Author Topic: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions  (Read 76371 times)

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Offline rosered

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #225 on: May 07, 2015, 01:18:06 PM »
AMEN   again !!  Well said , Caffus    :HeartThrob:
Jesus is the reward  !!

Offline lastpost

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #226 on: June 09, 2015, 12:45:38 AM »

"For bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come"

"For those who are according to the flesh, the things of the flesh do mind; and those according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit; for the mind of the flesh is death, and the mind of the Spirit - life and peace"


I know many do not agree with the following trend of thought regarding the mind and the will, but it is one which I personally find all-encompassing and easy to understand, and I apologise about its length but when one attempts to minimise explanation too much, things can be misunderstood.

Man today and in the past - except for the very few - has always placed so much dependence on what he can feel and see with his physical body. And bound as he is, it is difficult indeed to so extricate himself from its toils, that he can dispassionately view the world and the seemingly concrete things all around and say: 'This is but a semblance of the real!'

The mind of the body and the mind of the spirit function differently during one's daily life. The mind of the spirit is that which is intensely conscious of its God; and what man has deemed the active, workable side, is as a sleep from which one day the owner will be awakened. That is the contrast.

The Real Self is out on a journey, and as the different experiences are undertaken, so the equipment is provided by the Heavenly Father, and that which has served its day is, by and by, laid aside, forgotten - except for the results it has produced.

It is wise not to confuse that physical body or that physical mind with the Real Self within. Could the eyes but see, there - in all its splendour - would the spirit within each one be revealed to doubting man; could he but extricate himself from that limited sphere of thought, he would indeed be conscious that within there were resources - untouched, undiscovered and unused in the Master's service.

In ones simple life, one longs to do something beautiful for God or for loved ones: to create beauty in sound, in colour, or in the hearts of others. This is the spirit struggling to get free from that which has buried it - the physical mind.

It will be found that the motive power behind all creation is Love and Love alone. When free from the limitations of the mind of the body, one will mourn with intensity those things brought into being which emanated from the mind of the body alone.

For the sake of the spirit within, it is wise not to kill the desires for this and for that, but to spiritualise them, to bring them up to some standard of holiness, so that when the body is laid aside there - free, untrammelled - they will be able to work out, in detail, that which the spirit longs.

There are few desires or thoughts which pass through the mind of the body, which have not their spiritual counterpart. It is, as it were, that something sweet and sacred had been dropped in the mud, and there it has lain over the time which has sped until the owner, at last, recollected its loss, and sought not only to recover it but to bring it back to something of the beauty which it once possessed.

The desires of the physical mind can be viewed in this wise: The craving for ease, that desire for possessions, is but the mutilated instinct, on the one hand, for the peace which passeth understanding, and on the other for those priceless gifts of the Spirit which will allow one to work for God.

This may appear to be stretching illustration to breaking point; but one must recollect that one is a child of God.

With all attributes, all instincts, all desires, one can trace back the myriad of experiences gone through, what has been accumulated, what has been thrown on that which is pure and holy, that which lighteth every man that comes into the world.

Regarding to the mind of the body and the mind of the spirit, it is possible that even in one's daily life, so one can hand over all into the keeping of the mind of the spirit in a way which will seem to astounding when spiritual sight is one's own.

Here is the area of the 'will' - that will which is associated with that which binds, and that freed will which, linked to God, can make the unity between Father and child complete, even during the physical stages, even while cabined within that which seems to some as a prison house indeed.

The greatest test of a strong will is the ability to hand over that will into the keeping of someone wiser, older in experience. So difficult from the earth view, so alien to the physical mind. Those in the world boast far too often of the strength of their physical will; when they are released from the physical body they will see with shame and anguish that it was the weak link in their armour through which the enemy was able to wound and maim.

That will of the body can do far more damage than one can understand, yet even here it is wise to destroy it not, seeking rather to blend it with the will of God, when it shall work for the God in Christ within - for the Real Self within - in a way that a good servant should, and in a way which will bring one into happiness when the body is no more.

Those children of humanity who, as yet, have not developed strong feelings, strong opinions, strong desires, strong wills - these, as it were, are in the babyhood of spiritual growth. Yet one should not allow the will to be used as a tool by the destroyers who wish to mar the plan.

Those who are capable of holding on in spite of opposition, those who have the capacity to stand firm while the rest forsake - that indeed is a tool which one shall never be asked to lay aside; and as the days go on and the warfare between right and wrong continues, so that will, so that resolution, must be developed to withstand the oncoming forces.

Care should be taken that the will of the spirit is not chained or fettered by the will of the body. That self-will - the will which is centred on selfish desire - that in time to come must be mellowed and refined into the will of the spirit, into that will which allows one to say without reservation: 'Use me; not my will but Thine be done!'

These things need to be thought out for oneself, one must face facts as they are, one brings things into being by realising thoughts, then acting - creating by thought - which is within all, and which at some time will find full expression as the thoughts of the God in Christ within are realised, because it is not the Father's will to withhold anything from His children.

The Creator, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, thought out the scheme of mankind - all those myriad conditions necessary for His children. Out of the Mind of Love so Love took expression, and as that expression became life, so a gift was entrusted in that life to His children.

The gift - so precious - has not been used aright, and man has lost and not gained, he has stifled and not developed; but the time is coming when the Spirit of God will descend upon man and the scales will be struck from his eyes.

The spiritual mind and the spiritual will can work for God in a way impossible to estimate in words. The physical mind and the physical will, under the influence of the destroyers, can not only impede one's progress but indeed can throw one back once again into those stages from which one has extricated oneself by the desire to learn.

This is a solemn thought and linked to it is that of personal responsibility. By resisting evil, by conquering temptation, by standing firm in face of adversity, so one in turn is building resistance which can be used for those as yet far down that hill of attainment, bound by the chains of self, unconscious of their bondage.


For The Spiritual Peace That Passeth All Understanding
"A few drops of blood renew the whole world, and become for all men that which rennet is for milk, uniting and drawing us into one". "Christ is like leaven for the entire mass, and having made that which was damned one with himself, frees the whole from damnation".

Gregory of Nazianzu

Offline Caffus

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #227 on: June 11, 2015, 01:16:11 AM »
Ok...so I have been challenged by an ET believer an I have been bothered most of the day about this. If God is completely in control how can we be held accountable for our sins? We are to some extent responsible or we would not be to blame and if we are not to blame...we wouldn't need forgivness or mercy....how is this?  Only thing I can think of is that He knew what sins we would choose to do and worked it into His final plan for good...but we choose to do the sins.
The Truth will set you free! 😃

Offline ed

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #228 on: June 11, 2015, 01:48:51 AM »
Ok...so I have been challenged by an ET believer an I have been bothered most of the day about this. If God is completely in control how can we be held accountable for our sins? We are to some extent responsible or we would not be to blame and if we are not to blame...we wouldn't need forgivness or mercy....how is this?  Only thing I can think of is that He knew what sins we would choose to do and worked it into His final plan for good...but we choose to do the sins.

Caffus, it took years for me to settle into doctrinal comfort.  We do have free will.  We can choose to fall short of what is best for us.............sin.   When we sin, we reap the reward of sin.  That is why I keep coming back to where true joy is, it is a free will decision.  I love the reward of fellowship with God more then the reward of sin.  God is not in  control of my decisions, I am, and I reap what I sow.

God is sovereign, and what God speaks will come to pass.  We are in these days of adversity because God spoke it into being.  How we live is our choice.  God loves because God is love.  God loves even when we sin, he loves us to the point of bringing us to repentance.  The love of God is shed abroad in my heart for the love that He loves me with.  I am enjoying your quest with those you are discussing UR with.  Thanks for posting.

:peace:

Offline eaglesway

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #229 on: June 11, 2015, 02:23:24 AM »
Beautiful post Ed.

There are many views on this topic, Caffus. :o)

If God is control of everything- then certainly all will be saved. But even if He were not- that doesn t mean that all would not be eventually reconciled, I think the scriptures clearly teach that in anycase- all will ultimately be reconciled and God will be all in all.

I think everyone agrees that God is ultimately in control, but ETrs fall mainly into two camps.

1)Those who believe God has predestined those who will be "saved" by calling and election- the chosen.

2) Those who believe God has set up the will of man in such a way that He will not violate it- man must choose God.

There are shades and variations of these two poles and I believe the truth is somewhere in between them, but.....

Both groups claim to have the scriptures for their support., So I stay around the verses that prove the reconciliation of all, and let them figure out how that works in their paradgm- because you cannot change anybodies mind on this issue- only the Holy Spirit can.

This an excerpt from a post I made on another forum- about your particualr dilemma- altho it was a discussion about the glory of God, I think it applies....
________________

I prefer to present UR from both point of views. I believe there is sufficient scripture to satisfy both(within the limits of a reasonable seeking mind) without fully overturning either a view that allows for the exercise of will as an interaction between man and God, or a view that has God micro-managing every event and decision of all.

I simply don't believe teaching UR is dependent upon overturning either one of these paradigms.

Briefly presenting UR in either way as needed allows for the concept of UR to be sown without raising an immediate push button conflict with either, for instance.

I use John 12:32 combined with Phil 2:10,11 to begin with a person whose paradigm leans in the free will camp, showing that the message of Christ crucified is sufficient revelation of the love of God to eventually bring the whole creation to its knees, set free from futility into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Jesus Himself says, "If I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me". From His throne He says "Behold I am making all things new".

As Jason pointed out, How does God so respect free will that He forces all to bow their knee as an arbitrary object lesson to whatever part of creation survives it, just before He destroys them, or worse, torments them forever.

I use Eph 1:9-11 and Romans 11:32 to begin with more Calvinistic postures because it simply and clealry explains that God's sovereign plan is to gather all things into one in Christ, and that as every good Calvinist teaches, "He causes all things to work according to the counsel of His will". What kind of being causes all things to work towards the destruction or eternal torment of most, or even much, of His creation.

At that point the roads come together through Col 1:15-20; 1 Cor 15:22-28; Romans 8:20-22 and onward.

The glory of God is sufficiently beautiful and awesome to win all, to draw all. It is sufficiently powerful to cause all things to work towards all being restored to it. It is not so glorious if most will reject it, I mean really, how glorious could it be if men would rather burn forever than live within its light? If men can routinely refute it? If it actually chose to lock a huge number of folks in torment forever?
« Last Edit: June 11, 2015, 02:28:23 AM by eaglesway »
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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #230 on: June 11, 2015, 02:26:30 AM »
I think we make choices in life and experience the consequences of those choices that are influenced by spirit powers that most of the time we're unaware of, but only God truly has so called "free will." I also think the only way we can truly be free is to do God's will.

http://concordant.org/expohtml/TheProblemOfEvil/index.html

Offline jabcat

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #231 on: June 11, 2015, 03:03:18 AM »
I think we make choices in life and experience the consequences of those choices that are influenced by spirit powers that most of the time we're unaware of, but only God truly has so called "free will." I also think the only way we can truly be free is to do God's will.


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The oldest known manuscripts agree with each other 99% of the time.  The scriptures, accurately translated, Spirit revealed - reliable.   Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.  Heb. 12:2

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #232 on: June 11, 2015, 03:28:01 AM »
"Not my will, but Thine." (Luke 22:42)

Tom

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #233 on: June 11, 2015, 03:31:33 AM »
"out of Him and through Him and for Him is all" (Romans 11:36)

Offline lastpost

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #234 on: June 11, 2015, 03:43:18 AM »
Indeed, one is drawn to God by His sovereign Will and one chooses not to upset Him by opposing His Will out of love for Him - and one chooses to align one's own will with His perfect will. God's Will has preordained that all shall be as His Will, but He allows His children the freedom to choose His Will, not their will. It is only a matter of time before all wills are His Will. God gives wonderful gifts to His children, God is not a bully, God is Love.
"A few drops of blood renew the whole world, and become for all men that which rennet is for milk, uniting and drawing us into one". "Christ is like leaven for the entire mass, and having made that which was damned one with himself, frees the whole from damnation".

Gregory of Nazianzu

Offline eaglesway

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #235 on: June 11, 2015, 04:24:40 AM »
Rehashing the will debate, I think I will leave off with that LOL

Caffus was asking about it in relation to the salvation of all and dealing with ETrs.

There are ETrs who would debate this IN NO DIFFERENT WAY THAN WE DO

And none of them would be any closer to the truth about that than we are- because nobody really understands it fully- for all the expert opinions to the contrary ;o)
The Logos is complete, but it is not completely understood. http://www.hell-is-a-myth.webs.com/

Offline jabcat

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #236 on: June 11, 2015, 04:41:37 AM »
Rehashing the will debate, I think I will leave off with that LOL

 

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The oldest known manuscripts agree with each other 99% of the time.  The scriptures, accurately translated, Spirit revealed - reliable.   Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.  Heb. 12:2

Offline Caffus

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #237 on: June 11, 2015, 05:08:37 AM »
Eagle NO DIFFERENT? They say we can freely choose to be eternally miserable. I think that, yes the concept of our will and Gods sovereign will is something non of us can fully understand in this life. But I do have to agree we must be able to choose to do good or evil by or own will. However I do not believe it's "free will" to do anything we choose. I believe our will is governed by God, for knowing what we would choose and in the end He works all those choices out for His final purpose for good for all His clay.  :Peace2: He hardens Pharaohs heart, blinds the Jews and others to unbelief and gives faith to those He chooses when He chooses to do so.  He can do anything He wants, allow or prevent evil as He wills.  One thing for sure He is AWESOME God!  :dsunny:
The Truth will set you free! 😃

Offline ian

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #238 on: June 11, 2015, 07:36:42 AM »
I appreciate the rehashings, being a newer member.

There are 10 pages and counting, so forgive me, but I'm just going to state my own beliefs as near a complete thought as I can rather than focusing on tidbits of material here.

---
I didn't will myself alive, nor did I will my family. The chemistry of my body and mind, the formative years of my life, none of that chosen. Subsequent years and experiences were set before me, largely in the form of schooling, and likewise the people I was forced to know and/or gravitated toward based on common interest. Foods I preferred, music I enjoyed, any opinion I had was impacted if not shared with others. Any conception made alone was based on, and biased by, what I already knew. Life becomes more complex, of course, the older you get, but isn't the premise the same? Do we decide anything? or are we drawn to the events in our lives?

Rom_3:23 for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God.
Didn't choose that! but embody it thoroughly...

I know I didn't choose God, but the other way around, for the second time. First in flesh, then in spirit:
...according as it is written, that Not one is just—not even one. Not one is understanding. Not one is seeking out God. "All avoid Him: at the same time they were useless. Not one is doing kindness: there is not even one!" Rom 3:10-12
also
Now we are aware that God is working all together for the good of those who are loving God, who are called according to the purpose that, whom He foreknew, He designates beforehand, also, to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be Firstborn among many brethren. Now whom He designates beforehand, these He calls also, and whom He calls, these He justifies also; now whom He justifies, these He glorifies also. Rom 8:28-30

Knowing that we (man) are born into such recognizable, even predictable individuality, and what purpose each and every one of us has, what (specifically) do we will?

This reminds me of an argument for UR in that, if an event in creation exists outside of God's will, He is flawed. If our will exists inside His, it's a misnomer. How does one have a will that is predisposed to us?

Offline lastpost

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #239 on: June 11, 2015, 07:54:28 AM »
When Somebody calls you, is it you who answers, or is it the person Who called you Who answers?

If it is you who answers the call, then you require the ability to chose to respond in the first place, and you also require the ability to respond in the positive.

Certainly, it is preordained that you will answer, yet your will is involved in that outcome.

Furthermore, as God's children with Eternity to grow and expand in, I think we should give God some credit as to what He has given this ability to chose for, rather than simply limiting it to this short but invaluable 80 odd years.

Peace and Progress
"A few drops of blood renew the whole world, and become for all men that which rennet is for milk, uniting and drawing us into one". "Christ is like leaven for the entire mass, and having made that which was damned one with himself, frees the whole from damnation".

Gregory of Nazianzu

Offline Caffus

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #240 on: June 11, 2015, 08:02:45 AM »
I was perfectly fine believing God controlled everything. After all scripture says we are the clay and He is the potter. But then some say if we have no will how can He receive love from us. Love should be given freely. Well He chose us and made us, He can make real love just as He made our flesh and blood its still real. I believe at times He does control details of situations to bring about His will. Think about all the people who had to be controlled to cause the death of Jesus to happen just as was written.  I'm fine with all being Gods doing. However...if we have no choice in anything we do how can we need mercy, grace and forgiveness? I can understand redemption of us all..but mercy, forgiveness, grace? I cant understand unless we are blamed for our choices and how can that be if we have no will of our own?
The Truth will set you free! 😃

Offline lastpost

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #241 on: June 11, 2015, 08:18:24 AM »
Dear Caffus, God has made us in His Image, and therefore I believe that we are made out of Love because God is Love. Therefore I believe that it is true to say God can "make love" in that respect.

But Love, by very Nature, wants to give and give of Itself, and therefore there is hardly any sense in Love "forcing" others to love Him. Surely Love has made it so that all of His children can be in the position to love Him with real, genuine love from their very inner beings?

And if we in the flesh, through Jesus Christ, can love God now whilst blinded by the sight which blocks out Spirit Life, then how much more when the mists of earthly ignorance have faded away?

Peace.
"A few drops of blood renew the whole world, and become for all men that which rennet is for milk, uniting and drawing us into one". "Christ is like leaven for the entire mass, and having made that which was damned one with himself, frees the whole from damnation".

Gregory of Nazianzu

Offline Dandelion

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #242 on: June 11, 2015, 08:24:06 AM »
This is what I believe, regarding free will.

We can all say NO to God, of our own. To say yes to God, we need the Holy Spirit, to assist us, as we are dead in our sin.

We can choose or not, God's will for us. If we could not choose, we would not be God's children, but only programmed to do His will. And, yes, Caffus, we could not love or hate for that matter, freely. Adam and Eve would not have sinned, because they could not have made a choice, which God did not allow.

However, God has control over all, in the sense that He can change conditions, circumstances, and events, so that our choices are not infinite, but limited, according to His will.

The story of Moses trying to escape Egypt, and his experiences with the Pharoah and the plagues, etc. are a good example. Pharoah could make choices, but the consequences would cause him to pause and think....to say the least.

Included in this, is the fact that God knows our heart, and has knitted us in our mother's womb, thus, He is able to know how we think and feel, and what will effect our choices. God can also have an impact upon our environment, through supernatural events, as well. He can also manifest Himself to us, such as when Moses encountered the burning bush, too.

So, yes, we can make many choices, but God can limit the choices available to us, and the consequences that ensue. He can also add a wide variety of circumstances to this mix. And, He knows how we will respond.

And, He made us, knowing what the future held, for each of us, which is a huge factor, as well.

Hope that makes sense to everyone. Please do not hesitate to ask for clarification. That should be interesting to me, as well as to you.  :ghaha:

 :2c:

7"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8"For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.…

Matthew 7:7 -8

Offline Aerex

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #243 on: June 11, 2015, 03:54:46 PM »
What I don't understand is why God gave us the ability to choose in the first place. I see nothing wrong with being programmed to serve God. How has choice helped humanity? I really don't think God needs us to choose him to be his children but this is just my opinion. It also sounds like God being all in all means there will be no more choice.

Offline Dandelion

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #244 on: June 11, 2015, 04:07:16 PM »
What I don't understand is why God gave us the ability to choose in the first place. I see nothing wrong with being programmed to serve God. How has choice helped humanity? I really don't think God needs us to choose him to be his children but this is just my opinion. It also sounds like God being all in all means there will be no more choice.

But, if we have no choice, how can we ever really choose God? Then, we could not love....or hate.

We would be servants, and not children of God.

I believe God wants us to see what we will choose, and learn from it. That is what He desires....that we learn and grow, and become more and more like Him, in the process.

As UR people, I think, more than most, we would think it is the journey, and not the destination, that is the most important. We know where we will all finally be.

As I see it, Aerex.
7"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8"For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.…

Matthew 7:7 -8

Offline micah7:9

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #245 on: June 11, 2015, 04:55:29 PM »
Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Mic 7:8  Thou dost not rejoice over me, O mine enemy, When I have fallen, I have risen, When I sit in darkness Jehovah is a light to me.

Offline joeteekay

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #246 on: June 11, 2015, 05:15:20 PM »
Many of the questions which arise concerning this topic can be very adequately explained by this article by AP Adams:

http://www.tentmaker.org/books/SpiritOfTheWord/005FreeMoralAgency.htm
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/SpiritOfTheWord/010FreeMoralAgency.htm

 :cloud9:
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Offline micah7:9

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #247 on: June 11, 2015, 05:17:14 PM »
Mic 7:8  Thou dost not rejoice over me, O mine enemy, When I have fallen, I have risen, When I sit in darkness Jehovah is a light to me.

Offline lastpost

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #248 on: June 11, 2015, 06:16:49 PM »
What I don't understand is why God gave us the ability to choose in the first place. I see nothing wrong with being programmed to serve God. How has choice helped humanity? I really don't think God needs us to choose him to be his children but this is just my opinion. It also sounds like God being all in all means there will be no more choice.

But, if we have no choice, how can we ever really choose God? Then, we could not love....or hate.

We would be servants, and not children of God.

I believe God wants us to see what we will choose, and learn from it. That is what He desires....that we learn and grow, and become more and more like Him, in the process.

As UR people, I think, more than most, we would think it is the journey, and not the destination, that is the most important. We know where we will all finally be.

As I see it, Aerex.

I also find that the destination is actually here already although we are on a journey.

This sounds contradictory perhaps, but God is unravelling Himself through the Christ within, so we have God both now and also He will forever be revealing Himself on our journey as there is no end to Love.

But we have to cooperate willingly in my opinion. I do not think it is as complicated as many make out. God is no less a Sovereign Protector if He allows His children to make choices which have consequences - this does not negate His Plan, rather it fulfils it because His laws are for the upbringing of His children.

Wonderful, and I know the elation of others in such a thought.
"A few drops of blood renew the whole world, and become for all men that which rennet is for milk, uniting and drawing us into one". "Christ is like leaven for the entire mass, and having made that which was damned one with himself, frees the whole from damnation".

Gregory of Nazianzu

Tom

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Re: God's Will, Man's Will, free will/sov discussions
« Reply #249 on: June 11, 2015, 06:50:36 PM »
What I don't understand is why God gave us the ability to choose in the first place. I see nothing wrong with being programmed to serve God. How has choice helped humanity? I really don't think God needs us to choose him to be his children but this is just my opinion. It also sounds like God being all in all means there will be no more choice.

I think all of God's creatures are "programmed to serve God," as you say, even though we do have the power to make choices that are always influenced by spirit powers. Even those who work for the Adversary "serve God" because they provide a contrast to God's love as darkness to light, and even they will eventually be reconciled to God. We don't choose God. God chose us before the disruption of the world. When God is all in all, it will be our choice because we'll be overwhelmed with the love of God.