I notice a fairly widespread problem among Christians and others to authoritatively speak out their assumptions and speculations about God as if they were fact.
I see people making declarations about what God is like, what God has planned, what God feels, what God thinks, what God has done, etc. based on their theological perspective. If I consider those on the issue of determinism, for example Calvinists on the one hand and Arminians on the other--- some Calvinists will say that whatever happens is God's will. But if I read scripture, Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonika that it was God's will that they abstain from fornication. So if someone fornicates, is that God's will? Do we have the authority to declare something "God's will" just because it happened. If the Bible talks about foreknowledge and predestination in regard to the saints, how does that justify saying that God planned all things, which would include the sacrifices of the children to Baal mentioned in
Jeremiah 32:35
“And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.”
(Bold emphasis mine.)
I have encountered someone who insisted that God did not have emotions-- something about 'emotions' containing 'motion' which implies change. I consider that to be a kind of etymological fallacy. The Bible speaks of God's wrath and of the LORD rejoicing.
It seems to me some Calvinists tend to be very bold in their declarations based on their systematic theology moreso than scripture. Jeremiah 32:35 gets explained away as anthropomorphic language. The systematic theology takes precedence over exegesis for some people. If there is scripture that doesn't align with your theory, exercise care what you say about the person of the Almighty.
On the opposite side of the spectrum from heavy determinism, I have read and heard assertions about why God did certain things, or what He is like, or even what God "can't" do. I read once where someone asserted that God cannot use you if you are living in the past? I see no Biblical basis for such an assertion, and it doesn't align with what I know of some people who seem to be living in the past, but still operate in spiritual gifts. There are people who say the reason God let such and such to happen to you was because He wanted you to learn such and such.
We can say things about God's nature, His purposes, and His intentions ___if He has revealed it. Otherwise, we had better keep our mouths shut. If someone says God wants this, God does that, God allowed this for that reason, we can press them on it to show us scripture, or to tell us whether they are prophesying this as revelation from God.
Why is this a big deal? Why should we care if we go spouting off all kinds of stupid theories about the Almightly as if they were fact? Why should we be careful about drawing intelligent-sounding, logical-sounding conclusions based on our systematic theology... that we cannot back up with specific scripture... about the person of the Almighty.
Consider this passage:
Job 42
7 And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
(Bold emphasis mine).
In I Corinthians 15, Paul said if Christ had not risen from the dead, that 'we' would be false witnesses of God for saying that He raised up Christ from the dead, but Christ has been raised from the dead.
So let us be careful not to be false witnesses of God with our speculation. Let us not displease Him by speaking words about Him that are fault. Let our speech about God fall within the boundaries of what He has revealed about Himself.
I see people making declarations about what God is like, what God has planned, what God feels, what God thinks, what God has done, etc. based on their theological perspective. If I consider those on the issue of determinism, for example Calvinists on the one hand and Arminians on the other--- some Calvinists will say that whatever happens is God's will. But if I read scripture, Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonika that it was God's will that they abstain from fornication. So if someone fornicates, is that God's will? Do we have the authority to declare something "God's will" just because it happened. If the Bible talks about foreknowledge and predestination in regard to the saints, how does that justify saying that God planned all things, which would include the sacrifices of the children to Baal mentioned in
Jeremiah 32:35
“And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.”
(Bold emphasis mine.)
I have encountered someone who insisted that God did not have emotions-- something about 'emotions' containing 'motion' which implies change. I consider that to be a kind of etymological fallacy. The Bible speaks of God's wrath and of the LORD rejoicing.
It seems to me some Calvinists tend to be very bold in their declarations based on their systematic theology moreso than scripture. Jeremiah 32:35 gets explained away as anthropomorphic language. The systematic theology takes precedence over exegesis for some people. If there is scripture that doesn't align with your theory, exercise care what you say about the person of the Almighty.
On the opposite side of the spectrum from heavy determinism, I have read and heard assertions about why God did certain things, or what He is like, or even what God "can't" do. I read once where someone asserted that God cannot use you if you are living in the past? I see no Biblical basis for such an assertion, and it doesn't align with what I know of some people who seem to be living in the past, but still operate in spiritual gifts. There are people who say the reason God let such and such to happen to you was because He wanted you to learn such and such.
We can say things about God's nature, His purposes, and His intentions ___if He has revealed it. Otherwise, we had better keep our mouths shut. If someone says God wants this, God does that, God allowed this for that reason, we can press them on it to show us scripture, or to tell us whether they are prophesying this as revelation from God.
Why is this a big deal? Why should we care if we go spouting off all kinds of stupid theories about the Almightly as if they were fact? Why should we be careful about drawing intelligent-sounding, logical-sounding conclusions based on our systematic theology... that we cannot back up with specific scripture... about the person of the Almighty.
Consider this passage:
Job 42
7 And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
(Bold emphasis mine).
In I Corinthians 15, Paul said if Christ had not risen from the dead, that 'we' would be false witnesses of God for saying that He raised up Christ from the dead, but Christ has been raised from the dead.
So let us be careful not to be false witnesses of God with our speculation. Let us not displease Him by speaking words about Him that are fault. Let our speech about God fall within the boundaries of what He has revealed about Himself.
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