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Not tempted by God
Roy Martin:
James 1:13 says God never tempts, but God put the tree of good and evil in the garden and told them not to eat of it.
To me this seems like a temptation. Was the tree not a temptation even before Satan deceived them?
He put it right in the middle of the garden like a shiny toy to a child, singled it out by bringing their attention to it.
If I place a shiny toy or object in front of a child, then I am tempting that child. If I don't want the kid to touch it then I simply don't put it down in front of them, but it seems that God did tempt them with this tree. I'm sure there is an explanation for this, but I don't know what it is.
Roy
Samson:
--- Quote from: Roy Martin on February 01, 2010, 06:16:16 AM ---James 1:13 says God never tempts, but God put the tree of good and evil in the garden and told them not to eat of it.
To me this seems like a temptation. Was the tree not a temptation even before Satan deceived them?
He put it right in the middle of the garden like a shiny toy to a child, singled it out by bringing their attention to it.
If I place a shiny toy or object in front of a child, then I am tempting that child. If I don't want the kid to touch it then I simply don't put it down in front of them, but it seems that God did tempt them with this tree. I'm sure there is an explanation for this, but I don't know what it is.
Roy
--- End quote ---
Hi Roy,
Actually, Satan(The Serpent) tempted them, because that's his purpose and they were tempted by their own desire(Each one is drawn out and enticed by THEIR OWN DESIRE. Read: James. 1:14,15; too.) Also read an Email by Ray that I included below, I think it might help.
Sir,
Gods first "will" if you can remember was when he created Adam and Eve. He didn't "will" for them to sin. But what did they do? What did he do about it? He banished them from his presence in the Garden of Eden!
Think about it! He did not kick them out then bring them back, there were no more chances, once God lets you out, your not getting back in. THINK about it.
[Ray replies]
Well of course we are getting into a mature subject here, and I certainly would not expect Sunday School children to understand it, it does take some spiritual maturity.
God ABSOLUTELY has raised up people for the EXPRESS PURPOSE OF SINNING so that God could show His power in the earth by simply CONTRAST. See Rom. Chapter nine. (I notice that you are not one to be burdened by quoting Scriptures to back up your statement). Pharaoh was raised up for the EXPRESS purpose of GOING AGAINST God's will and SINNING so that God could then DESTROY HIM. Read it. Paul plainly says so. Stop using human arguments and reasoning. If you can't show me by the Scriptures, then you can't show me.
God planted the true of the knowledge of good and evil, not Satan. And God planted it right in the midst of the Garden where Adam and Eve would surely see it. God watched as Satan maneuvered his way to Eve so as to deceive her. God watched the whole thing! Stop believing that God is surprised or shocked by the actions of His creatures--He is NOT! Besides, the tree contained the knowledge of GOOD! Or did you never notice that? It was GOOD that they ate of the tree. It was GOOD that they disobeyed God. God KNEW THAT THEY WOULD SIN AND DISOBEY FROM LONG BEFORE HE EVER CREATED THEM.
How stupid do you think God is? It is blasphemy the way people talk about God and give Him no more reasoning powers or abilities than sinful men. It is a SHAME. God knew exactly was HE was doing and He knew exactly everything that Adam and Eve WOULD DO. He is GOD. He knows ALL. Must I quote you all these simple Scriptures that most Sunday School children already know?
The Lamb of God was "slain from the FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD," the Scriptures tell us. Not from the "sin of Eve." God made provision for the salvation of Adam and Eve BEFORE HE EVER CREATED THEM--that is Scripture! That is not mans' theories! I don't have time or space to explain the whole plan of salvation to you in one e-mail. Read ALL of my letters to Kennedy and Hagee, then write me if you have a question.
One last thought for you. God DID create men spiritually weak so that they cannot resist sin. "ALL have sinned..."It obviously IS God's will that for a time we go AGAINST His will. But. . .BUT, NO ONE EVER goes against God's "INTENTION." There is a giant difference. Paul's detractors ask in Roman's nine, "For who has gone against God's INTENTION?" And the answer is, absolutely NO ONE. It could not even BE God's will that all be saved, unless first ALL ARE LOST!
If only theologians could come to understand that God is not running a damage control center from His throne of the universe. God is NOT picking up the pieces. He is not trying to get things back to being as good as they once were. He is not trying to figure out how to outsmart Satan. He is not falling behind, numerically, as far as how many will be saved and how many will be lost. God is far smarter and wiser and the stupid men who come up with these insane and blasphemous theories and doctrines.
God has a PLAN. (Wow, now there's a revelation for theologians). And God is working out that plan to perfection on a perfect schedule, and He will loose NOTHING! Paul tells us in Rom. 11:36 that ALL is out of God and THROUGH God and FOR God. God is creating man in His OWN IMAGE. It is a PROCESS. That process is on perfect schedule. It WILL be successful. Christ IS the saviour of the world and therefore, He WILL SAVE THE WORLD. How can you be a minister of the gospel and doubt God's ability to save all of His children? That's insane.
Anyway, I gotta go, I have many more e-mails to answer.
May God guide you into His perfect will.
Sincerely, Ray
Kind Regards, Samson.
mmijares:
Hi Roy,
In my understanding, God didn't make a mistake in putting the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the very center of the garden. Making it desirable is also not a mistake or a sin, for it served its purpose. Man had to it the fruit to know/understand/experience both good and evil. Man was driven by his own lust and there was nothing he could do but to satisfy his desire. And God wasn't wrong either in giving man a lustful heart.
So, did God tempt man? I don't think so for the Scripture says that God tempts no man. It was "automatic" for man to eat the fruit.
Did the father tempt the child when he put a shiny toy in front of a child? This analogy must be defined first by several premises - What was the father's intention? Was the child desirous of shiny toys? What was the shiny toy's ultimate purpose?
Just my two cents.
-Mijares :)
Deborah-Leigh:
Roy, James 1 :13 say, When someone is tempted, he should not say, "I am being tempted by God," because God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.
God does not tempt anyone.
We are tempted though our weak spiritual condition that God has created us to endure, caused us to suffer for the purpose that God makes us to finally overcome through the gift of His Spirit. 8)
Rom 8:20 for to vanity was the creation made subject--not of its will, but because of Him who did subject it --in hope,
Rom 8:21 that also the creation itself shall be set free from the servitude of the corruption to the liberty of the glory of the children of God;
And it is this purification of the physical, carnal, temporal Adam, into the spiritual, holy, eternal Christ, that requires severe heat and pressure—a real life experience of overcoming EVIL with GOOD. Ref : LOF part 15C
Arc
Roy Martin:
I'm not by any means suggesting God tempted them, but it does appear that he set them up for it.
Roy
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