The Gospel Verses Calvinism

[Charis kai Dunamis]

I knew one of you would bring up Malachi 3:6. I anticipated this.

Unfortunately, I forgot my answer.

Edit:

Oh yeah, now I remember.

God's promises does not change. He is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

Yet Scripture clearly shows God can change His will (plan) and His mind anytime He wants.

Open Theism, I presume?

God cannot change His mind; He is eternal. He is not chronological, meaning He is free from all increase and decrease. The "repenting" of God is simply an anthropomorphism. Hebrew writers resort to it constantly, similarly to Anthropopathisms, which ascribe God physical/human characteristics (ie. the "hand" of God, God "sees", etc.).

 

[Terrence Theodore]

I knew one of you would bring up Malachi 3:6. I anticipated this.

Unfortunately, I forgot my answer.

Edit:

Oh yeah, now I remember.

God's promises does not change. He is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

Yet Scripture clearly shows God can change His will (plan) and His mind anytime He wants.

You're very smart to have anticipated my thoughts. Why do you think God changes his mind? Gimme some reasons why.

Thanks!

 

[cygnusx1]

I knew one of you would bring up Malachi 3:6. I anticipated this.

Unfortunately, I forgot my answer.

............

that really made me laugh .... even reading it again cracks me right up

reminds me of , er I better not say it ....

 

[Jpark]

Open Theism, I presume?

God cannot change His mind; He is eternal. He is not chronological, meaning He is free from all increase and decrease. The "repenting" of God is simply an anthropomorphism. Hebrew writers resort to it constantly, similarly to Anthropopathisms, which ascribe God physical/human characteristics (ie. the "hand" of God, God "sees", etc.).

God can change His mind.

You're very smart to have anticipated my thoughts. Why do you think God changes his mind? Gimme some reasons why.

Thanks!

I am not smart. Nearly everyone I know calls me an idiot. Only God and my father acknowledges my Scriptural knowledge.

I will provide reasons shortly.

Edit:

My father told me that (paraphrased) Malachi 3:6 is essentially Exodus 3:14. It means God is the Master. God does not change His promises. His character does not change. But of course God can change His mind.

that really made me laugh .... even reading it again cracks me right up

reminds me of , er I better not say it ....

I was just contributing to this sub-forum.

 

[Charis kai Dunamis]

God can change His mind.

Just a quick question... do you think God (the Father) has hands? Like real physical hands. Or how about a heart? Eyes? A Mouth?

 

[Jpark]

Just a quick question... do you think God (the Father) has hands? Like real physical hands. Or how about a heart? Eyes? A Mouth?

You people are mistaken. Hand of God is referring to the role of the Holy Spirit; that is, God is operating through the role of the Holy Spirit on earth.

God has a heart. God has eyes. God has a mouth.

My father says (paraphrased) some descriptions describe God's heart and some descriptions describe God's eyes. They are the same. Just God. Every human has a heart, a eye, but they have different functions. God doesn't have a body like a human. He is Spirit.

 

[Charis kai Dunamis]

You people are mistaken. Hand of God is referring to the role of the Holy Spirit; that is, God is operating through the role of the Holy Spirit on earth.

I didn't even say what I thought... I was just asking.

So let me get this straight; are you denying that when it says "hand of God", that it doesn't actually mean His literal hand? You believe it is symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Right?

 

[Jpark]

I didn't even say what I thought... I was just asking.

So let me get this straight; are you denying that when it says "hand of God", that it doesn't actually mean His literal hand? You believe it is symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Right?

Yes, I believe it is symbolizing the Holy Spirit.

 

[Charis kai Dunamis]

Yes, I believe it is symbolizing the Holy Spirit.

Okay. So then it is not literal. It is symbolic. The theological term for giving God physical characteristics to explain something is called an "anthropomorphism". It is used constantly in Scripture.

On the flip side, we have the term "anthropopathism". This means "to describe God's thoughts, actions, emotions in human terms". This is often done as well. And one example is the example of God "repenting", or "changing His mind". This is a typical Hebrew writing style. They would ascribe human traits to God so that the reader could better understand, however, it was certainly not meant to be taken literally - just like that of the anthropomorphism (ie. "hand of God").

Make sense?

 

[Jpark]

Okay. So then it is not literal. It is symbolic. The theological term for giving God physical characteristics to explain something is called an "anthropomorphism". It is used constantly in Scripture.

On the flip side, we have the term "anthropopathism". This means "to describe God's thoughts, actions, emotions in human terms". This is often done as well. And one example is the example of God "repenting", or "changing His mind". This is a typical Hebrew writing style. They would ascribe human traits to God so that the reader could better understand, however, it was certainly not meant to be taken literally - just like that of the anthropomorphism (ie. "hand of God").

Make sense?

Yes, it makes sense. I wish to retire now since I can't prove anything so I'll be leaving.

Carry on.

Edit:

Yes, I have finally found the answer!

It all depends.

This answer does not contradict my doctrine of compromise. Therefore, I say that God cannot change and God can change.

 

[Charis kai Dunamis]

Yes, it makes sense. I wish to retire now since I can't prove anything so I'll be leaving.

Carry on.

Edit:

Yes, I have finally found the answer!

It all depends.

This answer does not contradict my doctrine of compromise. Therefore, I say that God cannot change and God can change.

You ought to question your theology, as well as your motives, if you must inquire of something repeatedly in order to keep up your defense. It shows that your system of theology isn't very well developed. And I am saying this to you in a respectful way.

It is also sad to see such a great publication as Bibliotheca Sacra straying into the area of Open Theism... What is DTS coming to...

 

[Jpark]

You ought to question your theology, as well as your motives, if you must inquire of something repeatedly in order to keep up your defense. It shows that your system of theology isn't very well developed. And I am saying this to you in a respectful way.

Yes, I admit that my system of theology isn't very well developed and it is actually difficult for me to persuade anyone.

Perhaps I should just revert back to quoting Scripture, like I used to do? I was never engaged in theological disputes in the past. I have excellent memory of the Scripture.

 

[Jpark]

I do not know anything anymore.

 

[Charis kai Dunamis]

Open theism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I do not agree with immutability or impassibility. I am NOT a Open Theist.

lol. The fact that you disagree with the anything on the list is what makes you an Open Theist. That is a list of traditional Christian doctrines.

 

[Jpark]

lol. The fact that you disagree with the anything on the list is what makes you an Open Theist. That is a list of traditional Christian doctrines.

I quit theology.

 

[Charis kai Dunamis]

I quit theology.

Instead of quitting, you should keep studying.

Nobody ever just woke up and knew everything about God. It takes work. Study the Scriptures and find the answers for yourself.

 

[Jpark]

Instead of quitting, you should keep studying.

Nobody ever just woke up and knew everything about God. It takes work. Study the Scriptures and find the answers for yourself.

Noooooo, it's too hard.

I will be leaving this sub-forum.

 

[Zebra1552]

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