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To: DouglasKC

Well, you believe that God will destroy us, if He overrides our free-will, and I believe that He controls our free-will. We're just different.

As you say, it's all a matter of faith.


23 posted on 02/11/2006 8:36:00 AM PST by stuartcr (Everything happens as God wants it to.....otherwise, things would be different.)
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To: stuartcr
He controls our free-will.

If you think about that statement you will realize it is self-contradictory.

Either we have free will or we are controlled by another. These are mutually exclusive things.

The Scriptures both "old" and "new" are filled with words like "choose," "repent," "trust," "obey," "believe"--all these indicate personal free choice and decision-making--the human will.

Every moment of every day we are making choices based upon what we have already heard and already believed. This belief system becomes evident to those who observe us in the actions they see us taking. There are some who think they make no choice by refusing to do or say a thing; I contend with Scripture that the "not doing" is also a choice and a decision, demonstrating a belief system that is already in place and at work.

I believe you are seeking these things out.

Here is a very simple metaphor that occurs to me:

If you love someone, let them go; if they come back to you then the love is complete.

For love is not a thing to be coerced.

24 posted on 02/12/2006 12:41:06 AM PST by .30Carbine (He was despised and rejected by men...and kept on loving...)
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To: stuartcr
Well, you believe that God will destroy us, if He overrides our free-will, and I believe that He controls our free-will. We're just different.

Well, I think I'm more closely saying that God can override our free will if he desires, but will not do it. He doesn't intefere with the choices made on the field, but has overall control of how the game is played out. I admit thought that the analogy isn't perfect.

As you say, it's all a matter of faith.

Yes, but not faith in the way you mean it. The faith IN Chris is much different than say, the faith that I have in my wife or kids. Faith in Christ and his teachings fundamentally changes our entire being.

25 posted on 02/12/2006 7:27:52 AM PST by DouglasKC
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