Deut.30:19, "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life"
Joshua 24:15, "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord"
2006-09-03 02:40:23 · 7 answers · asked by ccrider 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Whenever you're ready to answer the question, no one's addressed the verses yet...
2006-09-03 03:31:01 · update #1
You raise a great point. Even Calvin was troubled by these passages. From what I understand, Calvin wasn't terribly happy with the idea of predestination, but it was the only option he found applicable to his theological system. If God was all powerful, all knowing, etc., and if human kind was so stained with sin that there was barely a spark of the divine left in them (Calvin's ideas, not mine), then it was only by grace that a person could be saved. In this system, only God could decide who was given the gift of grace, and by his logic, God preordained that some would be saved and others cursed. I completely disagree with Calvin, but I understand why he had such a problem with free will (a problem which still exists today in many theological systems - I still have yet to see it be answered in a satisfactory way without some intellectual cheating). Anyway, good question.
2006-09-03 04:41:03 · answer #1 · answered by Tukiki 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hi,
I would like to add one more to your list of verses.
Proverbs 1:29
"For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:"
To fear the Lord is a choice offered to us all.
DTGministries.org
2006-09-03 10:10:07 · answer #2 · answered by scottSTANLEY 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Indeed, I don't think they are any more Calvinists who teach the doctrine of predestinationism which was one the main topics of Calvin's predication.
2006-09-03 10:16:23 · answer #3 · answered by JLD 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is there a problem with those words? God gave us a free will to exercise our choices in life with. We can choose to have blessings or cursings. God's way is the way of life and blessing. Satan's way is the way of death and cursing. So you are free to choose for yourself.
Do you want to follow God or Satan? Do you want to spend eternity in heaven or hell? The choice is yours and you are free to make it, but you are also free to suffer the consequences of your decision as well. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord, enjoy our blessings and enjoy eternal life in heaven with our Savior, Jesus Christ.
God isn't going to force you to love him. He offers his love to all of us, but few accept his love. God wants us to love him because we want to, not because we have to.
2006-09-03 09:53:53 · answer #4 · answered by Lola 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God hardened pharoah's heart seven times, so pharoah wouldn't submit and let the people of isreal free. Did pharoah have free will to prevent God from doing that to him?
2006-09-03 10:06:18 · answer #5 · answered by WHITE TRASH ARMENIAN 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What is your point? There is always a point to a question like this.
2006-09-03 09:43:10 · answer #6 · answered by littleflower_57 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think there are any calvinists anymore or are not called that anymore.
2006-09-03 09:45:11 · answer #7 · answered by aurelie_moineau 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋