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Title: Reply To An Interesting Inquiry of “From Eternity Past” Post by: Netchaplain on September 15, 2013, 08:32:21 PM “So, would you then say that in effect God causes the sinner to sin the sins they sin? Thus when a man is tempted it is because God created Him to be tempted in just this way?”
It is obvious God created man with the ability to sin, same as the angels (but they are not heirs of salvation, just messengers to those who are - Heb 1:14), or Adam and Eve couldn't have sinned. Whether this nature was antecedent of the temptation is irrelevant to me, but God’s foreknowing is. I believe one the primary similarities between the angelic and human order is autonomy, which is what I believe is the primary "likeness" of God, e.g. only man and angels have this ability. I believe it is this ability of choosing for self (Due 30:19) that incurs accountability, and just as the angels were created with the ability to choose, so man also has. God's "ways are past finding out" (Rom 11:33) and I believe He chose to use sin in His plan, which in my opinion does not make God to become a part of sin. To allow for the concept of man being in His "likeness" concerning choice, He "determined" this is the way, or He would have predetermined another way if it wasn't the way He desired it to transpire. God doesn't "cause the sinner to sin" but in order that we are like (likeness) Him in autonomy, this is His way. I expect there will be many who conceive of this concept to be ridiculous and my apologies, but my reason for posting all my materials is to encourage, not compete. -NC (Robert) Title: Re: Reply To An Interesting Inquiry of “From Eternity Past” Post by: nChrist on September 15, 2013, 10:34:30 PM Quote “So, would you then say that in effect God causes the sinner to sin the sins they sin? Thus when a man is tempted it is because God created Him to be tempted in just this way?” No, I would not. God's foreknowledge has nothing to do with causing man to sin. God could have made all of us robots without any will of our own, but He didn't create us that way. Trying to blame God when we sin won't work. That's like trying to blame a car manufacturer for speeding when the fault belongs to the driver. Title: Re: Reply To An Interesting Inquiry of “From Eternity Past” Post by: Soldier4Christ on September 16, 2013, 08:29:49 AM Quote That's like trying to blame a car manufacturer for speeding when the fault belongs to the d Exactly. People are continuously looking for excuses for why they sin, frequently blaming someone else so that they have no accountability in their minds. 'I was made this way' being the most common I've heard. Rom 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Rom 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: |