I have been raised in a Christian home, attended Liberty University, went in the Army as an officer, where I am to this day. Slowly over the last 8 years I began having doubts about why we would be in the situation in the first place if God were so sovereign; not a specific or particular one today, but as humans on this earth, who are now in what seems a pit we are told we have to dig our way out of ...But I know he Lord in my heart. I have been there, on the highs, where I felt his presence and knew peace. But there have been significantly more lows. Why did he create us, knowing we would fail? Free will? Even the most devout of Christian leaders today can't even agree on that concept. And if so, who is to say that when he comes back, and all who are saved are taken to heaven, that it won't happen all over again? Yes, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire, but sin came from somewhere in the beginning before there was sin, right? I guess my question is why all this? I recall a very about the potter and the clay, where some pots were destined for destruction. Assuming that is a metaphor relating to humans, why crest some to send them to hell? I'm in the struggle for sure, I feel the Lord, and I pray to him, but I know I don't need to tackle this alone, or so I feel that way at least.
WHY DID GOD DO IT?
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That Scripture you refer to about God creating some for destruction was a question asked by Paul and not a good line to build doctrine on, in my honest opinion. God desires all to come to saving knowledge of Him, and that means accepting His plan for salvation through the propitiatory sacrifice Jesus Christ made on our behalf.
Welcome to CC! I hope you enjoy your time with us
Welcome to CC! I hope you enjoy your time with us
He formed us. He made us. He created us for His glory (Isa 43:7; 1 Cor 1:9). He wants fellowship with us (Eph 3:9-10). It gave Him pleasure to create us (Rev 4:11). He calls us friend (John 15:15).
We know that this won't happen again because death will be gone for all time (Isa 25:8); it will be abolished (1 Cor 15:26). Death and hell won't have any power anymore (Hosea 13:14). They'll be in the lake of fire (Rev 20:14). At the time of creation, satan wasn't banished to the lake of fire yet. When he is, there's no coming out. Also, what brought death to the earth was eating from the "Tree of knowledge". If you read Rev 22, it talks about the new earth, only the "Tree of Life" will be there, not the other one.
He doesn't want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9). Even though He knows what you're going to do, He still must give you a chance or He wouldn't be a just and fair God.
My advice: Ecclesiates 8:17 says, "then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it." There's going to be things that we don't fully understand, that's why God asks us to come to Him with childlike faith (Matt 18:3). Read Psalm 139, you'll see that God knows EVERYTHING about you. So, rest in the knowledge that God's got this. Pray that God will reveal Himself to you more, and He will. Jesus said, "seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" Matt 6:33. If you do this, in time, you'll get more understanding.
I hope this helped.
We know that this won't happen again because death will be gone for all time (Isa 25:8); it will be abolished (1 Cor 15:26). Death and hell won't have any power anymore (Hosea 13:14). They'll be in the lake of fire (Rev 20:14). At the time of creation, satan wasn't banished to the lake of fire yet. When he is, there's no coming out. Also, what brought death to the earth was eating from the "Tree of knowledge". If you read Rev 22, it talks about the new earth, only the "Tree of Life" will be there, not the other one.
He doesn't want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9). Even though He knows what you're going to do, He still must give you a chance or He wouldn't be a just and fair God.
My advice: Ecclesiates 8:17 says, "then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it." There's going to be things that we don't fully understand, that's why God asks us to come to Him with childlike faith (Matt 18:3). Read Psalm 139, you'll see that God knows EVERYTHING about you. So, rest in the knowledge that God's got this. Pray that God will reveal Himself to you more, and He will. Jesus said, "seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" Matt 6:33. If you do this, in time, you'll get more understanding.
I hope this helped.
M
Hi Phil,
Welcome to CC, hope you find the answers you need.
Just re the sin question - sin came from somewhere.
Sin as we know it, came from Adam when he disobeyed God. They were never
created to carry the knowledge of good and evil, be able to have that distinction.
human beings could not handle it. Not that such knowledge was bad in and
of itself, but God knew we could not have that knowledge and remain untainted.
So for example they had no concept of nakedness until Adam and Eve gained that
knowledge. Sin isn't just about actions it's about thoughts and motives as well.
God has that knowledge, even the Angels do but mankind was not suppose to have it,
they were suppose to live with God untainted and holy in a relationship with God.
But the good news is, we can still have that close relationship with God through Jesus
if we accept his gift of live won on the cross.
Welcome to CC, hope you find the answers you need.
Just re the sin question - sin came from somewhere.
Sin as we know it, came from Adam when he disobeyed God. They were never
created to carry the knowledge of good and evil, be able to have that distinction.
human beings could not handle it. Not that such knowledge was bad in and
of itself, but God knew we could not have that knowledge and remain untainted.
So for example they had no concept of nakedness until Adam and Eve gained that
knowledge. Sin isn't just about actions it's about thoughts and motives as well.
God has that knowledge, even the Angels do but mankind was not suppose to have it,
they were suppose to live with God untainted and holy in a relationship with God.
But the good news is, we can still have that close relationship with God through Jesus
if we accept his gift of live won on the cross.
E
Christ came first as a suffering servant and He will return in glory. I can tell you that we do not know what the future holds in detail, but we do have the word which is the only thing that will remain. Christ says He is going to thoroughly purge His floor and it also says we are to put our trust in Him as a faithful creator. So instead of us vainly asking why things are the way they are we ought to know the word more and hope until the end and look towards the great day of His return! Besides the answers to why things are the way they are is written in the word, however, we as humans sometimes what to grasp it by worldly standards instead of taking God at His word. I hope this helps and doesn't seem like a bitter response because it isn't.
F
The Bible's answer is that in this world we are living in enemy occupied territory, which is why we need people like yourself, thank you for you service. But that God is going to set it all straight.
Have you ever read C S Lewis's "Mere Christianity"? He deals with the questions you raise in what I think is the most plausible and understandable manner. I highly recommend it. Welcome to the forum.
Have you ever read C S Lewis's "Mere Christianity"? He deals with the questions you raise in what I think is the most plausible and understandable manner. I highly recommend it. Welcome to the forum.
Do you ever listen to teachings? There are many resources online, some programs, archives, etc. Have you ever listened to kari55.com? They are also online, radio programs usually about fifteen to thirty minutes in length, and many good teachers. I would also highly recommend Back To The Bible Canada | Canadian Bible Teaching with Dr. John Neufeld Good luck and God bless!
Good luck and God bless!
D
You feel him and pray to him? Sounds one way. Do you hear from him -- aka read what he says about stuff in his word?
All this is in there. You sound like you think we deserve this. We deserve hell. That is the rightful, just sentence for who we are and what we deserve. It is who everyone is and what we all deserve.
So, he made a right and just way out of that by Jesus going through all the bad stuff we could ever think could happen, and then some.
You were on death row waiting for your sentence to be carried out. You deserved that. God didn't just give you a pardon, he took your sentence and served it himself. You aren't merely "not guilty." According to his pronouncement, you are innocent.
So what now? You're going to complain because you're not the only prisoner he set free?
It's a great deal! I like passing it on. This gift horse isn't long-in-the-tooth, so I'm riding this removed-sentence for eternity. Why would I complain I'm not the only one?
All this is in there. You sound like you think we deserve this. We deserve hell. That is the rightful, just sentence for who we are and what we deserve. It is who everyone is and what we all deserve.
So, he made a right and just way out of that by Jesus going through all the bad stuff we could ever think could happen, and then some.
You were on death row waiting for your sentence to be carried out. You deserved that. God didn't just give you a pardon, he took your sentence and served it himself. You aren't merely "not guilty." According to his pronouncement, you are innocent.
So what now? You're going to complain because you're not the only prisoner he set free?
It's a great deal! I like passing it on. This gift horse isn't long-in-the-tooth, so I'm riding this removed-sentence for eternity. Why would I complain I'm not the only one?
D
That Scripture you refer to about God creating some for destruction was a question asked by Paul and not a good line to build doctrine on, in my honest opinion. God desires all to come to saving knowledge of Him, and that means accepting His plan for salvation through the propitiatory sacrifice Jesus Christ made on our behalf.
Welcome to CC! I hope you enjoy your time with us
View attachment 148754
Welcome to CC! I hope you enjoy your time with us
View attachment 148754
I worry when you start dividing God's book into what you'll accept and what you won't accept.
E
You know I think you are on to something. When someone wants to get rid of weeds in their yard they kill them at the root. I think where ever sin comes from is out of the love of money. The word says money is the root of all evil. Hear me out. I think that people who like go to hookers do so because they have a need and the the love of money keeps them from proper intimacy. Same with drugs the love of money keeps people under the wrath of God and so they need to feel good. And so on and so on. I say kill sin at the root a repent of the love of money who ever may need to.
K
Here's a great book that is an easy read and not too long. It may well help you with some of what you are feeling
http://www.amazon.com/Case-Faith-Journalist-Investigates-Christianity/dp/0310234697
And thank you for serving the country. Blessings.
This is one of the big* parts that I struggle with. The argument doesn't really make that much sense to me.
If He does know what you're going to do before you're even created, then how is this giving you a chance? To me, that sounds like there's absolutely no fairness or chance. It sounds to me like some people were created to burn. There is no surprising an all-knowing God.
*not really that big haha
If He does know what you're going to do before you're even created, then how is this giving you a chance? To me, that sounds like there's absolutely no fairness or chance. It sounds to me like some people were created to burn. There is no surprising an all-knowing God.
*not really that big haha