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Originally Posted by boxcar
You have just bowled me over.  You have come nigh to sounding like a Calvinist. 
Mr. Thaskalos, sir -- The following passage is from the OT on how God influences man's choices. I certainly didn't want to give short shrift to the OT for there is much written in it to support the NT passages I quoted to you a couple of days ago.
Gen 20:1-7
Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev, and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married." 4 Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, wilt Thou slay a nation, even though blameless? 5 "Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this." 6 Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now therefore, restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours."
NASB
So, tell me, Thask: Who was right in this matter: Abimilech who took credit for not violating Sarah or God whose power (grace) restrained Abimelech from sinning? If you can read the passage carefully, the correct answer is contained therein.
Boxcar |
Boxcar, sir:
I will not go into whether or not I believe that this story which you narrated above actually took place...because it's immaterial to the point I am trying to make. My question is...
why did God create us in the FIRST PLACE? Was he just in need of someone who could worship, honor and obey him? And if THIS is why God created us...then why doesn't he provide us with some guidance of a more "personal" nature? He doesn't want to appear to us in real life as he did to Moses...fine. Why doesn't he tell us what he wants from us in a DREAM...as he did to Abimelech in your story?
I know...you are going to say that he gave us the bible to guide us. But the message in the bible is not as clear as it should be...especially when you consider that the "heavenly life", or "eternal damnation", hang in the balance. Yes...I've heard you say that the message in the bible is clear and unmistakable. But I have also seen through direct experience that even the CHRISTIANS do not agree among themselves when it comes to certain important aspects of the Christian faith.
If God is going to punish our disobedience with eternal damnation...then why not deliver his message to us in a more clearly-understood manner? Why must we stand on the sidelines while Christian theologians battle it out...so we can determine whose "interpretation" of God's message is the correct one?
He created us...and supposedly sent his only son to save us. And now he has abandoned us...with only an ambiguous, ancient text as a guide?
