Acts 13:48 (King James Version)
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Romans 9:16-18,23 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory
2007-05-29 05:13:05 · 12 answers · asked by Me Encanta Espanol 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Contemporary theologian J. I. Packer, one of the greatest minds of our time, was once asked, "If God is truly sovereign, in what sense is man responsible? And if man is truly responsible, in what sense is God sovereign?"
Packer replied, "I think that it is a ' M Y S T E R Y , ' and that there's not much getting behind that. . . . The really surprising thing would be if we really could understand God. Then he wouldn't be any bigger than we are." Sovereignty, responsibility, predestination, free will . . . and mystery.
The Bible teaches them all. The modern American mind balks at accepting two truths that seem to be contradictory. But when you think about it, it makes sense that God is bigger than our minds—big enough to encompass what seems to us to be paradoxical.
One thinker said that he thought of the twin truths of predestination and free will as parallel lines—he didn't know how to bring them together, but no one could make them cross, either.
If someone asks you whether you believe in God's sovereignty or human freedom, the best answer is yes.
2007-05-29 05:32:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pharoah was hardened and God knew he would not repent.
Therefore God could harden his heart because of His foreknowledge. Ordained doesn't mean elected. God's foreknowledge is the key once again. Your scriptures give your stance on this issue away.
Try this one on for size - "For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." This doesn't leave anyone out. There are a lot of other scriptures verifying
the same thing.
For a complete and thorough exegesis of the doctrines of eternal security, election and predestination (as opposed to isogesis) please purchase and read, "Life in the Son" and
"Elect in the Son" by Robert Shank. They will prove to be very enlightening to anyone who doesn't come to them with a biased view determined to prove only what they believe.
EDIT: I WONDER IF THE PERSON WHO GAVE THE THUMBS DOWN IS SOMEONE WHO HAS ALREADY DETERMINED IN THEIR OWN MIND WHAT THEY BELIEVE
ON THIS SUBJECT AND CANNOT BE TAUGHT. BIGOTRY
AND DOGMATISM WALK HAND IN HAND. A PERSON WHO IS UNTEACHABLE IS ALSO UNREACHABLE AND CAN NEVER BE OBJECTIVE IN THEIR ANALYSIS OR THINKING ABOUT SPIRITUAL THINGS.
2007-05-29 05:46:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I dont know.But u can saved if u arnt yet.
JESUS loves you.
www.fathersloveletter.com listen to it.
www.e-water.net/loveletter_en.html watch it.
John 3:16[kjv] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
so when we believe in JESUS we have eternal life.JESUS lived a sinless life and gave up his life as a sacrifice so we can be sin free. Ask JESUS to come into your heart and forgive ur sins and cleanse ur past with the blood JESUS shed on the cross.
With a simple prayer like above u can be saved.JESUS loves u and wants u to be saved.
2007-05-29 06:45:10 · answer #3 · answered by Emmanuel 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think the verses you've quoted can be taken at face value, they don't have to be "explained" by anyone. Those verses show an Almighty God guiding the footsteps of both the saved and the unregenerate. I'm OK with them as they stand. Grace precedes faith, it doesn't follow it.
2007-05-29 16:00:25 · answer #4 · answered by ccrider 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes
God will have mercy on those that chose Him
those that refuse Him He will harden their heart until such time they chose to believe.
2007-05-29 05:17:22 · answer #5 · answered by Maurice H 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
"If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant".
It won't change "the end" that's already written.
It will only provide more evidence of what's "evident":
"that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God".
The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ with you all. Amen.
2007-05-29 05:20:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
i think we are predestined, we dont know and make our mistakes but the bible says we cant come to the Father unless He draws us therefore we would not on our own be able to come to Him He said train up a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it
2007-05-29 05:22:30 · answer #7 · answered by loveChrist 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
free will and predestination work together-because God is not limited to time. He knocks on every heart-yet he knows already who will believe-because Jesus is God-It is like a train-the train sees ahead, the present location and back to where it had been-all at the same time.
free will in salvation is the offer of the great physician for our soul to us, yet all in his knowledge=Life is offered -yet death and passing to everlasting life in hell and heaven is a reality too.
Do not condemn a doctor for offering you the cure for the disease that would kill you! Jesus paid the ultimate price to die for our sins, so we can believe-had these Scriptures Revelation 3:19&20 Salvation & chapters 19-22 of death and hell, been given without the offer of his salvation and the joy of heaven life and death would be hopeless.
Messiah Jesus is my savior and best friend, and that helps me to share his salvation that others may believe too, and be rescued as I was from the judgement to hell.
John 3= repented of sin and got born again, asking him into my heart to be my friend, amen.
I prayed "Jesus I am sorry for my sins, come into my heart and be my friend, help me, amen."
He said "I love you and knock on your heart door to come in, deliver from sin when you repent (-even of one lie), and ask me in to be your friend." Revelation 3:19&20
what an honor and joy to know Jesus as my Messiah and best friend.
prayin for you too, David
2007-05-29 05:22:57 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Because our destiny is predetermined by God, we who don't know what God has predetermined for us are to have what is referred to as blind faith. If we get to the end of our lifes road and discover there is no God then what have you lost? I'd rather believe and have it not matter than to not believe and have it matter indeed.
2007-05-29 05:18:29 · answer #9 · answered by Gir 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
We are all a spark of the divine! Only we can save our selves. We are all God !!!! True salvation comes from within yourself! Blessings!!!
2007-05-29 05:31:39 · answer #10 · answered by Cassandra L 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋