AK4, If we apply you theory
Seriously this is not my theory. This a teaching from man started way back to knows when and has been debated for millenia. If we take the Word as the final authority, It conclusively proves we have no free will, even science proves this because for every cause there is an effect. God is the cause of all things so that wipes out anything being free---we have a will, we have ability to make choices, but either other those is not free from the ultimate cause, God. When people label their will "free" then they are ultimately saying they are like (a) God.
Yes we are like God, we read in 3: 22, " then the lord god said, behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, an eat, and live forever." knowing good and evil obviously gives them a choice.
that we have no Will and God has already decided what we should be, than the above description of stupidity will fall on God,
Yes it does. It truly does. He blinded the jews so salvation can come to gentiles also. He raised up Pharoah for the purpose he served. He is the one responsible for calling/drawing someone to Him. He responsible for giving anyone faith. Add to that knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and discernment. It all is from Him so no one can boast. He makes vessels for honor and dishonor--why?---because he has a plan and in the end even the vessels made for dishonor now will have honor/glory etc and be part of His family
You should know by now that I understand the scriptures through the spirit and not through the letter of the word.
The following scriptures are from Romans chapter 9, the different rendering is how I understand them.
I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit.
2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.
3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,
4 who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the law and the temple service and the promises,
5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blesses forever. Amen.
6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;
7 neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: through Isaac your descendants will be named.
8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.
9 For this is a word of promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10 And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac;
11 for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God’s purpose according to his GRACE might stand, not because of works, but because of him who JUDGES THE CHARACTER,
12 it was said to her, the older will serve the younger.
13 Just as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.
14 What shall we say then? There is no justice with God, is there? May it never be!
15 For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I FIND mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I FIND compassion.
16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who REWARDS mercy.
17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh, for this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate THROUGH YOU my power, and that my name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.
18 So then he has mercy on whom he FINDS MERCY, and he hardens whom he DISLIKES.
Verses 19, 20, 21, have been introduced by man they are definitively not from the Holy Spirit.
22 Therefore God, although willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make his WILL known, ENDURES with much patience vessels of wrath FALLING HEADLONG to destruction?
23 And he does so in order that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory,
24 even us, whom he also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.
25 As he says also in Hosea, I will call those who were not my people, my people. And her who was not beloved, beloved.
26 And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, you are not my people. There they shall be called sons of the living God.
27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved,
28 For the Lord will execute his word upon the earth thoroughly and quickly.
29 And just as Isaiah foretold, except the Lord of Sabbath had left to us a posterity, we would have become as Sodom, and Gomorrah.
30 What shall we say then? Those Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith,
31 but Israel, pursuing THE law of righteousness, did not arrive at that RIGHTEOUSNESS
32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone OF FAITH.
33 Just as it is written, behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and he who believes in him will not be disappointed.
:yes:
