everything is predestined?
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God is true to his word. He has kept to the covenant(s) even tho Israel broke their end of the bargain time and again. Twice, that I recall, He was going to destroy Israel and make a new covenant with Moses but Moses pleaded with him not to. God is not limited but does choose to be forgiving at times. I look to modern man for an example of how forgiving God is. How many times has He forgiven you and me?
I am sorry you have a doctrinal dilemma, and you are mistaken. First, God keeps His word, as God prophesied in Genesis 3:15. If you are speaking of the doctrine known as Kenosis, which is willful limitation of oneself. Then you were not very clear on that point.
"Do you agree that God has the power and authority place limitations on what He will allow Himself to do in any particular world He created."
The Son of God, the third person of the Trinity, came in the likeness of fallen man yet without sin. Jesus humbled Himself. Jesus said No one take my life, I have the power to lay it down and the Power to take it back again. That is not a limitation, that is Meekness Power under control. A limitation would be that Jesus was killed on the cross and he could not be resurrected. The physical body of Jesus was limited before the Resurrection. He slept, ate, got tired, etc.. That is the body limitation Not God's
"Do you agree that God has the power and authority place limitations on what He will allow Himself to do in any particular world He created."
The Son of God, the third person of the Trinity, came in the likeness of fallen man yet without sin. Jesus humbled Himself. Jesus said No one take my life, I have the power to lay it down and the Power to take it back again. That is not a limitation, that is Meekness Power under control. A limitation would be that Jesus was killed on the cross and he could not be resurrected. The physical body of Jesus was limited before the Resurrection. He slept, ate, got tired, etc.. That is the body limitation Not God's
Bro:
How did God choose Paul while he was still a sinner if He didnt know that Paul was gonna repent? How did God know Jeremiah before He was formed in the womb.
Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
How did God choose Paul while he was still a sinner if He didnt know that Paul was gonna repent? How did God know Jeremiah before He was formed in the womb.
Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
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I have looked at the word translated as "before" in that text (בְּטֶרֶם B-TeReM ) and at the other places it is used in the old testament. It does not appear to mean "before" but rather " while yet" when used with an imperfect Hebrew verb form and "just as" when used with a perfect Hebrew verb form.
Gen 2:5 While no bush of the field[fn] was existing (YiHYeH, Qal imperfect) yet (TeReM) in the land[fn] and no small plant of the field [was yet] springing up (qal imperfect) —for the LORD God had not caused it to rain (Hiphil perfect) on the land, and there was no man to work the ground...
Gen 19:4 But while yet they were lying down (YiShKaBU, Qal imperfect , the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded (Niphal perfect) the house.
Gen 24:15 While he was finishing (piel imperfect) to speak (niphsl infinitive), behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder.
Gen 24:45 “While (TeReM) I was yet finishing ("aKaLeH, piel imperfect) to speak (piel infinitive) in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’
Gen 27:4
and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you while as yet (B-TeReM) I am dying ("aMUT, qal imperfect) .” and so on...
So, I think Jer. 1:5 is more correctly understood as saying -
Jer 1:5 “While as yet (B:TeReM) I was forming you ('eTsaR-Ka, Qal imperfect + you) in the womb I knew you (YDaThiY-Ka, Qal perfect)
and while as yet (W-B-TeReM) you were coming out (YeTse', Qal imperfect) I consecrated you (HiQDaShTiY-Ka, Hiphal perfect);
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
So, the question of how God knew Jeremiah before he was formed in the womb, is answered from the correct parsing of the Hebrew of the verse. God knew Jeremiah intimately and in detail, even neing a witness to Jeremiah's formation in the womb, and while he was passing through the birth canal.
God chooses every person born into the world. He wants every human being as a son or daughter. But not all appreciate God and put their trust in Him. So Saul, like all of us, was chosen from conception.
Gen 2:5 While no bush of the field[fn] was existing (YiHYeH, Qal imperfect) yet (TeReM) in the land[fn] and no small plant of the field [was yet] springing up (qal imperfect) —for the LORD God had not caused it to rain (Hiphil perfect) on the land, and there was no man to work the ground...
Gen 19:4 But while yet they were lying down (YiShKaBU, Qal imperfect , the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded (Niphal perfect) the house.
Gen 24:15 While he was finishing (piel imperfect) to speak (niphsl infinitive), behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder.
Gen 24:45 “While (TeReM) I was yet finishing ("aKaLeH, piel imperfect) to speak (piel infinitive) in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’
Gen 27:4
and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you while as yet (B-TeReM) I am dying ("aMUT, qal imperfect) .” and so on...
So, I think Jer. 1:5 is more correctly understood as saying -
Jer 1:5 “While as yet (B:TeReM) I was forming you ('eTsaR-Ka, Qal imperfect + you) in the womb I knew you (YDaThiY-Ka, Qal perfect)
and while as yet (W-B-TeReM) you were coming out (YeTse', Qal imperfect) I consecrated you (HiQDaShTiY-Ka, Hiphal perfect);
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
So, the question of how God knew Jeremiah before he was formed in the womb, is answered from the correct parsing of the Hebrew of the verse. God knew Jeremiah intimately and in detail, even neing a witness to Jeremiah's formation in the womb, and while he was passing through the birth canal.
God chooses every person born into the world. He wants every human being as a son or daughter. But not all appreciate God and put their trust in Him. So Saul, like all of us, was chosen from conception.
טֶרֶם ṭerem, teh'-rem; from an unused root apparently meaning to interrupt or suspend; properly, non-occurrence; used adverbially, not yet or before:—before, ere, not yet. (Strong’s Concordance)
Other places where TeReM is used that I did not list above can be found on this page -
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2962/kjv/wlc/0-1/
Other places where TeReM is used that I did not list above can be found on this page -
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2962/kjv/wlc/0-1/
You know as long as I can remember no matter what I did or which way I took in life my life never seemed to be in my control and it got me wondering if God knew every move I ever made or would make then maybe that means everything I did was going to do anyways anything I am going to do I was going to do anyways every sin every good deed every choice predistined and written before I was even born
maybe if everything was indeed predestined then maybe that is why he could love a sinner like me a screw up because he already knew the mistakes I was going to make and loves me anyways. in a way free will seems to be an illusion pre destination ruling over my story but this makes me wonder if this is all the more reason to trust him and not beat myself up over the mistakes I made or will make because I was always going to make them and yet he loves me unconditionally anyways
if anything there seems to be only one choice that I feel like I made for myself and tghat was surrendering to him and begging him to come into my heart perhaps I was always going to do this but it feels to me the only actual say I had in my life
maybe if everything was indeed predestined then maybe that is why he could love a sinner like me a screw up because he already knew the mistakes I was going to make and loves me anyways. in a way free will seems to be an illusion pre destination ruling over my story but this makes me wonder if this is all the more reason to trust him and not beat myself up over the mistakes I made or will make because I was always going to make them and yet he loves me unconditionally anyways
if anything there seems to be only one choice that I feel like I made for myself and tghat was surrendering to him and begging him to come into my heart perhaps I was always going to do this but it feels to me the only actual say I had in my life