Gods Will?

[Nancy]

Hi there Craig,

I have to reply again because the first time went wrong!
God said He would blame the king of Assyria for going against Israel when we find out that it was God who MADE him for a club against Israel. God will hold the king of Assyria ACCOUNTABLE for what he thought HE was doing against Israel, not responsible.

Its a bit like if we take a child to the edge of a road (which we wouldn't do of course) and not say anything or hold his hand and he goes to cross. We would hold the child accountable but not responsible as it was our fault for positioning the circumstances that made the child respond to. Sorry for the terrible example.

Also Dean i agree when you say that acceptance is the way to contentment. Funny i was talking with a friend about this subject last night.  We were saying that if we expect to be healed we may be continually disappointed rather that just accepting certain things.
As the poem goes-
God grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change,
courage to change the things i can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

Godbless
Nancy

[Craig]

Nancy you changed the title to:
Accountable NOT responsible!

Hi there Craig,

I must disagree with you on this one.  St. Paul is I feel saying that ALTHOUGH GOD MAKES US THE WAY WE ARE (a vessel of honor or dishonor) He will hold us ACCOUNTABLE for what WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING.

This reply is concerning the quote above.

Perhaps the definitions of Accountable and Responsible will help discern what the truth is.

Accountable:
–adjective
1. subject to the obligation to report, explain, or justify something; responsible; answerable.  
2. capable of being explained; explicable; explainable.  

Responsible:
–adjective
1. answerable or accountable, as for something within one's power, control, or management (often fol. by to or for): He is responsible to the president for his decisions.  
2. involving accountability or responsibility: a responsible position.  
3. chargeable with being the author, cause, or occasion of something (usually fol. by for): Termites were responsible for the damage.  
4. having a capacity for moral decisions and therefore accountable; capable of rational thought or action: The defendant is not responsible for his actions.  

There is no accountability without responsibility. There is no responsiblity without accountability. They are synonymous with each other and exist in synchronicity.

Craig

[Craig]

Hi there Craig,

I have to reply again because the first time went wrong!
God said He would blame the king of Assyria for going against Israel when we find out that it was God who MADE him for a club against Israel. God will hold the king of Assyria ACCOUNTABLE for what he thought HE was doing against Israel, not responsible.

Its a bit like if we take a child to the edge of a road (which we wouldn't do of course) and not say anything or hold his hand and he goes to cross. We would hold the child accountable but not responsible as it was our fault for positioning the circumstances that made the child respond to. Sorry for the terrible example.

This reply concerns the quote above.

See my above reply concerning accountability and responsibility.

Let us use your example: You would be held responsible and accountable for killing the child. The child is not responsible or accountable anything, you murdered him.

Your analogy doesn't even work to put God in the position of holding the swords and mankind the child. God does not sin and Jesus walked willingly to the Cross to die and lastly, the wages of sin is death so no man is in excuse for his sin.

Craig

[Craig]

Also Dean i agree when you say that acceptance is the way to contentment. Funny i was talking with a friend about this subject last night.  We were saying that if we expect to be healed we may be continually disappointed rather that just accepting certain things.
As the poem goes-
God grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change,
courage to change the things i can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

Scripture teaches what the secret of contentment is: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

Philippians 4:9-13
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Craig

[Dean]

Hi there Craig,

I have to reply again because the first time went wrong!
God said He would blame the king of Assyria for going against Israel when we find out that it was God who MADE him for a club against Israel. God will hold the king of Assyria ACCOUNTABLE for what he thought HE was doing against Israel, not responsible.

Its a bit like if we take a child to the edge of a road (which we wouldn't do of course) and not say anything or hold his hand and he goes to cross. We would hold the child accountable but not responsible as it was our fault for positioning the circumstances that made the child respond to. Sorry for the terrible example.

Also Dean i agree when you say that acceptance is the way to contentment. Funny i was talking with a friend about this subject last night.  We were saying that if we expect to be healed we may be continually disappointed rather that just accepting certain things.
As the poem goes-
God grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change,
courage to change the things i can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

Godbless
Nancy

Nancy,

I agree with what you have said about accountability. When God asked Adam, "where are you?" and Cain, "why are you so angry?" He was IMO...holding them accountable...even as He holds me accountable today...with the exact same questions.

For me, to answer these questions...honestly...is to have INTIMACY with God ...and transformation into His image, in part...happen. To deny I'm hearing the questions being asked or to answer dishonestly...usualy by blaming others...exactly like adam and cain did...leaves me...as I am.

Responsibility is about paying for the broken window... caused by my anger. I have spent much of my life just [often grudgingly] paying to fix the window... while avoiding the really tough part...being held accountable for my anger.

I like the serenity prayer...alot. The short and the longer version.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.

Dean

[Nancy]

Hi Dean,
I never knew that that prayer had a 2nd part or who it was by, so thanks for that info.
my husband bought a plate to hand on wall with this prayer on!
Godbless
Nancy