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My take on the predestination scriptures

BNR32FAN

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Proverbs 16:9 NASB20 - "The mind of a person plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps."

To me, the NASB is saying the same thing as the NLT. I don't split hairs.

But there’s a big difference between determining someone to do something and directing someone to do something. If you determine someone to do something that means they have no choice but to do it. If your directing someone to do something they do have a choice to do it or not to do it.
 
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BNR32FAN

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Proverbs 20:24 NASB20 - "A man's steps are [ordained] by the LORD; How then can a person understand his way?"

That's from the NASB.

That’s a very interesting verse because the Hebrew word for “ordain” isn’t in the verse. It must have something to do with word usage in this particular case. I don’t know about your version but mine shows the word “ordain” in italics. Here’s what Bible hub shows. It says “man’s steps Yahweh”. So I’m not sure how they determined the word ordained should be there.

 
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FutureAndAHope

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It is limiting to suggest that God’s plan has to be linear. I am not saying God has no plan, but that it need not be linear. People in the OT understood scrolls to record events, God’s actual recording, or predestining, could be very different to a linear story. God says:

Jer 18:8 if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

We see in Jerimiah that God does change His mind based upon mans actions. We also see in the following scriptures that man’s actions are important to an outcome.


Isa 1:19-20 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.

Gen 4:6-7 And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? and why is your face sad? If you do well, will you not have honour? and if you do wrong, sin is waiting at the door, desiring to have you, but do not let it be your master.


We also see that God does not have delight in the death of the wicked, but rather calls them to repentance.




The Earliest Church Fathers also stated just because God predestines things does not mean man has no genuine free will. They state man would not be worthy of praise, or damnation if he were not free. On top of this I know of a person who fasted both food and water, God took them to heaven and showed them our “books” they are not linear but rather respond to our actions.






As a further note on this none linear story, I have studied Artificial Intelligence at university. There is a form of branching AI that can build linear stories based upon random choices. A similar system could easily be employed by God, to allow for “free will” while restraining our stories. To say He is restricted to a basic AI is limiting, how much more limiting to say God’s story must be like a linear book.
 
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Oneofhope

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I hear you my friend. I was just using the NASB as I remember you saying that was your translation of preference.

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia:

"Ordained"

(1) To set in order, arrange, prepare
(2) To establish, institute, bring into being
(3) To decree, give orders, prescribe

I used the NASB with the intention of shutting down any confusion. Because you abide by the NASB, I'm sure that you have already changed your view, having read your preferred translation and the definitions of Ordained by the International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia.

Anyway, this is just one of a few hundred passage sets that put holes in the idea of "free will." In other words, let's not get too excited about this one or three verses.

Besides, I'm just showing you Bible verses . . . I haven't shared my opinion on the matter as of yet.
 
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FutureAndAHope

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Anyway, this is just one of a few hundred passage sets that put holes in the idea of "free will." In other words, let's not get too excited about this one or three verses.
None of these verses put any holes in the idea of "free will", they just show that God has a plan for us. This plan is even more necessary if a man "has" a free will. To prevent the system from descending into chaos.
 
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Oneofhope

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We see in Jerimiah that God does change His mind based upon mans actions. We also see in the following scriptures that man’s actions are important to an outcome.

Yep. There are tons and tons of passages that indicate that the Plan of God is not set in stone. If I held that position, it'd be easy for me to at least attempt to "prove."
We also see that God does not have delight in the death of the wicked, but rather calls them to repentance.

Nor should He delight in their wickedness and Spiritual Blindness, for He put them there. So He certainly understands their predicament.

(I just love the way the NLT presents the following Scripture) - Romans 11:7-8 NLT - "So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have--the ones God has chosen--but the hearts of the rest were hardened. As the Scriptures say, "God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear."

In my opinion, this is a Keystone passage from the entire Bible. There is so much perspective to be gained in the above two verses. If we want to Truly understand the Bible, Rom 11:7-8 need to be included when we explain our understanding of the Story of God. So . . . unbelievable. I cannot express enough how incredible our Bible is.

The rest of your post is interesting. I enjoy reading what you have to offer.
 
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Oneofhope

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None of these verses put any holes in the idea of "free will", they just show that God has a plan for us. This plan is even more necessary if a man "has" a free will. To prevent the system from descending into chaos.

Ahhh . . . okie doke.
 
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FutureAndAHope

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Besides, I'm just showing you Bible verses . . . I haven't shared my opinion on the matter as of yet.
Yes, but there are plenty of Bible verses that show God desires all people to have a chance at life. Many more say our "choices" are important, on top of this the Early Church Fathers fought predestination of man's salvation, saying so clearly "we have free will, or God is not just".


Below are two quotes the first from Justin Martyr one of the Earliest Church Fathers (church leaders who commented on the meaning of scripture), born shortly after the Apostles (those who walked with Jesus and wrote the Bible). Justin Martyr brings up the topic of Predestination and says it is not what the Church believed in his day [A.D. 110-165.] .


Irenaeus in his Against Heresies - Book 4 Ch 35-38 [A.D. 120-202] shows clearly that it is man's free will choice to choose or reject God. We see this in all the Early Church Fathers.

As we see free will was an important understanding of the early church. There are pleanty of scriptures which shows us that God does give us a choice. There is a choice of life or death based upon what we do:

 
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Oneofhope

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I couldn't agree more.

Irenaeus in his Against Heresies - Book 4 Ch 35-38 [A.D. 120-202] shows clearly that it is man's free will choice to choose or reject God. We see this in all the Early Church Fathers.

I hear you, but the Bible is sufficient for me.

As we see free will was an important understanding of the early church. There are pleanty of scriptures which shows us that God does give us a choice.

Tons of em.
 
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FutureAndAHope

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Yes but that is a direct addition, like what JW's do. It is not in scripture.

Rom 11:7 What then? That which Israel seeketh for, that he obtained not; but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened:

But we need to seek the scriptures to see who God gives sight to and who He hardens.


If you look at the order of the above scriptures, the one who loves Jesus by keeping His word will be loved by the Father given sight. The one who does not keep God's word will be left blind.

Note the Church Fathers called this blinding "self blinding", God allows/gives hardness of heart to the sinner, but those who persist in well doing life.

 
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FutureAndAHope

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I hear you, but the Bible is sufficient for me.
Only because the Early Church disagrees with your view of scripture. There is plenty of scripture that agrees with "free will".
 
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Oneofhope

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Yes but that is a direct addition, like what JW's do. It is not in scripture.

Haha . . . that was a little sneaky! You didn't include verse 8 from the ASV translation that you graciously offered. Here's both verses for all to read:

Romans 11:7-8 ASV - 7 What then? That which Israel seeketh for, that he obtained not; but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened: 8 according as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this very day."

I'm not going any further until we start playing with a fair deck.
 
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FutureAndAHope

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No one denies that God blinds the sinner. What I do deny is that God wants to blind some (on purpose). I believe they first get a chance at life before being blinded.

Let's take the key scripture used by the Early Church Fathers, to stand on "free will".


God says "I wanted to gather Israel (people) as a hen chicks", so we see a desire in God to gather His people. But "they would not". It was the people who would not. It was not God's choice. Otherwise, Jesus would say "I only wanted my select few, so I blinded you. Ha ha!".

Also how do you explain the apostles saying God calls "all" men to repent, to follow the truth. All not an elect few.


Please look:

 
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Oneofhope

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You crack me up.
 
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Oneofhope

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How? What is funny?

A few things. The way you view the Scriptures, they way you're struggling to "listen" to me, including the idea that I largely agree with you.

Yet . . . yet, you continue to attempt to prove me of certain ideas with Scripture when you don't need to. haha

That's what cracks me up.
 
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FutureAndAHope

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Oh... Firstly what view of the scriptures do you find "funny", how is it wrong?
 
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Oneofhope

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Oh... Firstly what view of the scriptures do you find "funny", how is it wrong?

I'm sorry that I'm no fun here, as I'm not one to go round and round and round and round . . . ugh . . . it is so boring to me. You don't need to convince me of anything, nor do I need to convince you of anything.

Let's move onward.
 
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BNR32FAN

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God hardens the hearts of those who do not cooperate with Him. He did the same thing to Pharaoh. That’s why Jesus so often said “he who has ears to hear, let him hear. Those who would listen to Him were able to understand Him but those who rejected His words would not. If God hardened the hearts of those who were willing to listen then He’d be the one responsible for their unrepentance thereby making His judgement upon them unjust.
 
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