Recent content by Derf

Saying something for a child's benefit doesn't mean one has to give a false statement.

If He didn't already know what Abraham would do, how would God's actions have been different? And how do you know this? For instance, Abraham might have decided not to climb the mountain, even, in which case, we would never have known whether or not there was a ram caught in the thicket...

Why do they call that dish a "cobbler"?

I'm of the opinion that they go bodily to the grave ("Sheol"). But even if Sheol is the place of the somehow "living" dead, the issue is that Jesus Christ had to die physically and be resurrected physically to assure our salvation. That's because part of our salvation is physical resurrection...

Why? How does Christ's bodily death and resurrection fix a problem caused by a person who sinned BEFORE he had a body?this seems like a big disconnection in your view? Right--they loved the sin they committed before they had a body, so the solution shouldn't require a body.

You are merely pushing the problem back, making the more important thing the immaterial person, which removes the need for the bodily sacrifice of Christ and the physical resurrection of Christ.

You are saying that God made them with the nature that causes them to fall? That's the type of "nature" God created them with? If that's so, then of course He would know which ones would fall, but how just is it that He would punish them for falling, when that's how He made them? If God punished...

Because he was a devil? That's what I think.

is that supposed to be addressed to me?

At what time? When He first chose them (no, I don't think so)? At the time He asked the question (maybe)? or at the time He was arrested in the Garden (yes, and they did)?

Only if He knows which ones will rebel. If He knows that, before they exist, then their fall/rebellion is determined for them...they are not responsible. And if they are not responsible, but are only following a path predetermined for them, it seems unjust to punish them for it. I don't see the...

If Jesus knew Judas didn't believe when He chose him to be one of the 12, it is not hard to believe that Jesus knew he would betray Him, especially since Judas was continuing his evil ways (he stole from the "bag"). Jesus probably even encouraged Judas in his deception by exalting the woman who...

I don't think it is unreasonable, as there's no verse making the claim that He knew such a thing. However, it is entirely appropriate to think God knew SOME of the angels would fall before He created them. Maybe not which ones, because if He knew which ones would fall, then they were determined...

@JudgeRightly responded better than I would have. While we might have different interpretations, it is unlikely all could be correct. There is, whether we discern it or not, one right way to interpret passages, and that means considering when our own interpretation is false. Eventually it...

Glad it made such an impact on you. Yes, "those people". Whoever those people were, are, or will be, they won't repent. Just like most people today, when you tell them they've done something wrong, like abort their babies, will not repent. Why is that a surprise that God could say something...