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On foresight - if God saves us based on foresight of our faith, foresight of our good works or foresight of any other quality in us, than whatever God foresaw in us is a good work. Then we deserve salvation - God foresaw our merit! We would have a legitimate complaint if God didn't save us. This is not salvation by grace through faith as revealed in scripture.
The example of Judas sheds some light on the subject(s) at hand - Before Judas was born it was written that he would betray Christ, the price he would receive, what the money would be spent on, and the future condition of his children after his death. The plan of God would not unfold in history if Judas failed to betray Christ. Judas was predestined to betray Christ before he was born. God bears responsibility for the fact that he created a creature, Judas, who would betray Christ. God bears responsibility for the fact that he created a creature, Judas, who would act outside of God's normative ethical will. Judas had all options legitimately on the table. He was not coerced to betray Christ. He was not forced to betray Christ. He had everything he needed to choose not to betray Christ. He was outside of God's normative ethical will when he betrayed Christ; for this reason, his sin stands deserving of a just punishment. NO conflicts in any of the above. We don't need to limit the scriptural fact that God plans from eternity in order to hold a man morally accountable for his actions.
No theological lenses are necessary to interpret God's eternal planning strategy. Every detail of history was planned outside of time, great and small. Yet we are all held morally accountable not only for actions, but even for thoughts, and feelings (some of which which may seem uncontrollable - murder and adultery are examples Jesus gives).
NEW EXAMPLE NEEDING PEER REVEIW: Time is a thread, a line, segment with a beginning and an end (Christ). The creature passes along it sequentially. Eternity is not an infinite extension of the line. It would be demonstrated by existing in three dimensional room with the line segment of time contained in the room. That is why eternity, when viewed from our perspective within the timeline, gives a fixed appearance. Wherever you are on the timeline, when you look into the room at God, He is the same. Not even his shadow shifts no matter where you happen to be on the line.
Please critique the above: Does anyone know of scriptures that address "eternity past" as opposed to "eternity future"? That would tend to mitigate against my line vs. 3 D illustration (I made this illustration up recently myself, so it is ready for peer review).
The example of Judas sheds some light on the subject(s) at hand - Before Judas was born it was written that he would betray Christ, the price he would receive, what the money would be spent on, and the future condition of his children after his death. The plan of God would not unfold in history if Judas failed to betray Christ. Judas was predestined to betray Christ before he was born. God bears responsibility for the fact that he created a creature, Judas, who would betray Christ. God bears responsibility for the fact that he created a creature, Judas, who would act outside of God's normative ethical will. Judas had all options legitimately on the table. He was not coerced to betray Christ. He was not forced to betray Christ. He had everything he needed to choose not to betray Christ. He was outside of God's normative ethical will when he betrayed Christ; for this reason, his sin stands deserving of a just punishment. NO conflicts in any of the above. We don't need to limit the scriptural fact that God plans from eternity in order to hold a man morally accountable for his actions.
No theological lenses are necessary to interpret God's eternal planning strategy. Every detail of history was planned outside of time, great and small. Yet we are all held morally accountable not only for actions, but even for thoughts, and feelings (some of which which may seem uncontrollable - murder and adultery are examples Jesus gives).
NEW EXAMPLE NEEDING PEER REVEIW: Time is a thread, a line, segment with a beginning and an end (Christ). The creature passes along it sequentially. Eternity is not an infinite extension of the line. It would be demonstrated by existing in three dimensional room with the line segment of time contained in the room. That is why eternity, when viewed from our perspective within the timeline, gives a fixed appearance. Wherever you are on the timeline, when you look into the room at God, He is the same. Not even his shadow shifts no matter where you happen to be on the line.
Please critique the above: Does anyone know of scriptures that address "eternity past" as opposed to "eternity future"? That would tend to mitigate against my line vs. 3 D illustration (I made this illustration up recently myself, so it is ready for peer review).
