I asked him about the born again experience today. He compared it to a physical birth, in a physical birth he stated that we have no choice to whom we are born to... similarly to a spiritual birth. I then asked him about the I in TULIP, iressistable grace. His response, that it is resistable, but that god's grace is so great that he could pull men such as even hitler to him (God that is).
Overall, it was another pleasent discussion. His advice was still to go to church, and to realize that we can't always make everything logical. That leading with the heart is not necessarily a poor decision, and that all great events in this world have required faith. He then suggested reading works by Dietric Bonafer. (sp?)
Anyways, have a good weekend.
Bonhoeffer's book, "The Cost of Discipleship" is a fairly good read, but the Bible reads very well about being born again. Try reading several versions of the modern English. Being born again means to be born spiritually from God.
Jesus pretty much says that a person "must" be born again in order to see and enter God's Kingdom:
John 3:5 Jesus replied, "The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.
6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven.
7 So dont be surprised at my statement that you must be born again.
If a person decides to ask, they receive, and Jesus says this:
Mat. 7:¶ "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened.
8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.
9 You parentsif your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?
10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!
11 If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.
Lee Strobel's books are very good for those looking for logic. "A Case For a Creator", "A Case For Faith", and "A Case For Christ" are all good reads.
I don't put limits on God. Nor do I say that He forces anyone to go against their will. He is All in all, but can be known, and we will have eternity to know more if we obey His Living Word, having the testimony of Jesus in our lives, and obey His commandments.
It isn't logical that God would love His creation in man, but He did. Other than Him giving His own life in the flesh for a rebellious creation in man, I don't see why we cannot know God logically. His great love is a mystery when He could have chucked it all and started over. This life and world makes more logical sense having a Creator than it does coming about by accident. Strobel's book, "A Case For A Creator", makes excellent scientific points in his book concerning this logic.
