Providence - would you agree?

[whatever]

God from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs and governs all creatures and all events;

Suppose you had to agree with this statement or lose your job. What would you do?

 

[Ransom]

I agree with the statement as far as it's posted, but before I could give my unqualified agreement, I'd have to ask what came after the semicolon.

 

[whatever]

Almost nobody disagrees with what comes after the semicolon. It's the before part that causes heartburn for the thoroughly modern Baptist. But here's the whole sentence, just for you:

God from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs and governs all creatures and all events; yet so as not in any wise to be the author or approver of sin nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures.

 

[webdog]

I would say no. If you say decrees...all thing, and permits...all things, these are two totally separate things. Does God allow sin to exist? Yes. Is God the author of sin? No.

 

[Scott J]

Webdog, Did you read the quote? It says "or" not "and".

 

[StefanM]

I'd have no problem with it, and I'm not a Calvinist.

 

[whatever]

Originally posted by webdog:
I would say no. If you say decrees...all thing, and permits...all things, these are two totally separate things. Does God allow sin to exist? Yes. Is God the author of sin? No.

The statement says that God permits all things, which would include sin, but it goes on to affirm that God is not the author of sin, nor its approver. I guess what I am saying is that the statement agrees with you even though you say you do not agree with it.