Calvinists-flipping coins

[Brother Charlie]

Since Calvinists believe that everything is ordained and set in stone before we live, then is it acceptable to flip a coin to see which direction someone should take? Because whatever result you get, it would be the will of God. So if you got heads that would be God's will. You could sit there for hours learning about the will of God by flipping coins over and over. Is flipping a coin an acceptable means of choosing which direction to take?

 

[Albion]

Since Calvinists believe that everything is ordained and set in stone before we live, then is it acceptable to flip a coin to see which direction someone should take? Because whatever result you get, it would be the will of God. So if you got heads that would be God's will. You could sit there for hours learning about the will of God by flipping coins over and over. Is flipping a coin an acceptable means of choosing which direction to take?

I guess I'd have to ask if that is an accurate understanding of Calvinism. As I understand it, our salvation (or lack of it), is what God pre-ordained, not every little thing that happens in life. That would probably be called fatalism instead of predestination.

 

[Tinkerbell222222]

Calvinists do believe that God is completely sovereign over every aspect of their lives...Nothing that happens occurs unless it is God's will. Proverbs 16: 33 states that, "The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD." So even in the seemingly random casting of the lot, similar to the coin flip Brother Charlie mentioned, God's will is being brought about. The question is, is the coin flip a legitimate way to determine the will of God?

I don't think so. This is one of the cases in which Calvinists must be careful not to rob man of responsibility, as we are often prone to do. Flipping a coin removes the responsiblity of man to decide. (Let me point out rather quickly that before regeneration, man cannot decide to follow Christ of His own accord--his will is not free). God has given His chosen children free-will to an extent (the degree of this extent is debatable) and He wants us to make use of it. Man still has responsibilty in Calvinism, and we should not toss it away lightly by flipping a coin to determine God's will.

Yes, God is still sovereign even in "chance" occurances, but His sovereignty does not rob us of responsibilty.

 

[Judge158]

Nice Question. If God knows what we will choose, before we choose it, that is what is going to happen, isnt it? ok lets take a simple choice...am i going to turn right at the next road, or left (to make it a simple 2 option choice, say its a dead end so you cant go straight)? now if God knows all (and i believe He does) He knows whether i will turn right or left...and He cannot be wrong...so when i turn right, God already knew it...and if He cannot be wrong, then did i really have a choice at all? If He knew that i was going to turn right, then could i have turned left? seemingly not...

interesting question of greek thought and philosophy...i dont have a definite opinion on it yet...the jurys still out...