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God‘s authority is central to any thoughtful discussion about the Almighty. Indeed, what seems to separate many dedicated and firm Christians is the question as to what extent God‘s authority extends—Into man’s choices or not? Your thoughts.
Discussion
20 comments
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Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. -
Gods authority doesn’t stop anywhere.
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God is either absolutely sovereign or He is not … and if your god is not .. Then he is not the God of Scripture … For the God of the Bible is absolutely sovereign over all things even salvation
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If God’s authority stopped with man God would not be God, man would be God.
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for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
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God is Sovereign.
We choose sin because of our fallen nature.
We cannot “choose God” … sinners are “dead in sins and trespasses”, God must quicken sinners to life.
Thinking we choose God is the age old heresy, Arminianism. -
These discussions say there about god but then turn to us. Maybe think why did god all things to come into being and only 1 thing is made in his image and likeness. Ask yourself why and then these kind of discussions will never appear again
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Gods plans encompass mans decisions. To say he has authority over mans individual choices is determinism. So he doesn’t have authority over individual decisions but his plans amass many decisions that I believe God has “middle” knowledge to understand the path we will come down and how he needs to intervene. This seems clear in the story of Israel. Even more the story of Jonah.
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Nothing can stop God
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God gets every bit of the glory.
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So if I understand god created people to just have a relationship with some and designate others to hell and people say AMEN am I hearing this correctly?
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Some passages to consider when thinking about God’s sovereignty and man’s free will:
for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
Acts 4:27-28this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
Acts 2:23The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord ; he turns it wherever he will.
Proverbs 21:1And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
Ezra 6:22As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Genesis 50:20His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord , for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
Judges 14:4Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.
Genesis 20:6who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”
Isaiah 44:28Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?
Amos 3:6Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. But he does not so intend, and his heart does not so think; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few; for he says: “Are not my commanders all kings? When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes.
Isaiah 10:5-8, 12The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
Proverbs 16:9The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
Proverbs 16:4For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
1 Corinthians 1:18-19as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”
For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
Romans 11:8-10, 32Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.
John 10:26And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Ezekiel 36:27for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
John 6:29, 37, 63, 65And finally that dreaded passage everyone avoids:
though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
Romans 9:11-21 -
So a slew of texts taken out of there original text not cool. Here’s one Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 5:12-21 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans5:12-21&version=ESV
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In our lives, God’s authority is somewhat limited. By this I mean He won’t trump your free will and force you to accept Him, so you can choose for yourself whether or not you want salvation through Jesus. On the other hand, you can’t prevent Him from using adversity to reach you so that you might be saved. After Jesus’ second coming, God’s authority will trump absolutely everything and everyone for EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.
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It is only by God’s authorization that man has a choice.
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satan is called the “god of this world” for a reason. We are behind enemy lines in a world controlled by satan. If God was in control of everything that happens, why should we bother praying about anything? If God is already in control, why would Jesus need to come back? John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I heard a very clear word from God about 20 years ago. One simple statement- “It grieves me when I get blamed for acts of satan”
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So now Satan is a god. Hmm god said there were no other God’s beside him could Paul mean to communicate something else?
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When God is used with a capital G in the bible, it is referencing the only TRUE GOD. Small g – god is also used many times in the bible. Paul used small g – god for satan because satan is currently in control of the world system. God gave dominion to Adam. God did not say “I will share dominion with you”. Adam turned over dominion to satan. Jesus came back the first time and took spiritual authority from satan. We, as believers, have authority over the works of satan in the spirit realm (according to our faith and right standing). When Jesus returns at the end of the tribulation, He will bind satan and his demons for 1000 years as Jesus rules the earth. Until then, we are behind enemy lines.
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Well when Paul penned his letter I don’t think he had capitolation in mine that’s man’s ideas. As far as the 1000 year stuff I am not a dispensationalist so I won’t get into this debate as I already had 3 of those in last 3 days
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