← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · messianicdruid
Thread ID: 16668 | Posts: 15 | Started: 2005-02-09
2005-02-09 00:50 | User Profile
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The idea that God cannot do something, or that God is limited in His ability, is fairly common among Christians. Many think that Godââ¬â¢s ability to act is limited by manââ¬â¢s ââ¬Åfree will.ââ¬Â People often think that God either cannot override manââ¬â¢s will or that He is incapable of making man change his will to conform to the will of God.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099]So what is it that prevents God from saving all mankind? 2 Peter 3:9 says, that He is not willing that any should be lost, or perish. Thus, if any are lost, it is not because it is the will of God.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The Apostle Paul says in 1 Tim. 2:4 that God ââ¬Åwill have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.ââ¬Â This, too, defines the will of God for all men.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The problem is that evil men seem to thwart Godââ¬â¢s will, and God seems to be powerless to do anything about it. How powerful is God, anyway?
[font=Comic Sans MS][/font] The first verse in the Bible establishes that God is the Creator of all things. Most people in the world believe this, but few people understand what this implies. It means that God OWNS all things by right of creation.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] This is why God told Moses in Lev. 25:23, ââ¬ÅThe land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is Mine.ââ¬Â In other words, under Bible law, God holds the right of eminent domain.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] God gave land inheritances to the families of Israel in the old land of Canaan and told them that they did not have the right to sell their property in perpetuity. If they incurred a debt, they could sell it until the Year of Jubilee, which occurred every 49 years (Lev. 25:8). This meant that a family could not lose their inheritance for more than a generation. It ensured that every citizen would have roots in the land.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The land belonged to God, so no man had the right to lose it forever. He was only capable, by his own will, to ââ¬Åloseââ¬Â it temporarily, because that was the extent of his authority.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Consider the fact that God created all men, both good and bad. In fact, He formed man of the dust of the ground (Gen. 2:7). God used building material that He createdââ¬âand therefore owned. Does this not mean that God owns all men as well as all material things in the universe?[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099][font=Comic Sans MS][/font]In the divine laws of liability God lays down the principle that a man is responsible for that which he owns. For example, if a farmer digs a well and neglects to take basic safety precautions and cover the pit, and if a neighborââ¬â¢s ox falls into that pit and is killed, the owner of the pit is liable and must pay damages to his neighbor (Ex. 21:33).[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Again, if a man lights a fire and it gets out of hand and burns the neighborââ¬â¢s field, the man who lit the fire is liable, because he created the fire and therefore is its owner (Ex. 22:6). These are basic liability laws that define the will of God in areas of justice and responsibility between men.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] This principle, when applied to the big picture, shows us that God is responsible for all of His creationââ¬âeven for the bad things that happen. God is ultimately liable for all the evil that has occurred in the world. One cannot blame the devil, because the devil created nothing and owns nothing. One cannot ultimately blame bad men either, because the bad men did not create themselves.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] In the case of the ox falling into the uncovered pit, the one who dug it cannot say in his defense, ââ¬ÅThat stupid ox fell into the pit by his own free will.ââ¬Â Such an argument makes no difference in the divine court. The only relevant fact in the case is that the one who dug the pit is responsible for it.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] In the case of Adam and Eve, whether these are actual people or just prototype human beings, the Bible story makes it clear that God created them. The ââ¬Åtreeââ¬Â of the knowledge of good and evil, however men may interpret the story, provided the temptation, and the ââ¬Åserpentââ¬Â was the tempter. God created both the tree and the serpent.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] That means God, in effect, ââ¬Ådug a pitââ¬Â and left it uncovered. That is, Adam and Eveââ¬âlike the stupid oxââ¬âwere given willful opportunity to stay away from the uncovered pit or not. Of course, man ââ¬Åfellââ¬Â into the pit and died (became mortal).[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] So who is legally liable in the divine court? Well, God is, of course. Adam and Eve did not dig the pit, nor did they create the serpent. They were just too stupid to stay away from the pit. They fell, and they died. Godââ¬â¢s own law, then, demanded that the Owner of the pit pay fully for the death of the ox (Ex. 21:34).[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] In other words, God set up the law in such a way that He would make Himself liable for the fall of Adam and Eve. Did God know what He was doing? Of course He did. He knew from the beginning that the law would demand that Heââ¬âthe Creator and Owner of allââ¬âwould have to pay the full penalty for sin.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] That is why Jesus came to earth to pay the full penalty for sin. First of all, He loved His creation enough to do this (John 3:16). Secondly, He made it mandatory by law that He would have to do this. In that sense, the law was prophetic. It prophesied that God would have to be born as a man in order to be capable of dying for the sin of the world.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The land could not be sold in perpetuity, but there were times when men incurred debts that they could not pay. Jesus told a parable about this in Matt. 18:23-35. He told of a man who owed ââ¬Åten thousand talents,ââ¬Â which today would be about $150 million. Verse 25 says that because he could not pay the debt, he and his wife and children had to be sold as bondservants in order to make payment on the debt.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Under biblical law, men were bondservants until their debts were paid or until the Year of Jubilee, when all debts were cancelled by grace. Bondservants were forced by law to work for their masters, but they also had rights. Slavery itself as practiced in most parts of the world was unlawful under biblical law.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] A man and his family who had become bond-servants because of debt were supposed to work for their masters until the debt was paid. Then they were set free. But there was another provision. The bondservant could be redeemed by a relative.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Lev. 25:47-55 tells of the laws of redemption. It says that a relative has *the right of redemption*, as long as he has enough money to pay the debt of his relative. In other words, the bondservantââ¬â¢s master does not have a choice in the matter. The master only has the choice if the potential redeemer is a mere *friend* of the bondservant. If a friend came to negotiate a deal, the choice would ultimately fall to the master, not to the friend of the bondservant. Why? Because the *right* of redemption is given only to a relative.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The House of Israel had fallen into sin and thereby had incurred a huge debt. (All sin is reckoned as a debt in the Bible.) God was the Judge who had sold them as bondservants to the nation of Babylon. He did this because they had refused to follow His law in this matter. The people refused to set their bondservants free (Jer. 34:13-17).[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The first nation to possess Judah as a bondservant was Babylon. The debt note was later purchased by Persia, then Greece, and finally by Rome. In the days of Jesus, Rome held the debt note of Judah, or Judea.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The Bible says in Heb. 2:11-17 that Jesus Christ did not come to earth by taking the form of an angel. He came rather as a man, taking upon Himself the seed of Abraham in order to qualify as a relative to Israel and Judah. This gave Jesus the right of redemption.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The same passage tells us that Jesus Christ came in ââ¬Åflesh and blood,ââ¬Â in order to qualify as a relative to * all men*. This gave Jesus the right of redemption for all men all the way back to Adam.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The apostle John tells us in his letter, 1 John 2:2, ââ¬ÅHe has covered our sins, and not for ours only, but also those of *the whole world*.ââ¬Â Jesus gave His very life for the sins of the whole world. He paid the full penalty for every sin ever committed since Adam. Only His very life could pay the full debt for all mankind.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] By the divine law, Jesus Christ came to redeem the whole earth and all of mankind. Those are lofty goals, but was He capable of making such a huge payment? The Bible makes it clear that His blood was worth far more than the entire debt of the world from the beginning. So, yes, Jesus Christ was certainly ââ¬Årich enoughââ¬Â to make such a purchase.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The next question: Did Jesus have the right of redemption? Suppose the one holding the debt note for the world preferred not to sell? The Bible makes it clear that Jesus was a near relative, both to Israel and to all flesh and blood. This gave Jesus Christ the right of redemption. The law was on His side. The slave master of the earth had no choice in the matter.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099]Another question: If God, through Jesus Christ, could redeem all mankind, would he, in fact, do it? This is really a question of how much He loves His creation. If He were an angry God that preferred to destroy the creation, then one might doubt that He really would redeem all of mankind. But the Bible says, ââ¬ÅFor God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have ever-lasting lifeââ¬Â (John 3:16).[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Thus, we see that the law gave Jesus Christ the right of redemption; He had enough ââ¬Åmoneyââ¬Â and more to pay the full redemption price; and He certainly had the motive to do so.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] So, yes, God would indeed save all mankind if He could. He is not only capable of doing it, but He has actually done it.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] There are many people today and throughout history who have not wanted to be redeemed by Jesus Christ, usually because they did not really understand their need of redemption or did not have faith that He could really set them free. What about these people? Will they benefit from Jesusââ¬â¢ redemption payment in spite of their unbelief? Yes, but not immediately. All will be held accountable for their actions, and every judgment will fit the crime.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Here is how it works. The law of redemption says that those who agree to be redeemed by their relative must serve their redeemer (Lev. 25:53). In other words, those who are redeemed are not set free to do their own pleasure. The redeemer has purchased their debt note, and therefore, they are still bondservantsââ¬âbut now they are bondservants of One who loves them and will treat them right.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The apostle Paul puts it this way in Rom. 6:18, ââ¬ÅBeing then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness.ââ¬Â He continues, saying, ââ¬Åwhen you were servants of sin, you were free from righteousness; but now you are set free from sin and have become servants of God.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] A person set free from sin does not mean that he suddenly becomes perfectly sinless. Paul is referring to sin as the old slave master. When we worked for the old slave master, who told us to sin, we were free from God and His righteousness. Conversely, when God purchased us through Jesus Christ, we are no longer bound to do what sin tells us to do, and we are free to do what is right.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Paul calls himself ââ¬Åa bondservant of Jesus Christââ¬Â (Rom. 1:1), because he understood the laws of redemption. That is why he told the Christians in Rome that Christââ¬â¢s redemption did not mean they were free to continue in sin. They were only free from the old slave master who, in the past, had commanded them to sin.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] But what about those who refuse to accept the provision God has made for us to be redeemed? The law says in Lev. 25:54 that ââ¬Åeven if he is not redeemed in these years, he is still to go free in the year of Jubilee, both he and his children with him.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The old Hebrew calendar divided time into periods of seven days and seven years. A Jubilee cycle was a period of 49 years. Then ten days into the 50<sup>th</sup> year a trumpet was blown to signal the day of Jubilee. This was the day that all debts were cancelled, and every man was to return to his inheritance if he had lost it any time during the previous 49 years.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Of course, this was only applicable to those who had been unable to work long enough to pay off their debt. It was also applicable only to those who did not have a redeemerââ¬âor if people had not accepted the redemption of a willing relative. Perhaps they did not trust him or know him well enough to trust his motives. Or perhaps they just thought that his commands would be too rigorous. Whatever their reasons, even if they have not availed themselves of the redemption of Christ in this age, they will still go free in the year of Jubilee. There is a limit on *how much* judgment and discipline that God dispenses upon His children.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The time to be redeemed was an absolute maximum of 49 years from one Jubilee to another. With God, there is no such thing as never-ending punishment. The Bible verses that are usually quoted to prove never-ending punishment are actually mistranslations of the original text.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The word for ââ¬Åeternalââ¬Â and ââ¬Åeverlastingââ¬Â is the Greek word, [u]aeonian[/u], which means ââ¬Åpertaining to an eon (age).ââ¬Â In other words, Godââ¬â¢s final judgments pertain to a specific age in the future that eventually will end with the great Creation Jubilee, when all judgment ceases, and all men are brought fully into the glory of God, even as He promised by covenant.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Many people throughout history have not known of Jesusââ¬â¢ redemption payment. Others have rejected His redemption because they were misinformed about Him. Others preferred to fulfill the commands of their old slave master, sin, and did not want to be set free. Whatever the reason, many people have not availed themselves of Jesusââ¬â¢ redemptive work.[/color][/font][font=Verdana][color=#330099] So what is to happen to them?[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The Bible speaks of a final day of judgment where all men will stand before the Great White Throne (Rev. 15:11-15). Here is where God will foreclose on all debts from the beginning. Here is where all men will be held accountable for their actions that they did in their life on earth.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The Bible speaks of this judgment in terms of ââ¬Åfire.ââ¬Â Some think this ââ¬Åfireââ¬Â is a literal torture pit. It is not. The divine law never once dispenses torture as a judgment for any sin.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Deut. 4:12 tells us that God manifests Himself as a fire. In the New Testament, we read in Heb. 12:29 that God Himself is a consuming fire. This simply means that the presence of God will consume whatever is not good. Further, His judgments are designed to correct men, not to destroy them. They are designed to restore the lawful order, so that whatever men have done to violate the rights of others will be righted.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The lawââ¬â¢s purpose is to obtain justice for the wronged and forgiveness for the sinner who wronged those other people.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The divine law itself is the ââ¬Ålake of fire.ââ¬Â Moses tells us in Deut. 33:2 that the law is a ââ¬Åfiery lawââ¬Â in His hand.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Daniel 7:9 also pictures that final throne of God. He says that the throne itself is a fire, out of which comes a ââ¬Åfiery streamââ¬Â that judges all men. It is simply a metaphoric way of saying that Godââ¬â¢s fiery law will judge all men. But to know the nature of that fire, one must study the divine law itself. And not once does the divine law prescribe torture for any sin.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Thus, the ââ¬Ålake of fireââ¬Â in the Bible is never taken as literally as some have interpreted it.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] From the beginning, Moses wrote that the penalty for sin was death, saying in Deut. 30:15 and 16, ââ¬ÅI am setting in front of you today *life* and prosperity, *death* and adversity, in that I command you to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, statutes, and judgments, that you may live and multiply.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] He was telling the people that to violate Godââ¬â¢s laws was the way of death. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul put it this way in Rom. 6:23, ââ¬ÅThe wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.ââ¬Â There was no judgment of Godââ¬â¢s law that even implied torture in a literal fire for any sin. The penalty was merely death.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Jesus Christ came to pay the full penalty for our sin and for the sin of the whole world. This did not mean that Jesus would have to burn in the pit of hell. Not even for a momentââ¬âmuch less for eternity! He paid the full penalty for sin by dying on the cross, not by burning for eternity. If never-ending torture in hell were really the penalty for sin, then Jesus would still be there! Yet we find that Jesus was only required to be dead for three days.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] But God is not so unjust as to torture people for disobeying Him. The nature of the ââ¬Åfireââ¬Â is defined by the divine law itself, and the duration of the judgment is limited by the law of Jubilee.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Because of Adamââ¬â¢s sin, all men have become mortal. That in itself is a judgment for sin. But the final judgment is the ââ¬Ålake of fire, which is the second deathââ¬Â (Rev. 20:14). This type of death is of a different sort. It speaks of the future age when the unbelievers who did not avail themselves of Jesusââ¬â¢ offer of redemption will remain mortal and will have to learn right and wrong as servants of God.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] In the final analysis, the law says that if a man cannot pay a debt (which is incurred by sin), he is to work as a bondservant to pay the debt. If the debt is too great to be paid, he must work until the year of Jubilee sets him free.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The unbelievers at the Great White Throne will be sentenced to work as bondservants until the final Jubilee sets them free. The purpose of this is not so that their masters can act like tyrants over a bunch of slaves. The purpose is given in Isaiah 26:9, where the prophet says, ââ¬ÅWhen Godââ¬â¢s judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] In other words, the purpose of putting bond-servants under masters is so that the sinners of the earth may learn the will of God and learn to follow Christ. Their ââ¬Åmastersââ¬Â will teach them and train them in the laws of God. What a happy time![/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] For this reason Psalm 130:4 says, ââ¬ÅThere is forgiveness with Thee [God], in order that You may be respected.ââ¬Â We respect those who have the ability to forgive, not those who refuse to forgive after a certain deadline. God has often been presented as One who either will not or cannot forgive sin, once a man has completed his life on earth. It is no wonder so many have no respect for God. But I say that God has been misrepresented.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] When the time comes that God rules the earth through Jesus Christ and the ââ¬ÅSons of God,ââ¬Â the nations will rejoice. Finally, there will be true justice and mercy in the courts. Psalm 67:4 says, ââ¬ÅO let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the nations upon earth.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Psalm 72:11 says, ââ¬ÅYes, all kings shall bow down before Him; all nations shall serve Him.ââ¬Â Later, this same psalm says, ââ¬Åmen shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who does only wondrous things; and blessed be His glorious name forever; and let the whole earth be filled with His glory.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Psalm 86:9 and 10 says, ââ¬ÅAll nations that You have made will come and worship before You, O Lord, and will glorify Your name. For You are great and do wonderful things. You alone are God.ââ¬Â [/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] In Gen. 9:9-17 God made a covenant (or contract) with the whole earth. It was a covenant that said He would never again destroy the earth. Many today mistakenly think that the earth is soon going to be destroyed, either by men or by God. This is not true. It may *look like* disaster is coming, but God has promised to prevent it.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] This is the first covenant that God made with anyone. The first time that the word ââ¬Åcovenantââ¬Â is used in the Bible is found here in Gen. 9:9. At earlier times, God made promises, not covenants.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Years later, in the story of how God brought Israel out of Egypt, we find that the Israelites were rather stubborn and disobedient to God, and they came near to stoning Moses more than once. Finally, after ten examples of direct disobedience, God told Moses in Num. 14:12, ââ¬ÅIââ¬â¢m just going to destroy the whole nation and start over with you and your children.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] This was, of course, just a test, for God knew He would not do this. So did Moses. That is why Moses reminded God of His promise to Israel. He also said in Num. 14:15 and 16 that if He were to destroy the people, it would be admitting that He was not powerful enough to do what He had said He would do. The people of the other nations would say that it was because He ââ¬Åwas not able to bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Here is the crux of the matter. Was God really able to fulfill His intent? Could His will be thwarted by manââ¬â¢s will? Is manââ¬â¢s free will more powerful than Godââ¬â¢s sovereign will?[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Nowadays, many people would say that God could not be blamed for the refusal of the people to be obedient to Him. But that is not the issue. The fact is, *if God was unable to make Israel obedient*, then God would be perceived as a failure. It is much like a disobedient child. If the parent is unable to turn the child into a productive citizen, then it is ultimately the responsibility of the parent, not of the child. The child is not the one in authority. The authority figure is the one who is responsible for those under him or her.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] So God tempted Moses to see if he would take the bait. But Moses had no such ambitions to make his own family the chosen people. Moses then challenged God in an extraordinary manner, telling Him that the nations would think God is *not able* to perform His willââ¬âthat manââ¬â¢s will was stronger than Godââ¬â¢s will.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Godââ¬â¢s response was to tell Moses in Num. 14:21, ââ¬Åas I live, *all the earth* will be filled with the glory of the Lord.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Not only was God able to bring this one nation into the land God had promised, but He was also able to fill the whole earth with His glory. In other words, man may temporarily remain in bondage as a slave to sin, but ultimately, Godââ¬â¢s will is that the whole earth would be filled with His glory. Godââ¬â¢s will is to save all men (1 Tim. 2:4). There is nothing and no one on earth that can prevent this from taking place. Either men will consent to be redeemed in this age, or they will do so after the final judgment at the Great White Throne.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] One may do this the easy way or the hard way. But either way, God is God, and His will shall ultimately prevail. By the time of the final Jubilee, when He sets all men free, they will be filled with His glory. The prophet echoes this verse in Hab. 2:14, saying that, ââ¬Åthe earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] How much of the sea is covered by water? One hundred percent of it?
[/color][/font] [font=Verdana][color=#330099]How much of the earth will be covered by the knowledge of the Lord? One hundred percent.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] That is how the prophet interpreted what God said to Moses. It means that all men will be saved, and Godââ¬â¢s presence will fill the entire earth. Keep in mind that men were made with the dust of the ground. God intends to fill the whole earth, which includes all of humanity.
[font=Comic Sans MS][/font] In Isaiah 45:23 God says, ââ¬ÅI have sworn by Myself [by my own name] . . . that unto Me every knee will bow and * every tongue* will swear allegiance to Me.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] This is quoted by the apostle Paul in Phil. 2:10, 11, saying, ââ¬Å at the name of Jesus *every knee* should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that *every tongue* should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] The question is this: Is God able to fulfill this oath, or is it an idle boast?[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Col. 1:16 tells us that ââ¬Åby Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible . . . all things were created by Him and for Him.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] In verse 20, we read that Jesus Christ, by His death on the cross, ââ¬Åhas reconciled all things unto Himself . . . whether they are things in earth or things in heaven.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Paulââ¬â¢s use of the term ââ¬Åall thingsââ¬Â really does mean all things. He not only created all things, but He also has reconciled all things to Himself. His death on the cross was not merely effective for a few, but for the whole of creation. It is not slated for destruction, but to house the glory of God.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Paul speaks again in 1 Cor. 15:22-28 of the time when all men will be raised from the dead for judgment and to receive the rewards due them. Paul says that Jesus Christ must reign over the earth until all enemies have been subduedââ¬âthat is, until no one disagrees with Him and His divine law. Everyone will ultimately come into agreement that God really is a good and a just God. To know Him is to love Him.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Then Paul says that the final enemy to be destroyed is death. Only then will mankind be able to enjoy fully the presence of God. Only then will all the earth be full of His glory.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Paul says in verse 28 that ââ¬ÅGod will be all in all.ââ¬Â His full presence will not be in just a few people, nor will He dispense just a little of His glory in all men. Rather, His full glory will radiate out of all men.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] That is the plan. And God is indeed able to perform His will. Many are now unwilling to go along with the plan, because of ignorance, for if they knew the glory that God had prepared for them, they would not hesitate to avail themselves of the redemption that Jesus has provided by His death on the cross.[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] Johnââ¬â¢s vision in Rev. 5:13, ââ¬Åand every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and all that are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, ââ¬ËBlessing and honor, and glory, and power be unto Him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb [Jesus] for the ages of the agesââ¬â¢.ââ¬Â[/color][/font]
[font=Verdana][color=#330099] This is a picture of the goal of history and the divine plan for His creation. No one will be grumbling that a tyrant has come to power and ought to be overthrown. All will know the love that God has for them and for all mankind. It is a happy scene. There are no tortured screams coming from an imagined pit of hell. God really is able to save all mankindââ¬âand He intends to do it.[/color][/font]
2005-02-09 16:33 | User Profile
[font=Arial][size=3][color=navy][size=5]Guiltless of All[/size] [/color]
[color=navy]In the aftermath of every human and natural disaster some survivors invariably come forward, breathlessly claiming that a ââ¬Ëcertain individualââ¬â¢ had a profound effect on the course of the tragedyââ¬â¢s outcome. Strangely, this ââ¬Ëcertain individualââ¬â¢ always seems to be present at these terrible human tragedies, standing there right along the sidelines watching it all happen. In fact, this ââ¬Ëcertain individualââ¬â¢ knows before hand when such a tragedy is about to take place, as surely as if a CNN news report the day before had announced the exact time and location of impending death and destruction.[/color]
[color=navy]Yet, despite this apparent foreknowledge of impending doom, this ââ¬Ëcertain individualââ¬â¢ never lets on for an instant about what is to happen. Oddly, there is never a word of warning from him, never a call to 911, never an urgent message left on anyoneââ¬â¢s answering machine, all of which he is perfectly capable of doing. In the end, we are left once again to face another human tragedy - alone - in wrenching agony and grief. [/color]
[color=navy]In fact, this ââ¬Ëcertain individualââ¬â¢ has a long history of such willful negligence.[/color]
[color=navy]In 1912, for instance, it was ââ¬Ëheââ¬â¢ who stood idly by while an iceberg stealthily closed in on the HMS Titanic, sending it, along with a thousand men, women, and children, to their watery deaths. It was ââ¬Ëheââ¬â¢ who watched in calm silence while a truck bomb pulled quietly to a halt in front of a Federal building in Oklahoma City, waiting patiently for it to explode. ââ¬ËHeââ¬â¢, yet again, who waited nearby as serial killer Ted Bundy rolled to a stop in front of yet another unsuspecting college coed, remaining silent as she was abducted, raped, and murdered. And ââ¬Ëheââ¬â¢, once more, who observed with an uncaring eye while a child killer silently paused outside the bedroom window of little Polly Klass and, later on, while two heavily armed teenagers swiftly entered Columbine High School on a deadly mission of slaughter. And yet, despite all of these facts, this ââ¬Ëcertain individualââ¬â¢ always seems to get the credit for 'saving' the lives of those who do survive a human or natural disaster.[/color]
[color=navy]For no matter what the loss of life may be during these tragediesââ¬âtragedies this ââ¬Ëcertain individualââ¬â¢ is openly acknowledged by millions as being fully capable of preventing ââ¬âââ¬â¢heââ¬â¢ is never accused or blamed for failing to save any of the victims that are lost. Instead, this ââ¬Ëcertain individualââ¬â¢ always receives untold praise for saving the sole child from the raging fire, but is never blamed for the other nine who burn to death. ââ¬ËHeââ¬â¢ who is glorified in houses of worship across the land for the six who flee the smoking rubble of a jet crash, but is never chastened for the remaining 300 who lie mangled and dead inside the twisted wreckage. ââ¬ËHeââ¬â¢, yet again, who is praised in houses of government for the thousands ââ¬Ëhe savedââ¬â¢ in yet another senseless war - yet never once is ââ¬Ëheââ¬â¢ held accountable for those who perish in concentration camps, battlefields, and bombed-out cities. ââ¬ËHeââ¬â¢ unfailingly remains guiltless of all. [/color]
[color=navy]He is God.[/color]
[/size][/font]
2005-02-09 19:14 | User Profile
How does bashing Christians help us with anything?
2005-02-09 22:35 | User Profile
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Apostle Paul in his comment about the problem of creation in Romans 8:19-22, [/font] [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=2]19[/size] For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. [size=2] 20[/size] For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope ** [expectation][size=2]21[/size] that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. [size=2] 22[/size] For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Paul makes it clear that the creation had no choice in being subjected to ââ¬Å*futility*ââ¬Â and to ââ¬Å*slavery to corruption.*ââ¬Â It was done by the sovereign will of God alone. Futility, vanity, or emptiness describe a path that appears to go nowhere and has no purpose. When Adam sinned, his sin was imputed to all mankind. We all became liable for Adamââ¬â¢s sin, and thus we are all mortal, paying for a sin which we did not commit. And not only mankind, but ALL OF CREATION was subjected to this ââ¬Åcorruption.ââ¬Â[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It is contrary to the divine law for anyone to impute a fatherââ¬â¢s sin upon the children. Deuteronomy 24:16 says:[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**[size=2]<sup>16</sup>[/size] Fathers shall not be put to death for *their *sons, nor shall sons be put to death for *their * fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This Law is repeated in Ezekiel 18:20, which says:[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**[size=2]<sup> 20</sup>[/size] The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Children were not to be punished for the sins of their father. And yet this is precisely what God did with us. The fact that all of Adamââ¬â¢s children are born mortal proves that we are paying for a sin committed by our father (Romans 5:12). Adamââ¬â¢s children were put to death for the sin of their father Adam. Did God not know that this was unjust? Of course He did! After all, He had prohibited such injustice by His own law, revealed to Moses and confirmed by Ezekiel.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This raises the most basic question about the justice of God. Death was imposed upon us outside our will, and this is the root cause of all personal sins committed after Adamââ¬â¢s original sin. We are being held liable for a sin of our father, Adam. We cannot hide this issue and hope it goes unnoticed by Godââ¬â¢s critics. Nor can we theologize it away after God clearly takes the credit for holding us liable.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In dealing with this problem, we must first know that He is just, and have faith that He knows what He is doing. We must align ourselves with His plan, rather than attempt to alter His plan to fit what we think He should have done.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In looking at the way God imputed Adamââ¬â¢s sin to his descendants, and the divine law which prohibits such behavior, we do not hesitate to call Godââ¬â¢s action a ââ¬Åtemporary injustice,ââ¬Â which is the direct cause of the *Tension* in the history of creation. Tension is the result of injustice or disharmony *while it is yet unresolved*. It has many applications. When a nation wrongs another, tension is set up, often leading to war. When an individual wrongs another, tension is in the air until restitution is made. Tension always demands a resolution.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In music there are certain chords which contain conflicting or discordant notes. These chords set up an emotional tension until the chord is resolved. This is a very common musical technique, used to play upon the emotions of the listener and draw him into the music by forcing him psychologically to demand harmony. Discord torments the mind of the musician, in order to maximize the feeling of relief when the harmonious chord is struck and the tension resolved.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It is much like the cliffhangers in books or television programs. All are temporary tensions designed to make the listeners *demand* a resolution.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]God, too, has employed this technique in the music of the spheres and in the book of history. Imputing death and corruption to mankind and to creation in general has produced a judicial tension that demands resolution. Paul says that God certainly will not leave creation hanging. The disharmony and injustice is only temporary. In fact, Paul says that the injustice that caused the tension will be MORE THAN COMPENSATED when the final chord of history is struck. And so Paul reminds us in Romans 8:18,[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**[size=2]<sup>18</sup>[/size] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]And again, he says in 2 Corinthians 4:17,[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**[size=2]<sup>17</sup>[/size] For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Paul is reminding us that the injustices of life are not only temporary, but will be more than righted at the last day when He restores all things.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The justice of God has been a matter of philosophical debate for thousands of years. In fact, all religions must deal with this question sooner or later. What is the origin of evil? What is its purpose? How will it end? Is there really justice with God? Some even question the existence of God on the grounds that ââ¬Åif there were really a God, why would He allow all these wars and other terrible things to happen?ââ¬Â[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Each religionââ¬â¢s solution to these age-old problems gives character to its own particular god. We have already raised questions about the justice of God of the Bible in view of the things He does by His own sovereign will, or plan. Recall that Paul, too, questioned Godââ¬â¢s righteousness in dealing with Pharaoh (Rom. 9:14). Every time we talk about Esau, Pharaoh, or others who seem to have been treated unjustly, we raise the level of tension that must be resolved. [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The real underlying question that we must deal with is the *liability* for sin. How liable is man for his sin? How liable is God for His actions in subjecting the creation to the bondage of corruption? **God always assumes full responsibility for all of His actions**, and, of course, man must follow His example. Man always resists Godââ¬â¢s will (*thelema*), but Paul says that no man can resist Godââ¬â¢s plan (*boulema*). Yet before we can understand this question in any depth, we should define these terms.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Man sins because he is mortal. He is mortal because God made him liable for the original sin of his father Adam. Therefore, God is the *direct* cause of manââ¬â¢s weak (mortal) condition and the *indirect* cause of his personal sins. The question is: Does this make God a sinner? We immediately answer, NO. Is God liable in any way for manââ¬â¢s sin? We immediately answer, YES. This is one reason why He made Himself liable for our sin through Jesus Christ, and then paid the penalty for sin.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]We do NOT agree that this makes God a sinner, but only that He has made Himself ultimately liable by His own law. To prove this, we must first look at the meaning of the word that is translated ââ¬Åsinââ¬Â in the Scriptures.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Hebrew word for ââ¬Åsinââ¬Â is *khawtaw*. It is translated ââ¬Åsinââ¬Â in over 400 Bible passages. Yet the word literally means ââ¬Åto miss the mark,ââ¬Â or ââ¬Åto fail to reach a goal.ââ¬Â In the physical sense, the word can be used in the case of an archer whose arrow misses the target. Judges 20:16 gives us another example:[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**[size=2]<sup>16</sup>[/size] Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss** (*khawtaw*, ââ¬Åto sin, or missââ¬Â).[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In the moral sense, the target, goal, or standard is the divine Law (1 John 3:4). Any transgression of the Law is ââ¬Åsin,ââ¬Â because the Law is Godââ¬â¢s standard of righteousness. A sinner is one who has fallen short of perfection as defined in the Law. Paul alludes to this meaning when he writes in Romans 3:23*, *ââ¬Å*for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.*ââ¬Â The glory of God here is the target. We have all fallen short of the target, failing to attain to that perfect goal.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Essentially, then, sin is a failure to reach a particular goal. God created His own goal: to create the universe, to allow man to fall into death and sin, and then to reconcile creation with justice and grace. To teach us justice, it was necessary for man to fall into sin. To implement grace, God needed sinners as the objects of grace.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]And so we ask ourselves: *Will God fail to carry out His plan*? Must He reach for ââ¬ÅPlan B?ââ¬Â If so, then God is a failure, hence a sinner. But God is not a sinner, nor is He a failure. Nothing took Him by surprise, for He foreknew all things. Nothing was out of control, even for a split second, for God is all-powerful. From the beginning it was in Godââ¬â¢s plan to create a temporary injustice and to spread it out on a finite time line which we call history.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Many people unknowingly accuse God of being a sinner, because they have not been taught the simple biblical definition of sin. As children we learned the chorus, ââ¬ÅJesus Never Fails,ââ¬Â and often this motto is portrayed upon the walls of Christian homes. But when we grow older, we often are taught that Satan and men have the ability to thwart Godââ¬â¢s plan and purpose for creation. God wrings His hands in despair, like a helpless giant in the sky, loudly complaining about manââ¬â¢s condition, but fully bound by the law of free will to do anything about it. Plan after plan fails, and so God is thought to be changing plans constantly in an attempt to salvage as much as He can out of this world mess, before He is forced to destroy nearly everything. Satan is said to win perhaps 90-99 percent of the world, but somehow God is given the victorââ¬â¢s wreath.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]While God is so often portrayed as an all-powerful, but helpless giant, the devil is portrayed as being NEARLY as powerful as God Himself. But his advantage is that he cares nothing about manââ¬â¢s free will. He is said to have a free hand in manipulating and causing men to sin in ways that God could never do to establish righteousness. In the way many Christians have been taught to view these age-old questions, Satan seems to fail far less than God does. And finally, when it is all over, Satan wins with 99% of mankind, while God is left with a paltry 1-10% of creation with which to populate the kingdom of light. This was essentially the position of Augustine in his [u]City of God[/u], where history ends with a final separation of light and darkness, with Satan being a success (and punished for it!), while God is viewed as the sore loserââ¬âthus, the sinner, the helpless Giant who failed.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This view of both God and Satan has serious flaws that need to be rectified by some serious Bible study.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Neither ââ¬Åsinââ¬Â nor ââ¬Åevilââ¬Â are necessarily moral terms. Both are used in a moral sense many times, but they are not always to be applied morally. In the case of ââ¬Åsin,ââ¬Â we have already seen how it may refer to Benjamites missing a target with stones. In the case of ââ¬Åevil,ââ¬Â it is the same.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Probably the simplest definition of evil is this: evil is anything bad or adverse that happens from MY earthly point of view. It includes all calamities that may occur, such as earthquakes, whirlwinds, famines, and pestilence. It also includes all judgment for moral sins. We are told in the Bible that God brings evils upon an individual, a city, a nation, or even the whole world in accordance to the Law. Often these ââ¬Åevilsââ¬Â take the form of wars, earthquakes, or famines. We normally think of these things as Godââ¬â¢s righteous judgments against the ungodly.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]When these things happen to Christians who do not believe they have done anything wrong, they have a habit of blaming the devil for attacking the righteous. Other Christians, though, who suffer from inner guilt and fear, often assume that God is angry with them when such troubles occur. These are rather simplistic views that are more often incorrect than correct. While it is true that all evil is judgment for sin, we must understand that most evil that befalls men is either a result of Adamââ¬â¢s sin in general or the result of the corporate sin of the nation. Individuals are, of course, affected by such judgments, because they are held liable for the sins of those in authority over them.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]When a ââ¬Ånaturalââ¬Â disaster occurs, many people are left asking why this happened. We often hear comments like, ââ¬Å*Why is God so angry with us?*ââ¬Â The victims of such ââ¬Åevilââ¬Â befalling a city or nation should realize that Godââ¬â¢s judgments are not usually directed at them for their sin, but for the corporate sin of the nation or its leadership. The people pay the price for the sins of their leadership. Only those who hear and obey Godââ¬â¢s voice are divinely protectedââ¬âbut even then, such people are often subjected to the liability of the nation when called as intercessors. [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Evil itself is not sin, for Amos 3:6 says*, *ââ¬Å*shall there be evil in a city; and the LORD hath not done it?*ââ¬Â Evil is not sin, for God does evil, but does not sin. Likewise, as parents, we may bring ââ¬Åevilââ¬Â upon our children (from their point of view) when we discipline them. Children seldom agree with their parents in matters of discipline. Evil becomes sin only when it is done apart from the perfect will of God.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Finally, the governments of man have often proclaimed or acted upon the assumption that the end justifies the means, that they may do evil toward an individual for the greater good of the community. In this they have made themselves gods {rulemakers}. Invariably, the greater good that they claim to establish never comes, and the people are mistreated and destroyed. Only God Himself has the capability of bringing good out of evil (Rom. 8:28). When men attempt to do this, they merely destroy people, and no good comes out of it. In fact, generally speaking, all the evil which they claim to be doing for the public good is really to consolidate their own power or to increase their own wealth.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Bible says that all things were created by God through Jesus Christ. John 1:3 reads,[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]<sup>[size=2]**3**[/size]</sup>** All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Paul also testifies to this in 1 Corinthians 8:6.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**[size=2]<sup>6</sup>[/size] Yet for us there is * but *one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we *exist *for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we *exist * through Him.**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There are some widely divergent views on Satan, and it is not our purpose here to take up this matter. It is enough to say that Satan, whatever or whoever this is, was CREATED BY GOD. No other point is relevant to our present discussion.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The real questionââ¬âa question that has provoked much heated discussion for millenniaââ¬âis the origin of evil.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The foremost problem that philosophers and theologians in the past have had to resolve is how a perfect and just God could either cause or permit evil in the creation. Nearly all of them have made the assumption that God could neither create nor cause evil without tainting His character. Consequently, they have all attempted to shift the responsibility to others, either to Satan or to men.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Persians were probably the most successful in removing from God all responsibility for evil. They taught that Satan was co-equal and co-eternal with God. Thus, all evil in the world originated and was propagated totally outside the jurisdiction of God, and outside his power to prevent it. This removed all liability from Godââ¬â¢s account. However, this was only done at the expense of His sovereignty, for now there were TWO GODS of equal strength and duration in the universe. The Bible clearly begs to differ with this view.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The pagan Greeks, who believed that spirit was good and matter was evil, did not believe that a good God could create matter without tainting His good character. So, as we explained in an earlier chapter, they believed that the creator of all things was an evil Demiurge, a lesser, evil god. However, they were never able to figure out how the good God could create an evil Demiurge in the first place.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This ââ¬Åsolutionââ¬Â reduced the problem, but it did not eradicate it. It removed God from all *direct* liability for the sin in the world; yet God was still * indirectly* responsible by creating the Demiurge or allowing him to be created and allowing him to do his evil work.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Church, like the Greeks, has often put the blame for the origin of evil entirely upon Satan. The purpose of this argument is to remove from God any liability for sin. The thought is admirable, but unfortunately it does this at the expense of His sovereignty. It forces us to think of Satan as an independent godââ¬âan angel originally created good but who fell out of his own free will. That view gives men the impression that God has no control over Satan, or if He does, then God is helpless to do anything about it, except to attempt to influence men to do good and reject evil.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Furthermore, in putting all the blame on Satan, this view succeeds in separating God from *directly* causing evil, but it has never succeeded in separating God from *indirectly* causing evil by creating Satan in the first place. The only way to make God totally free of liability would be to insist that Satan took God totally by surprise when he fell. This, however, makes God less than omniscient (knowing all things).[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The justice and goodness of God is correctly assumed in most Christian circles. How we resolve the philosophical problem is the subject of much debate and depends upon other assumptions. The Calvinist viewpoint attempts to resolve the issue by preserving the sovereignty of God, but it does so at the expense of His justice. In other words, they say that God has sovereignly elected a small remnant for salvation, and the rest have been elected to burn in hell. The Arminian viewpoint attempts to resolve the issue by preserving Godââ¬â¢s justice at the expense of His sovereignty. In other words, they say that man has total free will and that God can do little or nothing to overrule either Satan or man.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The problem is like a short blanket. The longer one end is, the shorter the other end. In vain we pull the blanket up to cover our chins, for as we do, we leave our toes exposed. It is one of the most unresolvable problems of the universe. Philosophers of all religious persuasions have struggled with it for a long time as well.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Bible makes no apology for the fact that God is the Creator of all and the cause of evil. While Christians may shrink from this and consider it ââ¬Åblasphemous,ââ¬Â the Bible boldly makes such statements with no thought of such an assertion tainting His character. Isaiah 45:7 plainly says:[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**[size=2]<sup>7</sup>[/size] The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity ** [*ra*, ââ¬Åevilââ¬Â]**; I am the LORD who does all these.**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]As we saw earlier, God unashamedly takes full credit for the hardening of Pharaohââ¬â¢s heart, proving His sovereignty, but totally ignoring the problem of justice. The Old Testament simply assumes that men are aware that He is sovereign, and that He has His agenda in history, His plan, which shall be fulfilled. It is as natural for God to create evil as it is for Him to create darkness. God raises up His own opposition in the persons of Pharaoh and Esau, with no judicial apology.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It is, perhaps, for this reason that the Apostle Paul, when confronted by charges that God may be unjust in doing this, merely says, ââ¬ÅWho are you to question God? Do you not know that He is the Potter, and we are only the clay?ââ¬Â (Romans 9:20 and 21) He was only paraphrasing Isaiah 45:9-11, which says:[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]**[size=2]<sup>9</sup>[/size] Woe to *the one * who quarrels with his Makerââ¬âan earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, ââ¬ÅWhat are you doing?ââ¬Â Or the thing you are making *say, *ââ¬ÅHe has no hands?ââ¬Â [size=2]<sup>10</sup>[/size] Woe to him who says to a father, ââ¬ÅWhat are you begetting?ââ¬Â Or to a woman, ââ¬ÅTo what are you giving birth?" [size=2]<sup>11</sup>[/size] Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: "Ask Me about the things to come concerning My sons, and you shall commit to Me the work of My hands.**[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In other words, if you want to argue, or ââ¬Åstrive,ââ¬Â go argue with someone on your own level, another broken piece of pottery. How dare the clay question the Potter? How dare we question Godââ¬â¢s competency or tell God how to run the universe? We must first recognize our place. We must agree that God is sovereign and that He knows what he is doing. With that faith, we may approach Him, asking for greater understanding in order that we might conform to His Image.[/font]
2005-02-09 22:49 | User Profile
Jesus/Yeshua is the Holy and Annoited One of Israel
You have not quoted the rest of the idea, we are not punished but indeed forgiven:
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. 21 öBut if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
We need to return (teshuva) back to God and we have a way to do that. Sin is transgression of the law (Torah) and the only way we could have access to salvation was the Yeshua the Messiah.
You are looking at sins from the standard of the world in this unclean age. We cannot hope to attain the holiness and perfection of Yeshua, but we can seek after it.
You can choose to exalt yourself up in your arrogance above your creator, or you can choose to prostrate yourself in your heart and with your face on the carpet. Up to you. Choose life or choose death.
2005-02-10 00:21 | User Profile
I really admire you guys for having so much faith in the one that you call "God".
You pray to him when you need money, or are sick, or want to win the lottery or even when your cat is lost.
Well as a crazy man I will tell you what I think of the one you call "God', to me "God" ( If I were to go by The Bible) and the "Devil" are one and the same, after all The Bible says that we were "created according to his own image" and as you know we can be good or we can be bad.
You people keep searching for "God" and yet "God" is already in you, wich is the good in you, and all that you have to do is relax and let it all come out.
For many years now I know that I am doing good by what I do to help people, I am not talking about the church or charity organisations, but what I can do for people in person without a middle man. By doing this I can be sure that 100% will go to the person in need.
If humanity on Earth really started with Adam and Eve then they came from elsewhere and not from mud as Adam or Eve from Adams rib.
When ever something bad happens to me I no longer get mad or angry but look at it as a challenge to be solved, like when my carport fell on my two cars with all the snow.
Always remember that no matter how bad off you are there is always someone else who is worth of than you, adjust you life style to your money and not your money to your lifestyle and happier you will be.
OK GUYS, WAITING NOW FOR YOUR INSULTS HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
You can start with my grammar and work your way up from there, lol .
2005-02-10 05:50 | User Profile
Suppose you go to an amusement park and ride a roller coaster. If the coaster is any good, you'll be scared and maybe have other negative consequences. But, if you attitude is good, it's a lot of fun. It's all good.
In eternity, our life on Earth is but a short coaster ride.
2005-02-10 12:46 | User Profile
God (Jesus) can do whatever he wantsââ¬Â¦ and He wants to try us and refine us .... Zec 13:9
2005-02-10 21:19 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Gabrielle]God (Jesus) can do whatever he wants… and He wants to try us and refine us .... Zec 13:9[/QUOTE]YHWH would hand Gabby a millstone about her neck.
--Martin Lindstedt
2005-02-10 23:29 | User Profile
[QUOTE=MartinLindstedt]YHWH would hand Gabby a millstone about her neck.
--Martin Lindstedt[/QUOTE]
Quack,quack...
2005-02-11 23:21 | User Profile
Oh! No! Not one of them pixie stones about Gabby's neck. Next thing would be tatoo'ing her legs blue.:biggrin: [QUOTE=MartinLindstedt]YHWH would hand Gabby a millstone about her neck.
--Martin Lindstedt[/QUOTE]
2005-02-12 01:45 | User Profile
[QUOTE=6KILLER]Oh! No! Not one of them pixie stones about Gabby's neck. Next thing would be tatoo'ing her legs blue.:biggrin:[/QUOTE]
666Killer, don't you worry about Gabrielle... she is our enemy.
[SIZE=6]Satan[/SIZE]
[img]http://www.sportsfrog.com/archives/satan.jpg[/img]
2005-03-07 17:41 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Ponce] If humanity on Earth really started with Adam and Eve then they came from elsewhere and not from mud as Adam or Eve from Adams rib. [/QUOTE] There were people here before Adam. Adam was made from the dust of the ground; the earth. He was animated by the breath of God. The Bible is a book about one man's {aw'dawm} descendents. Other people are only mentioned when they came into contact with this group. However all people can become part of this group through adoption. "Whosoever will..."
2005-03-07 17:47 | User Profile
"YHWH would hand Gabby a millstone about her neck."
.....hehehe...
2005-03-07 18:01 | User Profile
If God could save everyone, would He? I have a joke related to this question:
There is this humble little farmer named Frank. Frank is a nice guy, always willing to help out. But nothing ever goes right for Frank. Frank is out plowing his field and the tractor breaks down. He hauls this tractor back to the farm but the truck breaks down. Frank gives up and walks back to the house, but when he has his house in sight he sees a lightning bolt strike the house, burning it to the ground. Frank just shrugs his shoulders and remembers he has a barn to live in. Just then a tornado comes along and demolishes the barn. So Frank gives up. He drops to his knees and asks God why such misfortune must befall him all the time. "Because", God's voice calls down from Heaven, "there is something about you that just pisses me off."