We know paradoxes can’t really exist – it’s always one thing or the other and explainable somehow right? Yet when we look out into the sky at night – we see a real living paradox – one that really exists and sits there before our very eyes almost teasing us, and it’s as if by putting this paradox before us God is saying – DO NOT try to reduce me – God – to man’s reason – to mans logic – to mans rationality. After all we all know that if you travel out into space it can’t go on forever right?.. and yet we would never expect to hit a ‘wall’ of some kind or an ‘end’ where we could go no further when we got to the ‘edge’! This is a REAL existing paradox – and the thing that as a six year old child looking up at the start-lit sky at night, caused me to believe in God. Neither of these two scenarios – edge of universe or no edge of universe can exist according to our finite knowledge of physics – and yet there they both are staring at us.
Like quantum physics neither of the above – the universe going on forever or the universe having an end explain what is actually going on – we simply don’t understand how the universe and space and time do not fit will all our earthly rational thinking. And yet we have all these ‘learned’ men debating (another thing we are told to avoid) one doctrine over another and one point over another. The point is – if they were discussions over what is written in the Bible, that would be OK – but they are debating the clear and obvious doctrines of men – that men privately interpreted the Bible (another thing the Bible says don’t do), made up their own explanations and codified them into ‘points’.
As if God would EVER save anyone just because they believe a particular man-made doctrine – it’s where the heart lies not what the head knows!
So I yawn when I hear Calvinists argue that there is no free-will since God is sovereign over all – and I also yawn when I hear Amrnialsts argue the contrary. What about this; that God is sovereign over all and in complete control over all just as the Calvisnists say – but – like the ‘edge-of-theuniverse’ cannot yet must yet cannot exist paradox he has placed before us, to remind us how small our finite minds are – that within God’s complete control and authority – there is like the edge of the universe and atomic physics, where we see laws within laws that seem t contradict the logic of our small minds, so within God’s total control there exists within this – free will? Cannot the God of the universe who makes a cosmos appear to go on forever yet we know it cannot do the same with his saving grace?
The Bible calls it the “mystery” of Godliness – i.e it is a MYSTERY!
Whilst no man could do this, can God not an infinitely powerful God give us free will within and inside His total control? He would have to be God to do that and only God could break His own laws of physics and what can and can’t be. And yet men with finite logic and small minds argue it must be left or right – one or the other – not seeing that God can do anything. It may be that Calvisists are right or Armenians are right but Jesus doe not care – or he would have told us to follow the docrtines of men. And by the way – we are elect, according to the FORE-KNOWLEDGE of God – i.e it tells us right there we are elected ahead of time ONLY because God knows BEFOREHAND – with FORE-KNOWLEDGE what our choices will be! And of course any God that really was a God, would have to indeed know the beginning from the end – of he would not be God period.
Didn’t Jesus Christ himself tell us – the one we are to emulate is at all possible, not only to avoid bloodlines and genealogies, but for similar reasons to avoid THE DOCTRINES OF MEN!? Yes he did say this explicitly. So basically, anything that has an ‘…ist’ after it proceeded by a man’s NAME is to be avoided. Again… Jesus told us to avoid it – men’s doctrines!
Trying to rationalise and codify the infinite mind of God from the finite mind of men is foolish
There really is simplicity in the really important message of Christ that “all who believe on him” and “remain in the vine” will be saved. No this is neither ‘once saved always saved‘ – or ‘saved by doing good works‘ (more doctrines of men) – it’s what the Bible says – saved by simply “remaining in the vine”! In other words – at the risk of doing it myself (except I will not codify this but just point you to the Bible); don’t turn away from the water of the living vine or you risk eventually dry up and not be revivable – just like the green leaf that has its’ water completely cut off ends up “only suitable for burning” the Bible says – and yet we also know from the Bible that if even the smallest amount of green remains in the leaf (because it is still facing the light) – it can be saved simply by re-connecting it to the water supply!
Yes – no man can take away your salvation – but by not staying in the vine (notice I did not say you had to do good works to be saved, yet we know The Bible explicitly says Christians should do good works to be called genuine Christians – yet another true paradox) – you may become so dry and hardened through lack of water you risk cutting yourself off. My humble opinion of course – and as any good medicine packet should say; don’t take my word for it as I could be wrong – always seek Biblical advice first!
I love God, Christ, The Bible. art, painting, playing music, improvising music, guitar (first instrument), drumming (not very good at it:), and anything musical or art related. Quick note – my articles are usually spun off in minutes so forgive any errors – hopefully you get the essence of the article and I’ll pick up mistakes later. If you want to write of 101ChristianMagazine and inspire and edify Christians with articles on faith, general news, hobbies or anything that interests you email me at: epgb101@gmail.com:)
