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Does God have control over the people who populate Heaven?

billwald

New Member
I can think of 3 possibilities:

1. God selects and determines in advance who is admitted to Heaven.

2. God selects some people in advance for Heaven and lets the rest choose for themself where they shall go wither on the basis of good works or "believing" or some secret combination of both.

3. God takes pot luck and takes people who pass the test (whatever it is) on their own - like the College Boards or a civil service exam with no veteran's preference.
 
T

TaterTot

Guest
Of course, God is sovereign and has control over all things. His will is never dependant on man's choice. However, I think you are making it harder than it is to go to heaven. Theres not a secret combination to have to get right. Its all by grace.
 

BobRyan

Well-Known Member
billwald said:
I can think of 3 possibilities:

1. God selects and determines in advance who is admitted to Heaven.

2. God selects some people in advance for Heaven and lets the rest choose for themself where they shall go wither on the basis of good works or "believing" or some secret combination of both.

3. God takes pot luck and takes people who pass the test (whatever it is) on their own - like the College Boards or a civil service exam with no veteran's preference.

Actually there is only 2 choices

God either has a universe of pre-programmed robots or He created a free will universe.

In BOTH cases He has infinite knowledge and KNOWS the end from the beginning. (That is pretty confusing for Calvinists since they can not figure out how to BE God in a free will universe where God also knows the end from the beginning).

But the method God chose in that free will universe was to CONVICT ALL of sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16) and to "die for our sins and NOT our sins only but for the sins of the WHOLE world" 1John 2:2 and to "DRAW ALL " unto Him John 12:32.

I thought we ALL already knew that.

in Christ,

Bob
 

Dustin

New Member
BobRyan said:
Actually there is only 2 choices

God either has a universe of pre-programmed robots or He created a free will universe.

In BOTH cases He has infinite knowledge and KNOWS the end from the beginning. (That is pretty confusing for Calvinists since they can not figure out how to BE God in a free will universe where God also knows the end from the beginning).

But the method God chose in that free will universe was to CONVICT ALL of sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16) and to "die for our sins and NOT our sins only but for the sins of the WHOLE world" 1John 2:2 and to "DRAW ALL " unto Him John 12:32.

I thought we ALL already knew that.

in Christ,

Bob


Draw all of who?
 

BobRyan

Well-Known Member
Dustin said:
Draw all of who?

Draw all of 721 people?

Wrong sir. As much as Calvinism would insist on inserting a qualifier into John 12:32 -- it is unqualified "I will DRAW ALL" unto Me.

Sadly for the needs of Calvinism the text can not be edited and sufficiently downsized to meet the demands of Calvinism's doctrine on this point.
 

BobRyan

Well-Known Member
hillclimber1 said:
BobRyan, I looked at your profile and see you are a SDA. What are you trusting in for salvation?

Don't you mean "WHO" are you trusting in for salvation? :jesus:

Your profile says you are non-denom so I suppose this concept could be new for you. Please let me know if you would like futher explanation sir. I am happy to explain the Gospel in detail as long as there is a genuinely interested listener.:wavey:

In Christ,

Bob
 
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BobRyan

Well-Known Member
Since no one has posted a substantive rebuttal - I will offer this again -- just incase someone wants to debate it.

BobRyan said:
Actually there is only 2 choices

God either has a universe of pre-programmed robots or He created a free will universe.

In BOTH cases He has infinite knowledge and KNOWS the end from the beginning. (That is pretty confusing for Calvinists since they can not figure out how to BE God in a free will universe where God also knows the end from the beginning).

But the method God chose in that free will universe was to CONVICT ALL of sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16) and to "die for our sins and NOT our sins only but for the sins of the WHOLE world" 1John 2:2 and to "DRAW ALL " unto Him John 12:32.

I thought we ALL already knew that.

in Christ,

Bob
 

Dustin

New Member
BobRyan said:
Draw all of 721 people?

Wrong sir. As much as Calvinism would insist on inserting a qualifier into John 12:32 -- it is unqualified "I will DRAW ALL" unto Me.

Sadly for the needs of Calvinism the text can not be edited and sufficiently downsized to meet the demands of Calvinism's doctrine on this point.


I guess you didn't watch the video.


Trust me, it's very instructive.


Soli Deo Gloria,
Dustin
 

BobRyan

Well-Known Member
Was it "instructive enough" for you to make a dotrinal point from scripture after having watched it or is the emotion of the moment that is provided in a video context more to the point??

Hint: all you had to do was state that in 2Pet 3:1 Calvinism needs to LIMIT salvation to the First cetury reader of Peter's letter AT THE TIME that it was written and it fallaciously contrasts that bogus idea with "universal salvation" as IF the only alternative to such a hollow position is universalism.

That -- without the music was the substance that you seem to be "not wanting to post yourself" in respect to the video. I don't blame you for not actually posting it sir. I wouldn't want my name on it either.

in Christ,

Bob
 
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Dustin

New Member
BobRyan said:
Was it "instructive enough" for you to make a dotrinal point from scripture after having watched it or is the emotion of the moment that is provided in a video context more to the point??

Hint: all you had to do was state that in 2Pet 3:1 Calvinism needs to LIMIT salvation to the First cetury reader of Peter's letter AT THE TIME that it was written and it fallaciously contrasts that bogus idea with "universal salvation" as IF the only alternative to such a hollow position is universalism.

That -- without the music was the substance that you seem to be "not wanting to post yourself" in respect to the video. I don't blame you for not actually posting it sir. I wouldn't want my name on it either.

in Christ,

Bob


Bob, it's just like you posting your multi-colored models and such. The content of the video explains itself throughly. It is not a matter of me not wanting to post the whole thing, in my own "writing", but it was a matter of not having enough time to do so.

You wouldn't want your name on it because you're a flaming Arminian! I mean red hot! You attribute what the text says to the needs of the system of theology called Calvinism. Even though the intepretation is correct, according to the context, if Calvinism says it, it must be wrong! Come on, Bob, I thought you were a serious Bible student. Really look at what the text says, it's all right there, I promise.

If the points in the video (which I agree with) are wrong, then by all means, enlighten me. I would really like to see where I'm going wrong. I don't have any John Calvin posters in my house, I'm not out here like Spurgeon saying Calvinism is the Gospel. Prove to me from the Scriptures that what I believe is wrong. Don't just show me where you think Calvinism is wrong, show me where there is a common or preveniant grace, show me where the atonement is for every single man, woman, and child in the entire world.

I would really like it if you could do that.

Thank you.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Dustin
 

donnA

Active Member
God either has a universe of pre-programmed robots or He created a free will universe.

In that case the only real choice here is that either God is in control or man is.
 

billwald

New Member
Thanks for the replies.

I suppose what baffles me most is the underlying question - why would God WANT to know everything?

A child learns tic-tac-toe. When he discovers that he knows the end of the game after the first move, he moves on to checkers.
 

J.D.

Active Member
Site Supporter
I would like to volunteer of my own free will to be God's robot! It's better than being Satan's bond-robot.
 

rbell

Active Member
billwald said:
Thanks for the replies.

I suppose what baffles me most is the underlying question - why would God WANT to know everything?

A child learns tic-tac-toe. When he discovers that he knows the end of the game after the first move, he moves on to checkers.

"His ways are not our ways."

You describe boredom. Boredom stems from dissatisfaction at not being sufficiently pleased. God, being God, does not have this weakness.

But then again, "wanting to know everything" kinda screwed up life in Eden, eh?
 

Scarlett O.

Moderator
Moderator
rbell said:
"His ways are not our ways."

You describe boredom. Boredom stems from dissatisfaction at not being sufficiently pleased. God, being God, does not have this weakness.

:thumbs: :applause:

rbell said:
But then again, "wanting to know everything" kinda screwed up life in Eden, eh?

:laugh: :saint:

(I'm trying to be less wordy.)
 
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