So, are you pro-life or pro-choice? Do you think gay marriage should be allowed? There are other questions like this that usually separate everyone, right?
There's a balance between retaining our constitutional freedoms and giving way to immorality. I think that as a democratic government, ours should allow the majority's opinion to shape the law, as long as it does not infringe on the freedoms we cherish.
For instance, I (for now) take the position that it is wrong to end the life of a baby, even if it is not born yet. However, I think that a mother should have the choice of whether or not to abort her own baby. I think it would be better to give the baby up for adoption than to resort to abortion, but I think the choice should be the woman's to make. She will have to face the consequences, though, and so should think carefully about that choice before making it. She will have to face the guilt later on. She may have to answer to God for the life that her decision took away.
One reason I feel this way is that I believe (as a Seventh-Day Adventist) that Sunday laws will be put into effect, with a punishment of economic restriction or even death (I don't believe that this will be the result of the people's overall consent, necessarily, and this will obviously be a lot different than abortion or gay marriage). The issue of Sunday-keeping will inhinge on the rights our forefathers sought to protect in creating, signing, and defending our Constitution. The issue of abortion and gay marriage also inhinges on these rights. I don't know if the majority of our nation is 'liberal' on these issues or not, but if the majority does vouch for their passage, the Constitution protects that right (I believe). The Constitution protects the people's desires. That's what democracy is all about. Moral or immoral, as long as it doesn't pose a threat to other individuals, any given issue, if the majority adopts it, should be given passage.
After all, God Himself is pro-life, is He not? I mean, although He's the Author of life and obviously loves all that He has created, he has given a higher priority to giving us free choice. That's why sin exists in the first place. That's why He didn't destroy Satan from the beginning, why He put the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in Eden. That's why there is pain and suffering in the world today. Someday when sin has run its course, it will be destroyed, but for now, God is allowing the whole universe to see what the cost of choosing sin is, of choosing to go against His Law, which is for our own good.
Be careful that you don't force your own opinions of morality on others. Even if you have God on your side, you don't have his approval to attack others for holding different opinions.
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Samuele Bacchiocchi is the first non-Catholic to ever graduate from the Vatican, the educational institute in Rome where all of the popes have gone through. He studied their archives to support the position that the church changed the sacredness of the Sabbath from Saturday (the 7th day) to Sunday ("the Lord's Day"). This is remarkable, especially considering the fact that he's a Seventh-Day Adventist. He's written several books on the Sabbath, as well as what the Bible has to say about alcohol and womens' ministry in the Adventist church. His newest book is called Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical?, in which he challenges popular Christian beliefs like infant baptism, eternal hell torment, state of the dead, sacredness of the virgin Mary, and others.
Evidently people have accused him of being a Jesuit spy infiltrating the Adventist church because he "promotes Sunday sacredness," rejects the "official" Adventist view of the Pope's title coming out to the number 666, and other aspects. Please check it out and consider these things before labeling him a heretic.
Concerning the allegations that he rejects Ellen White's position as a true, inspired prophet, I've been reading a book by Alden Thompson (I believe) called Inspiration (I think) which addresses popular misconceptions about inspiration as related to the Bible and Ellen White's ministry. It's hard to accept at first because it does challenge things that Adventists sometimes think true for granted, but it is by no means heretical. It's supports Ellen White and the Bible while confronting hard questions about them. Check it out.
One must realize that these findings are based on just the bones of one hominid. The documentary extrapolates and says a whole tribe of people might’ve been like this, but that’s very speculative. Whatever the case, what explains the nature of this specimen’s skull (defined brow, small eyes, 25% smaller head, thick skulls)? And for that matter, what explains all of the specimens that have been called ape-men--missing links from ape to man? Malnutrition and degeneration from humans? Actual evolution? Obviously carbon dating shows that these are ancient, and so must fit into the bigger evolutionary scheme, right?
Well, I’m going to play the odd-ball here, and take a very religious stance on this issue. I didn’t notice any other responses to her poem doing that, so I’ll add a little spice to this discussion.
I believe that war is a result of sin, that peaceful is the way things were originally. The very first war ever started in heaven and was between supernatural beings: Jesus Christ (known also as Michael, the archangel) with his loyal 2/3 of the angels and Satan (once known as Lucifer, now also known as the Dragon) with his 1/3 of the angels he persuaded to join with him in opposing God’s way of doing things (the first time this had ever happened). Satan and his angels were kicked out of heaven and Satan found a place to establish his kingdom (on earth) by successfully tempting Adam and Eve into disobeying God. Because we inherited this nature from Adam’s fall, all of humanity is "infected" with this propensity. This spiritual war still rages today in this world all around us (unseen are the forces, but the effects are evident) and each person chooses sides by the choices they make. Soon it will end.
Is war inevitable? Definitely, I think. And yet, in a way, it is preventable. Up until now war has played a part in history. The claim that it is a biological necessity stems directly from "survival of the fittest" (evolution), the claim that it’s a sociological inevitability results from good observations (although the ultimate cause behind warfare may not be understood), and the suggestion that Ms. Mead makes that war is a bad human invention stems from not acknowledging the Great Controversy (the one I discussed in the second paragraph).
War started with Satan and isn’t even an invention, but rather a "defect", the result of deviating from God’s perfect will. Free-will is the God-endowed variable that allows for war, the privilege of choosing for ourselves, and taking action against those who differ in their choices, which causes great divides between groups. For those who understand its concepts, I bring up the Matrix (movies). The second movie (Reloaded) shows a conversation between Neo and the Architect. The Architect brings Neo to the conclusion of all problems: choice.
It will end. But how can it end if (according to me) choice is the variable that allows for it? God won’t take away free-will. He will let free-will run its course (viz. sin and its results) and all of the universe, including us who are in the middle of this war, will understand from observation and experience how atrocious sin is. Those who have chosen to cling to sin and not avail themselves of the free ticket out (Jesus Christ’s sacrifice) will be destroyed, to no objection from the rest of the universe. To allow sin to continue to exist is to promote it, and the natural end of sin is destruction, for from God alone is life.
I understand that from that point on (when all sin is destroyed), if and when any creature chooses sin again, they also will be destroyed instantly, because earth’s example will be all it takes to remind all of the universe of its destruction. Why allow choice if it results in this? Why didn’t God stop it any earlier? Because He loves His creatures enough to allow them not to serve Him if they so choose. And this Great Controversy is the only time God will have allowed sin to perpetuate, so that all will have had a chance to see for themselves the results of opposing His will.
Sometimes there's no one there at all--except God, although it's those times that I most resent Him because I don't understand why.
In his suffering, Job didn't either. In fact, even at the end, when God finally speaks to him, God doesn't answer Job's questions that take up 40 chapters of the 42, including his "friends" trying to "comfort" him; instead, God asks him84 questions about the wonders of everything God does in nature, etc, to none of which Job gives an answer, because he realizes that God is all-knowing, and that it is His plans that are for our best, whether or not we understand them at the moment.
From the beginning of the book, when Job's crippling tragedies befall him one after another and he himself is struck with physical malady, we know that Satan did all these things to Job, although it was God that allowed Satan to do this, to prove Job's immaterial faithfulness to Him. "Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginnings." Job 42:12a.
"For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!" verse 18, The Amplified Bible paraphrase
And then you have to ask yourself, "Why not me?" By the way, Will Wilson made this suggestion. It's a good one; if everyone else has to suffer, why should I think to be an exception?
"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you" 1 Peter 4:12
"Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, He does." chapter 5, verse 11, The Message paraphrase
I recently saw a conversation between a news guy and an extremist (here). She represented a group of people warning our nation of its sins (homosexuality, war in Iraq) and saying things like "thank God for dead soldiers."
Kind of outrageous, I think, because God Himself ordered the Israelites to war against the wicked inhabitants of the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, and destroy them completely by violence. Not that I think it's the best way, but you can't overlook it.
Also, God leaves us to suffer the natural consequences of our sins, most of the time; He doesn't strike homosexuals dead supernaturally, but has allowed STDs to develop.
It is His to avenge sinners, not our duty. We should admonish, but only as far as people will hear, otherwise our warnings will fall on deaf ears: "5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." Matthew 5:5-6.
People will only see a Judgmental God, not One who is grieved by our sins. "Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?' " Ezekiel 33:11.
Even the prophets of Israel that warned doom to His nation and Jesus Himself wept over their wickedness, not "rejoiced"!
"For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning; Astonishment has taken hold of me." Jeremiah 8:21
"Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, 'If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.' " Luke 19:41-42
"17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; 18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him." Proverbs 24:17-18
"43 'You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you....' " Matthew 5:43-44; Leviticus 19:18
Currently
listening
:
The Eleventh Hour
By
Jars of Clay
Release date: 05 March, 2002
The following is one of many message conversations (this one is the latest) I've had with a friend of mine who believes in predestination. I show this in its entirety because I think it reads best this way, and maybe to gain some feedback from others. If you do happen to know who this is, please be respectful and don't disclose their identity
____________________________________________
Hello friend :)
Yes, I realize that everything you've quoted is from the Bible, and I understand how you could come to the conclusions that you have come to; I support all of those verses in light of the entire Bible. If you truly are being led by the Holy Spirit, I pray that you'll not close your eyes to everything but what you already have chosen to believe (for the Bible as a whole doesn't uphold what you believe; I'll explain below). I've noticed that you choose to ignore all the other verses that don't support your theory or just change them to fit what you believe (in a second I'll make sure that I'm not doing the same below). You cannot say that "all" doesn't mean all just to fit a few verses. You should take the preponderance (majority) of Scripture to explain the few that seem to say otherwise, not the other way around. The majority of the Bible says that salvation is for EVERYONE. Maybe it does says that God has chosen people (us), but it does NOT say that He has excluded anyone, apart from their own rejection of the Gospel (choice). Consider this: God doesn't wish ANYone to be lost (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9) and has provided salvation for EVERYone (John 3:16), predestining ALL to be saved (Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:5,11). No where in the Bible does it say that God has predestined only SOME to be saved or lost.
God is grieved by those who reject His salvation. He CHOSE Israel, yet they continually rejected Him by disobedience until He had to reject them as being His people (not necessarily from salvation, however). He CHOSE Sampson, yet Sampson still grieved Him from a lot of bad choices during his life. He CHOSE King Saul, yet Saul disobeyed until God had to reject him and choose David instead. God's CHOICE of us is conditional on our continual obedience (Jeremiah 18:9-11; 26:13; 32:23; 35:18-19; 40:3; 44:23; Ezekiel 20:8; Daniel 9:10,11; Hosea 4:10; 9:17; Zechariah 6:15; Romans 2:5-11; 6:17; 10:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 3:13-15; Hebrews 3:17-19; 5:9; 1 Peter 1:22; 4:17). This is the way God works, NOT predestination. I hope you can see this. By the way, these are just a FEW verses (please read them, or else you're ignoring the Bible, God's Word. By the way, I HAVE read all the Bible verses that you have sent me so far, so please do read those already sent and these). If you read the articles on that site I referred you to (AmazingFacts.org) you'll find more verses, or I can send you more.
"19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore CHOOSE life, that both you and your descendants may live;
20 that you may love the LORD your God, that you may OBEY His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
I am convinced that maybe you have hardened your heart and mind from anything but what you already believe. If this is true, find it no surprise if I act the same towards all of your arguments. If not, I will continue to listen as I have until now. You should do the same, my friend.
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always OBEYed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." Philippians 2:12
And I agree with Ezekiel 36:16-37 (you listed it). When we choose to accept God's gift of salvation (Romans 14:18), He works with us. But if we, like Israel, continue to reject, disobey, and live contrary to Him (don't you agree?), we will suffer the consequences, just like Israel did.
"We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain." 2 Corinthians 6:1
Notice in this above verse that Paul admonishes us to CHOOSE to accept God's gift of salvation so that it won't be in vain for us. Ephesians 1:11-14 works in accordance with all of the rest of the Bible. As with the above verse, if we CHOOSE NOT to accept God's gift to us in Christ, we will LOSE salvation and our inheritance, which ALL of us--including those who ultimately will be lost because they reject Christ and disobey--ALL (saved and lost) have been predestined to. This doesn't take away from God's sovereignty. Rather, it adds to His glory. What a loving God.
"For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, ESPECIALLY OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE." 1 Timothy 4:10
"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:23
"For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." " Romans 10:13; Joel 2:32
God Bless. Continue to pray. Continue to be humble (teachable), to "study the Scripture to shew thyself approved unto God." Continue in His grace
----------------- Original Message -----------------
everything I quoted is from the Bible, God's words not mine. I don't know much but I pray to God to teach me through the Holy Spirit. That's how I approach the Bible very humbly.
----------------- Original Message -----------------
I just wanted to point out that you have come to these conclusions (predestination) based on your personal experiences, which should never be the basis of what we believe. I know you have some scripture to support it, too, but you have taken the side of the few to the neglect of the many. You've gone so far in your support of this view of God as arbitrary that you've taken clear Biblical contradictions of predestination and changed their clear meaning to fit your view (e.g., saying that the word "all" in connection to salvation provided for all people doesn't really mean "all"). Many people have come from varied backgrounds and experiences and come out with various beliefs (and I'm talking about Christians here) that they seem to be able to support Biblically. I just wanted to point out that you seem to have good support, but ignore the clear support for the other side of the issue (Biblically supported). Please consider this.
God bless.
P.S. thank you for the verse of encouragement you posted as a comment on my profile :)
VERSE 1
Step one you say we need to talk
He walks you say sit down it's just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
And you begin to wonder why you came
CHORUS
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
VERSE 2
Let him know that you know best
Cause after all you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
And pray to God he hears you
And pray to god he hears you and
CHORUS
VERSE 3
As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came
Chorus (2x)
How to save a life (2x)
Chorus (2x)
How to save a life (2x)
-The Fray
Currently
listening
:
How to Save a Life
By
The Fray
Release date: 07 December, 2006
"Let's Get Together, ya ya ya"
Current mood: apathetic
Listen to these words
"24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left," Hebrews 10:24-26
I've already posted a blog concerning this matter, sorta (entitled, "Darkness"). I'm finding that I have no social life apart from sitting in the classroom, which isn't really social. I'm not with friends for meals, studying, Sabbath school, church, doing fun stuff together, or anything else. Life can be pretty lonely when you don't have any social life to speak of. I suppose I try to use this as an excuse for spending so much time on my computer.
Of course you'll say that I should take the initiative, but I've been there, done that, and even when I do take the initiative, so-called "social life" is dead, fake, and amusing at best. Church and Sabbath school shouldn't even be mentioned in connection to social life, I think, because they involve so little social interaction. I believe that the "meeting together" Paul speaks of was then--and should be now--in a more interpersonal atmosphere, with people really connecting, at least more so than people can in a congregational or even "let's-talk-about-the-lesson-study-for-this-week-that-oops-nobody-read" atmosphere.
What am I suggesting be done? I don't know. But hey, blogs are as good a place as any to "vent" or whatever you'd call this...
...besides, no one reads these things anyway, right?
content
sick
breezy
relieved
groggy
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apathetic
