Arminians (those who believe in absolute, free will, and its ability to freely choose God apart from His intervention or grace) deny Providence and the absolute sovereignty of God because they believe it makes us robots or chatty dolls that God just wound up and run according to His will. I believe in predestination, but not coercion or determinism (that God forces us with an exterior force to do something we don't want to or intend to do). Our salvation is "ultimately in God's hands," they say, and God chooses us, we don't choose Him (cf. John 15:16). No one would ever choose Christ if God hadn't intervened on his behalf and "by grace he believed" (cf. Acts 18:27). Jesus made the "hard saying" that "no one can come to the Father unless the Father ... draws him..." (John 6:44). Many who heard this, "no longer walked with Him."
Our thoughts and intentions are our own and we are culpable for them--the Bible reveals our thoughts and intentions (cf. Heb. 4:12). We are culpable even for our thoughts because Jesus internalized sin (anger is like murder and lust is comparable to adultery), saying that it originated in the evil heart of man (cf. "...out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, "and "...for out of the heart come evil thoughts"--Matt. 15:11;19). God's sovereignty is not limited by our freedom or actions--if God is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all--He must, by definition, be sovereign overall, or He is not God--not even one molecule in the universe can be out of control! God micromanages the universe in other words! Recall Joseph saying to his brothers: "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (Gen. 50:20).
We are indeed culpable for our actions and thoughts in spite of the fact that God is allowing it to happen or directing it for some higher purpose--you only need look at the crucifixion and its evil that God had planned (cf. Acts 2:23; 4:28). In legal matters it is important what a person's intentions are, despite the result; God does the same in judging us. But sincerity is not everything; People don't get saved because they meant well or were "sincerely wrong."
The working together of our actions, good and evil, with God's overall plan, is called concurrence and it is none of our business what God's intentions are or what He is doing: "...None can hold back His hand or say to Him, "What are You doing?'" (Dan. 4:35). God doesn't have to explain Himself to us; we need to explain ourselves to Him! (Cf. Job not being answered but just humbled.) Soli Deo Gloria!
Our thoughts and intentions are our own and we are culpable for them--the Bible reveals our thoughts and intentions (cf. Heb. 4:12). We are culpable even for our thoughts because Jesus internalized sin (anger is like murder and lust is comparable to adultery), saying that it originated in the evil heart of man (cf. "...out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, "and "...for out of the heart come evil thoughts"--Matt. 15:11;19). God's sovereignty is not limited by our freedom or actions--if God is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all--He must, by definition, be sovereign overall, or He is not God--not even one molecule in the universe can be out of control! God micromanages the universe in other words! Recall Joseph saying to his brothers: "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (Gen. 50:20).
We are indeed culpable for our actions and thoughts in spite of the fact that God is allowing it to happen or directing it for some higher purpose--you only need look at the crucifixion and its evil that God had planned (cf. Acts 2:23; 4:28). In legal matters it is important what a person's intentions are, despite the result; God does the same in judging us. But sincerity is not everything; People don't get saved because they meant well or were "sincerely wrong."
The working together of our actions, good and evil, with God's overall plan, is called concurrence and it is none of our business what God's intentions are or what He is doing: "...None can hold back His hand or say to Him, "What are You doing?'" (Dan. 4:35). God doesn't have to explain Himself to us; we need to explain ourselves to Him! (Cf. Job not being answered but just humbled.) Soli Deo Gloria!
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