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Originally Posted by CarolinaCalvinist  Quote:
Originally Posted by toddpedlar Quote:
Originally Posted by historyb Yes, the way I figure it God causes the rain to fall on the righteous and unrighteous. | I really fail to see how this is in any way "grace". Is it grace to give to someone the tools with which
they will effect their own death? Suppose that a neighbor desperately wanted to hammer some nails in his house to
hang up some pictures, but had no hammer. Knowing that it would explode upon first contact with a nail,
you hand him a handy unpinned hand grenade for him to use as a hammer.
Was yours a gracious gift? | The tricky part for me is the context in which that statement is made. Christ says "Love your enemies." Why? " For he makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?"
So is Jesus saying that our love for enemies is a reflection of God's love for his enemies? Does that mean that these acts really are in some way "gracious," and not merely acts meant to heap up more judgment? |
Grace of man to man is not grace from God to man. To say, "He is very gracious, just means he is nice, very friendly"
The reason we are told to do this is becasue it actually brings more judgement upon them. "Heaping hot coals on their head" This is a symbol of judgement.
This thought of the sun and rain is misleading. Can I conclude then when there is a drought, God is not gracious? Or in the antarctic where there is no sun nor rain for months, God is not being gracious?
We love our enemies becasue we are told to do that. God is not bound by this obviously since He destroys all His enemies. WItholds the Gospel, blinds them, deafens their ears.
We are not to repa evil for evil, Vengeance is the Lord's.
I also have a question with poll's, why are they anonymous? Can we not see who voted for what? There is a tendancy for those who are in the minority not to express themselves openly. I find this disturbing. From what I gather here, me and Todd are no voters, yet 12 people voted no, so where are the other 10? Speak up or dont vote!!!!!!