Categories
Open Theism

Is prophecy ever wrong?

Jeremiah 28:9 As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word [NIV: prediction] of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet. This is quite clear, if it does not happen, the Lord did not say it… And they certainly were aware of the […]

Categories
Open Theism

Did Jesus only predict Peter’s denial?

Was Peter’s denial simply a prediction based on knowing Peter’s character very well? In this incident, Peter’s courage and cowardice had to balance, this is not just saying Peter would be cowardly, he had to follow right into the high priest’s court, and not run off after the first confrontation, or the second, so this […]

Categories
Open Theism

When God says, “This is sure”

When God swears by himself, does this not mean that what is being predicted depends only on him? Yet some of these purposes, where God swears by himself, involve human decisions: Genesis 22:16-18  “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, […]

Categories
Open Theism

What is winning?

We are told in the Open View that God may lose some battles, but he will win the war. But what is winning the war, according to the Open View? Is it that God does the best he can, and accomplishes some of his purposes? Then nobody ever lost a chess game, if that is […]

Categories
Arminianism

Duty faith – Is faith a duty? Does it have merit?

Do we have a duty to believe? Is there some inherent merit in faith? We are commanded to believe, so this would also be a duty, that seems quite clear: Mark 1:15  “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” And faith is, in fact, […]

Categories
Arminianism

Corporate election – Does God choose groups instead of individuals?

But what does it mean to choose a group, as in “I choose those who choose me, to be mine”? That’s practically a tautology! As if a politician should say “I choose those who vote for me to be my supporters.” Now if the reply is that God chooses people for service, or for glory, […]

Categories
Arminianism

Foreseen faith – Does God choose those he sees will believe?

Is the choice God makes in election, choosing who will be saved, really God choosing those he sees will have saving faith when he brings his grace? We have to ask what the basis for God’s choice is, for Israel, for Esau, for Pharaoh (who wasn’t a nation!), and for others. For the reason Paul […]

Categories
Arminianism

Prevenient Grace – Does grace only make it possible to believe?

Does God only enable faith? Does grace stop there, and then we make a decision? John 1:7  He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. Certainly grace does enable belief, and Jesus came to provide grace, required grace, without which we could not believe. But […]

Categories
Calvinism

Faith – Does it have a cause?

Salvation comes by faith, but does faith itself have a cause? Is faith the end of the chain? JAS 1:18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth… Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Faith has a cause! Hearing the word of Christ. Now […]

Categories
Calvinism

Does God cause people to sin, and then condemn them?

RO 9:19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?” First we should notice what Paul doesn’t say, he doesn’t say that men freely choose to sin, and thus God is just in condemning them. This is a perfect opportunity to give this reply, and solve […]