> General Discussions
The character of a person.
GaryK:
No, I'm not angry with God today, or at least I haven't shaken my pip-squeak fist at him yet.
But I didn’t get my usual talk with God this morning over coffee on the porch (too cold and snowy and I was in touch with my feminine side, ie:-stay in the house by the fire (the smart side of femininity), besides he’s been hiding behind a bush (just a picking on you L&F ;D ;) ).
So I’ll ask you all.
Yes, I know Ray’s covered this somewhere, several places, (I’m counting on you all), and I’ve most probably read it too, but, if you’ve read any of my postings I’m at least honest to say the ‘free-will’…or the lack there-of…is elusive to me. You could say a reading comprehension FAIL.
Here it (they) are:
Does God make a person what they are?
ie, the character or personality of a person?
And here’s some definitions to point more of what I’m asking:
1. the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing.
2. one such feature or trait; characteristic.
3. moral or ethical quality: a man of fine, honorable character.
4. qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity: It takes character to face up to a bully.
5. reputation: a stain on one's character.
6. good repute.
7. an account of the qualities or peculiarities of a person or thing.
8. a person, esp. with reference to behavior or personality: a suspicious character.
9. Informal . an odd, eccentric, or unusual person.
15. status or capacity: the character of a justice of the peace.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/character
Some people seem very blessed in all they do, some people don’t seem to be at all, I mean in just about nothing, including life.
If so, why would God do such a thing?
Seems lopsided to the point of absolute absurd.
gk
mharrell08:
--- Quote from: GaryK on February 02, 2011, 09:06:35 AM ---Does God make a person what they are?
--- End quote ---
Yes, but not in a direct way as most people think. People are shaped & developed into the person they are because of their surroundings & circumstances from the moment they are born until the day they die. It is through these surroundings & circumstances that God makes a person into who they are.
Your parents, extended family, neighbors, classmates & teachers, co-workers & bosses, etc. all play a part in developing one into the person they are & will grow to be. Not to mention life events that happen which also play a major part into the kind of person one is.
But all of God's sons & daughters go through chastisement, in order to molded into the image of God:
Heb 12:5-7 ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Prov 3:11-12 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Hope this helps,
Marques
GaryK:
--- Quote from: mharrell08 on February 02, 2011, 09:29:56 AM ---
--- Quote from: GaryK on February 02, 2011, 09:06:35 AM ---Does God make a person what they are?
--- End quote ---
Yes, but not in a direct way as most people think.
through chastisement, .........molded into the image of God:
Heb 12:5-7 despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Prov 3:11-12 despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Hope this helps,
Marques
--- End quote ---
It does Marques. Thank you.
Does Ray go into detail of the following?
chastening
rebuking
correction
If so, where?
How does one know which is which, and when it's occuring?
gk
mharrell08:
--- Quote from: GaryK on February 02, 2011, 10:01:31 AM ---It does Marques. Thank you.
Does Ray go into detail of the following?
chastening
rebuking
correction
If so, where?
How does one know which is which, and when it's occuring?
gk
--- End quote ---
Excerpt from Lake of Fire Part 14 (http://bible-truths.com/lake14.html):
TURNING OUR IDOLS OF THE HEART INTO POWDER
In Ezekiel 14:7 we read:
"For every one of the house of Israel [WE {Gentiles} are now the circumcision of God, Phil. 3:3. WE {Gentile believers} are the true Jew, Romans 2:28-29. WE {Gentiles & a remnant of racial Israel} are the spiritual Israel of God, Gal. 6:16] or of the stranger that sojourns in Israel, which separates himself from Me, and sets up HIS IDOLS IN HIS HEART…"
We all have "idols of the heart." Whenever we disobey God, we are giving allegiance to and manifesting idols in our heart.
When ancient Israel turned from God, they too manifested the idols in their hearts by building a literal golden calf idol with which to worship. And what did God do through Moses?
"And he [Moses] took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire [don’t forget I Cor. 3:15], and GROUND IT TO POWDER, and scattered it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it" (Exodus 32:20).
How many understand our Lord’s statements in Luke 20:17-18?
"And He beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The Stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the Head of the corner? Whomsoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever It shall fall, It will GRIND HIM TO POWDER."
When we fall on the Stone (Jesus), we are broken. Or as John tells us in Revelation,
"And I saw one of his heads as it were WOUNDED TO DEATH…" (Rev. 13:3).
Yes, when we fall on Christ we are broken, we are wounded (by the "sword" of God—Rev. 13:14 vs. Heb. 4:12). This is our human attempt at salvation. But then we fall, and our "deadly wound [which we received by the Word of God] was healed" (Rev. 13:3), we went back into the world, back into Babylon, thus leaving our first love. When the wound of the Sword of God’s Word that had slain us, is healed, we fall from the love of God, and we again turn our love to the world from which we came.
But here’s the good news concerning this stone. If we are among the chosen that overcome, then the Stone falls ON US, and our spiritual house built upon the sand comes crashing down. And when Jesus falls on us, He GRINDS US [along with all of our idols of the heart] TO POWDER!
Remember we are but "clay" in the hands of the Master Potter, and clay consists of particles of sedimentary silicates of aluminum less than two-thousandth of a millimeter in diameter—in other words, very fine powder. In Ancient Israel, the sin offering, the peace offering, the meat offering, and thank offering all had to be made with fine flour. All of the universe is composed of very fine things.
All of the instructions on what was to be offered to God in the service of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, who was to offer it, and how it was to be offered is not just quaint little stories of history:
"Now ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENED unto them for ensamples: and they are written FOR OUR ADMONITION, upon whom the ends of the world [ages] are come." (I Cor. 10:11).
Christ is representative of all and every one of these sacrifices. And
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He [Jesus Christ] IS, SO ARE WE in this world" (I John 4:17).
So, when we read of the fine flour, oil, salt, and frankincense in the Old Testament offerings, we must understand that WE TOO are to be like fine flour—spiritually humbled and ground fine like powder, oil—having the Spirit of God in us, salt—we are to BE the "salt of the earth," and frankincense—our very lives becoming a sweet smelling incense to our God.
Some of the things we must go through seem bad on the surface. But as in all of God’s dealings, what appears at first to be something horribly bad, is in reality, only a necessary stage in the process of overcoming sin and self so as to be qualified to reign with Christ in bringing the rest of humanity into a knowledge of the Truth, redemption, salvation, and finally, glory.
Chastening, rebuking, & correcting are all very much alike, and could even be thought of as the same. One usually does NOT know when it is occurring, but will eventually realize after giving up.
That's why it's likened to being 'grounded into powder'...God will wear you down until you give up. Only after we give up do we look to God for complete dependence of our needs. This will happen in every facet of our lives until we submit completely to Him. I know this doesn't sound like a pretty picture, and that is why Paul says 'don't be weary, know that this is how God deals with His sons/daughters' [Heb 12:5-7 - paraphrasing]
Marques
Kat:
Gary, I do believe that God is ultimately in control of all those things you mention. For Him to be sovereign and keeping this whole thing together He must be in control. He in perfect wisdom and knowledge is doing exactly what He KNOWS is the best way for all this to be done.
--- Quote ---If so, why would God do such a thing?
--- End quote ---
Well, this world is very complication, people are all living in a great diversity of situations and added to that the different characteristics and personalities and you have the set up for all the unique individual human beings that we have.
God is aware of EVERYTHING that is happening, omnipresence. But not only does He know of it all, He is working it all together and as things effect one another, so everything that is happening is all interweave. This is an incredible complex and intricate world we live in, yet God is not only aware of it all, but in control of it all. It just blows your mind to consider all He is doing, our little finite minds just can't comprehend.
But this is all the process for the creation of a family and not just a large number of people, but of individuals of great diversity. We see this in the world all around us, look at the differences in the animal world or the birds or fish or insects. But this human creation is to be so much more extraordinary and incredible in its outcome, because we are reasoning, thinking, calculating people. The end possibilities are tremendous and magnificent! We are so fortunate to have life and be any part of this creation.
Just wanted of share my thoughts.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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