great deal more.
Some of those things you just won't say for some reason. I'm sure you have your reasons. That's between you and God. But it doesn't bother God at all to say them and I agree with what He says.
The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was sin. That is why the Lord prayed that that sin not be held against them.
"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, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur." Acts 4:27-28
You say that that makes Him the author of sin. I strongly disagree with you.
I didn't write the book. I just read and teach what it says - all of what it says.
The best part about beating one's head against the wall is how good it feels when one stops doing it....
I believe I have explained things openly. So I am not sure exactly what you think I said that I didn't say?
God using evil for His greater glory and good does not mean God had:
(a) Planned that evil to happen.
(b) Approves or agrees with such said evil.
You said that the crucifixion of Jesus was a sin. Yet, the Scriptures say that it pleased God the Father to crush the Son. It was God the Father's plan all along to send the Son so as to save mankind from their sins and so as to provide a mediator between God and man. For Jesus is the Son of God (second person of the Godhead) who was to be our sacrifice and our Heavenly High Priest.
Jesus was in complete agreement with God the Father's plan. In fact, Jesus even told Peter that he was Satan for suggesting that he should not go to the cross to be crucified. The men who crucified Jesus had made the free will choice to sin by crucifying him. God being aware of what their future free will choice to do evil is a sin that falls upon them and not God. God is able to use their free will choice to do evil for a greater purpose, or plan for good (Which was to save mankind from their sins). God is aware of man's future free will choices in what they are going to do. So God is always one step ahead of man because He is sovereign over time and knows exactly what to do before it happens. This does not mean God planned sin to happen. These evil men had already made their choice to do evil. God being aware of their evil choices in knowing what they were going to do (used their evil for a greater purpose). This does not mean God purposely made these men to do evil. This does not mean God had planned evil himself. God being aware of what man was going to do and then manipulting the evil for His good does not equate with God planning evil to take place. If I plan to kill someone, that would make me evil. If I plan for an evil situation to happen (even if I am not directly involved, that would also make me evil). God is good. God is love; And there is no darkness in God. God does not tempt anyone to sin. Nor does God make beings that are specifically set out to sin (As if that was their only choice). Nor does God use free willed beings in such a way to bring about an evil situation that He planned. God cannot be in harmony with evil. For what fellowship does light have with darkness? God can simply use the evil that is already in existence from willed creatures for His greater purpose and glory. This does not mean God plans evil or decrees evil. God merely is aware of the future and uses both good and evil for the greater good of His holy and righteous plans. God cannot and will not ever plan for evil to take place. Man is the author evil. Man is the one who chooses evil (not God).
It also may be worth pointing out that God did not say he creates wickedness, which is different Hebrew word.Define Evil
You will not say exactly what the Word of God says about how God predestined the sins that killed Jesus. You will not simply say that they were "free choices of men to sin" made by the creature AND that they were predestined to happen by God Himself. It's not hard to say. Just say it.I believe I have explained things openly. So I am not sure exactly what you think I said that I didn't say?
Jesus clearly identified it as sin when He prayed for God to forgive them for that sin.You said that the crucifixion of Jesus was a sin............Yet, the Scriptures say that it pleased God the Father to crush the Son..................................
Was your message geared towards me? If so, then please explain how such words apply to what I have said.
You will not say exactly what the Word of God says about how God predestined the sins that killed Jesus. You will not simply say that they were "free choices of men to sin" made by the creature AND that they were predestined to happen by God Himself. It's not hard to say. Just say it.
"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, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur." Acts 4:27-28
You also wrongly say that God's doing that very thing would make Him the author of sin. I strongly disagree with you.
God predestined sins. Man is the author of those sins and is responsible for those sins and will be judged accordingly. God remains holy through it all and is not to be accused of being the author of sins - AS YOU, YOURSELF, WRONGLY CHARGE THAT HE MUST BE.
Jesus clearly identified it as sin when He prayed for God to forgive them for that sin.
God decrees only good. But He carries out that good through evil.
It's all through the Bible. I don't know how anyone could miss it.
God's crushing His Son to provide a basis for mercy and grace to be extended to His creation is altogether good.
Men crucifying the Son of God was evil.
Both good and evil were occurring at the same time as per God's chosen method of providential control in that circumstance as well as in many other instances both from the Word of God and from the world in general.
The concurrent actions of God and men is something that I have talked about at length. If this is something new to you, you might want to read a few of my posts elsewhere.
Other instances just for starters, since this is something new to you apparently, would be the sinful words of Caiaphas the priest, the sinful actions of Joseph's brothers, prophetic utterances in general as well as in the use of tongues, and last but not least the writing of the scriptures themselves.
All of these are instances of the concurrent actions of God and man. Some are sinful actions on the part of man and some are not. All of the concurrent actions undertaken by God are righteous even though they may be carried out by the sinful actions of the creation.
This is really basic stuff by the way.
The other things you wrote are basic truths as well. Why do you feel that it is necessary to hold forth a lengthy presentation concerning the basics of the faith when I have already said that I know them and agree with them?
Regarding the Charles and Martha post - you are not God - God is God.
As with Lucifer in the book of Job - God has the final say as to what Charles can and cannot do.
For Heaven's sake - this is really basic.
James tells us that you can't even go to such and such a town, do a little business, and make a profit unless it is God's will for you to do so.
You say, "God does not override man's free will to accomplish his purposes."
Absolute nonsense!
God restrains evil in this world every day exactly so that any evil will only accomplish His purposes. God even holds the hearts of kings in the palm of His hand like rivers of water. He turns them wherever He wishes.
Your zeal for staying away from the concept of predestination is driving you to stray from the truth in many areas. You are denying some of the most basic of principles taught in the Word of God.
You seem to be arguing to be arguing.
I tire now of beating my head against a wall. I need a little rest. I'll leave you now to whatever your agenda is.
*** OH - IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ---- "One more time in answer to the question posed in your original post - I do not believe that it is correct to state that God created evil.
I do, however, believe that it is correct to say that He has always planned for evil to play a part in His plan for the age"
There is no doubt in my mind that God is grieved by every sin committed by men. He was grieved to tears over the fact that they would not come to Him in faith. You don't need to lecture me on the heart of God - even if I can't fathom it completely. Neither can you.But God did not decree evil or purposedly desire for man to do evil as if that is what He really wanted man to do. God cannot agree with evil so as to decree it. God would have preferred even Adam to obey Him and do that which was right and good. But Adam simply chose of his own free will to not do so. For if God made Adam to specifically sin as if that was his only choice, then it would mean God decreed or planned for evil to happen all along; And Adam and man could not be responsible for their sin condition if it was programmed into their DNA to specifically do only that (As if it was some kind of unescapable choice).