Featured Bible says God hardened Pharaoh’s heart ? ! ? — this is not in keeping with free will.

[Scooter]

And in my time as a Christian for a year and a half, a little at age 13, all of age 14, and almost half of age 15,

If a person was a Christian at 13, 14, and 15, that person is still a Christian. The Bible teaches that believers are sealed until the day of redemption. Jesus said no one could remove one of His sheep from His hand. Therefore, if a person rejects salvation by faith in Christ now, that person was never a Christian to begin with. Nowhere in the Bible does it even suggest a person can loose their salvation and become unsaved.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

Then how in the world did God kill the “first born” ? ! ? Unless you were a believer and knew to put blood on the doorframe.

I have no argument with you there. It doesn't hold up to the standard.

The only wiggle room, which even I used to believe in, is God judging someone based on what they would've become. Or even this point below - assuming it applies to even children -

The problem is, we as people are not righteous. We can do good things, but that does not make us good. Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Since we are all sinful creatures, we all deserve punishment (Rom.6:23).

Have you seen the movie Minority Report? It was an interesting story about a future world where crime could be predicted, and people were getting arrested based on their future crimes. We often say ethics need to evolve to culture, but should they also be dependent on the ability of the person judging (God, in this case). If he has foreknowledge, is it ethical for him to act before it happens?

 

[Scooter]

If he has foreknowledge, is it ethical for him to act before it happens?

Whose ethics are you using? The atheists? The agnostics? The religionists? God always does what's right regardless of the ethics man develops. If people don't understand or they disagree with actions God takes, the issue is with us and not God.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Therefore, if a person rejects salvation by faith in Christ now, that person was never a Christian to begin with.

This is too much of a pat answer.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

What worked for me at age 14—

Was brief reading and prayer from the monthly “Upper Room,” before I even got up to urinate!

Each day would have one or two verses of scripture, about 1/2 page discussion, and a brief suggested prayer. I’d sometimes roll other things into the prayer. Short & sweet was the approach.

I think this would also work for the other Abrahamic faiths of Islam and Judaism.

and probably faiths more far afield such as Hinduism and Buddhism

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

What didn’t work was —

the idea of “disobedience to the Holy Spirit.” For example, if I get the idea that I need to witness to a fellow student in a particular way. Get the idea, duty-bound to carry out the idea.

This was kind of crazy-making. And I’m glad I came out of this period.

 

[Scooter]

Therefore, if a person rejects salvation by faith in Christ now, that person was never a Christian to begin with.

This is too much of a pat answer.

Truth of scripture is what I stand on. And sometimes the truth hurts those who reject it.

 

[Scooter]

Salvation is not based on what works and what doesn’t work for a person. Salvation comes when a person repents of their sins and comes to Jesus by faith for forgiveness. When that happens a relationship is formed between the sinner and the Savior. Anything else is not salvation per the Bible regardless of what a person believes or feels. Therefore a nonbeliever now was never a believer in the past.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Have you seen the movie Minority Report?

No, I haven’t seen it, but I’ve heard about it. Without giving away the plot, is there a relationship that I’m going to be rooting for? That’s one way I think about movies these days.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

We often say ethics need to evolve to culture, but should they also be dependent on the ability of the person judging (God, in this case). If he has foreknowledge, is it ethical for him to act before it happens?

Yes, God should act to prevent a child being abused or neglected, to prevent a bridge from collapsing, etc, etc.

We tie ourselves into knots trying to find excuses for “God.”