tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post5396226135198483027..comments2023-09-19T10:31:04.810-04:00Comments on beloved before time: Freedom under ProvidenceAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-23929502958153305642009-05-12T04:28:00.000-04:002009-05-12T04:28:00.000-04:00(...I'm not speaking of a wholesale abandon of the...(...I'm not speaking of a wholesale abandon of their theology, but open to mistakes they made, more what I'm getting at.)Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-90820384607949522982009-05-12T04:25:00.000-04:002009-05-12T04:25:00.000-04:00I am willing at times to think outside the box, bu...I am willing at times to think outside the box, but I need to keep reading myself. God indeed does secure the future. I really want to read on time and the nature of time, along with space, matter and energy. But from the text of Scripture, I would say that God knows exactly what he is going to do in the end in Christ. And God knows his will in Christ-oriented ways for our lives.<br /><br />But to get to the Hebrew Bible thought: what we do matters and makes a difference. Rewards are to be taken seriously as well as loss. Salvation is of God, but to say that humans are simply acted upon by God or else condemned, does not seem to ring true from either the Hebrew Bible, or from that our New Testament. Really more to say on this, and on the Reformers. We have to move on, I wouldn't want to go back and live in their theology, and if they were alive today, I doubt that they would either!<br /><br />But that's just a part of what I think on this, from my relatively undeducated understanding. But I'm going to keep reading. And I'm sure you will as well. <br /><br />But yes, "freedom under Providence." May God grant that his will in Christ is fulfilled well in you and in Olivia's and in your children's lives- and in all the remaining days for each of us in Jesus.Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-8265823116179441442009-05-11T04:19:00.000-04:002009-05-11T04:19:00.000-04:00Exciting news, Andrew! Praise God.
I agree with m...Exciting news, Andrew! Praise God.<br /><br />I agree with much of what you say here, and just happen to agree with Augustine and the Reformed on some things, because they are Scriptural. <br /><br />I think you need to keep reading. In my view God is in control. But it's neither in some deterministic way in which every thing we do is controlled by him in the end, nor is it in just a voluntaristic way in which what I will is simply what God goes along with, and works with. It's much more dynamic than either.<br /><br />I am not enamored by open theism, nor do I think that Arminianism (like Calvinism) doesn't have its problems. <br /><br />I think a better reading and understanding of the Hebrew Bible- the Old Testament, would have benefited Augustine immensely. He, and Luther and Calvin brought into the their reading of the Biblical text, issues from their time, which while they were important, their import of them into the Biblical text really ends up losing a lot. I'm becoming more and more convinced of that. I only wish I had time to read like I want. <br /><br />But I'll get back to your post later, as I find your thoughts here interesting.<br /><br />And blessings on you and Olivia, and on your move to Richmond!Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.com