I've received an appropriate number of responses about my gay bashing post but it was mostly about gays, the second paragraph questioned predestination. I was not being sarcastic when I admitted I don't understand it. Predestination, free will or both, I want to know. The only text I have I have trusted over biblical matters is the bible, (usually NIV) and it isn't clear to me. Can it be both? Please respond. CaliBob
Most all people do not like my interpretation of "Predestination" or "free will", but this is the way that I believe it. Most of God's children believe that God, by his foreknowledge, looked down through time and saw the ones that would choose him, and predetermined them to be the ones that he would save eternally. I have found, in my studies that there are scriptures that don't uphold that theory. Psalms 53:2-3, God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back; they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Because he knew this to be the state of man, Eph 1, he choose an elect people, before the foundation of the world and predetermined them to be adopted by Jesus and he paid the price for that adoption on the cross. As far as "free will" goes, God has given man freedom to choose how he will live his life here on earth, whether to serve him, or to serve themselves. God did not give man freedom to choose eternal life, because he, by his foreknowledge, that none would seek him or do good ( Psalms 53:2-3 ). Eternal deliverance is not of man's works, lest any should boast. All scriptures must harmonize.