Comments on: The Predestination Paradox http://www.ipandora.net/2008/06/04/the-predestination-paradox/ Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:50:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: JPennStar http://www.ipandora.net/2008/06/04/the-predestination-paradox/#comment-8101 JPennStar Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:07:28 +0000 http://www.ipandora.net/?p=636#comment-8101 Something else I had been thinking about is how our lives are narrowed by the word of God and thus predetermined (in a sense). Maybe there's a better word for it but as a loyal Christian we to follow the Ten Commandments. Furthermore, with the explicit and implicit teachings of the NT I'm to live my life a particular way and thus further limiting my choices. You add everything up and our path is indeed narrow. Although this by no means negates our volition. I can be a electrician or an engineer and that is obeying the word of God. Something else I had been thinking about is how our lives are narrowed by the word of God and thus predetermined (in a sense). Maybe there’s a better word for it but as a loyal Christian we to follow the Ten Commandments. Furthermore, with the explicit and implicit teachings of the NT I’m to live my life a particular way and thus further limiting my choices. You add everything up and our path is indeed narrow. Although this by no means negates our volition. I can be a electrician or an engineer and that is obeying the word of God.

]]> By: Neil http://www.ipandora.net/2008/06/04/the-predestination-paradox/#comment-8093 Neil Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:07:35 +0000 http://www.ipandora.net/?p=636#comment-8093 Thanks for the thoughtful post on this topic. I enjoy hearing experts from both sides debate it. Thanks for the thoughtful post on this topic. I enjoy hearing experts from both sides debate it.

]]> By: JPennStar http://www.ipandora.net/2008/06/04/the-predestination-paradox/#comment-8088 JPennStar Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:07:13 +0000 http://www.ipandora.net/?p=636#comment-8088 All people, Christian or not, reasonably ask the question once or more in their lives where does my choice begin and end - more or less. I don't choose where I'm born, my name, parents, color, religion (at first), etc. There are in fact very few things we get to choose. We must eat, sleep, cloth ourselves, protect ourselves, stay healthy and hopefully have children. Other than these our life experiences, for a large part, determines the rest, which isn't to say someone comes to you and changes your mind. Jesus Christ came to man and changed his mind; but it was not man who changed it in the first place, God had to come. Don't get me wrong, while I say our life experiences determine much of our choices, we do fundamentally retain the ability to say 'yes' or 'no'. But we are quite limited. I prefer to use the metaphor of the game Monopoly. The board is set, cards are shuffled and the dice are made. However, it really depends on how YOU role the dice. Life is more complicated but comparitively I think that is really how much choice we really have. Plenty though to be responsible for our actions; I realizse the limitations of my metaphor. In the context of being a Christian I believe we are only then called or chosen. We are chosen because of Christ and only in Christ. Which is another way of saying we have a specific purpose called by God to do something. Jesus Christ was called by the Father to do something, thus Christians are also; but not unbelievers. Which is why all good things work towards God's purposes for those who believe. I do also think that unbelievers are used for a simliar purpose. Tyranny, strife, stress, poverty, etc humbles people to hope, which is the message of Christ; although people confuse it with the hope of the State. No man can answer to question of why one person lives or dies, but at least we can have assurance in the rest. Logically if God so loved us he gave His son, then that means is He does the best for us all which is the very best; better than what any man can do. So no matter what He does I trust Him. I don't NEED to understand it because logically we are talking about the omniscient and omnipotent being. Lastly, tell me of anyone like Jesus Christ and all that he bore upon himself. Muhammed? Buddah? Mankind? For all their good and bad, none of them honestly compare to the good of Jesus Christ. All people, Christian or not, reasonably ask the question once or more in their lives where does my choice begin and end - more or less. I don’t choose where I’m born, my name, parents, color, religion (at first), etc. There are in fact very few things we get to choose. We must eat, sleep, cloth ourselves, protect ourselves, stay healthy and hopefully have children. Other than these our life experiences, for a large part, determines the rest, which isn’t to say someone comes to you and changes your mind. Jesus Christ came to man and changed his mind; but it was not man who changed it in the first place, God had to come.

Don’t get me wrong, while I say our life experiences determine much of our choices, we do fundamentally retain the ability to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. But we are quite limited. I prefer to use the metaphor of the game Monopoly. The board is set, cards are shuffled and the dice are made. However, it really depends on how YOU role the dice. Life is more complicated but comparitively I think that is really how much choice we really have. Plenty though to be responsible for our actions; I realizse the limitations of my metaphor.

In the context of being a Christian I believe we are only then called or chosen. We are chosen because of Christ and only in Christ. Which is another way of saying we have a specific purpose called by God to do something. Jesus Christ was called by the Father to do something, thus Christians are also; but not unbelievers. Which is why all good things work towards God’s purposes for those who believe. I do also think that unbelievers are used for a simliar purpose. Tyranny, strife, stress, poverty, etc humbles people to hope, which is the message of Christ; although people confuse it with the hope of the State. No man can answer to question of why one person lives or dies, but at least we can have assurance in the rest.

Logically if God so loved us he gave His son, then that means is He does the best for us all which is the very best; better than what any man can do. So no matter what He does I trust Him. I don’t NEED to understand it because logically we are talking about the omniscient and omnipotent being.

Lastly, tell me of anyone like Jesus Christ and all that he bore upon himself. Muhammed? Buddah? Mankind? For all their good and bad, none of them honestly compare to the good of Jesus Christ.

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