God's choice above ours: Concerning Heaven

[bling]

I wouldn't be so arrogant as to think I have the right to judge what God does according to the whole counsel of his will. God isn't obligated to save anyone. If God saves just one person he has been merciful and gracious to that one who didn't deserve it. If he saves one million and the rest perish He's been merciful to that one million when none of them deserved it.

What I do understand about God presents Him as having unlimited Love and mercy, so how would that be arrogant? He is like the king in Matt. 18 who forgave an unbelievable huge debt of a wicked servant.

You judge God to be like a cruel rescuer, which if wrong would seem arrogant.

The rescuer I described, is a rescuer who only wakes up some children in an orphanage to get them out of the slowly burning building when he could have just as easily and safely waken all of the children, so he did a terrible thing and you like all of us would think he was horrible and we would have nothing to do with such a beast.

God obligates Himself by saying “He is not misleading”, He is “Love” and presents the definition of “Love” in all that Christ did and said. He is totally “just” and defines unjust and just in scripture and with Christ. He is merciful, charitable, kind, gracious, patient, jealous over us, and has wrath toward those who continue to refuse His help to the point they will never change.

I see all God’s actions as being merciful, fair and just, but you seem to be saying God does not show mercy on some people?

If is not “just” to be only merciful to some and not all.

 

[MDC]

What I do understand about God presents Him as having unlimited Love and mercy, so how would that be arrogant? He is like the king in Matt. 18 who forgave an unbelievable huge debt of a wicked servant.

You judge God to be like a cruel rescuer, which if wrong would seem arrogant.

The rescuer I described, is a rescuer who only wakes up some children in an orphanage to get them out of the slowly burning building when he could have just as easily and safely waken all of the children, so he did a terrible thing and you like all of us would think he was horrible and we would have nothing to do with such a beast.

God obligates Himself by saying “He is not misleading”, He is “Love” and presents the definition of “Love” in all that Christ did and said. He is totally “just” and defines unjust and just in scripture and with Christ. He is merciful, charitable, kind, gracious, patient, jealous over us, and has wrath toward those who continue to refuse His help to the point they will never change.

I see all God’s actions as being merciful, fair and just, but you seem to be saying God does not show mercy on some people?

If is not “just” to be only merciful to some and not all.

The king was not obligated to forgive ones debt in Mathew 18. That was an act of kindness and mercy. You seem to believe God is obligated in some way to the guilty to acquit or forgive in some way. Your analogy of orphans proves that. You have a misunderstanding of mans standing before God. You seem to think man is an innocent victim like those orphans in a burning building. And your definition of love is not according to scripture. Man stands guilty before God because of sin and deserving of judgment. Free will proponents don’t believe this. Free will cannot nor will not see its need for mercy. Free will is a doctrine of arrogance and pride that cannot see sin for what it is

 

[1Reformedman]

What I do understand about God presents Him as having unlimited Love and mercy, so how would that be arrogant? He is like the king in Matt. 18 who forgave an unbelievable huge debt of a wicked servant.

You judge God to be like a cruel rescuer, which if wrong would seem arrogant.

The rescuer I described, is a rescuer who only wakes up some children in an orphanage to get them out of the slowly burning building when he could have just as easily and safely waken all of the children, so he did a terrible thing and you like all of us would think he was horrible and we would have nothing to do with such a beast.

God obligates Himself by saying “He is not misleading”, He is “Love” and presents the definition of “Love” in all that Christ did and said. He is totally “just” and defines unjust and just in scripture and with Christ. He is merciful, charitable, kind, gracious, patient, jealous over us, and has wrath toward those who continue to refuse His help to the point they will never change.

I see all God’s actions as being merciful, fair and just, but you seem to be saying God does not show mercy on some people?

If is not “just” to be only merciful to some and not all.

I dont judge God negatively at all and for you to assert such is a false claim lacking any convincing evidence. If God does something a person doesnt dont like that person is full of themselves and they are not putting themselves in their proper place as a created one. Will the clay say to the potter why have you made me this way? With our finite minds, we struggle to figure out much of what is in this realm let alone having a full grasp about what God's love consists of.

Your last statement is very true. I do believe there are some human beings whom God predetermined to not grant them any mercy. Romans 9:22 tells us God created two types of living souls as it relates to humans. One of those types (Vessels of his Wrath who don't receive His mercy) is are those who were predestined from before the foundation of the world to receive the wrath of God and the other type (Vessels of His Mercy) are those who God predestined before the foundation of the world to receive his mercy.

God does not obligate himself at all by saying anything. You said that he does obligate himself and you also made an assertion as to why that is true but its just a logical fallacy called proof by assertion. I'm waiting for a far more convincing argument for that claim about God being obligated.

His thoughts and ways are higher than ours so I don't have a clue as to where you get the idea that you can be so bold as to charge God with such an obligation when none exists. You are using a finite minded box of limitations. Yes, some of God's acts are merciful (not all of his acts would be so by definition), some of them are vengeful(not all would be so by definition) but ALL OF THEM are Just by definition.

FYI all those things you mentioned above about God are his attributes. Attributes don't destroy who God is. They tell us about who he is. But those attributes don't control how and/or when God applies them.

 

[bling]

The king was not obligated to forgive ones debt in Mathew 18. That was an act of kindness and mercy. You seem to believe God is obligated in some way to the guilty to acquit or forgive in some way. Your analogy of orphans proves that. You have a misunderstanding of mans standing before God. You seem to think man is an innocent victim like those orphans in a burning building. And your definition of love is not according to scripture. Man stands guilty before God because of sin and deserving of judgment. Free will proponents don’t believe this. Free will cannot nor will not see its need for mercy. Free will is a doctrine of arrogance and pride that cannot see sin for what it is

Jesus in Matt 18 concludes with: 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Jesus is saying God is like this “king”, so can God be different?

I was trying to make it more dramatic by using children, so make them prisoners and the rescuer opens only half the cells, do you esteem and praise the rescuer, now?

I explained how God obligates Himself, by using Christ to be His perfect representative.

My definition of Love is all Jesus did and said, but you can include 1 Cor. 13 and 1 John 4.

Man stands guilty for his sins before God, but God is willing and wanting to forgive every one of them and I believe that and free will.

The very limited autonomous free will ability given humans is to make the one choice of: humbly accepting charity as charity or not humbling one’s self to the point of having to humbly accept charity as charity. Charity is Godly type Love and mercy is charity. Sin created that unbelievable huge debt described in Matt 18, so it is huge beyond logic.

You take “free will” away means you take the ability of the person to truly humble themselves to the point of choosing to accept pure charity. No one likes to be considered a bagger needing pure undeserved charity and will do almost anything to avoid having to accept pure charity and one way to get out of it is to say: “God made the choice for me”.

 

[1Reformedman]

The rescuer I described did a terrible thing by not rescuing everyone when he could just as easily and safely done it and you like all of us would think he was horrible and we would have nothing to do with such a beast.

So, is the reason you do not answer, because it does fit your description of God and if it does not how doesn’t it?

The one thing you haven't shown in your little finite scenario is how the rescuer was allegedly obligated to save anyone, to begin with. You erroneously asserted before that God obligates himself by telling us who he is or by doing something according to his attributes. Here, I will adamantly disagree with you on the idea that God is obligated to do anything. We were born lost sinners who dont deserve a thing God may decide to do for us. Heck, we don't even deserve common grace let alone saving grace. Thinking we are entitled to Force God to do something "equally toward everyone" is just our pride and selfishness trying to tell God what to do.

Let me show you your argument that God obligates himself because of who he is or what he does is bogus and unbiblical. I'm a Senior Master Automotive technician who holds 8 ASE Certifications and I'm the owner of 3 auto repair shops. Just because that is part of who I am doesn't mean I'm obligated to fix your broken car just because I fix someone else's. I don't have to extend a free car repair from one of my customers over to you just because I did it for them. YOU cant force me to obligate myself. I could shut down my business before allowing you to Force me to give you mercy and grace in the form of automotive repair services. Let's say for the sake of argument that you succeeded in that forcing. At that point, any work I would do for you on your vehicle would not be an act of my own kindness but instead an obligation as a result of your having forced me to do it against my will. God never forces you to do anything against your will is always acting according to that which its in bondage to whether it be the old nature or the new one.

That rescuer, in your scenario, did not do a thing wrong as you so erroneously asserted. You obligated that rescuer because of a choice he made that was independent of any obligation toward any person. You are trying to force an obligation onto God.

 

[1Reformedman]

So what kept God from doing this for all people?
If a rescuer could just as easily and safely safe everyone, but knowingly only saved a few, what would you think of such a rescuer?

HIS WILL that's what. God chose BEFORE the foundation whom he would save and he did so according to tot eh whole counsel of HIS will. God is not accountable to YOUR JUDGMENTS.

What a rescuer could do vs what he actually does are not always the same thing. Nor is the obligator obligated to save everyone just because he saves just one or a few. You are the one trying to IMPOSE ON GOD the obligation to save everyone.

 

[MDC]

Jesus in Matt 18 concludes with: 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Jesus is saying God is like this “king”, so can God be different?

I was trying to make it more dramatic by using children, so make them prisoners and the rescuer opens only half the cells, do you esteem and praise the rescuer, now?

I explained how God obligates Himself, by using Christ to be His perfect representative.

My definition of Love is all Jesus did and said, but you can include 1 Cor. 13 and 1 John 4.

Man stands guilty for his sins before God, but God is willing and wanting to forgive every one of them and I believe that and free will.

The very limited autonomous free will ability given humans is to make the one choice of: humbly accepting charity as charity or not humbling one’s self to the point of having to humbly accept charity as charity. Charity is Godly type Love and mercy is charity. Sin created that unbelievable huge debt described in Matt 18, so it is huge beyond logic.

You take “free will” away means you take the ability of the person to truly humble themselves to the point of choosing to accept pure charity. No one likes to be considered a bagger needing pure undeserved charity and will do almost anything to avoid having to accept pure charity and one way to get out of it is to say: “God made the choice for me”.

In other words you believe God is obligated to show mercy to undeserving sinners in some way. If not this would be unjust correct? The autonomous free will assertion proves my point. Free will says Gods unjust to choose to show mercy on some and not all. That denies Gods grace in salvation! Free will says apart from the autonomy of the will there’s no real humility nor love nor true faith. That denies Gods Sovereignty! Free will cannot see its need for mercy therefore cannot see its need for Christ. Which denies the gospel! Free will is nothing more than an idol of self love that refuses to humble itself before a Sovereign God. Which gives evidence of no repentance and despair of ones sin! We go round and round on this topic and all it shows in the end is battle between true Christianity and the counterfeit free will doctrine that masquerades as Christianity

 

[1Reformedman]

The king was not obligated to forgive ones debt in Mathew 18. That was an act of kindness and mercy. You seem to believe God is obligated in some way to the guilty to acquit or forgive in some way. Your analogy of orphans proves that. You have a misunderstanding of mans standing before God. You seem to think man is an innocent victim like those orphans in a burning building. And your definition of love is not according to scripture. Man stands guilty before God because of sin and deserving of judgment. Free will proponents don’t believe this. Free will cannot nor will not see its need for mercy. Free will is a doctrine of arrogance and pride that cannot see sin for what it is

Free will is also a pagan doctrine that crept into the RCC long, long ago. I agree with your entire post. Bling is clearly trying to force obligation upon God. I wonder what he'd say if I said he's obligated to comment to me just because he reads this reply? Would he go for it? Doubtful, yet he's so trying to obligate God.

 

[1Reformedman]

In other words you believe God is obligated to show mercy to undeserving sinners in some way. If not this would be unjust correct? The autonomous free will assertion proves my point. Free will says Gods unjust to choose to show mercy on some and not all. That denies Gods grace in salvation! Free will says apart from the autonomy of the will there’s no real humility nor love nor true faith. That denies Gods Sovereignty! Free will cannot see its need for mercy, therefore, cannot see its need for Christ. Which denies the gospel! Free will is nothing more than an idol of self love that refuses to humble itself before a Sovereign God. Which gives evidence of no repentance and despair of ones sin! We go round and round on this topic and all it shows in the end is battle between true Christianity and the counterfeit free will doctrine that masquerades as Christianity

Yes, I believe you are spot on regarding the idea that Bling is trying to obligate God when God is not so obligated.

 

[1Reformedman]

Jesus in Matt 18 concludes with: 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Jesus is saying God is like this “king”, so can God be different?

I was trying to make it more dramatic by using children, so make them prisoners and the rescuer opens only half the cells, do you esteem and praise the rescuer, now?

I explained how God obligates Himself, by using Christ to be His perfect representative.

My definition of Love is all Jesus did and said, but you can include 1 Cor. 13 and 1 John 4.

Man stands guilty for his sins before God, but God is willing and wanting to forgive every one of them and I believe that and free will.

The very limited autonomous free will ability given humans is to make the one choice of: humbly accepting charity as charity or not humbling one’s self to the point of having to humbly accept charity as charity. Charity is Godly type Love and mercy is charity. Sin created that unbelievable huge debt described in Matt 18, so it is huge beyond logic.

You take “free will” away means you take the ability of the person to truly humble themselves to the point of choosing to accept pure charity. No one likes to be considered a bagger needing pure undeserved charity and will do almost anything to avoid having to accept pure charity and one way to get out of it is to say: “God made the choice for me”.

That passage is about understanding God's forgiveness for those who don't deserve it and then extending it to other humans from a human perspective of mercy and grace (70 x 7). Our ability to grant mercy and grace isn't the same mercy and Grace of God. Ours is a finite type of that mercy and grace. Let us remember that God's ways and thoughts are ALWAYS higher than ours. We can try to imitate his mercy and grace by applying our finite understanding of human mercy and grace, but that is as far as we will get since we arent God and couldn't duplicate that perfect love, grace, mercy or justice even if we wanted to do so.

 

[1Reformedman]

Jesus in Matt 18 concludes with: 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Jesus is saying God is like this “king”, so can God be different?

I was trying to make it more dramatic by using children, so make them prisoners and the rescuer opens only half the cells, do you esteem and praise the rescuer, now?

I explained how God obligates Himself, by using Christ to be His perfect representative.

My definition of Love is all Jesus did and said, but you can include 1 Cor. 13 and 1 John 4.

Man stands guilty for his sins before God, but God is willing and wanting to forgive every one of them and I believe that and free will.

The very limited autonomous free will ability given humans is to make the one choice of: humbly accepting charity as charity or not humbling one’s self to the point of having to humbly accept charity as charity. Charity is Godly type Love and mercy is charity. Sin created that unbelievable huge debt described in Matt 18, so it is huge beyond logic.

You take “free will” away means you take the ability of the person to truly humble themselves to the point of choosing to accept pure charity. No one likes to be considered a bagger needing pure undeserved charity and will do almost anything to avoid having to accept pure charity and one way to get out of it is to say: “God made the choice for me”.

No one can truly humble themselves the way you describe unless God regenerates them. That humility you speak of is a part of the new nature. Its a spiritual humility not a fleshly humility. The lost cant understands spiritual things to include what it means to be humble before a Holy God. You keep putting the cart before the horse and you sound as if you are saying something very close to this: "I can choose God under my own volition thus I dont need the grace of God".

 

[bling]

I dont judge God negatively at all and for you to assert such is a false claim lacking any convincing evidence. If God does something a person doesnt dont like that person is full of themselves and they are not putting themselves in their proper place as a created one. Will the clay say to the potter why have you made me this way? With our finite minds, we struggle to figure out much of what is in this realm let alone having a full grasp about what God's love consists of.

My understanding of God would not have anyone by most any standard of justice, showing God to be treating people unequally in the areas that truly matter (salvation).

How is your understanding of God significantly different to my description of a prison rescuer who only lets some out?

Your last statement is very true. I do believe there are some human beings whom God predetermined to not grant them any mercy. Romans 9:22 tells us God created two types of living souls as it relates to humans. One of those types (Vessels of his Wrath who don't receive His mercy) is are those who were predestined from before the foundation of the world to receive the wrath of God and the other type (Vessels of His Mercy) are those who God predestined before the foundation of the world to receive his mercy.

You need to read my post 4 to see the explanation to Ro. 9.

God does not obligate himself at all by saying anything. You said that he does obligate himself and you also made an assertion as to why that is true but its just a logical fallacy called proof by assertion. I'm waiting for a far more convincing argument for that claim about God being obligated.

His thoughts and ways are higher than ours so I don't have a clue as to where you get the idea that you can be so bold as to charge God with such an obligation when none exists. You are using a finite minded box of limitations. Yes, some of God's acts are merciful (not all of his acts would be so by definition), some of them are vengeful(not all would be so by definition) but ALL OF THEM are Just by definition.

FYI all those things you mentioned above about God are his attributes. Attributes don't destroy who God is. They tell us about who he is. But those attributes don't control how and/or when God applies them.

Does God agree with everything Jesus said and did?

Is God just like Christ if God walked the earth like Christ?

Who did Christ not Love?

 

[bling]

The one thing you haven't shown in your little finite scenario is how the rescuer was allegedly obligated to save anyone, to begin with. You erroneously asserted before that God obligates himself by telling us who he is or by doing something according to his attributes. Here, I will adamantly disagree with you on the idea that God is obligated to do anything. We were born lost sinners who dont deserve a thing God may decide to do for us. Heck, we don't even deserve common grace let alone saving grace. Thinking we are entitled to Force God to do something "equally toward everyone" is just our pride and selfishness trying to tell God what to do.

God in scripture describes justice and injustice, plus Christ shows His justice in the way he treats others (which would be the way God treats others). For God not to equally provide His part in rescuing everyone would not be just on His part, by God given description of just. We are told Acts 2:38 and other places: 38… “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Did God obligate Himself to provide the gift of the Holy Spirit to all who repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ?

You might want to say: “repenting” is a “work”, but that is not by the Bible definition of work, since repenting is not worthy of anything, like the prodigal son repenting (turning to the father) is not something he did worthy of anything. A workman is worthy of his wage, but just mentally changing your direction is not worthy of any wage.

Let me show you your argument that God obligates himself because of who he is or what he does is bogus and unbiblical. I'm a Senior Master Automotive technician who holds 8 ASE Certifications and I'm the owner of 3 auto repair shops. Just because that is part of who I am doesn't mean I'm obligated to fix your broken car just because I fix someone else's. I don't have to extend a free car repair from one of my customers over to you just because I did it for them. YOU cant force me to obligate myself. I could shut down my business before allowing you to Force me to give you mercy and grace in the form of automotive repair services. Let's say for the sake of argument that you succeeded in that forcing. At that point, any work I would do for you on your vehicle would not be an act of my own kindness but instead an obligation as a result of your having forced me to do it against my will. God never forces you to do anything against your will is always acting according to that which its in bondage to whether it be the old nature or the new one.

If you give your word to repair a person’s car today, you will do all you reasonably can do to repair their car, but we understand if God makes such a promise it will happen. Acts 2: 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call. The call (invitation) has go out to every mature adult, but if they refuse the invitation, they will not receive the promised gift, just like if you promise to fix a person’s car and they do not bring the car in you cannot fix their car.

That rescuer, in your scenario, did not do a thing wrong as you so erroneously asserted. You obligated that rescuer because of a choice he made that was independent of any obligation toward any person. You are trying to force an obligation onto God.

No, that rescuer could go to jail (he intentionally did not save some prisoners), just as you have to stop an provide aid or get in trouble.

 

[bling]

HIS WILL that's what. God chose BEFORE the foundation whom he would save and he did so according to tot eh whole counsel of HIS will. God is not accountable to YOUR JUDGMENTS.

God is accountable (obligated Himself) to tell the truth, so if He is to be unjust (by the way God has defined justice) than He is misleading us (lying, so He will not do that). It is not a definition of justice I came up with, but the definition God is giving us in scripture.

What a rescuer could do vs what he actually does are not always the same thing. Nor is the obligator obligated to save everyone just because he saves just one or a few. You are the one trying to IMPOSE ON GOD the obligation to save everyone.

I am not saying: “God is obligated to save everyone”, since some people will not leave their cell in the burning prison and the rescuer did His part.

I am saying “God will fulfill His promises".

 

[bling]

In other words you believe God is obligated to show mercy to undeserving sinners in some way. If not this would be unjust correct? The autonomous free will assertion proves my point. Free will says Gods unjust to choose to show mercy on some and not all. That denies Gods grace in salvation! Free will says apart from the autonomy of the will there’s no real humility nor love nor true faith. That denies Gods Sovereignty! Free will cannot see its need for mercy therefore cannot see its need for Christ. Which denies the gospel! Free will is nothing more than an idol of self love that refuses to humble itself before a Sovereign God. Which gives evidence of no repentance and despair of ones sin! We go round and round on this topic and all it shows in the end is battle between true Christianity and the counterfeit free will doctrine that masquerades as Christianity

It is like the prodigal son story:

The prodigal son is brought to his senses by his own poor choices which has got him in deep trouble. Being brought to his senses the prodigal son has a simple autonomous free will choice to make: be macho, hang in there, be willing to pay the piper, take the punishment he fully deserves, not bother his father further with undeserving requests and not fuel his brother’s contempt OR wimp out, give up and surrender to his father and brother, just willing and wanting to accept undeserved pure charity. The prodigal son did nothing noble, honorable, righteous, or worthy, but he did allow the father to shower Him with gifts, which the father was certainly not “obligated” to do this, unless he promised to others that is what he would do if the son returned.

Does God have free will?
Does the free will of God mess Him up like you suggest?

Would you prefer to be Loved by a programmed robot or by a Being Loving you because He chose to Love you like the father in the prodigal son story?

We Love God because we chose to Love God over the likely alternative of the perceived pleasures of sin for a season.

 

[bling]

That passage is about understanding God's forgiveness for those who don't deserve it and then extending it to other humans from a human perspective of mercy and grace (70 x 7). Our ability to grant mercy and grace isn't the same mercy and Grace of God. Ours is a finite type of that mercy and grace. Let us remember that God's ways and thoughts are ALWAYS higher than ours. We can try to imitate his mercy and grace by applying our finite understanding of human mercy and grace, but that is as far as we will get since we arent God and couldn't duplicate that perfect love, grace, mercy or justice even if we wanted to do so.

Peter asked “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Jesus gave a strait answered: “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (question asked and answer given.)

The follow up parable is to the follow up unstated question the apostles would immediately have thought of: “What is going to keep me from being taken advantage of by my brother?” (Is that not what you would be thinking after Christ’s answer?)

The parable address the follow up unstated question, but what ever you think the parable explains a lot about forgiving and is easy to understand without bring in “God's ways and thoughts are ALWAYS higher than ours” and “We can try to imitate his mercy and grace...”.

What you said does not explain the simple parable and if you cannot understand this one, how will you ever understand the others?

 

[bling]

No one can truly humble themselves the way you describe unless God regenerates them. That humility you speak of is a part of the new nature. Its a spiritual humility not a fleshly humility. The lost cant understands spiritual things to include what it means to be humble before a Holy God. You keep putting the cart before the horse and you sound as if you are saying something very close to this: "I can choose God under my own volition thus I dont need the grace of God".

Luke 14: 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
That is saying those who exalt themselves will be humbled and it would have to be the same humble that those who humble themselves or Christ is not giving apples for apple comparison?
So the big time proud sinner does have the power to be humble?

 

[1Reformedman]

My understanding of God would not have anyone by most any standard of justice, showing God to be treating people unequally in the areas that truly matter (salvation).

How is your understanding of God significantly different to my description of a prison rescuer who only lets some out?

You need to read my post 4 to see the explanation to Ro. 9.

Does God agree with everything Jesus said and did?

Is God just like Christ if God walked the earth like Christ?

Who did Christ not Love?

Who you think God loves isnt the issue. Jesus prayed only for the elect when he was about to die. That should tell you a lot about who is gonna ever be saved.

 

[1Reformedman]

Peter asked “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Jesus gave a strait answered: “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (question asked and answer given.)

The follow up parable is to the follow up unstated question the apostles would immediately have thought of: “What is going to keep me from being taken advantage of by my brother?” (Is that not what you would be thinking after Christ’s answer?)

The parable address the follow up unstated question, but what ever you think the parable explains a lot about forgiving and is easy to understand without bring in “God's ways and thoughts are ALWAYS higher than ours” and “We can try to imitate his mercy and grace...”.

What you said does not explain the simple parable and if you cannot understand this one, how will you ever understand the others?

You crack me up . You act like a teacher but dont grasp greek grammar/ lol

 

[MDC]

It is like the prodigal son story:

The prodigal son is brought to his senses by his own poor choices which has got him in deep trouble. Being brought to his senses the prodigal son has a simple autonomous free will choice to make: be macho, hang in there, be willing to pay the piper, take the punishment he fully deserves, not bother his father further with undeserving requests and not fuel his brother’s contempt OR wimp out, give up and surrender to his father and brother, just willing and wanting to accept undeserved pure charity. The prodigal son did nothing noble, honorable, righteous, or worthy, but he did allow the father to shower Him with gifts, which the father was certainly not “obligated” to do this, unless he promised to others that is what he would do if the son returned.

Does God have free will?
Does the free will of God mess Him up like you suggest?

Would you prefer to be Loved by a programmed robot or by a Being Loving you because He chose to Love you like the father in the prodigal son story?

We Love God because we chose to Love God over the likely alternative of the perceived pleasures of sin for a season.

Advocating for autonomy of the will doesn’t validate or prove one’s choices are genuine. It just shows one’s denial of Gods Sovereignty. Choices one makes stems from ones desires and nature. You are dead in sin. You cannot desire righteousness apart from regeneration simply because by nature you are a slave to sin and satan. If God changes the disposition of a person to desire Christ and His righteousness in repentance how is that any less genuine?