tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547195737073832993.post3185443878844854608..comments2023-09-25T05:50:59.427-05:00Comments on My Dirty Little Secret: Incredible GodUrukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05913837011380611461noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547195737073832993.post-10910269630533957292009-05-26T07:53:59.710-05:002009-05-26T07:53:59.710-05:00The Reformed answer of Luther, Calvin, the Westmin...The Reformed answer of Luther, Calvin, the Westminster Divines, and others also denies proposition that an omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent God is not a God who would create a world that contained evil; therefore, the God who created this world is not omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent, but on different grounds. They argue that although it would not have been logically impossible for God to create only moral creatures that would never sin, He in fact created a moral world with creatures whose evil He foreordained for His own good purposes—to display His justice in punishing some (Proverbs 16:4) and His grace in redeeming and pardoning others (Ephsians 1:5–6; 2:7).<br /><br />Does this mean God justifies His means by His ends? Yes. Is that wicked? No. An end-justifies-the-means ethic is fallacious and therefore wicked for finite men (who can not control or know all the results of their choices), but it is perfectly fitting for the infinite God (who both controls and knows all the results of His choices)–and, after all, God being supreme need not justify His choices to anyone:.<br /><br />Does the reality of evil make the existence of the Christian God impossible? No. For good reasons, God created a world that contained evil. For those same reasons the Christian position does not self-contradict as your quote from Epicurus suggests.Zeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04359591881376157621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547195737073832993.post-30898342613279794632009-05-22T21:42:54.040-05:002009-05-22T21:42:54.040-05:00The Lion said:>> But it would be a gross vio...<B>The Lion said:</B>>> <I>But it would be a gross violation of our free will to stop evil. If we cannot choose between good and evil, we do not have true free will. We have to be able to make the choice. We, as humans, choose to allow evil to reign. We can also choose to not allow evil. God gave us a utopia and we threw it back in His face.</I>and <B>Tandi said:</B>>> <I>Not that all adversity is due to personal sin, but sin permeates this fallen Creation. Even the Creation itself groans and waits for its Redemption (Romans 8).....which is coming soon! Two thousand years (2 prophetic days) has not yet passed from Yeshua's death, resurrection, and ascension. He died on the "fourth day" of the prophetic week (6000 years of human history). He will return and inaugurate a thousand year Sabbatical rest at the end of the sixth day (2034 AD by Dan's calculations).</I>I started to write comments in response to your thoughts. My comments become too big. So, I'll just post my thoughts in a new post just after posting this comment.<br /><br /><B>Tandi also said:</B>>> <I>These are my beliefs....and I am going to stand my ground by the Grace of God whether anyone else believes it or not.</I>I certainly don't want to deter you from your beliefs-- or anyone else. I also don't mind you expressing opposing viewpoints here or "standing your ground".<br /><br /><B>Tandi also said:</B>>> <I>The Great Apostasy was prophesied, so it is not surprising that atheism and agnosticism are growing by leaps and bounds . . .</I>I think about that from time to time. However, I also wonder if that statement was an inoculation attempt against the anticipated development of reasonable doubts.Urukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05913837011380611461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547195737073832993.post-4092646839060707542009-05-22T11:27:23.832-05:002009-05-22T11:27:23.832-05:00Re: God allowing suffering
There is one thing God...Re: God allowing suffering<br /><br />There is one thing God cannot do...........lie (Titus 1:2).<br /><br />Whatsoever a man sows, that will he reap (Gal: 6:7). God gave us His instructions for our good always (Deut.5:29; Deut. 10). We ignore the commandments of God to our own peril (dietary guidelines, sabbath rest, etc.) We ignore God’s gracious instructions for our well being and then blame Him for not intervening when we get ourselves in trouble. Sometimes God does intervene, but we should not expect and demand it of Him like petulant children, turning against Him because our prayers are seemingly not answered. Maybe God answered. Maybe God said, "No" ...just as we say "No" to our children at times. It does not mean we don't love our children when we have to say 'No." We see a bigger picture from our wisdom of years than our children can see. Can we allow that God may be wiser than we are? Or sees a bigger picture?<br /><br />It is the Enemy of our souls that tells us we can sin and get away with it. The Adversary is the father of lies and has contradicted God since the Garden.<br /><br />Not that all adversity is due to personal sin, but sin permeates this fallen Creation. Even the Creation itself groans and waits for its Redemption (Romans 8).....which is coming soon! Two thousand years (2 prophetic days) has not yet passed from Yeshua's death, resurrection, and ascension. He died on the "fourth day" of the prophetic week (6000 years of human history). He will return and inaugurate a thousand year Sabbatical rest at the end of the sixth day (2034 AD by Dan's calculations).<br /><br />These are my beliefs....and I am going to stand my ground by the Grace of God whether anyone else believes it or not. The Great Apostasy was prophesied, so it is not surprising that atheism and agnosticism are growing by leaps and bounds and that Christianity has become lukewarm, compromised, mixed with the leaven of false religion and ripe for Judgment as foretold in Revelation. <br /><br />The prophetic word of the times is "come out from among them and be ye separate" saith the LORD (2 Cor. 6:17) and "come out of the harlot churches that you not partake of her sins nor receive of her plagues" (Rev. 18:4).<br /><br />I will now step down from my soapbox. : )Tandihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04677227443380385291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547195737073832993.post-71051527234714991212009-05-21T20:42:48.809-05:002009-05-21T20:42:48.809-05:00"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? The..."Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then He is not omnipotent. Is He able, but not willing? Then He is malevolent. Is He both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is He neither able nor willing? Then why call Him God?"<br /><br />God is capable, of course. He is capable of all things. But it would be a gross violation of our free will to stop evil. If we cannot choose between good and evil, we do not have true free will. We have to be able to make the choice. We, as humans, choose to allow evil to reign. We can also choose to not allow evil. God gave us a utopia and we threw it back in His face.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547195737073832993.post-50921859239501993452009-05-21T18:07:53.310-05:002009-05-21T18:07:53.310-05:00>> What bothers me more is that most of the ...>> What bothers me more is that most of the congregation did not notice. That is incredible.<br /><br />I have mixed feeling about it. Having a psychology background, I can understand how it happens. <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_loafing" REL="nofollow">Social loafing</A> in this instance would cause many people not to respond because they think someone else will. <br /><br />So, if you're ever in a crowd of people and need help, don't expect someone to respond to your disress. Someone could, by don't be surprised if no one does. Rather (if you can) pick someone out of the crowd and ask him or her specifically to help.<br /><br />Also, crowds of people generally tend to be unaware of their surroundings.<br /><br />Nonetheless, it did bother me that his distress seemed invisible to mostly everyone. I figured people would come together and start praying for the fellow right then and there. But, he did have a two people with him, so he wasn't totally neglected.<br /><br />>> If one's expectations are that God will prevent them from sickness and death if they are a follower then I understand why they would not believe in God.<br /><br />Good point.<br /><br />I do admit to being exposed to a lot of the "if you can believe it, you can receive it" mentality. I have often heard that idea come across the pulpit in my life.<br /><br />Personally, I'd like to think I came to accept suffering and God's decision to let life play itself out without his constant intervention. But that was when I had all my confidence in scripture and in my faith.<br /><br />I see a quote floating around a lot that seems to embody my concerns about an omnipotent God allowing suffering in the world:<br /><br />>> Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then He is not omnipotent. Is He able, but not willing? Then He is malevolent. Is He both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is He neither able nor willing? Then why call Him God?<br /><br />Any of you feel free to voice your disagreements with the sentiments of that quote. And of course, anyone who wishes to further support it may certainly chime in as well.Urukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05913837011380611461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547195737073832993.post-88030517381777898492009-05-21T07:54:45.492-05:002009-05-21T07:54:45.492-05:00The church that I attend most regularly has an old...The church that I attend most regularly has an older congregation. I have been in church a number of times when a similar situation happened. I'm going to guess at least ten times, two of which were my grand father and one of which was my grand mother. This world is not perfect. It is full of sin, sickness, and death. I wouldn't expect it to be any different in church. If one's expectations are that God will prevent them from sickness and death if they are a follower then I understand why they would not believe in God.Zeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04359591881376157621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547195737073832993.post-39446488714397155672009-05-21T00:38:00.378-05:002009-05-21T00:38:00.378-05:00No, the scene was no unnoticed, of that I am sure....No, the scene was no unnoticed, of that I am sure. I hold true to the hope that, if that man did not survive, he left this earth during what was a happy time for him, I am sure (church service typically is) and he is someone far more peaceful now. Even better - he is without his illness.<br /><br />What bothers me more is that most of the congregation did not notice. That is incredible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547195737073832993.post-32061189873065577342009-05-21T00:37:01.613-05:002009-05-21T00:37:01.613-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Nicole Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07312823319201028951noreply@blogger.com