(March 13, 2013 at 9:43 pm)whateverist Wrote: Do you have any idea what your god wants for you? Does He wish you to do the good you perceive and to grow in your capacity to perceive what is important and what is best? Or does He wish for you to follow His rules? Will those of you who believe in a judgment day be judged like Job and Abraham on your willingness to sacrifice all else to follow orders and do his bidding? Or do you think God really wants you to eventually stand up to him and stand up for what you think is right?
I cannot and never could imagine a God who wants only sycophantic rule followers. Of what possible value would that be to such a one? If God really were anyone you should want to spend eternity with, He should first of all be someone you can respect. Can anyone of any religion explain this to me?
To respect God is to know Him through his Word, to have a personal relationship with Him and this is only possible through one's belief in Christ, Christ himself said no one can come to the Father except through Me. God wants all those who are saved to follow his will for their lives, to do this the above is essential. He desires for us to follow his will for our lives so that his will is done according to his plan. If we do not follow his will for our lives He will use others to keep his plan on track, it is the one's who chose not to follow God's will for their lives that miss out on the blessings He had for us. All Christians suffer this tragedy.
God loves those who believe and those who do not and the same goes for me, you have no choice in this matter. That puts the matter of total free will to rest.
