RE: How far reaching are God's powers?
November 12, 2020 at 11:35 am
(This post was last modified: November 12, 2020 at 11:51 am by Mister Agenda.
Edit Reason: Expansion
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(November 11, 2020 at 8:12 pm)HappySkeptic Wrote:(November 11, 2020 at 8:01 pm)The Grand Nudger Wrote: Today I'm wondering how moral incompetents can be morally responsible. You have been very insistent that you believe both things to be true. That we are both incompetent, and responsible. You must have worked that out in your head some way, and I would very much like to understand how.
He seems to follow Calvinist teaching. It has always made no sense, but here it is -- people are evil because its their nature, and they deserve punishment for it, because they are evil. God can choose to enlighten the elect by grace to become moral agents and choose to do good. Everyone else is done for.
So, the non-elect are not moral agents. They are bound by evil. It doesn't matter if it wasn't their choice, their punishment is "just" because of their evil nature. Only believers can choose to do good (and that belief is a gift from God - also not their choice).
Combined with Oneness theology; as in the United Pentecostal Church, plus a form of Universalism, of which I heartily approve; eternal torture for finite offense is a problem. Not sure that's a good match, at least when I was in the UPC I didn't have to wonder how I could be responsible for my choices if I don't have free will. They were big on everyone having free will.
(November 11, 2020 at 8:19 pm)MilesAbbott81 Wrote: I don't know what Calvinist teaching is, but I believe he believed in eternal damnation, which is an absurd pagan doctrine. I believe in universal salvation.
It seems you've not been reading this thread at all, actually. Only believers can choose to do good? I specifically said no one can do good of their own accord. Sinners can also do good, by the grace of God. Perhaps you should read and attempt to understand before making judgments.
If free will is an illusion, no one can really choose anything.
I'm not anti-Christian. I'm anti-stupid.