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RC Sproul on the Doctrine of God

'Edit' your post> go to his post> select and click on the 'quote' popup> go back down to your post edit, place your cursor where you want to insert the quote and click on the "Insert Quotes" button? --I don't know. That's what I would do.
Fixed.

Thank you.
 
You equate God causing all things, logically necessarily implying that we have no freedom to choose. Depending on what you mean by 'freedom' in that phrase, that is faulty logic.
Then explain it to me/ Because o lot of people have tried. No one has succeeded.
The mindset that puts us into God's economy of operation/existence, or God into ours, is, (yes), going to produce the conclusion that we are Robots, given the assumption that God caused all things. But that is a faulty mindset. --God is not like us, literally not. He is that much above us --infinitely above us-- he is of a different order, or kind, of thing from us, that for him to cause every most miniscule fact of this temporal universe, or even the arena of angels before this temporal universe, does not imply that he too answers to natural fact.
He created us in his image

He created us to love us

There is reasons he used terms we understand about himself. Because we are created in his image.
Even those Calvinists/Reformed who believe (ask @Josheb for a couple of post numbers) in some necessary semblance of 'semi-independence' of the human, do everything they can to deny that God is like us, or that he operates from anything (any place) our point-of-view can posit. (Take a look at "God's Attribute of Aseity". He is subject to nothing except himself.)
Which means GOD choses what he will do. And what he will nto do Not us.

Agree?
BTW, God's anger is not like ours. It is infinite, unlike ours, and it does not rule him though he says "it carries him", unlike how it our passions can run out of control. It is not hard for me to say that God's justice is brought against those who defy/rebel, because he is the one who invented and brought into existence and completed that very fact. It is, all of it, a result of God being the first cause. There is no logical escape from his being first cause.
Oh I agree.

It’s a righteous anger. When he is mad, He has every right to be mad. Unlike us.. which can have unrighteous anger.

So when Gods wrath is poured out on this earth, its a righteous anger

However. How is it righteous if God de read everything if no one has a choice in the matter.

I keep hearing we do have a choice.. But then when it gets down to it. We do not have a choice.

See how confusing it is?
 
Might be worth starting a thread (though it has been done before) on assumptions of the synergist's philosophy/mind/mindset, such as that the command implies the ability to obey, and that God being just implies that he would not punish creatures for doing what he planned all along that they would do, and inviting @Eternally-Grateful to it.

I have too much to do at present to gather a list.
I think he tried that already. I passed

I do not believe man saved himself. Nor do I agree that a person who thinks he is saved by grace through faith is a syllogist.

Aerial mocked me because I said I was one way then another way. So I chose to no longer discuss this wiht him.

using Ariel’s defenition of syllogism, I can see his confusion.

But I am not confused.
 
Then explain it to me/ Because o lot of people have tried. No one has succeeded.

He created us in his image

He created us to love us

There is reasons he used terms we understand about himself. Because we are created in his image.

Which means GOD choses what he will do. And what he will nto do Not us.

Agree?

Oh I agree.

It’s a righteous anger. When he is mad, He has every right to be mad. Unlike us.. which can have unrighteous anger.

So when Gods wrath is poured out on this earth, its a righteous anger

However. How is it righteous if God de read everything if no one has a choice in the matter.

I keep hearing we do have a choice.. But then when it gets down to it. We do not have a choice.

See how confusing it is?
If you must look at it backwards, assume as a given, the fact that we do choose.

Given also, the fact that God is first cause, which logically implies that there is no fact outside of his causation.

Then our choosing, and our choices are caused, whether directly or indirectly, by God's causation.

Given further, that first cause is with intent, i.e. God, and omniscient God at that, then all that he caused he intended to happen. It is not by mistake that Adam and Eve, and the rest of mankind (except Jesus Christ) have fallen into sin.

But if you still must insist that our choices are robotic if God determines (or 'establishes' them, as the WCF puts it), then go with your construction, but please find a reasonable logic that shows that God's causation provides, perhaps, an 'envelope' of fact within which our little notions of possibility and unknowable chance prevail over outcomes. That is, to me, anyway, a huge logical error to arrange that, even if put into an envelope, but it is monstrous to consider something coming to pass outside of God's causation. That is simple denial of his Omnipotence.
 
I think he tried that already. I passed

I do not believe man saved himself. Nor do I agree that a person who thinks he is saved by grace through faith is a syllogist.

Aerial mocked me because I said I was one way then another way. So I chose to no longer discuss this wiht him.

using Ariel’s defenition of syllogism, I can see his confusion.

But I am not confused

Writing this in red because it is in my capacity as a mod in order to draw your attention --not meaning it as a warning. Please use the reference method the site provides when you refer to a third party, as a simple courtesy, so as not to be thought to be talking about them behind their back. Write the '@' and then their name with no space between the @ and their name, thus: @Arial ...As you write it, a pop-up should appear even before you finish writing their name, with suggestions of what name you may be attempting to write. Click on the one you wish to address, and it will link that person with an alert that they are being mentioned in your post. Note that you must leave a space between the last letter of their name and the next character, even if it is only punctuation. And just writing @Arial won't do it --the suggestion that pops us must be clicked on. @Arial

Oh, and I have noticed it usually does not work if the line you are writing begins with that @name .
 
...
When you say decree, Can you explain this?

1. God allowed it?
2. God predetermined that it must happen?
3/ God set it in stone that it would happen. And Caused abraham to sin.

"remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,' " Isaiah 46:9-10

That's what I meant. God is also not the author of sin, though I am unclear how we got to Abraham sinning.
 
If you must look at it backwards, assume as a given, the fact that we do choose.

Given also, the fact that God is first cause, which logically implies that there is no fact outside of his causation.

Then our choosing, and our choices are caused, whether directly or indirectly, by God's causation.

Given further, that first cause is with intent, i.e. God, and omniscient God at that, then all that he caused he intended to happen. It is not by mistake that Adam and Eve, and the rest of mankind (except Jesus Christ) have fallen into sin.

But if you still must insist that our choices are robotic if God determines (or 'establishes' them, as the WCF puts it), then go with your construction, but please find a reasonable logic that shows that God's causation provides, perhaps, an 'envelope' of fact within which our little notions of possibility and unknowable chance prevail over outcomes. That is, to me, anyway, a huge logical error to arrange that, even if put into an envelope, but it is monstrous to consider something coming to pass outside of God's causation. That is simple denial of his Omnipotence.
Or assume the fact that God created a being like us to serve us and to love us. But did not want us to be robots. He wanted to prove his love. He also wanted to prove what would happen if we walk away from his love. So like in romans 1.

23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

we see here the truth about what they did and what God did in response.

1. We know they created their own Gods - Idols changing the glory of an incorruptible to God to a corruptible
2. They exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped the creature rather than the creator (they knew God. so to say they could not know God does not fit the passage. )
3. Hence God gave them over, or turned them over or delivered them to their own passions - He did not cause them to sin, did not cause them to do anything. He allowed them to live in their sin. and in doing so. Allowed them to live in their punishment due
4. And I do see a purpose. God allowing us freedom to do what we will, is showing the universe for all eternity what happens when we walk away from God and his tender care and his mercy. Because when this human experiment is done. There will be no more rebellion. Because we will have a living testimony of what happens when we walk away from God. Not only the human witness, but the Angelic witness.
 
Oh, by the way, I have found that the post I wish to quote and answer does not quote if I am off-line. (I can write an answer while offline, but not send it.)
its amazing it even allows you to write while offline.. Thats good to know.
 
...


"remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,' " Isaiah 46:9-10

That's what I meant. God is also not the author of sin, though I am unclear how we got to Abraham sinning.
Is 46 is God talking about his prophets. who he speaks of things to come, He declares the end from the beginning. He will accomplish all his purpose.

Not everything all men do are according to Gods purpose. God does not prophecy each mans doing from birth till death.

But God has plans (Israel, Christ, Redemption, the past, the present the future) that are inside his plans. And he has given us great insite into those plans which help us not only know who he is. But what he is about so we can align our plans with him.

I agree. God is not the author of sin. Nor did he cause it. God did not have Abraham commit adultery with his young maidservant even though he had permission. Abraham did this all on his own. and as romans 1 says, Because he did it, His sin has repercussions. we still see those repercussion today between Isaac and Ishmael.

Now some say this was Gods plan all along

I say it was not. it was the wage of what happens when we do not follow God but follow self. And something we should learn by..
 
Is 46 is God talking about his prophets. who he speaks of things to come, He declares the end from the beginning. He will accomplish all his purpose.

Not everything all men do are according to Gods purpose. God does not prophecy each mans doing from birth till death.

But God has plans (Israel, Christ, Redemption, the past, the present the future) that are inside his plans. And he has given us great insite into those plans which help us not only know who he is. But what he is about so we can align our plans with him.

I agree. God is not the author of sin. Nor did he cause it. God did not have Abraham commit adultery with his young maidservant even though he had permission. Abraham did this all on his own. and as romans 1 says, Because he did it, His sin has repercussions. we still see those repercussion today between Isaac and Ishmael.

Now some say this was Gods plan all along

I say it was not. it was the wage of what happens when we do not follow God but follow self. And something we should learn by..

Nothing happens in a vacuum.
 
Nothing happens in a vacuum.
I agree.

God knew adam would sin. And he had a plan to overcome that sin. and restor mankind to himself

Just because God knows a person will do something, does not mean God caused it.

He may put a road block to stop it (Jonah) he may allow it to happen.

Its not for us to blame God if he allowed it. And will we never know if he prevented it. unless he shows us.
 
Even those Calvinists/Reformed who believe in some necessary semblance of 'semi-independence' of the human, do everything they can to deny that God is like us, or that he operates from anything (any place) our point-of-view can posit.
Calvinists do everything they can to deny God is like us?

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He would lie, Nor a son of man, that He would change His mind; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Job 9:25-35
Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good............. If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, yet You would plunge me into the pit, and my own clothes would abhor me. For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him, that we may go to court together. There is no umpire between us, who may lay his hand upon us both. Let Him remove His rod from me and let not dread of Him terrify me. Then I would speak and not fear Him; But I am not like that in myself.

James 1:17
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow...... Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God.

See also Galatians 5:19-21.


No arguments from my posts from me are needed to understand the affect (emotion) of God is different in both substance and method from sinfully corrupted humans made in God's image (not the other way around).
 
Or assume the fact that God created a being like us to serve us and to love us. But did not want us to be robots. He wanted to prove his love. He also wanted to prove what would happen if we walk away from his love. So like in romans 1.

23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

we see here the truth about what they did and what God did in response.

1. We know they created their own Gods - Idols changing the glory of an incorruptible to God to a corruptible
2. They exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped the creature rather than the creator (they knew God. so to say they could not know God does not fit the passage. )
3. Hence God gave them over, or turned them over or delivered them to their own passions - He did not cause them to sin, did not cause them to do anything. He allowed them to live in their sin. and in doing so. Allowed them to live in their punishment due
4. And I do see a purpose. God allowing us freedom to do what we will, is showing the universe for all eternity what happens when we walk away from God and his tender care and his mercy. Because when this human experiment is done. There will be no more rebellion. Because we will have a living testimony of what happens when we walk away from God. Not only the human witness, but the Angelic witness.
You make this about us. You draw implications from your point of view, not using Romans 1 to prove your point of view, but to interpret Romans 1 according to your point of view. I don't want to call it circular, as I don't want to invoke 4.4 and I'm not sure that's the word I want anyway, but I don't think this is proof of your point of view. So your points 1-3 don't result in 4, even with your use of "allowed" in place of "caused".

You continue, in the usual self-deterministic manner, to center your theology on man, and not on God.

Can you show from Scripture that God (not 'the son of man' only) created us in order to serve us and to love us? I say that is only a construction to support anthropocentrism. The reason for our existence is not to be served and loved, but for God to use for his own glory and praise.
 
Aerial mocked me because I said I was one way then another way. So I chose to no longer discuss this wiht him.

using Ariel’s defenition of syllogism, I can see his confusion.
1. How is understanding what you say, or the way you say it, is one way and then another, and pointing this out, mocking? Is the fault mine for seeing it that way, or is the fault in how you are expressing yourself?
2.When did I ever give a definition of syllogism?
3, What are you referring to here that you won't discuss with me but will what? mock me? behind my back?
4. I am not a man but a woman.
5. My name is spelled A-r-i-a-l, not A-r-i-e-l. (Feminine spelling of Ariel.)
 
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You make this about us. You draw implications from your point of view, not using Romans 1 to prove your point of view, but to interpret Romans 1 according to your point of view. I don't want to call it circular, as I don't want to invoke 4.4 and I'm not sure that's the word I want anyway, but I don't think this is proof of your point of view. So your points 1-3 don't result in 4, even with your use of "allowed" in place of "caused".
So you disagree. Just say you disagree.
You continue, in the usual self-deterministic manner, to center your theology on man, and not on God.
Oh here we go

My friend you get this from your theology. Your theology says if I trust Gid and thinks this is how I am saved I am self deteminant.

So we are in effect at a stalemate. Again just say you disagree
Can you show from Scripture that God (not 'the son of man' only) created us in order to serve us and to love us? I say that is only a construction to support anthropocentrism. The reason for our existence is not to be served and loved, but for God to use for his own glory and praise.
Read the whole book f the word. What does the Bible teach us about god. Does it not say he will take care of all our needs. We can trust him we can rest in hdid
He not tell Adam I have given you everything you need

Did he not tell Isreal he woyld
Love and serve and protect them if only they would receive and obey him

I do not know how you can read the word and see anything else
 
So you disagree. Just say you disagree.
That's far from all I said. It is silly to just say, "I disagree", without explaining why or in what way one disagrees.

makesends said:
You continue, in the usual self-deterministic manner, to center your theology on man, and not on God
Oh here we go

My friend you get this from your theology. Your theology says if I trust Gid and thinks this is how I am saved I am self deteminant.
My theology comes from the same place that that assessment does. The Bible is entirely God-centered. As in, "...for from him and through him and to him are all things." But your notion that God is here to 'serve man and love him', whatever that means, is not what Scripture says. We are here for him, and not for ourselves. He is not here for us, but for his own glory. That he gives us what we need is only part of his plan that includes us, and it is so wildly beyond us, that we are lifted up by the mere consideration, rather than to be satisfied by what we get now as though that was the end of consideration on the matter.
So we are in effect at a stalemate. Again just say you disagree
That's far from all I was saying. It is silly to just say, "I disagree", without explaining why or in what way one disagrees.
Read the whole book f the word. What does the Bible teach us about god. Does it not say he will take care of all our needs. We can trust him we can rest in hdid
He not tell Adam I have given you everything you need
What has that to do with proving your point? That he gives us all we need does not mean that this is about US.
Did he not tell Isreal he woyld
Love and serve and protect them if only they would receive and obey him
Verse, please. I'll happily deal with each instance. Please don't 'proof text' out of context.
I do not know how you can read the word and see anything else
I don't know how you can read the Word and not see that this is all about God, unless by a human-centered worldview.
 
Read the whole book f the word. What does the Bible teach us about god. Does it not say he will take care of all our needs. We can trust him we can rest in hdid
He not tell Adam I have given you everything you need
Where else would our needs come from? Who causes it to rain on the righteous and the unrighteous? Whose faithfulness sustains all of creation; sets the boundaries of the oceans; supplies food for the birds, and beasts, cattle; keeps the stars and planets in their orbit? Does any of that bring glory to any but himself?

He also says we will suffer and be persecuted. Read the whole book.
 
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God knew adam would sin. And he had a plan to overcome that sin. and restor mankind to himself
My Bible tells me it was through sinful man being redeemed that he was doing something far bigger, that has nothing to do with us. Do you know what that is?
Just because God knows a person will do something, does not mean God caused it.
Did someone say it did? By "caused" I assume you are not using the theological use of first and second cause or providence, but are using it as "made him do it"?
 
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