TSM Questions Part 2
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Why did God honor false blessings like when Jacob pretended to be Esau to get Isaac’s birthright blessing?
Why did God honor false blessings like when Jacob pretended to be Esau to get Isaac’s birthright blessing?
The first thing we need to look at with this question is that the birthright and the blessing are two separate things but are closely related.
29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) 31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
A birthright was something you were born with and it usually meant that you would get a larger portion of the father’s (Isaac’s) property or estate. Not only land but animals etc.
Esaus sold his birthright to Jacob for a meal. But this is an implication that Esau did not have interest in the spiritual blessings that would come with this birthright.
Esau was impulsive to sell his birthright for a meal and Jacob was ambitious to get his way. Both might not had the best motive for their actions, but we see later that Jacob deceitfully takes Esau’s blessing. It was deceitful because although the blessings should come with his now, rightful birthright, Isaac would not have honored Esaus selling his birthright for a meal.
With this Question we need to understand that God allows things to happen so that he can carry out his plan to fulfill the covenant he made with Abraham. Through Jacob and his sons the nation of Israel was created. God does not condone Jacob’s deceitfulness or Esau’s carelessness but God allowed it to carry out his plan.
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
If God already has plans in mind for our lives, why does it matter if we ask for things in our life?
If God already has plans in mind for our lives, why does it matter if we ask for things in our life?
Everyone has aspirations and goals in life. We all have a desire to accomplish things and to get somewhere in life. This is why we go to school to learn and become efficient at doing something to make a living.
Although we are not driven, as believers, by materialistic things, we do need them. We should not love money, but we need it for buying things we need. God knows what our needs are.
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Notice it says that God knows what we need. Many times we ask for things we don’t need. If we are asking God for something that we already know the answer to is “No”. Then why do we ask? We are sometimes stubborn about wanting something we don’t need.
If what we are asking for does not align with God’s will he will not give it to us. This is why when we make plans and ask God for things we must first keep in mind, “Will what i’m asking for, going to glorify God and fulfill his plans in my life?”
God tells us not to worry about the things we need. Most of the things we really need are clothes, food, and shelter. This is all we really need. In a materialistic culture where its all about consumption of products and impulsive buying, sometimes it is hard to justify asking God for a playstation 5.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
God calls us to seek out his will in our lives. This means we ask even if we know that he knows his plan for us.
Just Because God Knows Doesn’t Mean You Know
Just Because God Knows Doesn’t Mean You Know
Because we don’t know God’s plan for us we must ask!!! God knowing all things doesn’t mean we become lazy and live a careless life thinking that everything we do has been planned out by God.
This is a hyper calvinistic way of thinking. Since God knows who will be saved, why do i need to share the gospel. I’ll let God separate the lambs from the goats.
God has called us to action. This action means we need to seek him and seek his will in our lives. God what is your plan for me. Asking God implies that you are going to listen to him and his word for his wisdom.
If we ask God for a woman or man that we are being led to like based on our emotions and feelings only, but don’t take into account he or she is a non believer, lives a worldly lifestyle, and does not have any interest in God, then we are not seeking God’s will, WE ARE SEEKING OUR OWN.
We are called to seek God and the things he wants.
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
So what we should really ask ourselves is…..
Is what i’m asking for something that I really want and don’t care what God’s response is.
Am I treating God like a Genie and talk to him only when i want something.
Am I being stubborn about this?
Is what i’m asking for going to glorify God and align with his will?
If I receive what i’m asking for a wise decision?
Do we have free will in our daily lives?
Do we have free will in our daily lives?
I must first answer the question of “What is Free Will”.
The idea of free will is that every human being has the ability to make choices and decisions on their own, independently from anyone controlling their choices.
This means someone has liberty to make their decisions and execute actions based on those decisions.
The question of free will has been greatly debated in the past and the most popular philosophers and theologians to debate this were Jacobus Arminius and John Calvin. Arminianism and Calvinism have been the two doctrines that many churches today talk about when it comes to free will.
In respect to free will, Arminius believed that sin does affect our decisions but there is a possibility to chose God and believe in him by our own will. He taught that humans have a measure of free will that allows them to chose or reject God’s offer of salvation.
Along with this view he also believed that we can lose salvation, and salvation was based on God’s foreknowledge of who would chose to believe in him. He also believed that God’s grace can be resisted meaning if God is calling us to salvation we can resist his grace and reject his salvation.
Calvin refused this idea and believed that human nature is fallen and corrupt, there is nothing in man that would ever chose God, therefore salvation and believing in God was originated and authored by God himself. Faith is not something we can chose to do because of our fallen nature.
Calvin believed that salvation is a work of God in the heart of man. God acted first in our faith. When God demonstrates and reveals his grace to you and his glory, this cannot be resisted. This is irresistible grace. This salvation God choses whom he saves based on his own perfect will not dependent on human choice. And because of this his salvation can’t be lost. He will preserve believers until the day he returns.
So the root problem with this debate is that one side belittles God’s sovereignty and his supernatural work in salvation.
The other belittles human will and the ability to be free to chose.
One makes God small and man big
The other makes God big and man small
If we say that God determines all things that will come to pass, then we are saying that God has created robots who are programmed to do what he wants them to do and we don’t have a choice in life.
If we say man dictates the future and man determines his own actions. Then we believe in a God who not in control. A God who is waiting to see what man will decide. Not having any control over what happens.
EliJacobism
EliJacobism
I want to propose a new philosophy and idea. What if both are true?
God has full control, but man also has full control?
My proposition is that we must recognize that humanity is fallen and we are in a sinful state before salvation.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
Second we must recognize God’s sovereignty in salvation.
5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Third, we must recognize Man’s responsibility to respond to the gospel and God’s saving message.
32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
What can we conclude? God has predestined us meaning we are chosen to be saved before he ever created anything. But, Just because God knows doesn’t mean you know. So do everything in your effort to seek God’s salvation and his grace. Although we have been chosen by him, we have a choice to make. This choice will determine our eternal state, which is eternal condemnation of eternal life.
3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, 4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
Did pharaoh know God was hardening his heart? No, but did he have the ability to make a decision to disobey God? Yes. Will he suffer the consequences of his decisions? Yes. Will God carry out his will through Pharaoh? Yes.
9 The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.
5. Does God ever change his mind?
5. Does God ever change his mind?
9 And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”
11 But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ”
14 And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.
Many have used this passage to argue that God can change his mind. And going back to our second question. Why ask God if he already has a plan? As i said before, if God wills something that is according to his plan he will carry it out. God allows us to see what can happen when we pray to God.
Moses interceded for the people of Israel. They deserved to be destroyed because of their disobedience, but God preserved them. This is a similar picture of what Jesus does for us. Can God change his mind? Yes it’s very possible. He is a free agent. WE wouldn’t really know if he changed his mind.
Think about it. We can only see what we can see. There’s so much we don’t see. God can have an infinite amount of alternate endings for us. Yet the one we live in this reality is true and present to us.
Was God going to destroy them? or was he expressing his anger towards unrighteous sinners?
If God destroyed them he would breach his covenant with Abraham. God was not going to, but i believe he told moses this so he can understand his wrath and anger towards sin, but also to see where Moses’ heart was. He interceded and pleaded with God not to destroy them. This ultimately pleases God. He carries out his plans to glorify himself.
