A Way to Think About Free Will and God: Open Theism

Phat writes:Things That Differ writes:
Studying the Bible dispensationally may seem confusing at first but actually it dispels confusion, explains difficult problems, reconciles seeming contradictions and lends power to the believer's ministry.
If I should step inside a modern United States Post Office all would doubtless seem very confusing to me. But it would be a mistake to suggest piling all the mail neatly in one corner and handing it out promiscuously to all comers as some would do with the Bible.
The postal employees must "rightly divide" the mail so that each person receives what is addressed to him. What seems like confusion to the novice is really a simplification of the work to be done in getting each person's private mail to him.
It is granted that in the Bible even that which was addressed to those of other dispensations is given to us for our learning and profit, but we must not confuse this with our own private mail or make the mistake of carrying out instructions meant particularly for others.(...)...we must be careful always to note who is addressing whom, about what and when and why...

Phat writes: Last time I asked Him, He said something to the effect of "I AM that I AM."

Phat writes:Thing That Differ Browse it...he has some scriptural arguments....

Phat writes: Think about it. Should He have to?

Phat writes:That's too Deistic for me.

Phat writes:Why would God have a need to justify His existence to anyone?

Phat writes:A Deistic god is no different than a living universe, for all practical purposes.

Phat writes:My question is why you feel as if we must grow up and fix everything ourselves...

Faith writes:Or, the Name of Jesus has depths to it way beyond a mere name.

GDR writes:I suggest that by understanding the Bible in such a way that has God ordering genocide and calling it good, or when we talk about the rejection of our neighbours of other faiths etc, that we just might be on the wrong side of the point that Jesus makes in Matthew 12.

GDR writes:I believe that there actually is an objective truth in answer to your question; however as humans we can only come up with subjective conclusions.

GDR writes:I seems to me that at one end we have the Golden Rule — do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The other end might be looking out for number one or maybe if it feels good do it.

GDR writes:Firstly I'd like to say that there is also considerable evidence in the OT of a loving god, although there are accounts of a vengeful god as well.

GDR writes:As I have said before I believe that through the Bible we have a progressive revelation of God climaxing in Jesus where we can see Him fully.

C.S. Lewis writes:All that are in Hell, choose it.

GDR writes:As I said before we blaspheme the Holy Spirit by calling good evil and/or evil good.

GDR writes:Matthew 12 is saying that there won't be forgiveness.

GDR writes:Like I said it is a progressive revelation where the understanding slowly became more and more focused until it became perfectly focused in Jesus.

GDR writes:If a child says to his/her parent that they want nothing more to do with them, do you think that they shouldn't be allowed that choice.

Phat writes:If you found absolute proof that the way you were living now would send you to a lake of fire sometime in the future, would you do what you needed to do to change course or would you challenge the authority of the law that sent you there?

Phat writes:So if I asked you the same question I asked Stile above, what would you do?

GDR writes:The Jews of the OT were subject to many influences. They worshiped Yahweh, celebrated the Exodus but at the same time they were almost endlessly suffering at the hands of their more powerful neighbours. Their vision of God was one who would with their help or not overpower their enemies.
Slowly however, their understanding of God evolved into a more loving God...

GDR writes:However a parent has to give them freedom to make their choice in the first place, which doesn't negate a change of heart.

GDR writes:... you even used the Bible to make your point.

Phat writes:... you believe that humans somehow know better than the God of the book. This sort of argument is a lie of the enemy.

Phat writes:I have enough evidence to fuel these debates with you.

Phat writes:All I am doing is challenging your daft idea that humans know better than any God character thus far.

Phat writes:And if hell didnt exist, there would always be the possibility that ringo would grow up, leave home, and do what he thought was right even if he never acknowledged that he had a father who taught him.

Phat writes: Its the kids who were living at home and were evil and got booted out of the house that makes a need for a place for them to stay.

Phat writes:Imagine a kid who was beyond rehabilitation.

Phat writes:God created a place they could all stay if they refused to repent and acknowledge Dads authority (and love).