Orlando,
Thanks for your response. I will certainly check it out.
I am in no way taking anything from our God, Father and Creator, and I would ask that all who read the following, do so with an open heart and their mind on Christ. I would ask also that one keep in mind, if you think that I am grossly wrong, that you remember by your own analogy, these are not my thoughts but God's. Then ask why they were written.
Orlando, you wrote:
Most Scientists, and people, define and believe the ability to make a choice is free will , whereas free will is actually to bring about the cause and to make available the choice, which is something that only God can do.If I understand you correctly, you mean that man cannot cause a bag of M&M's to appear by mere thought, to make available the "choice" that Matt spoke of. I agree one hundred percent! Taking this a little further, life is full of forks, crossroads and dead-ends. The simple choice of deciding whether or not to choose a red or blue M&M is 99.9% (I'm guessing) a dead-end progression. Simply because if a red one was chosen over a blue, the direction of life is not changed and for all sense and purposes, the act is irrelevant.
Another way of looking at it is determining the spiritual significance of eating M&M's? Should we categorize by color, weight, or alternate colors or set sequences. Perhaps we should segregate all green M&M's and bury them.
There is much that man in all his wisdom cannot do. For example man cannot of his own accord, come to Christ. Neither can man save himself.
Jhn 6:44
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. Jhn 12:47
And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 1Ti 1:15
This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Man is 100% reliant on God for his salvation; however, is man justified by giving up and doing nothing? Why not? If one does, is he not doing what God made him do? Really?
1Ti 2:3
For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 1Ti 2:4
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth Sounds reasonable does it not
Christ will save all, and all will understand the truth one day.
But, let's look at what is to happen in the mean time......
2Ti 3:1
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. The last days will be perilous! Is it because God is making them so, or is it because He knows they will so be due to the sinful nature of man. The very nature He designed and created, for the fulfillment of His purpose?
2Ti 3:2
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 2Ti 3:3
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 2Ti 3:4
Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 2Ti 3:5
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2Ti 3:6
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Is the above a result of molecular manipulation of every cell in very organism in the world, or is it a result of the evil that God created for this VERY purpose?
Isa 45:7
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things]. Mankind will try to make sense of it all, they will reason this and that and ponder greatly, but, they are ......
2Ti 3:7
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Why can they not come to the truth? Because it is not Gods plan for them to do so. Is it conceivable that carnal man is running around in a quagmire of destruction, foolishly thinking of their own accord that they are in some way responsible for their life.
So, then, why were the Scriptures written? Certainly, there was much hidden in parables, but not everything.
Mat 7:12
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Mat 7:13 ¶
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Mat 7:14
Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Mat 7:15 ¶
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. The above Scripture is pretty self explanatory and most people of the world can see that the Good Life, Fast cars, Money, cheap friends, drugs, etc offer little satisfaction and no lasting value. Why else is the world insistently searching for answers to a question they do not fully understand? "What am I missing.....there must be more than this!!
Why is man told to pray?
Phl 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Could it be for our instruction, that it is something we are "free" to comply with or ignore. It matters little in the grand scheme of things if carnal man does or does not, because God does the dragging and his ultimate purpose will be fulfilled.
In closing, I would like to comment on the following two Scriptures.
Jer 10:23
O LORD, I know that the way of man [is] not in himself: [it is] not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Luk 12:25
And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? Let us look past the physical significance of what they may mean, but instead look at the spiritual. We know full well that no matter how HARD we try to know God and learn of him, no matter where we go, or how many places we visit; our steps will NEVER lead us to him. In short, we cannot direct our steps to take us where we want to
spiritually go. God does this, we do not.
Let us now look at spiritual thought. So many times have I been bogged down for days with something that just not fit right; only to have the answer appear clear and sharp as if by magic. I am sure, most will understand this completely. The answers were given me, I did not earn, phantom or create them. On my own,
my thoughts are nothing.
Paul knew full well, from whence his redemption came. It came from God, and not from him.
Eph 2:8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Eph 2:9
Not of works, lest any man should boast. God knows the sinful ways of man; does he need to make man sin to justify himself? To prove that he did indeed create evil? I think not.
Did not God create the most beautiful planet known to man, the one that we call home as a testimant to himself?
The Scriptures say that he did.
Rom 1:20
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: There are many searching for God, many praying daily, yet who knows the mind of God. He will bring all to him in his time.
Jhn 6:44
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. God knows when, and it is irrelevant what we think or not think, what we choose or not choose, we will NEVER thwart God's plan, purpose or will.
Eph 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. I do believe strongly that nothing is taken away from God by giving man freedom to think, act and walk. Actually, by allowing man the illusion of freedom, and then sometimes quite suddenly or other times very painfully, begin revealing the truth is a greater testament to his love and Sovereignty than being the Master Micromanager.
He does not need to micromanage anything, He is God!! I would think that God cares much more about our spiritual life and growth than our physical, for one way or another; man will come to a knowledge of the truth.
God knows all.
Love to all in Christ,
Darren