Would You Sacrifice Your Own Child?

Peter Carlington · #1 24th May 2012, 04:06 PM

I was taliking with a number of freinds a few weeks ago and we discussed God's command to Abraham to sacrifice his son.

The question we had for each other was - if you were clear that God was asking you to do the same thing, would you do it?

I must admit, most of us hummed and hawed and said things like "Could we ever really be sure it was God's voice telling us to do this versus our imagination?" "God would never ask that of me."

However, one among us, called Steve who is a Calvanist had no hesitation. He sad "Yes, if I heard God calling me to do it I would not hesitate."

His straight-forwaerdness was a big contrast to the rest of us.

How about you? What would you do?

Harry3142 · #2 24th May 2012, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by Peter Carlington

I was taliking with a number of freinds a few weeks ago and we discussed God's command to Abraham to sacrifice his son.

The question we had for each other was - if you were clear that God was asking you to do the same thing, would you do it?

I must admit, most of us hummed and hawed and said things like "Could we ever really be sure it was God's voice telling us to do this versus our imagination?" "God would never ask that of me."

However, one among us, called Steve who is a Calvanist had no hesitation. He sad "Yes, if I heard God calling me to do it I would not hesitate."

His straight-forwaerdness was a big contrast to the rest of us.

How about you? What would you do?

You've made a mistake that is common to those who read the story of Abraham and Isaac. You've assumed that Isaac was still a child. But Josephus wrote that Isaac was circa 25 years old. He himself was a grown man, perfectly capable of engaging his father in combat and defeating him if he had thought it to be correct.

So what was God up to? He tested both Abraham and Isaac. His test of Abraham focussed on whether he considered God to be worthy of being obeyed, irregardless of what he commanded Abraham to do. And the test for Isaac focussed on his being so loyal to his father's wishes that he was willing to be sacrificed if his father considered that as necessary in order to obey God's command.

Of course, God prevented his own order from being carried out. Both Abraham and Isaac had showed him what he wanted to see, and that was enough. But 2,000 years later it would be God who would offer up his Son because he considered mankind as important, and it would be his Son, Jesus Christ, who freely and of his own volition permitted himself to be offered as a sacrifice to ensure that all mankind could obtain the righteousness as a gift that we could never earn as a salary.

Peter Carlington · #3 24th May 2012, 04:34 PM

Fair enough - same question though using "son" or "daughter" instead of child.

elman · #4 24th May 2012, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Peter Carlington

I was taliking with a number of freinds a few weeks ago and we discussed God's command to Abraham to sacrifice his son.

The question we had for each other was - if you were clear that God was asking you to do the same thing, would you do it?

I must admit, most of us hummed and hawed and said things like "Could we ever really be sure it was God's voice telling us to do this versus our imagination?" "God would never ask that of me."

However, one among us, called Steve who is a Calvanist had no hesitation. He sad "Yes, if I heard God calling me to do it I would not hesitate."

His straight-forwaerdness was a big contrast to the rest of us.

How about you? What would you do?

There is no way of knowing what one would actually do, but I think I would tell God no. If you want my son killed you will have to do it yourself and if I could stop you I would. I don't believe the story is divine truth. I do not believe God would ever ask us to kill another human being and if God is telling us to do that we need to not obey and start getting treatment for mental problems. I believe that whenever anyone tells me God told them to kill someone, weather it is Joshua or a Muslem, I think they are lying.

elman · #5 24th May 2012, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by Steve The Thinker

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jpcedotal · #6 24th May 2012, 04:51 PM

Ya'll are missing the point a bit. That story shows us that God would never allow us to go through with it. It would go against who He is and what sacrifice means to Him. He does not want you to sacrifice someone else like many other pagan religions require. He wants us to do what He did...sacrifice self....for someone else.

Peter Carlington · #7 24th May 2012, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by jpcedotal

Ya'll are missing the point a bit. That story shows us that God would never allow us to go through with it. It would go against who He is and what sacrifice means to Him. He does not want you to sacrifice someone else like many other pagan religions require. He wants us to do what He did...sacrifice self....for someone else.

But then are you saying God likes to trick people to test them? I bet poor old Abraham was scared out of his wits - never mind Isaac. That just seems cruel and doesn't sound at all admirable to me.

jpcedotal · #8 24th May 2012, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by Peter Carlington

But then are you saying God likes to trick people to test them? I bet poor old Abraham was scared out of his wits - never mind Isaac. That just seems cruel and doesn't sound at all admirable to me.

No, God already knew how Abraham would act....but Abraham needed to know how much faith in God he had, himself...for things God would have Him to do in the future. After that event, no matter what God asked of him, no matter how impossible it sounded, Abraham knew God would not ask him to do something he could not handle.

That's why that event happened...to teach Abraham something about his own faith.

jpcedotal · #9 24th May 2012, 05:07 PM

God tests us to prepare us for future good works for His glory.

elman · #10 24th May 2012, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by Steve The Thinker

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I think God has written on every human heart and we are without excuse in that we know, if we are mature and not mentally defective, what is the loving and kind thing to do; and we know what is the unkind and unloving thing to do; and we all know which we should do. Yes, one must pick and chose from the bible. In my opinion the bible is not the inerrant word of God. Anytime it shows our Creator as less than loving and kind, that is not divine truth. I do not believe God ever killed anyone or ever needed to kill anyone, nor do I believe God ever told anyone to kill someone. Picking and chosing, by the way, is done by everyone, including those who deny doing it the loudest. They claim to take the bible as a whole, but they ignore those parts that disagree with their theology and agenda--just like everyone else. Atheist also tend to pick and chose when they are trying to criticise Christianity or the bible. They seldom concentrate on the teaching in the bible to love others.