To Knight:
Knight said:
Jim, based on recent posts you have made I would assume you would agree with the following two statements? (correct me if I am wrong)
1. God is not responsible for marring vessels.
2. God has decreed every event that has ever happened for all of history.
Correct.
Knight said:
Does this apparent contradiction boil down to how you define "responsible"?
There is no contradiction, apparent or otherwise, as long as the word is understood correctly. And it's not how
I define "responsible." It is a concept that has existed in all languages since the creation of time itself. There is no contradiction according to the way the word is defined biblically and within the God-ordained languages that have existed for millennia. The now-common idea of "responsible" as merely meaning "who did it" is typical of the dumbing down of language that pervades our culture. It is similar to how words such commonly used as "hope" and "sarcasm" are so widely misunderstood by the people who use them. If one dares to use the word "irony" instead of "sarcasm," which is what is typically meant by those who use the latter, one risks being misunderstood. If one dares to get out the dictionary, one is viewed as a pedantic know-it-all. The word "responsible" is merely one of many words like this. Sometimes people
do use it correctly, such as when someone says, "I take full responsibility for this project," meaning they recognize their culpability. But such usage is not consistent.
The definitions of 'responsible'*
responsible adjective [ predic. ].
- having an obligation to do something, or having control over or care for someone, as part of one's job or role : the department responsible for education.
- being the primary cause of something and so able to be blamed or credited for it : the gene was responsible for a rare type of eye cancer.
- [ attrib. ] (of a job or position) involving important duties, independent decision-making, or control over others.
- [ predic. ] ( responsible to) having to report to (a superior or someone in authority) and be answerable to them for one's actions : the team manager is responsible to the league president.
- capable of being trusted : a responsible adult.
- morally accountable for one's behavior : the progressive emergence of the child as a responsible being.
With the exception of number 5, none of the definitions apply to God. Note that each of the entries with
bold portions cannot apply to God, because God does not answer to anyone, is not held accountable by anyone, and submits to no authority that could rightly or even logically blame Him for anything. Furthermore, the lone exception, entry number 5, is NOT what Open Theists mean when they complain that the Settled View would make God responsible for evil. Moreover, on the Open View, even number 5 cannot be applied to God, which will be demonstrated below.
The origin of the English word 'responsible'
1. Oxford Dictionary's discussion on where the word (not the concept, just the word) comes from:
ORIGIN late 16th cent.(in the sense [answering to, corresponding] ): from obsolete French, from Latin respons- ‘answered, offered in return,’ from the verb respondere (see respond ).
2. Further discussion of 'responsible':
Responsible is an adjective that applies to anyone who is in charge of an endeavor or to whom a duty has been delegated,
and who is subject to penalty or blame in case of default 
responsible for getting everyone out of the building in the event of a fire).
responsible adjective
- who is responsible for the prisons? in charge of, in control of, at the helm of, accountable for, liable for.
- if an error's been made, I'm the one who's responsible accountable, answerable, to blame, guilty, culpable, blameworthy, at fault, in the wrong.
- a responsible job important, powerful, executive.
- he is responsible to the president answerable, accountable.
- a responsible tenant trustworthy, sensible, mature, reliable, dependable.
Again, note that each of the entries with
bold portions cannot apply to God, because God does not answer to anyone, is not held accountable by anyone, and submits to no authority that could rightly or even logically blame Him for anything. The exceptions, numbers 3 and 5, may indeed apply to God, but these meanings are not what Open Theists intend when they allege that the Settled View would make God responsible for evil. See below.
The Open Theist's use of 'responsible' in reference to God
Open Theists will ask "Is God
responsible for [their evil actions], or is the fallen human being responsible?" But note that given the above definitions, God is not, will not and cannot be responsible for
anything, to anyone, ever. Any other usage of this word is unwarranted and does violence to language.
The word for "responsible" or "culpable" or "accountable" is
defined by the concept it represents or signifies, regardless of language. Whether you want to label it "responsible" or "culpable" or "accountable" using its English equivalents, or whether you want to call it
verantwortlich (German) or
verantwoodelijk (Dutch) or
accoutable (French) or
responsabile (Italian) or r
esponsavel (Portuguese) or
ansvarlig (Norwegian), the concept of responsibility pervades the human psyche throughout history. This is because God designed man to understand standards of righteousness and justice, which informs man's understanding of the concept of accountability, responsibility, and culpability, regardless of language, leaving all mankind without excuse.
