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Author Topic: A Little Help  (Read 5776 times)

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Craig

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A Little Help
« on: November 15, 2008, 11:40:50 AM »

    Ray,
     
    Your website is truly a blessing. Your bible knowledge is impressive and you have managed to put into words (and words and words...) many things that I thought were true, but was unable to get a handle on (probably due to what I knew were bad Bible translations.)
     
    Anyway, I have a few questions that I hope you can clear up.
     
    1. What did Jesus mean when he told the thief on the cross that "today you will be with me in paradise"?
     
    2. I used to think that God was a Macro-manager not a Micro-manager, but then I thought how can God not know what is going to happen, and since he created it all; isn't that the same as predetermining it all? If we have no free will, how are we able to "pluck out" our own eye (spiritually speaking, of course), unless God has predetermined we will? Isn't it already decided? Isn't it predetermined who will rule with Christ and who will not, who will face Christ's "Consuming Fire" a little at a time and who will have his whole body face "Consuming Fire" at the Second Death? If we take drugs, or steal, or lie, or lust, etc, hasn't God made us this way? Is this just to much to understand? Are we just pots asking the potter why he made us this way? Did he make me ask that question? By the way, I am a computer programmer, I assure you that computers don't make choices, they merely follow different predetermined paths based o n a set of data. Is this what you are saying about us?
     
    I'm really not being argumentative; I hope you don't take it that way. I'm just asking for some clarification that is not in your articles already (I have read them all).Thanks.
     
    May God bless you according to His will,
    Robert
     
    PS, are you going to write an article for your website that covers the material in the Nashville Conference?
     

    Dear Robert:
    The original autographs of Scriptures did not contain punctuation. Since most theologians and translators have preconceived opinions of what true doctrine is, they tend to put that leaning into their teachings, translations, etc. As translated and punctuated in the King James, Luke 23:43 contradicts hundreds of other Scriptures. However, translate and punctuate it properly and it takes on a totally different meaning and contradicts no other Scriptures:

    (Rotherham) And he said unto him—Verily, I say unto thee this day: With me, shalt thou be in Paradise.

    Your questions regarding whether God "predetermined" all things is basically true.  And yes, God did "make us" as He made us.  However, it is not true that God "MADE" us do anything.  People have trouble understanding that just because we don't have a "free will" does not mean that we do not have a "will" at all.  Of course we have a will, it's just that it isn't free to operate WITHOUT A CAUSE.  It is the "cause" that takes away the "freedom" of our wills.  And God does not "MAKE OR CAUSE" us to sin, for example. We volunteer to sin according to our OWN WILL.  And our will, of course, operates on the many thousands and millions of circumstances we confront daily which are totally outside of our control.

    God plain tells us that He does NOT "tempt--try or test" any man with evil (James 1:13).  Well what does "tempt" man then if not God?  Answer: "his OWN LUST/DESIRES." God is, however, responsible for His entire creation, and therefore in Judgment, God will right all apparent wrongs of the past.

    As for computer making choices, I will still differ with you, as there is nothing in the definition of  "choose" or "choice" that necessitates consciousness.

    God be with you,

    Ray
     
« Last Edit: November 15, 2008, 12:25:46 PM by hillsbororiver »
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