The Severity of God?

[LadyCrosstalk]

And to the not-so-humble. Otherwise no one could be saved.

"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful." - Luke 6:35-36

-CryptoLutheran

True. But we must always approach Him in humility. Praying for that humility is essential.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

God is love, God desires all men to be saved, God wants to heal and restore us from the effects of sin, God will do all He can toward this goal, though He will not subject our wills if we actively reject Him.

God seems rather powerless in your view.

 

[~Anastasia~]

God seems rather powerless in your view.

Not at all. God respects the free will of mankind in our view.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Not at all. God respects the free will of mankind in our view.

Did He "respect" the freewill of Adam & Eve?

I'm glad that He didn't "respect" my will, and saved me from the fate of a an unrepentant sinner.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Did He "respect" the freewill of Adam & Eve?

Yes, He did.

I'm glad that He didn't "respect" my will, and saved me from the fate of a an unrepentant sinner.

Was it your will to be condemned? To reject God?

Did you oppose repentance, or embrace it?


With all due respect, this (Traditional Theology) isn't the place to argue who is wrong or right (please see the Statement of Purpose), and I don't have the ability or inclination to devote to it right now.

Discussion, on the other hand, is beneficial and permitted.

But you are free to have your beliefs.

Mine are quite settled and established, and also represent the historic view of the Church.

I pray that you have a blessed day.

 

[All4Christ]

Did He "respect" the freewill of Adam & Eve?

I'm glad that He didn't "respect" my will, and saved me from the fate of a an unrepentant sinner.

Ah yes, the difference of our understanding of predestination becomes apparent when discussing free will.

I'm thankful that we are given free will to choose. What kind of God would create human beings and foreordain them to be condemned no matter their desire? Rather, I believe that our Lord knows who will and who will not accept Him, hence we are predestined based on our free will - not by God's decision to save or condemn us. After all, God desires the salvation of all.

Of course we can agree to disagree on this point

 

[gordonhooker]

Ah yes, the difference of our understanding of predestination becomes apparent when discussing free will.

I'm thankful that we are given free will to choose. What kind of God would create human beings and foreordain them to be condemned no matter their desire? Rather, I believe that our Lord knows who will and who will not accept Him, hence we are predestined based on our free will - not by God's decision to save or condemn us. After all, God desires the salvation of all.

Of course we can agree to disagree on this point

Exactly...

I think it is important that we read and understand the different theological camps, but I have to say I find it very hard to accept some of the more extremes of Reformed Theology. The God I have worshiped and loved for near on 65 years is loving and merciful God.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

True. But we must always approach Him in humility. Praying for that humility is essential.

Agreed. We have to live in the tension of God being unknowable and far above us and His being with us - one of us.

This means that we must avoid both acting as if Jesus were my homeboy and that God is unknowable. He deserves our reverence and our love.

 

[LadyCrosstalk]

Agreed. We have to live in the tension of God being unknowable and far above us and His being with us - one of us.

This means that we must avoid both acting as if Jesus were my homeboy and that God is unknowable. He deserves our reverence and our love.

Amen.