Post by didymus on Oct 23, 2010 15:20:57 GMT -5
The Bible is a classic story of good and evil. It is man's struggle to choose between the two. Many of the classic stories down through the years are based on this theme. The best TV shows are also based on this theme. Most of us like to see evil get its proverbial butt kicked. That's why "Walker, Texas Ranger." was such a success. But the Bible has another element. Spirituality. There are good and evil spiritual forces at work, and humanity is in the crossfire. The war that goes on in the heavenly places between the good and evil forces has physical ramifications. Even when Peter, seemingly out of love and compassion, said that Christ should die, Jesus said, "Get behind Me Satan." We see here, the struggle between good and evil being palyed out between Jesus and Peter. Peter was attempting to prevent Christ from going to the cross. But it was Satan that filled him that was really the one that was trying to prevent Christ from going to the cross. Satan knew that if Christ died, and then raised from death that he would be defeated.
The same thing could have occurred in the case of Judas Iscariot. Satan could have filled Judas and cause him to betray Christ. Later, we know Judas repented. In fact, he was so sorrowful about what he had done, he killed himself.
The question we are all dealing with is, is God in control of evil? Has God predestined evil? I believe not. Why would God be in control of spiritual forces that are trying to defeat Him? Why would God predestine spiritual forces that are trying to defeat Him? Would it make sense for George W. Bush to arm Saddam Hussein to the hilt before attacking Iraq? If it wouldn't make sense for a human being to do something like that, why does it make sense for God to do that?
The spiritual forces of evil could be likened to free radicals in the human body. You can't control them. The only thing you can do is eradicate them. The way God planned to eradicate the forces of evil was by the death, burial and resurrection of His only begotten Son. But the damage has been done. Satan's forces had so corrupted humanity, that humanity is now and forever will be corrupt. The only way to put on incorruption is by being in Christ, and that by God's grace through faith. Once in Christ, the spiritual forces of evil are eradicated. Now, if we sin, it is because we are carried away by the lust of our own flesh. We can no longer claim "the devil made me do it." In Christ, we become a new creation, and all things become new. The spiritual warfare continues but we who are in Christ are protected by His blood.
I better point this out as well. Being in Christ is a spiritual condition, not a condition of the flesh. The physical body is nothing. If we walk in the flesh, we still walk in corruption. Only when we walk in the Spirit are we able to put on incorruption.
How does all this fit into predestination? It is pretty established that sin and death came into humanity through the first Adam. The question then becomes, did God cause Adam to sin? Or did God know that that Adam was going to sin? That brings us to Romans 8.29. It is plain there that predestination is based on foreknowledge.
For the Calvinistic view of predestination to be true, God would have had to cause Adam to sin, which would make God the author of sin. But God is perfect, and sin is imperfection. How can He who is perfect cause imperfection? Since God is perfect, and is perfect in knowledge, and knows all things, it is likely that God knew Adam was going to sin, and predestined a plan to to deal with sin, a plan that culminated with the death, burial and resurrection of His Son.
Amen.
The same thing could have occurred in the case of Judas Iscariot. Satan could have filled Judas and cause him to betray Christ. Later, we know Judas repented. In fact, he was so sorrowful about what he had done, he killed himself.
The question we are all dealing with is, is God in control of evil? Has God predestined evil? I believe not. Why would God be in control of spiritual forces that are trying to defeat Him? Why would God predestine spiritual forces that are trying to defeat Him? Would it make sense for George W. Bush to arm Saddam Hussein to the hilt before attacking Iraq? If it wouldn't make sense for a human being to do something like that, why does it make sense for God to do that?
The spiritual forces of evil could be likened to free radicals in the human body. You can't control them. The only thing you can do is eradicate them. The way God planned to eradicate the forces of evil was by the death, burial and resurrection of His only begotten Son. But the damage has been done. Satan's forces had so corrupted humanity, that humanity is now and forever will be corrupt. The only way to put on incorruption is by being in Christ, and that by God's grace through faith. Once in Christ, the spiritual forces of evil are eradicated. Now, if we sin, it is because we are carried away by the lust of our own flesh. We can no longer claim "the devil made me do it." In Christ, we become a new creation, and all things become new. The spiritual warfare continues but we who are in Christ are protected by His blood.
I better point this out as well. Being in Christ is a spiritual condition, not a condition of the flesh. The physical body is nothing. If we walk in the flesh, we still walk in corruption. Only when we walk in the Spirit are we able to put on incorruption.
How does all this fit into predestination? It is pretty established that sin and death came into humanity through the first Adam. The question then becomes, did God cause Adam to sin? Or did God know that that Adam was going to sin? That brings us to Romans 8.29. It is plain there that predestination is based on foreknowledge.
For the Calvinistic view of predestination to be true, God would have had to cause Adam to sin, which would make God the author of sin. But God is perfect, and sin is imperfection. How can He who is perfect cause imperfection? Since God is perfect, and is perfect in knowledge, and knows all things, it is likely that God knew Adam was going to sin, and predestined a plan to to deal with sin, a plan that culminated with the death, burial and resurrection of His Son.
Amen.
- where's that red wine when I need it
