If we really do have completely free will, then those who believe that God chooses His own may as well be mindless robots. God isn’t a monster, controlling mankind and forcing people into a relationship with him. A loving God would give us a choice.
If God really does choose His own, then those who believe in free will are arrogant and blasphemous, taking God’s prerogative for themselves. God isn’t a kitten to control and lead around on a leash. God reaches out and pulls us in from only one choice we’re able make – self-destruction.
Does God work together with us? Or is that once again a denial of His sovereignty – or free will if He already knew whether we would choose Him (isn’t that a form of double predestination)?
If you’re a Christian, you generally fall into one of these three camps. Your defense of your own camp, please.
2006-08-21 16:17:48 · 7 answers · asked by ccrider 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
He knocks.
He doesn't try the knob.
There's no battering ram. No APC's. No flash-bang grenades.
He knocks.
2006-08-21 16:33:02 · answer #1 · answered by NickofTyme 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God is a blue cowherd boy Who is playing His flute at night on the banks of river Yamuna.
We have free will. God gives us choice to love Him or to leave Him. If we choose to leave Him, we are put in this material world, where we can enjoy and suffer according to our own actions, being responsible ourselves for everything we do. But as this kind of existence has proved to be full of suffering for many of us, God strongly recommends us to change our choice and turn to Him. All the authorized scriptures of the world are meant to lead us to the decision that the wisest choice is to agree to love Him once again and thus become free from all suffering. If you want to know more, you can carefully study Bhagavad-gita as it is by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. It is available at www.bhagavadgitaasitis.com
2006-08-21 23:30:19 · answer #2 · answered by H. B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe He's neither one. Maybe He is willing to do anything to have humans back in fellowship with Him. The greatest stress in His life is when one of the ones He loves and bought back from the hand of sin. . .turns away from Him and back to sin.
You are seeing free will and choice and all that from our limited human viewpoint, thinking that is the only viewpoint. . .a mistake we all make. Maybe He is so much more flexible and changeable than we give Him credit for. On the other hand, I pretty well know how my own kids will react in any given situation, but I still allow them to go through the choices and consequences for their own good. Maybe it's something along those lines. Here's what I do know. I was going to spend forever apart from Him. Not good. Now I'll be rockin' forever in life and peace. How good is that? Hope this helps.
2006-08-21 23:28:52 · answer #3 · answered by chutipton 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God has authorized me to come over there and open a can of Whoopass on all the non-believers, the infidels and the sodomites. You better not be in one of those camps!
2006-08-21 23:46:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why get caught up in the legalities of it all? As I see it, nothing good can come from thinking about all of this. Concentrating of these things will cause you to lose your focus on what is truly important. Which is to love God with all of you heart, with all of your soul and with all of your mind. Apart from this, nothing else matters; and through this you will be focus on what does matter.
2006-08-21 23:27:14 · answer #5 · answered by southfloridamullets 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Maybe he's a monstrous kitten.
also known as a bad-@ss pvssy.
2006-08-21 23:22:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
God is our Father.
2006-08-21 23:26:47 · answer #7 · answered by JusticeStandsTall 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋