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I've been listening to this guy's talks, and read two of his books, one titled "God Can't"....
The word "can't" is really off-putting when applied to God, and hard to get past, but I'm wondering what others with open minds think about this. The summation is here in this 3-minute video.
It's about why God "can't" intervene in suffering and evil, which is a major roadblock for many (me, as well):
The term 'kenosis' is usually used in connection with Jesus voluntarily restraining the independent use of his deity during the first advent. But in the case of the speaker in the video he is using the term with regard to the problem of evil and why can't God intervene in suffering and evil.
Well, really, the problem of evil is not a problem at all. Since God sovereignly gave man volition or 'free will' God has to allow man to make choices that will at times result in evil things happening. If God prevented evil and sin then man wouldn't have volition. That doesn't mean that God never intervenes. For instance, God will not allow human volition to result in a nuclear war that would entirely wipe out the human race since God has other plans for the human race. Or on a lesser scale God might step in to prevent the murder of some specific person for whom he has plans and therefore must live in order to fulfill God's plan for him.
We will never know how many times God has stepped in to prevent some particular act of evil. But generally speaking, evil things of a moral nature happen because God allows the function of both angelic and human volition.
Sin and evil exist because men and angels have the ability to make decisions and commit acts which are contrary to God's desire. And that by God's sovereign design.
Titus 1:1-3 - Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, 3 but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,
James 1:13 - Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
Titus 1:1-3 - Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, 3 but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,
James 1:13 - Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
Actually God can interfere with the works of satan who is affecting man in a menace way, were the plan of God is in jeopardy, and then God would answer prayers, or fix bad prayers that the devil answered by ripping the devil out ................ Still, God is not an ambulance service and believers need to prayer and believe mostly before the problem happens ..... And God would Not deliver a demon spirit unless the person takes up authority through Jesus .... Like there are countless sinners who call on the devil to being the drought on the land and bring in destructive storms through complaining on these things by climate change ideas ........ See, there are countless things that God does that the newscast on tv that would not be reported ....
The term 'kenosis' is usually used in connection with Jesus voluntarily restraining the independent use of his deity during the first advent. But in the case of the speaker in the video he is using the term with regard to the problem of evil and why can't God intervene in suffering and evil.
Well, really, the problem of evil is not a problem at all. Since God sovereignly gave man volition or 'free will' God has to allow man to make choices that will at times result in evil things happening. If God prevented evil and sin then man wouldn't have volition. That doesn't mean that God never intervenes. For instance, God will not allow human volition to result in a nuclear war that would entirely wipe out the human race since God has other plans for the human race. Or on a lesser scale God might step in to prevent the murder of some specific person for whom he has plans and therefore must live in order to fulfill God's plan for him.
We will never know how many times God has stepped in to prevent some particular act of evil. But generally speaking, evil things of a moral nature happen because God allows the function of both angelic and human volition.
Sin and evil exist because men and angels have the ability to make decisions and commit acts which are contrary to God's desire. And that by God's sovereign design.
Yes, this is how I've always understood it. I don't see the need for taking a stance that "God can't" since free will answers the question.
In his book, he says "God can't" because God does not have a corporeal body so can't step in physically. I find that very hard to swallow since apparently God created the whole universe without a body....?
Yes, this is how I've always understood it. I don't see the need for taking a stance that "God can't" since free will answers the question.
In his book, he says "God can't" because God does not have a corporeal body so can't step in physically. I find that very hard to swallow since apparently God created the whole universe without a body....?
It has nothing to do with God's Sovereignty or lack of a physical body or any other nonsense. It is simply that God cannot BE what He is NOT.
Yeah, that seemed weird to me.
But how is God intervening "being what he is not"? Or do you mean something else?
If He intervened on earth He would be taking back the Dominion that He gave us by His Sovereign Will as well as our free will. He cannot impose evil on us or tempt us to evil because that is NOT who He is.
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