Would he have been forced not to forgive you?
2007-09-28 03:11:49 · 7 answers · asked by Meat Bot 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Just as Pharaoh had no "free will" in allowing the children
of Israel to go free, Pilate had no "free will" in turning over
our Lord to his executioners.
"Free will" is the lesson taught us in Romans 9:17; under
"free will", Pharaoh would have let the children of Israel
go after the first plague, but God hardened his heart and
he kept them prisoner. God controlled the "free will" of
the mightiest ruler of that time to show us who is in charge
of man's will.
John 19:10, Pilate says to Jesus, "...knowest thou not that
I HAVE POWER to crucify thee, and have power to release
thee?" (11), Jesus responds, "Thou couldest have no power
AT ALL against me, except IT WERE GIVEN THEE FROM
ABOVE:" (12), "And from thenceforth Pilate sought to
release him:"
Pilate was chosen for this particular time, and he had no
power to change it's outcome. Why do you think Jesus
told Pilate that he had no power in the situation? Because
Jesus wanted Pilate to know that He had NO POWER, and
to know that He wasn't to blame for what was to happen.
Jesus was being, WHO HE IS, by telling these things to Pilate. He is goodness and mercy and it was not His aim
to make Pilate feel guilt in the situation. He was releasing
Pilate's guilt for His death. Isn't our God and awesome
God!!!
2007-09-29 08:18:42 · answer #1 · answered by DISCIPLE 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look through John 18 & 19 if you would, and Jesus' words with Pilate that indicate how God had orchestrated events so that this would take place. In other words, this was not just up to Pilate to use his free will and decide to execute or not execute. Nor was it a knowledge of what he would do. No, it was decreed long ago that this would happen. To say that it might not have, is in my opinion, saying that God could only sit on the sidelines and hope he was right.
2007-09-28 23:48:21 · answer #2 · answered by ccrider 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, congrats people. You've either failed to answer the question, or (inadvertently?) argued against free will.
Meat, while I am not a christian and I doubt the existence of free will, if I attept to assume a christian viewpoint, I believe that had Pilate not executed Jesus, god would have simply continued trying until someone had him killed, thus enabling his method of forgiveness. Of course, if his original plan had failed, this would mean god was neither omniscient nor infallable, which presents some problems for the whole christian way of thinking.
2007-09-28 10:51:29 · answer #3 · answered by Recreant- father of fairies 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your question is irrelavent. God knew that Jesus would be crucified. He knew what Pilate would decide before Pilate was even born.
2007-09-28 10:15:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Moot question. God knew Pilate's heart well enough to know what he would decide. It neither supplants free choice or God's deity. God knows our hearts.
2007-09-28 10:15:41 · answer #5 · answered by Scott B 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i swear, i think you confuse "free will" with submission...when you have free will, that means you have a choice...Pilate actually did not want to have JC crucified, the crowd did, so Pilate was skeered. that's why he said (after he gave the ruling) that he washes his hands of the whole mess
2007-09-28 10:18:17 · answer #6 · answered by ddking37 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He did use his free will. No one MADE him condemn Christ.
2007-09-28 10:20:10 · answer #7 · answered by foxie_ladie00 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋