August 16, 201313 yr Author Do we choose or are we chosen? That's the question. The Bible says you're predestined.Please elaborate.
August 16, 201313 yr I'm dealing with those who drive the discussion in Ky, and it ain't any black churches. It's WASPs. Get out of the Ville's Catholic blanket and travel to the hinterlands if you don't believe me. What does being in Louisville have to do with anything? All I am saying is the view is not limited to WASPs. Several pastors of black churches in Louisville and outside hold the exact same views.
August 16, 201313 yr Please elaborate.This is is all I have Watusi: What Does the Bible Say About Predestination?
August 16, 201313 yr Author Thanks Whack. To answer your question, I believe whole-heartedly that we have free will to either choose to follow Him, or not, and that is based upon New Testament scripture. Predestination is a very interesting topic of study and discussion. Volumes have been written on it and it has plenty enough meat for a thread of it's own.
August 16, 201313 yr Thanks Whack. To answer your question, I believe whole-heartedly that we have free will to either choose to follow Him, or not, and that is based upon New Testament scripture. Predestination is a very interesting topic of study and discussion. Volumes have been written on it and it has plenty enough meat for a thread of it's own. Agree on all points. I've always accepted the "God predestines the plan, but not the man" idea.
August 16, 201313 yr Do we choose or are we chosen? That's the question. The Bible says you're predestined. Please elaborate. Like I said, since we Christians cannot even agree on the major tennants of achieving salvation which makes it more confusing for non Christians to accept Jesus.
August 18, 201313 yr Thanks Whack. To answer your question, I believe whole-heartedly that we have free will to either choose to follow Him, or not, and that is based upon New Testament scripture. Predestination is a very interesting topic of study and discussion. Volumes have been written on it and it has plenty enough meat for a thread of it's own. Watusi, I have read that the subject of free will, or the term, is not mentioned in the Bible. I'll have to admit I am not as knowledgeable about the Bible as most posters in the religion threads, but if God is all-knowing wouldn't He know what your free will decisions were going to be even before a person is born. Wouldn't God know a thousand years before Hitler was born that he would be responsible for millions of deaths. And if God is all-merciful/all-good wouldnt He prevent those deaths from occurring by stopping Hitler even before he even got started, maybe not allowing him to be born. These are questions that have always confused me.
August 19, 201313 yr Like I said, since we Christians cannot even agree on the major tennants of achieving salvation which makes it more confusing for non Christians to accept Jesus. Great point, Bert. Heck, read all 4 Gospels beginning to end and they agree on very little. Read the Gnostic Gospels and the story changes even more. Hence, my faith is rooted in just that, faith, not in selected readings in the Bible. I'm Catholic, attend Mass, believe God sent Jesus to die for my sins, but mostly, I just try to live my life the right way and be good to others. As my BGP handle literally translates to: Man Plans, God Laughs.
August 19, 201313 yr As my BGP handle literally translates to: Man Plans, God Laughs. Thanks! Always wondered. Knew the "God laughs" part, but not the first part. Thanks!
August 21, 201313 yr Are some Christian taking a different path than this? Admit you are a sinner and turn away from your sin. Believe Jesus Christ died on the cross to save you from your sins and give you eternal life. Come to him by faith. matthew 25 talks about people going to heaven who have done none of these things.
August 21, 201313 yr Author Matthew 25 is a record of Jesus speaking entirely in parables. As you probably know Jesus spoke often in parables, as a way of teaching a single lesson or a certain principle in the form of a narrative. It was an illustration, an analogy told in a way that people would relate to. There is a specific message in each one for his followers. If Jesus taught, in any of them, that you can go to Heaven without repenting of sin and following Him, then I have really missed the message in there.
August 21, 201313 yr matthew 25 talks about people going to heaven who have done none of these things. Just because we don't read of them doing that doesn't mean they failed to do it. What we see in the section you're talking about, in my opinion, is faith being lived out in deeds. Just as it is supposed to be.
August 21, 201313 yr What we see in the section you're talking about, in my opinion, is faith being lived out in deeds. Just as it is supposed to be. I always interpreted it that way as well. I've always found Matthew 25 to be a difficult chapter and the parable of the talents to be troublesome on its face. Not an easy parable to parse out. Interesting coincidence, this discussion of Matthew 25. Just this morning the pope's twitter account sent out the following message: "The greatest design for one's life is demonstrated by the Beatitudes and Matthew, Chapter 25."
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