Quote (Jodi @ April 30 2008,08:51)I am not free, I am a product of my environment of which Yah has complete control over.Hey sis,Can you elaborate on this idea?Being a “product of your environment” can be true when you are talking about how you were raised and so on. But I have a feeling you mean something else? Thanks.

Quote (Gene Balthrop @ April 30 2008,07:25)Quote (Not3in1 @ April 30 2008,06:50)To me, if Jesus didn't have a choice, his sacrifice means nothing to me.  Nothing.Even as I type this there is a stinge of fear attached to the first sentence.  But it's true nonetheless.Mandy…..>remember Jesus was God's sacrifice for our sin's, He was the Lamb of G…[Read more]

Gene,Yes, we are saved by grace, it's a gift from our Father.  He knows we are only dust.  This miracle could not come from ourselves, nor can a baby save itself when there is a fire.  But this doesn't mean that the baby will grow-up and eventually learn for himself that fire can hurt and to get the heck out of a burning building.  Shoot, some hav…[Read more]

Quote (Gene Balthrop @ April 30 2008,06:57)Scripture shows this over and over again.Above is the culprit for our disharmony!I agree with ya, bro, the bible does lend itself to both views.I guess we are left to choose whichever party we like best. No pun intended on the “choose” part!

Quote (Gene Balthrop @ April 30 2008,06:57)“the gentiles who have not the law, but do the things contained in them, showing the law written on their heart (MIND) by the hand of God……> question did the gentiles by their own “free will” to this or did God do it?I remember that when I was learning to drive, my Dad engrained the rules of the road…[Read more]

Quote (TimothyVI @ April 30 2008,06:56)Quote (Not3in1 @ April 30 2008,06:48)Jesus WAS actually plan “B”, remember?O.K. Then if Jesus had backed out. What was plan “C”?Do you thik that God had another plan just in case Jesus did not do what He was supposed to do?TimSure. After all, we are told that God's purposes will prevail. If he needed a plan…[Read more]

To me, if Jesus didn't have a choice, his sacrifice means nothing to me. Nothing.Even as I type this there is a stinge of fear attached to the first sentence. But it's true nonetheless.

Jesus WAS actually plan “B”, remember?

Quote (Cato @ April 29 2008,23:52)Quote (942767 @ April 29 2008,15:39)You know KJ. I am faced with a very tough decision.  I don't know who to believe now, you or God.You set up a false choice it is not between KJ and God, it is between KJ and a group of anonymous authors who claim to know God's intent, not the same.  Scripture does not equate w…[Read more]

Quote (TimothyVI @ April 30 2008,06:37)Quote (Not3in1 @ April 30 2008,06:33)Quote (TimothyVI @ April 30 2008,06:31)My only point is that it is not free will if there is a cause for the choice. And God is in charge of all of the causes.Hope that is clearer than mud.Oh, gotcha.Yes, clear as mud.  Ha!But in making choices……he could have let the…[Read more]

Tim wrote:Hi Mandy,If it was the plan of God from the beginning to have Jesus die for the sins of mankind brought through the disobedience of Adam. How could Jesus have changed it?****************************************He could have said, “Dad, here's the thing, I found a hot Jewish girl and I want to get married – settle down in Nazareth and get…[Read more]

Hi Qin,Welcome!Frankly, I do better with smaller posts but I appreciate what you are bringing here. I'll try to read it later tonight.Glad you are here,Mandy

Quote (TimothyVI @ April 30 2008,06:31)My only point is that it is not free will if there is a cause for the choice. And God is in charge of all of the causes.Hope that is clearer than mud.Oh, gotcha.Yes, clear as mud. Ha!But in making choices……he could have let the people go!! Right?

Quote (Cato @ April 30 2008,06:25)Destiny, yes God may determine which forks in the road we come to and when, but he leaves it to us to pick which direction from there.I think this is insightful.I think it's like saying that God gives us clues and hints as to what path would be good, but we do not have to choose it.I guide my daughter much in the…[Read more]

Gene,Let me put it another way, I would not receive as much joy from my children if I knew I was ultimately in control of their fate (all their decision making and choices). It would rob me the joy of watching them evolve into grown-ups. It would not bring me pleasure and pride when they make good choices because it would be ME making it happen…[Read more]

Irene and Georg,My prayers are with you today and from now on as you battle the cancer. Our bodies really are amazing (made that way by design ). My prayer is that your body stays strong and fights the cancer. It's worrisome to know there is something wrong with our bodies, but I know that you both have very strong faith. God be with you both…[Read more]

Quote (TimothyVI @ April 30 2008,01:02)I have often felt that something is sadly astray in the moral fibre of anyone who can.Boy, you said it. However, these folks are conditioned by their doctrine. Fear is the glue that keeps them stuck in it.They make the mistake of thinking this glue is respect and honor to let God be God – whatever the dried…[Read more]

It's my interpretation of the scriptures that if Jesus didn't have a free-will choice to obey God or not – his sacrifice meant NOTHING!In other words, it was all staged.Instead, I believe that God is taking a chance on humanity. He is betting the farm that the most of us will love him just because. Just because he gives us air in our lungs and a…[Read more]

Quote (TimothyVI @ April 30 2008,00:48)In our pride and vanity, we do not want to admit it, but the truth of the scriptures is that every choice we make is a caused choice.“Freedom of choice” and “free moral agency” are false doctrines that defy the declarations of God.“Mans goings (good and evil) are of the LORD, how can man understand his own w…[Read more]

Quote (Cato @ April 29 2008,23:40)I doubt that the time, place and circumstances of our births are random, there are reasons and methods behind such things so yes to a certain extent there is a point to the idea of destiny.  As the Bard once put it, all the world's a stage, we do not appear to pick part we play but how we play the role given,…[Read more]