Man left to himself?

[BobRyan]

quote:
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Let me ask a pointed question. You have probably seen what is happening in New Orleans in the hurricane's aftermath. Pick a looter - in what way is God influencing that person's actions? God could prevent every bit of that nonsense, and yet He doesn't. How is His influence at work in people like those?
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God SHOWS what His influence is from PAGE 1 !!

God speaks to the murdering plans/thoughts/anger of Cain BEFORE he murders and tells him to "resist the devil and he will flee from you" (in essence).

It is not a question of "IS God powerful enough to kill Cain before Cain kills Abel"!

IT is NOT a question of "IS God POWERFUL enough to kill Adam before Adam sins"

It is NOT a question of "IS God POWERFUL enough to stop Eve from sinning when GOD OWNS Eden"!!

It is NOT a question of POWER! Or of MAKING robots do or not do something.

It is the totally foreign concept to Calvinists - called "Free Will".

IN Christ,

Bob

 

[4study]

BobRyan,

You make some good points.

I'd like to think I'm fairly educated on the Arminian vs. Calvinism debate. I'm very familiar with both sides.

I don't consider myself either a Calvinist or an Arminian so there are certain terms like "choice" that are difficult for me to explain. Like "free will" for instance is not a term I use. I don't believe in it. Yet at the same time, I don't believe in "total depravity".

I agree that the very thought of discussing such things is a great undertaking no matter how hard we try to make ourselves understood. But sometimes I enjoy the challenge and attempt it anyway.