"Insulting God"

Yes, but don’t you think that Belshazzar had some inkling of what he was doing? After all, he had the knowledge to ask for the templeware. He must have known something.....not much, because his grandmother(?) had to inform him regarding Daniel.

In Belshazzar’s mind he was exalting his power by dissing some God of some people they’d conquered years before. His pride, but also disrespect.

Free will exists.

I think this is a wonderful article by Chrysostom. I would suggest that it is impossible for man NOT to insult God. We do so just about every day in not following through on living our lives according to the commandments. But we don't live by the law, we live by grace. The grace and mercy of God is that He has placed all of these insults on our Lord Jesus. Nevertheless, it's always a blessings to the saints to be constantly reminded of what we owe our Lord Jesus. After all, didn't God "foreknew" that we would insult Him next week by failing in doing what He has asked?

The "free will" you proclaim is simply the "freedom" of our nature to do that what is evil. I wouldn't call this "free will". I would call this natural instincts. The desires that we have to wish to do good is a reflection of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We have a choice ONCE the Son has set us free. Our choices is directed and set by God to help us to grow and flurish, not to degenerate into our own nature.

“I would suggest that it is impossible for man NOT to insult God.”

We are defining a term down. It is impossible for a believer to treat God contemptuously or rudely. They are intentional actions of insolence. The Holy Spirit would not allow that. We may be angry with God or upset with Him but not contemptuous. We may have lapses of faith or doubt but not to treat God with insolence. That attitude belies belief in or the knowledge of God.

The unbeliever can’t insult God for there is no relationship in which to address God or treat Him with indifference. They are dead.

It is probably impossible to insult God. One would have to have such standing with God that such a thing would be possible. God is so far above us that He cannot be insulted by us.

On the other hand, humans can TRY to insult God. God gets hacked off at the effort because it’s insolent and disrespectful.

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