I have currently been searching for answers to the question, is everything preordained or does God give us freewill. But, if I believe in theory X, and am wrong, but still love and have a relationship with Christ, does it matter?
2007-02-09 03:06:33 · 11 answers · asked by Laura H 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
"love and have a relationship with" any divine concept is more important than "believe in theory X". I personally believe in pre-determination. But if I tell you that, and you cannot 'feel' the authenticity of that truth, then there is no point in you doing anything based on that truth. If you continue to move forward in the path of self-realization, a time will come when you will actually 'realize' this truth. It may be in some other lifetime. Until then, you need to act on whatever you truly believe in.
2007-02-09 03:25:38 · answer #1 · answered by ultimatebaseclass 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'll say that yes, it does matter as to which one you believe is the truth. Free will though has nothing to do with the day-to-day decisions that we make. It has to do with the ability to choose God. Arminians say that we do have this ability, and that free will is to be desired; Calvinists say that we do not, and therefore free will is nothing at all to be desired.
Each side leads to beliefs that further contradict each other. Arminianism will say that man is inherently good. Calvinism will say that mankind has a sin nature and only deserves hell. Arminianism will say God loves everyone. Calvinism will say no, he does not, he loves his own that he has predestined from before the foundations of the world.
Arminianism will say that Christ died for all, and we may use our free will in choosing him. Calvinism, no, Christ died for the ones that God elected, not for everyone, therefore they are left in their sins.
Arminianism will say that free will also means the capability to resist God's working in his heart. Calvinism says that no one can resist the Holy Spirit's action in the hearts of those who WILL believe.
And finally, Arminianism believes that the saved can lose their salvation. Calvinism says that they cannot.
Both sides, once saved, do have a relationship with God, and are evangelical in their faith. But even witnessing is approached from different angles -- the Arminian out of duty to Christ's commandment, the Calvinist out of joy.
To the Arminians, Calvinists make God into a monster, binding free will into a forced love, "robots" that make God into a deity not worthy of worship. To the Calvinists, Arminians make God into a kitten, controlling the Almighty, with the same outcome -- a God not worthy of worship.
Is there a middle ground? Many will try to resolve the two with God knowing what will freely be chosen -- but I find this to be a non sequitur since totally free will must mean that God cannot know whether man will choose him or not. Calvinism gives man a damaged free will and thus keeps God's omnipotence, so I guess I'll have to go with a monster over a kitten.
2007-02-09 05:27:18 · answer #2 · answered by ccrider 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a path chosen for us, whether or not we follow it is up to us and yes, it does matter. As long as you keep a loving relationship with Christ, you will be led on the right path. What's theory X?
2007-02-09 03:13:27 · answer #3 · answered by rezany 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God wants everyone to end up with Him in Heaven.
God does not want anyone to go to Hell.
In other words, God created everyone with the same destination, Heaven. Our destination was determined to be Heaven even before we were created... that is we were "pre-addressed" or "pre-destined" for Heaven.
And God also gave us the path or road to Heaven, that is the Way. Jesus is the Way. (John 14:6)
But he also created us with free-will.
Using that free will, we are free to choose if we want to work with God and do the things He asks and follow the Way and end up at the destination that He wants for us, that is, Heaven OR to not follow His Way and work against Him and end up in the other destination, that is, Hell.
2007-02-09 04:15:53 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Think of predestination as foreknowledge. We have the free will to choose Jesus or reject Him. God knows in advance which we will choose. Just choose right and you have nothing to worry about.
2007-02-09 03:31:26 · answer #5 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your relationship with Christ determines your standing before God. The rest is all semantics. It only matters for the sake of argument.
2007-02-09 03:12:07 · answer #6 · answered by pops 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am a firm believer in predestination and have come to that conclusion through my own free will.
2007-02-09 03:11:41 · answer #7 · answered by lunatic 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's kind of a twist. God gave us free will, but he is timeless, so he knows what our decisions are going to be before we make them, and the consequences of those decisions.
2007-02-09 03:11:33 · answer #8 · answered by togashiyokuni2001 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It only matters to those who were predestined to believe free will exists.
2007-02-09 03:09:40 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Yes, because if you believe in predestination, it leads almost inexorably to intolerance, cruelty, and bigotry.
EDIT:
Sho Nuff, you can really make me laugh sometimes.
2007-02-09 03:09:23 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋