JohnOfAlabama

I define "free will" not as "the right to choose" but as "the ability to choose." He did not give us the right to choose evil, but we do have the ability, as we all have exercised said ability. But since it is not a right to choose evil, it is called rebellion and sin. God wants us to choose to do right because it is good and right. He's looking, not for robots, but for those who choose willingly to believe and follow and do that which is perfect - to be like Him by choice. I find any theology that says the responsibilty is God's and God's alone to save us to be - how to say this? - the lazy soul's excuse for disobedience / disbelief and also that same soul's feeble accusation on judgment day against God for why said soul is standing on Christ's left. Note that the devil is called the accuser. So we can see clearly the devilish nature of any argument against God by a soul who finds itself on Christ's left - as though God made some mistake. We know that God makes no mistakes - ever. It then becomes clear to me that the responsibility lies with people to exercise their ability to choose the good and the right - to believe it and to do it.

Raised Arminian, remain Arminian and reject Calvinism outright. How could God be love if He says He offers everyone but then says, "Psyche! Sorry, I didn't really mean it for you!" How cruel. God simply knows who will and who won't say yes and He's determined ahead of time to help those who say yes to make it to the end. Like my Mom putting before me a plate of turnip greens and a bowl of chocolate pudding and saying, Pick. She already knows I'm going straight for the pudding. She didn't make me, she just knew because she knows me. God knows the future. He already knows who will be in heaven. Therefore He is called "I AM". He is now creating the world. He is now rescuing Israel from Egypt. He is now on the cross, rising from the dead, with us. He is now coming back. He is now with us a trillion years into eternity. He is - at all points in time, before time, after time. Therefore He knows all things. He knows who will and who won't say yes. If He truly is Love - and He is - then He would not tell me, Come, but then have already decided my fate for me. That is twisted and I think blasphemous. The ability of people to decide is important. He wants us to love Him as a choice, not as robots. He wants us to obey because we see how it thrills Him for us to want to be like Him. He wants someone to love Him. Robots and animals aren't given that choice.

They blame Christianity because it promotes the Truth. They hate us because the world hates Jesus and we are His body. That was the devil... tempted the fellow to do something sinful, shame-filled... filmed him... broadcasted it to shame him... tempted him to kill himself.... Classic devil... steal, kill, destroy. And so, what follows is certainly not blame on Christians or Christianity for the incident.... Just making a general comment - food for thought, for whatever it's worth to anyone... So many Christians do confuse the terms "homosexuality" and "homosexual behavior." The former doesn't necessarily mean the behavior so much as it refers to the condition of brokenness that leads to the temptation.... same as alcoholism... An alcoholic might be "sober as a saint".... but still face the temptation. Temptation isn't a sin... homosexual behavior is sin. If we aren't careful to assert this whole Truth, we rob those who struggle with this of any hope. Jesus never promised to take away our temptations while in this flesh - nevermind what some preachers might say. He isn't saving our flesh. He's saving our souls. He does promise to walk with all of us in the midst of our temptations. What a wonderfully freeing Truth! What wonderful Hope! Are we walking as His Body with each other in the midst of our several temptations? Since Jesus was Himself tempted in every way like we are and was yet without sin, then we can know that He fully understands what we are feeling (whatever our temptations) and knows how to avoid falling. Since He is risen from the grave, we can talk to Him and He to us. That's what His resurrection means to me. In Judaism, we find a rule: never shame another. In Christianity this also holds true. We are not as effective as the Holy Spirit who makes one to feel his/her guilt. Guilt and shame are not the same thing. If we make others feel shame and fear, they will likely never ask for help. Church and Christians should be the safest place/people for others to approach. Are we? Can they see that? I've known 2 people (separated by years and miles) in my own life who have committed suicide because they couldn't deal, felt they couldn't ask for help. Both went to church. Both struggled with homosexual feelings. I know others who have those feelings but who are utterly terrified of anyone finding out. I ache for them so much. We must be so careful not to make a political issue out of this. We must assure people that there is a difference between merely being tempted and acting. We must let people know that if they struggle with those feelings but don't want to indulge them, that we will help them as we help each other resist temptations of all kinds. We must each be willing to be vulnerable about our own struggles even while exemplifying righteous behavior in ourselves and encouraging/admonishing each other. The world will say all manner of evil things about us, but we mustn't get distracted by that. Let our example be louder than its words.