I must admit. I feel very sorry for many Calvinists. I truly do. I'm not trying to be funny or insincere. I REALLY do....
I don't know how people I've seen in my life that can't find any peace because they believe that God has purposely planned bad things to happen in their lives.
I heard a recent story of a person I know indirectly. How they were mourning over losing a child in an horrible accident. They said...
"Why did God do this? He already had my heart!"
I want so desperately to tell them...
God didn't do it. God didn't plan it. God isn't trying to use it for some overall greater purpose that you can't see!!! or will NEVER..... see.
I so desperately wish people would throw this nonsense out their mind!!!!
Did God choose Israel and set Israel apart to be a special people?
(09-16-2016, 03:52 PM)The Rogue Tomato Wrote: [ -> ]Did God choose Israel and set Israel apart to be a special people?
God choose the rain to quench humanities thirst.
God choose bread to fulfill humanities hunger.................
God made these choice..... so one day.... humanity would understand when Jesus said...
"I AM the Bread of Life"...... "I AM Living Water"....
(09-16-2016, 06:22 PM)praise_yeshua Wrote: [ -> ] (09-16-2016, 03:52 PM)The Rogue Tomato Wrote: [ -> ]Did God choose Israel and set Israel apart to be a special people?
God choose the rain to quench humanities thirst.
God choose bread to fulfill humanities hunger.................
God made these choice..... so one day.... humanity would understand when Jesus said...
"I AM the Bread of Life"...... "I AM Living Water"....
I have no idea how that relates to my question.
(09-16-2016, 10:12 PM)The Rogue Tomato Wrote: [ -> ] (09-16-2016, 06:22 PM)praise_yeshua Wrote: [ -> ] (09-16-2016, 03:52 PM)The Rogue Tomato Wrote: [ -> ]Did God choose Israel and set Israel apart to be a special people?
God choose the rain to quench humanities thirst.
God choose bread to fulfill humanities hunger.................
God made these choice..... so one day.... humanity would understand when Jesus said...
"I AM the Bread of Life"...... "I AM Living Water"....
I have no idea how that relates to my question.
Can you explain your question differently? I must have missed your meaning.
Thanks
(09-17-2016, 04:55 PM)praise_yeshua Wrote: [ -> ] (09-16-2016, 10:12 PM)The Rogue Tomato Wrote: [ -> ] (09-16-2016, 06:22 PM)praise_yeshua Wrote: [ -> ] (09-16-2016, 03:52 PM)The Rogue Tomato Wrote: [ -> ]Did God choose Israel and set Israel apart to be a special people?
God choose the rain to quench humanities thirst.
God choose bread to fulfill humanities hunger.................
God made these choice..... so one day.... humanity would understand when Jesus said...
"I AM the Bread of Life"...... "I AM Living Water"....
I have no idea how that relates to my question.
Can you explain your question differently? I must have missed your meaning.
Thanks
It's a pretty simple question. Did God choose the bloodline of Israel to set them apart to be a special people? Did God NOT choose the Gentiles for that purpose?
We're talking Old Testament, here, of course.
(09-19-2016, 03:59 PM)The Rogue Tomato Wrote: [ -> ] (09-17-2016, 04:55 PM)praise_yeshua Wrote: [ -> ] (09-16-2016, 10:12 PM)The Rogue Tomato Wrote: [ -> ] (09-16-2016, 06:22 PM)praise_yeshua Wrote: [ -> ] (09-16-2016, 03:52 PM)The Rogue Tomato Wrote: [ -> ]Did God choose Israel and set Israel apart to be a special people?
God choose the rain to quench humanities thirst.
God choose bread to fulfill humanities hunger.................
God made these choice..... so one day.... humanity would understand when Jesus said...
"I AM the Bread of Life"...... "I AM Living Water"....
I have no idea how that relates to my question.
Can you explain your question differently? I must have missed your meaning.
Thanks
It's a pretty simple question. Did God choose the bloodline of Israel to set them apart to be a special people? Did God NOT choose the Gentiles for that purpose?
We're talking Old Testament, here, of course.
God has chosen many things. Israel is just one of many things God has chosen. Hence, part of the reason I replied in the manner I did. Its not a simple. "Yes" answer. We are adults here. Not children. We can see MORE than just a Yes or No answer to questions. God chose Noah. God chose Enoch. God chose Adam and Eve. Gentiles fall under "all those left out" of a choice.
Either way, all of these things can't be understood without understanding God's FIRST choice in His Son Jesus Christ. All things were chosen based on THAT SINGLE CHOICE. It all began with that Single Choice. All of God's choice flows from that choice. That choice was the "End Game". That is God's intent in everything He did and does.
Would you at least agree with my last statement?
"God's FIRST choice in His Son Jesus Christ"
I would agree if you worded it differently. God didn't choose Jesus. God is Jesus and Jesus is God. I'm not sure how I'd word it, but it would be closer to God choosing a plan.
My point was simply that the anti-Calvinist position has no basis in Biblical history. It is clear from the beginning of history that God chooses some people and not others. He's God. He's allowed to do that. It's his creation, after all. He can do with it whatever he wishes.
(09-20-2016, 12:39 PM)The Rogue Tomato Wrote: [ -> ]"God's FIRST choice in His Son Jesus Christ"
I would agree if you worded it differently. God didn't choose Jesus. God is Jesus and Jesus is God. I'm not sure how I'd word it, but it would be closer to God choosing a plan.
My point was simply that the anti-Calvinist position has no basis in Biblical history. It is clear from the beginning of history that God chooses some people and not others. He's God. He's allowed to do that. It's his creation, after all. He can do with it whatever he wishes.
1. Jesus Christ hasn't always existed. God the Son became flesh in the incarnation and died for humanity. The Holy Trinity's choice in bringing about the Incarnation, death, burial and resurrection of Christ was the beginning of every choice made in God's Creative actions in this life.
It is not clear that God chose some and not others in the manner you're implying. God chose His Son. God chose to create a being like Himself and humanity. All those who freely except God's choice in His Son, will find themselves a part of God's Eternal, Heavenly family.
a. Question..... Can God create someone equal to Him?
2. Yes. God can do whatever He wants to do with His creation This has absolutely NOTHING to do with justifying a particular choice of a theological system of belief. However, what God does choose to do... has a direct reflection/revelation of His character.
I see an idol in Calvinism. A "god" served that is so inferior to the God revealed in the Scriptures. The god formed by Calvinism isn't of the "quality" necessary to be worshiped.
Doesn't it bother you to think that God Divinely purposed your recent suffering? That God purposed it in Eternity past specifically for you? That He removed any course of action BUT that single course of action that would end up causing you so much grief?
Saying our lives are a sum of our own choices with a little foreordination sprinkled in.......is entirely different than the "god" of Calvinism.
3. Calvinism never existed before Calvin. How can you inject Calvin.... BACK... into the Biblical narrative?
Just sincerely trying to address the issue so others can be helped.
You realize that a Calvinist cannot have assurance of salvation. He might be a vessel of wrath, and so God has lied to him that he is saved.