I do not see a connection. Adam and Eve were told by God what not to do and they did it anyway, that is knowingly disobedient
There are teaching methods and methods of persuasion that will work. Also a number of great books on Influence that will help.
Do yourself a favor and look those scriptures up in a commentary. They do not deny free will, instead they suggest how to use free will. How complicated is this IF God determines all our actions then God is causing us to sin, Do You think that God causes us to sin?
If you do not read a different meaning into what God has said, that is true, however God"s word means what it meant to the original hearers at the time and under the circumstances, so unless you are an expert scholar, and know history, language and all the other variables I suggest you consult a commentary and quit putting your own meaning into what God has said.
If they did not hold up they would not have been able to last throughout the thousands of years, they would have been debunked long ago. Millions of people over thousands of years have studied the scriptures yet you think that you know more than all those millions of people?
Well Jesus, God Himself, was not able to make some people believe what He was teaching either. I can understand the frustration He no doubt experienced with those people.
"Facts" are not nearly as influential as emotions are. And Social Pressure is at the top of the list for influence. Example: The church for most of it's history used a Latin Bible when much of it's members were illiterate anyway.
Commentaries were written by people, who have read a lot of other commentaries.
You can empathise with Jesus' frustrations. I'm going to have to chew on that a while.
that is ridiculous, commentaries are written by scholars and teams of scholars and they are review by scholars and teams of scholars. It is obvious that you do your own research, try using a commentary as part of your research. When a carpenter builds a house with his own hands he still uses all the available tools so that the finished product is the best possible.
Someone here said Paul didn't expect his letters to be published to the whole world.
But THIS is the Gospel of the Kingdom:
Yes, I am a ridiculous person. I have eliminated any form of commentaries and have learned amazing truths. When I post my research it is despised by many who have been taught all their lives ideas that are not supported by scripture. Mostly lessons from their mommies and daddies I imagine. I dunno.
Yes Paul only expected them to be published to the Christian world, not the entire world. He sent messengers to take his letters from church to church, that is how the word was published in those days.Someone here said Paul didn't expect his letters to be published to the whole world.
Gotta say, I completely agree: Philippians 3... (sigh)
Matthew 5:43:48 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.
Clearly the bible teaches that the disobedience of Adam affected the entire world, it changed what God had intended to be a perfect world into a very imperfect world.
My question was "IF God determines all our actions then God is causing us to sin, Do You think that God causes us to sin?" would you like to try and answer that question without invalidating your previous posts? Creates a real problem for you does it not?
