Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Contemplating

Recently I have been thinking a lot about predestination. I know, that's quite a heady subject for 7:45 in the morning. Here's what I've been thinking; in Ephesians 1 Paul speaks an awful lot on the subject of predestination and I just am not sure I fully understand it. I know God calls us and has plans for us, i.e., Jeremiah 29:11, but where does free will step in? If God foreknew everything that I would do, say all the way down to the fact that I don't tie my shoes, then how is free will involved? God knew that I wouldn't like to tie my shoes, God knew that I would go to Eastern, God knew that I would fall madly in love with photography. God knows if there is a spouse and children in my future. My question is, if God is Sovereign over all things and He has called us each to a certain purpose, and He is in control of my whole life, where does sin step in? If God knew we were going to sin, why doesn't He stop us? I guess that's where the whole free will thing gets involved. It also begs the question, why do bad things happen to good people?
Again, like I said before this is heady stuff to be contemplating even before I've finished my first cup of coffee. But, it's been on my mind and I am curious as to what others think on the matter...
Thoughts, comments, bible verses, or books to read are most welcome.

2 comments:

  1. You should read St. Thomas Aquinas Summa. He had a great view on predestination, at least I think so. I remember really like what he said. It obviously wasn't an easy read, but well worth the study of each sentence.

    Of all the philosophy and theology books I read in college, I remember feeling most at ease with his interpretation of predestination.

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  2. Ok, so I have a strange view of things anyway... but here's mine:

    God isn't bound by time like we are. We're only 3D - he's at least 4D. He's here and in the past and in the future. Imagine you're life as a timeline. He's more like the paper that timeline is written on - he's all the way across it at the same "time". So yes, he knows the choices you will make, because he's there as you make them and he's here as you're deciding. But he knows what would happen if you make other choices too. He knows all the ways that timeline could go, depending on the choices you would make, because he's the paper it's written on.

    As for why does he "let" us sin.... ALL THINGS work together for good. Not saying that sin is good, because I'm sure not sinning would work out for even better - but sin doesn't always lead to bad (that sounds horrible to say, since I fully believe that it is bad to sin). God can even turn around bad things for good. Scenario: A woman has a one night stand (sin) and gets pregnant, but has the baby. The baby grows up to be a missionary and brings hundreds to know God.

    Why do bad things happen to good people? We learn in amazing ways from bad things. If our lives were easy, how much would we lean on God? I always find I draw closer to God when I'm broken down. When life is easy and moving smooth, I don't always lean on Him. Those tough times are what show our true character. I'm not saying that I understand when children get sick, live in pain only to die young, or countless other horrible things... But I know that somehow God will turn it around for good. He always has.

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