Why does God make it so difficult for some people to be Christians?

[Far Side Of the Moon]

Your misunderstanding is a very common one. The problem is that you assume that conversion is an initiated and it is not.

It is God who elects, God who seeks, and God who saves. It doesn't matter what circumstances a person may be in. If God wants them saved He will save them.

This very true, people want to write off predestination but its as clear as day when God shows his sovereignty in many situations

 

[Greg J.]

You'll never get past the veil to understanding why until you accept that God is good, is love, and everything God does is out of love. Another thing that must be accepted is that we are all evil. If you don't believe Scripture on those two points, you'll never know God.

...what glory does God get out of this? Where was God in this ?

God's glory in this will be revealed on Judgment Day.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

No what he's saying is that for example there's a deacon at my church who used to kill people and was in jail.

He grew up in a family full of atheism... and then he's in jail and doesn't desire God at all. A person he plays dice with says he will not play with him again unless he goes to hear this preacher. The deacon goes to hear the preacher and the preacher tells him there's a calling on his life and ask if he can pray for him. Deacon denies what the preacher is saying but lets him pray over him.

Deacon Bradly (he's not a deacon at the time of course) allows him to pray over him. The preacher says he will get his pastor to come down to talk with him later.

The pastor comes and tells him he will be set free.


Deacon Bradley has every charge against him dropped in the same day, the pastor takes him to his house and Deacon gets new clothes and such.


He goes to church a couple of times and receives the holy ghost without even knowing what the holy spirit is really. Now he's a yeah.. deacon.



He's talking about situations like that, where the person had no intention of ever pursuing God but God orchestrated something for that individual where God reaches down and pulls up someone who no one would ever expect to become a christian.


Additionally it's intrinsic to understand pre-selection/called.


If someone isn't called it means God knows they will end up not seeking him or they will walk with him for a bit but backslide and never come back. He doesn't force them not to seek him.

He simply knows who will stay with him and who won't/won't even choose him at all.

I never thought of it like that... I think God does know who will walk with him and who wont,,but it still begs the question..why create people you know won't make it to heaven? Maybe those people help the chosen/ elect get saved... Just my thoughts.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

You'll never get past the veil to understanding why until you accept that God is good, is love, and everything God does is out of love. Another thing that must be accepted is that we are all evil. If you don't believe Scripture on those two points, you'll never know God.

God's glory in this will be revealed on Judgment Day.

When I think of evil, I think of Hitler. Not every human being is Hitler,,,but one person I quoted made some sense... Maybe some people are born in situations where they'd never hear the gospel because God knows they won't accept it... Idk, I just thought that made sense..in a way.

 

[Greg J.]

why create people you know won't make it to heaven?

Same reason as he chose to create people who would argue about him.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

God's grace is never a matter of fairness. Fairness is akin to justice (what we are owed), and the only thing that He owes us is damnation. Salvation is a gift (mercy), and when you give a gift, you are not required (justice) to give it to everyone (or anyone). And, the reasons for your giving a gift to one person and not to another are completely within your discretion.

Carefully study Romans 8 & 9

That's true , Gods grace and favor is never fair. Man, these truths make me feel very lucky concerning a lot of things in my life. My life may not be the best, but at least I have the essentials.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

Same reason as he chose to create people who would argue about him.

Just because ? Idk, yeah God can do what he wants but still its a bit messed up... Makes me happy that I don't have a personal connection with everyone or else i would be devestated to know and care for so many people going to hell.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

God would prefer that none should perish. Try reading Isaiah with an open mind.
When it is all over, God will have dealt with each person fairly and none will be lost who did not truly want to be.

I believe in this!

 

[SkyWriting]

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

Yes, the scriptures are useful for teaching.

 

[throughfiierytrial]

Yes, the scriptures are useful for teaching.

Needful

 

[Kiterius]

That's so easy to say when you're saved and all is well with you. What if you had a child and they were stuck in their ways and rejected god till their dying day, or if your mother ,friends did the same...how would you feel?

My mother, friends, and 2/3 of my kids are Christians. My oldest kid isn't a Christian. It's his choice.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

My mother, friends, and 2/3 of my kids are Christians. My oldest kid isn't a Christian. It's his choice.

Can't tell me you don't or won't feel anything.

 

[Kiterius]

Can't tell me you don't or won't feel anything.

What would you have me feel?

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

What would you have me feel?

You love him don't you? If my mom didn't make it to heaven if feel sad because I care about her.

 

[Kiterius]

You love him don't you? If my mom didn't make it to heaven if feel sad because I care about her.

Yes, I love him. I also respect him and thus allow him the freedom to make his own decision.

 

[Hank77]

I admit that I may be overly finicky with this, but it's an issue that I still can't fully understand and wouldn't be able to confidently answer if a non-believer were to ask about it.

I believe it is always best just to be honest in this situation. We will never, while on this earth, understand all of the things of God. If God has not revealed something to you the only thing to say is, 'I don't know.'
But what you can say, if you believe it, is that God is perfectly righteous, perfectly moral, perfectly loving, and especially relevant in this case, He is perfectly just.

For now we see through a glass darkly, but someday we will know even as we are known.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

I believe it is always best just to be honest in this situation. We will never, while on this earth, understand all of the things of God. If God has not revealed something to you the only thing to say is, 'I don't know.'
But what you can say, if you believe it, is that God is perfectly righteous, perfectly moral, perfectly loving, and especially relevant in this case, He is perfectly just.

For now we see through a glass darkly, but someday we will know even as we are known.

Yeah I agree with this.

 

[Hank77]

The question is not, why did he not save more, but why did he save any?

The scripture tells us why He created us and saved us.

Isa 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

 

[Hank77]

That's true , Gods grace and favor is never fair. Man, these truths make me feel very lucky concerning a lot of things in my life. My life may not be the best, but at least I have the essentials.

It may not be fair, in our understanding of fairness, but you can be assured that God is always just.

Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

 

[SkyWriting]

Needful

I'll just stick to what scripture says that scripture is:

...profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
... written for our instruction....giving hope
...faith comes from hearing
...breaks the rock in pieces
...will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

What Does the Bible Say About Scripture?