You were right. I did misinterpret your usage of the paradox although in all fairness you used it correctly... Sorry
I understand what you are saying now, and I did read your posted opinion in its entirety. I think you have a solid argument;
Thank you for your sincere reply.
however, if I see something that is seemingly contradictory I am compelled to question 'why can it not be?'
I for one believe in the validity and inspiration of the Bible and believe that it does not contradict itself. That being said I believe it to be within reason that God can excercise his absolute sovereignty, if it is within His will to so permit, that we should choose for ourselves whom we will serve (issuing us freewill - and so we were created), and that by asking God to change us that God can turn our will in the proper direction for us to walk in tandem with God's plan for us. This is a cooperative work of God in a person's life, and evidences both the will of God and man - but working together. Many excellent theologians in the past who were intellectual giants (like Charles Spurgeon for example) can explain this much more well than I but I have a basic understanding of how God works in us and gives us power to live a righteous life but all the while it being our choice to bear fruit and obey and use that power, and when we have a conflict with God's working in our life is when we sin. But God will always forgive his children who truely love him and ask for forgiveness. Perhaps under another topic where I can discuss such theology at length and more proficiently I could elaborate, but I hope this was a reasonable answer for you.
If that makes me a sinner for using a little common sense in my belief system then I guess I'm a sinner, but I do not think that God wants you to question your belief system as blind faith leads to damnation. Consider all the people in the world that worship false Gods.
Not at all. We are commanded to test things and after the testing to hold onto the good. "
But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good."
(1 Thessalonians 5:21)
Also notice the example that the Bereans gave us: "
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."
(Acts 17:11)
Using your example, I do not question that the Bible demands that the Trinity is a reality. I question if it is common knowledge of Christians that God is in at least 3 places at the same time solely based on the evidence that there is a Holy Trinity. It is one thing to consider a possibility and another to put faith in it. Who can claim to know the reality of the interconnectivies and relationship between the Holy Trinity? God has never explained it in detail;however, how many Christians put faith in things that are not Gods' word.
The part that I bolded is actually in keeping with what I was saying that I could never tell you the intimate details of the Trinity but I see and have faith in the basic principles that make it true. That is the paradigm that I was trying to lay out for showing you that God's sovereignty and our free will can overlap. I was emphasising the evidencing of the basic principles in the Bible.
And the importance of believing in the Trinity is not necessarily so that you can know every detail of the relationship (some things about God are indeed unsearchable) but that we should understand Jesus as God, being equal to the Father (Philippians 2:6), and that also that the Holy Spirit is God. Why we must know these basic things is so that we can understand how God works in our life and that we can have proper doctrine. But this isn't a thread to discuss the Trinity. I merely used this as an example to help you understand the premise of my arguement, and it seems that you have understood.
Billions of people put faith in something that is not true. That can be proven by the thousands of disagreeing Chrisitian sects. Otherwise there would be no sects within bible believers. There would be one unified Christian family with the same belief with only disagreements on what they thought is true. I have never heard a preacher that told me that something might be true.
Paul said that divisions were granted: "
For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you."
(1 Corinthians 11:19) Although he wasn't particularly happy about it. Divisions will occur so that those who are in the truth will become evident.
And as for pastors never telling you what they thought
might be true: that's too bad. I am a humble man and am reasonable in my analysis and defense of the Bible and I admit possibilities of which I am not 100% sure all the time. So do all the Pastors I know. Oh that men would have a humble heart in them that they would explore the Scriptures with earnest seeking like the Bereans!
Putting faith in God's word leads to salvation, but what does God think of bible that blindly put faith in something that was never his will? Will God respect if I so blindly follow my faith regardless of a lie believed by man or his Holy word? Will blind believers receive salvation? As I don't know, I'll leave that to God to decide.
The Bible grants our ignorance in some matters when we are in the milk of the word and even when we are mature in our walk with God. We are constantly learning. But we must operate on the most basic principles that Jesus is our savior, that he died for our sins, and that we have now been called to righteousness by the grace granted to us through Jesus' blood.
The point is, that as we study Scripture accompanied with
prayer (a very important element) God will change our perceptions and fill us with his knowledge and wisdom from his word. God does not condemn you if you falsely believe in something, but if you reject truth when it is presented to you and you then later act on your false beliefs and in so doing sin then it is our fault and not God's. But God is willing to turn us around once we realize our mistakes. 1 John 1:9 says, "
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." And Romans 12:2 tells us that we can have our mind renewed by God, which includes getting rid of falsehood, "
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." We need not fear condemnation if we truely seek after truth, because those who seek shall find. And to those who knock the door shall be opened.
~Josh
