jasoncran said:
theres that calvin thing again, men are created to die.
Jason, I am not going to say you avoid scripture, that would be to raise the emotional level a few notches. It is not good to respond to that kind of rhetoric. Hopefully I can add something here. Hopefully also lower the emotional level.
jasoncran said:
I think without realizing what you are saying, you are talking past SBG57. He would understand this as a denial of Gods decree. The question is did God decree the fall. The concept of a decree does not mean that God participates in helping Adam sin. By the term decree no one is saying that God magicly made Adam sinful enough to choose evil. I think you should look into the concept of "decree" more fully. Here is a passage with the concept of decree in it.
ASV
Acts 2:23 him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay:
The most heinous sin in history was decreed by God. Now God did not help these evil men crucify Christ, but did God want it to happen? Certainly he did! Absolutely he wanted it! God decreed this evil so that our salvation might occur (as you well know). But God did not participate in that evil. But he gave Christ into their hands. He did not have to do that! On other occasions God refused to give him into the hands of those who wanted to kill him. This time, God gave him into their hands... why? It was decreed.
Now it is true that Gods foreknowledge is also mentioned in the passage I quoted. But whatever view you have of his foreknowledge, it should not overturn the concept of decree (determinate council). God decreed the murder of Jesus. He raise evil men up to places of power and prominence, and then when the time came, he gave Jesus into their hands. God was active, but did not participate in the sin of evil men in any way.
Are you focusing on the word foreknowledge and saying that God has no decree, but is merely like a CNN news reporter and looks into the future and sees what choices men will make in the future? That is one small step away from Open Theism. If that is all God does, then is God really sovereign? I would have to differ. God is active, not in making sin happen, but in using sin for a greater glory. God does decree sin, but he does not participate in it.
jasoncran said:
just like we can refuse him and die and enter into hell.
choice isnt over ridden the by the Lord, otherwise why even have a brain.
Jason, I think you have a faulty concept what others are saying here. I dont think SBG57 or anyone else is denying that we make a choice to refuse God. In fact we freely and willfully choose to reject God. We even revel in that choice, we love that choice, and we reject God with a relish. Yes, Jason, I would agree that we are quite free to choose evil by human nature. Only God can prevent the outworking of this sinful nature through something called "regeneration." But that is another issue.
Where we might differ is in a little thing called the "fall." Are you familiar with the term "original sin?" When Adam choose evil, he chose it from a position of innocence. When we choose evil, we do it from a very different position and nature. We were already born into Adams sin and rebellion. That is the whole point of Romans 5:12ff. He is our federal head, and we inherit that rebellion and sin nature at conception. This is why we are so free to reject God. We can willfully reject him because we were in Adam, and have original sin.
jasoncran said:
Did the Lord use this fall to redeem men, sure! he had to, for adam was shown to be an example to us.
I cringe at the phrase "he had to." The sovereign Lord of the universe did not have to do anything. Except for his decree, and its outworking through covenant, he did not have to do anything. But I go to far, I think we are in danger of talking past each other. I dont think you were saying that we cornered God into saving us through the fall.
jasoncran said:
if the lord calls flesh evil like you say then why is it mentioned in revalation and the reedeemed having bodies? hmm odd aint it. and we aint staying in heaven for ever.
Sarkos, or flesh has a range of meaning. It is good to discuss the term in specific contexts here.
jasoncran said:
the lord when created adam knew then what he would do, and allowed and since he allows it he moved to redeem men from the fall.
I have spoken to some of this already. You seem to think that God is like a CNN reporter on the fall. He merely reports it and did not decree it, and even give over Adam to his tempter as he gave over Christ to evil men. I think God is more active in his decree that what you represent here. God did not have to allow Satan to enter the garden. He did not have to create Eve to be a part of the equation. Yet he prepared all so that the fall might happen. He did not participate in the temptation, but he was active. He decreed the fall.
jasoncran said:
our limited minds cant grasp this as the Lord is outside time, he's in the past, present in future simulateanously.
unless you disagree.
It is a matter of revelation. I do not say it is easy. Only two years ago I was more Arminian/semi-pelagian myself. I can understand if you say you do not grasp how it all fits together, but this does not mean no one else understands Gods sovereignty and decree. As one who is recently come to the position I hold, I can say it is a journey well worth taking. It is not an easy journey, but a worth while one.
jasoncran said:
for our point we have choices, from the lord point of view we have made the decision for him or against him and he acts on it done. but he doesnt force that or make it. otherwise that verse on love not being forceful is null and void.
I missed the verse on "love not being forceful." Also, I would say it a little different. We need no help in rejecting God. But we do need his help in choosing the path of faith in Christs penal and substitutionary atonement. For those that God has chosen (John 6:37) he will provide the help (John 6:44) that is sufficient to draw the chosen ones to him. For this drawing, he will loose none of them he has chosen (John 6:39).
ASV
37 All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
39 And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
44 No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day.
Free will? We have the free will to reject God, but we need his power, regeneration, and drawing to choose the path of faith.