Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: perfect stranger
I been a cradle Catholic all my life and it only occurred to me a few weeks ago when it was discussed at a seminar about the Bible.

It's a good question, but like so many things, I'm afraid the answer is beyond our understanding.

4 posted on 04/15/2008 10:44:24 PM PDT by incredulous joe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: incredulous joe
Why allow sin...God made us in his image, with free will...if he took away our ability to make mistakes and to accept him by our own will, we would only be a toy in his earthly playground...the Tree of Knowledge was put their in the Garden to do just what it did...give man an option to accept his teaching and love him unconditionally just as he does those who believe...
God already knew man would sin, and make choices that where not best for him...
9 posted on 04/15/2008 11:20:25 PM PDT by Turborules
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies ]

To: incredulous joe

No, it’s not beyond your understand. The Bible clearly says, “It has been given unto you to know the mysteries and secrets of the Kingdom.”

What that tells you is that God has given you the ability to know and understand .. beyond your own human understanding. It’s one of the gifts you receive when you receive Jesus as your Savior.

Salvation means: Safety, soundness, preservation, healing, deliverance and provision.

God has supplied everything for us already .. the secret is learning how to operate in it.


10 posted on 04/15/2008 11:23:04 PM PDT by CyberAnt (Yon: "The U.S. military is the most respected institution in Iraq.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies ]

To: incredulous joe
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. A little later the Scriptures tell us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Everything that was made, was made by Jesus Christ. It was His idea from the beginning. He did it for Himself. He also knew that we would fall and made arrangements, from the foundation of the world to "fix it". The angels that followed Satan fell from heaven and are now demons and there is no salvation for them. The angels long to look into our salvation. They don't understand why Jesus did what he did for creatures that are created LESS than angels. The Scripture tells us the WE will judge the angels in the end. If angels that live with God don't understand why God does things, then why would we know the mind of God? The depths of Gods love for us is boundless. He determined to love us enough to die for us when we were created. How many husbands and fathers would willingly without flinching lay down their lives for their loved ones? There are many that would claim to do so, but look at the child abuse today and divorce rates. I hardly think they would die for them if they are abusing them or abandon them. If it was so common, why is it news when we hear of a father giving a kidney transplant to a family member? This is why our love is required for our soldiers no matter what you think of the war.

Many people cry out for justice when they see wrong, but we must remember that if the perp gets justice, what would you do if you got justice? We are all sinners and fall short of the Glory of God, yet he loves us unconditionally. We all deserve judgment, yet we get Grace and Mercy. God determined to love Adam and Eve from the Creation. He showed his wrath at the Flood and Sodom and Gomorrah. There are sheep and goats, wheat and tares. If you are His, you are His child, adopted into His family. You get the fatted calf, His ring, and a party, even after you have messed up big time. If you are not His, then you have an eternity of Hell in front of you. You would think it would be an easy choice, yet how many love God as He loves us? You must abandon you love of self and serve a loving God that only wants the best for you. For some, that is too great a price.

Exploring the mystery of Gods love will take an eternity. Exploring ourselves is easy. Our righteousness is as a stench in His nostrils and as filthy rags to Him. If we accept Jesus as our Savior and serve Him, then God only sees the righteousness of Jesus when He looks at us. Our debt has been paid in full.

One thing I learned a long time ago about pondering God is we should read the Scriptures and believe them without question. As humans, we tend to try to mix OUR emotions into the story. We don't think like God. We are unable to think like God. The Bible is a love letter from the one who loves us without measure. Take it and don't dress it up with a bunch of emotional claptrap. That is why we have babies being murdered, because we want to be "nice" to women that have committed fornication, and "nice" to homosexuals that seem nice when we meet them. The mother can be saved if she repents, as well as the homosexual, but they don't want to. So we are the ones that bend instead of the sinner. When God said not to eat of the fruit of the tree, He meant don't do it. Some think Adam and Eve "got away with it", because he didn't fry them on the spot. He shed the blood of animals to cover their sin, and they died to Him spiritually that day and they were forever separated from Him. Sarah didn't listen to God and we got the Muslims out of that. Jonah didn't listen to God and he got quite a ride. We can talk ourselves into many things, but Scripture is pretty plain and should be looked at pretty much without emotions clouding our judgment. Satan can "talk" you into almost anything with his lies.

The lesson from Adam and Eve is one lapse of judgment can mess up a bunch of stuff. We are the ones that choose to submit to God's will or rebel. God has it worked out and has had it worked out from the beginning. There is no plan "B". We just need to accept what was said and done, as is.

13 posted on 04/16/2008 2:01:32 AM PDT by chuckles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson