Love, free-will, foreknowledge, and predestination. ... what a mix!
Here is my 2 cents.
I believe God knows everything, even what we call the future. This is foreknowledge.
But that doesn't mean He makes all the choices for everyone. That's predestination.
When you are an infant, I might to keep you from doing dangerous things. Don't play out in the street.
Don't play with matches, don't play with knives or sharp objects, etc....
When you get a little older, I might try to teach you about the dangers of things like sex, drugs, alcohol,
and driving like a daredevil.
There comes a point, when I have to "let you go". Now it's possible I already know your character, and
what kind of person you are and will be. I hope for the best, I love you... but now it's time for you to face life
and the world. I'll give you help if you want it. I'll always be there for you.
But some people have a reckless spirit about them. They've been taught well, they know knives, drugs,
and driving too fast are dangerous things. They KNOW this. But they do it anyway. They live as dangerously
as they can get away with.
Sometimes they get hurt... break a few bones here are there. I knew this would happen. Should I have stopped
them? Sometimes we try to stop people from doing things, but after they are adults... can we really stop them?
If we stop them from doing anything... do we really love them?
With some people it's more than a few broken bones, some people get disabled for life. Some people even die.
I was something of a thrill seeker in my younger days. I jumped motorcycles, did hang-gliding, cliff climbing.
... and was even a fireman for many years. I have scars, I have had broken bones, I have nearly died once.
(I was in a really bad motorcycle accident, but that wasn't because I was being careless or reckless).
What is love? A million answers come to mind, many from 1 Cor 13. But is part of love letting people do
what they want to do? Even if it injures them. Even if it disables them for life. ... even if it kills them.
God may know your future and your tendencies... maybe you play it safe. Chances are you'll never witness to people
in the ghettos and slums. Maybe you avoid danger. Chances ae you'll never be a missionary in Iraq or Afghanistan.
It seems Paul didn't avoid danger. He was beaten, ship wrecked, imprisoned, and snake-bit.
Jesus didn't avoid danger. Once of His choices got Him killed.
For some reason we think if bad things happen to some people, then it's God who caused it.
God doesn't send anyone to hell. People go to hell because THEY choose to. They make the decisions.
Rom 8:29; For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
I might know you pretty good. I might know you better than you know yourself. I might know the future.
You don't think you're going in the Marines, but I know you are. I didn't make the choice for you to do that.
I just knew that you were going to make that choice. But now that YOU have made that choice, it's
predestined that you will become conformed into the image of a Marine. You'll salute, say yes sir and no sir.
You'll get a crew-cut. You'll wear camoflauge clothing. You'll become a Marine. I didn't make that choice for you,
I just knew in advance which people would make that choice.
Looking back, I'm glad people loved me enough to let me take the chances I took. I paid for some of my choices, I even regret some of them. But at least I had the chance to make them.
OK.. maybe that's a little more than 2 cents
