You know, I was thinking...

[kenny2212]

I think JohnD is right. God is all knowing.

[Daniel 11:36]

The entire story of the parable of the rich man is just that .... a parable

It is not an actual event and the Lord tells it to make a point

 We can be sure that of all the people Jesus taught, none were handled more guardedly than the wily Pharisees 

They dealt in deception and subterfuge, but Jesus dealt with them wisely and truthfully

The safest way for Him to do this was by parable and allegory

[JohnD]

5 hours ago, Daniel 11:36 said:

The entire story of the parable of the rich man is just that .... a parable

It is not an actual event and the Lord tells it to make a point

 We can be sure that of all the people Jesus taught, none were handled more guardedly than the wily Pharisees 

They dealt in deception and subterfuge, but Jesus dealt with them wisely and truthfully

The safest way for Him to do this was by parable and allegory

Except that Lazarus was named as was Abraham.

Parables tend not to name names. This reads more like an historic account. 

[JohnD]

On 5/1/2017 at 5:17 AM, Dennis1209 said:

Just a side note I found interesting. There's a number of scholars that think this "rich man" is one and the same from Matthew 19: 16-27.

IMHO this was actually Saul of Tarsus. And as you know, he couldn't be the rich man of Luke 16 if it is him in Matthew 19.

Note that Jesus actually did call him to follow him.

Romans 11:29.

[Daniel 11:36]

"Except that Lazarus was named as was Abraham.

Parables tend not to name names. This reads more like an historic account."

 

Still it is a parable used by the Lord

[kenny2212]

I just have a question, John D. You said God knows the future and I agree. So God knows whether a baby will live on this earth or not. How does God impute the consequences of a life not lived to a person he knows will not live such life? 

[kenny2212]

What I'm saying is- God knows that a baby will not live. That means God knows that the baby doesn't have a future on this earth (after the baby's death). That means there's no chance that the baby will live on this earth. So there's no "if the baby lives this is the life it will live". 

 

 

[OldCoot]

Might have missed something like this in all the posts, but New Age UFO types have gone to great lengths to postulate a position that dismisses a rapture.  They explain a mass disappearance as a UFO evacuation that removes those not in proper vibration with the earth so that the earth can move on to a new dimensional existence. And they even include a removal or all the children, since they cannot handle the massive earth changes that will occur.   This video shows quotes from many of these New Age / UFO writers. One thing interesting.... they explain away only a pre-trib rapture and not mid or post trib version.  Interesting.

 

 

[JohnD]

3 hours ago, Abby-Joy said:

Then why didn't God just end it all after the fall?  Knowing whether all future people would choose Him or not... it sure would've saved us a whole lot of heartache.... 

A good question.

The answer is:

for the same reason he did not resolve all of this before he created us.

These things actually had to occur.

And the reason it has taken so long after his ascension to heaven is

CHOICE.

Believers choose not to throw their whole lives into the service of the

LORD who bought them with his own blood.

Thus delaying the harvest for generation after generation (so the LORD

can place believers at points in history where they will receive the Gospel)

and when the number of the Gentiles is come in, then the Great Tribulation

will occur to bring the Jews back into the fold.

Complicated (to us). Simple to God.

But it must be frustrating to him.

Necessary, for there to be real choice.