Hey Oden, did you see my personal theory on how God can be all knowing, yet still give us free will? What you think? Doesn't look like anyone cares to take notice, other than crow.
I thought you raised some interesting points, but I'm already of the opinion that God gave us free will and yet can remain all-knowing. Like I said, there is a difference between knowing the decisions you will make, and choosing what decisions you will make. The only way you can ever know true love is if you freely choose it. God has a plan for all, His plan may involve you just reading the back and forths here and deciding for yourself what is most logical and then choosing to follow Him yourself (Like your fiance ). God works in mysterious and very powerful ways. "God cannot" is an oxymoron and everyone alive can accept Jesus as their savior right now and be set free.
How is you fiance doing by the way mags? I still think about her story often and it's truly inspiring to me. I hope she continues to grow in her faith in the Lord.
Faith means you believe something, no matter the evidence to the contrary. There is no boundary of the universe. Everything is within it, including time and space. Because the universe encapsulates time, there was no "before the big bang.". I understand these concepts are hard to grasp...
Yes just having one person (my fiancé) finding Christ is worth it to me. And who knows what others? Maybe just accidentally stumbling on the site might do for them. And planting a seed into someone can grow into a beautiful relationship with Jesus. I'm sure we will be called insane or without logic; but it actually makes me happy that I'm doing good for Christ. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5.11-12) And to think in some countries, believing and standing up for Jesus, can get you killed. So it's fine with me.
Yes just having one person (my fiancé) finding Christ is worth it to me. And who knows what others? Maybe just accidentally stumbling on the site might do for them. And planting a seed into someone can grow into a beautiful relationship with Jesus. I'm sure we will be called insane or without logic; but it actually makes me happy that I'm doing good for Christ. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5.11-12) And to think in some countries, believing and standing up for Jesus, can get you killed. So it's fine with me.
It's actually quite amazing. She can't keep the bible down. She is always asking me questions on what she thinks the Bible says, and most the time, she is spot on. We went to church together for the first time this morning. She wants to keep going, but says reading the bible alone feels better. I told her that she needs to fellowship with your fellow Christians, so you know you aren't alone in your belief. There is quite a few of us around.
Yeah, it's always so awesome to see someone brought to Christ. I don't care if I'm mocked by a million people, if one person is saved in the process it's so worth it to me. I used to care a lot about what others thought of me, but now I know my judge isn't flesh and bone and I try to do what I can to please Him. Knowledge of man is foolish to God, and is all vanity. When God reveals Himself to this world again all the so-called discoveries and scientific "facts" we've learned will mean zilch, and we will be judged on greater things. And my mother works with Christian immigrants from Egypt, they told stories about how Muslims would go door to door and behead anyone who isn't a Muslim. It's horrific in the middle ease, I keep them in my prayers often.
So cool to hear, you guys will continue to be in my prayers. What translation is she using? My favorites are the NLT and the HCSB, they are a perfect blend between thought-for-thought and word-for-word translations. Perfect and easy to understand for a beginner and very true to the Scriptures.
Still doesn't address my central objection. If God's presence and omniscience are timeless, stretching out to infinity in the past and future, his act of creation is not a momentary thing -- he creates everything at all times at once, knowing the exact outcome for every single organism before that organism even exists. If this is the case, your birth and death were preordained from the very moment the universe came to be (in our limited time view). Your parents may have acted of their own accord in conceiving you, but god knew they would from the moment he set the wheels of the universe in motion. Thus, his very act of creation becomes the defining moment of what will be and what will happen for all time.
We are both talking well outside the boundaries of physics, fwiw (and there's nothing wrong with that!).
Okay I'm gonna break down your statement. 1.) Faith means you believe something, no matter the evidence to the contrary. 2.) There is no boundary of the universe. 3.) Because there is evidence that the universe has no boundary; you require no faith in believing that the universe has no boundary. So I looked up the word "Faith" So actually, what you described as "Faith" isn't the only definition. It also means confidence or trust in a person or thing; faith in another's ability. And with the "scientific evidence"; it is true that nothing can be absolute unless it's scientific law; therefor a certain level of "faith" must be given to the scholars and researchers in their ability to give us the proper evidence. So I will disagree that your definition of "Faith" isn't based on something, no matter the evidence to the contrary. Then you said there is no boundary to the universe. I have been reading "Hawking's proposal", and I must say it's very interesting. But even Hawking's himself; which many agree is one of the most "brilliant minds in science" said So if this is true; then there is no undeniable evidence that the Universe had no boundary. But is an intellectual theory. Again, having "Faith" in the brilliant mind of Hawking. So since there isn't 100% evidence that the Universe has no beginning or end; then you need "Faith" in this theory.
I agree that it's true in regards to his ability outside the universe; but the moment life began inside the universe; then it could apply. Meaning, the words in the Bible make sense to the life inside the universe. If God operated in the universe; then he is bound by the philosophical laws of the universe. I believe God exists not only inside the universe; but outside it as well. The part of him inside cannot be all knowing; but since his being is also outside the universe; then he can very well be and justifiably say "I am all knowing and still give you free will".
You cannot take only a bit of the definition and say it's the entire definition. Do you agree? I agree that you are partially correct in your statement, but I am just as equally correct in mine. I say you have "faith" and you deny it because you use definition #2. I say you have faith by using definition #1. So who is more correct?
Okay, well I didn't take it that way. I actually took it as having "faith" in people or things. Or the faith that what was presented to you is accurate.
