Why did God mention Predestination? Frank and Earnest 4

Why did God ever create a controversial topic like predestination?A frank and earnest examination of purpose of the Biblical doctrine of Predestination. Comments are moderated, due to some people's incredible desire to attack opposing views. Please allow several weeks for moderation, as I have a real life as well as an animated split personality ;-D

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[LampPlaceThing]

Does God know what he is going to know? Now fallow that train of thought to infinity and you get to understand "predestination"

THINK ABOUT IT.

[fandediscussions]

@CBALLEN - The point is that as we learn more about a subject, we learn that there are many reasons to explain the same phenomena. No one way is technically more correct than the other. Yet the "sparrow flies because of its own choice" and the "sparrow flies because of its physiology" and the "sparrow flies by God's decree" people sometimes nearly kill each other over their views. Only we don't do this about sparrows, we do it about free will and predestination.

[fandediscussions]

@CBALLEN - I agree with you there. God even decreed that the sparrow that just flew across my yard would do so - and right on time, to. So why did the sparrow fly across the yard? It did so because God decreed it so, that is true. But I could also say that it flew across the yard because it chose to do so of its own free will. I could also say it did so because it was created by God to be capable of deflecting enough air downwards to counteract the force of gravity.

[CBALLEN]

@fandediscussions The Bible says that God decreed all things,this is much different than just knowing what will happen.

[fandediscussions]

@CBALLEN - The point is that our understanding of "foreknowledge" goes deeper than the actual meaning of the word, and not all Christians agree with our understanding. Some vehemently disagree. By sticking to the actual meaning of the word, we can examine the logic of the system of doctrine, and hopefully maintain have rational discussion. And BTW, don't go with the Adam knew Eve analogy. It is totally invalid, as it confuses Hebrew aphorism with Greek definition.

[fandediscussions]

@CBALLEN - I agree with your understanding of the context. However, in the broader context of Christianity, not all do agree. Since I believe our goal should be to strive towards common ground rather than driving a wedge between God's children, I use the strict definition of foreknowledge. Haven't you heard anyone say that "predestination is just God causing what He foreknew would happen to happen?" Because they disagree with the context we agree with, their understanding is quite different.

[CBALLEN]

@fandediscussions In the context where God's foreknowledge is mentioned with election or predestination,it means that God foreknew those He elected,it does not mean He saw their actions and chose on that basis.When Adam KNEW EVE it was intimately,it did not mean he knew what she would do.So for Jesus to say that He never knew someone,is quite accurate,He never foreknew them from before time,and that means they were never elect.

[fandediscussions]

@CBALLEN - The word "foreknowledge" means to know ahead of time. It is not a religious word - it is a word. There is a general omniscient foreknowledge, and there is a deeper foreknowledge that you allude to. God knows all things, and all men (John 2:24-25) - yet He will say to some "depart from me, for I never knew you." This is why it is so important to be very careful with our words.

[CBALLEN]

Foreknowledge means God knew the person before time,not that He knew what a person would do and choose on man's merit.God said no one could do anything to merit salvation or please God while they are lost.