"If God created the world, how do we know what we can change and what things should remain sacred and inviolable?' I think it's a great question, what say you?
A Question From A Movie?
- Thread starter LiveOutLouder
- Start date
Short answer: Do we get to decide?
Longer answer: Maybe instead, the priority for the believer, while on earth, is to become more conformed to the image of God's Son, and in love point others to Him also. (For 'Maybe', read 'definitely'...
)Blessings.
Colossians 3:
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Short answer: Do we get to decide?
Longer answer: Maybe instead, the priority for the believer, while on earth, is to become more conformed to the image of God's Son, and in love point others to Him also. (For 'Maybe', read 'definitely'...
Blessings.
I get that we are continually being conformed in Christ's image and my life certainly has proof of that. Yet, we do have free will and do make decisions. As someone who is continually seeking to make an [positive] impact in the world, I take risks, make myself to be vulnerable (like now), and take leaps of faith. I fully expect him to catch me at times and also let me fall; resulting in some hard lessons that will allow me to gain wisdom, humility, character. The Romans 5 stuff.
I don't know that you gave me an answer with the question, "Do we decide?" That may be 'THE' question. Maybe some questions are better left unanswered?
Like, what is the believer's priority? to feel that s/he has changed something, or to be able to live daily accordance with 'Thy will be done'. There is not necessarily a difference always, but maybe there is a difference at least in emphasis?
Blessings.
Gen 1:28-30 shows God giving control over His creation to man. Not long afterwards man is eating meat and so are the animals, contrary to God's direction here. Some contribute that to sin entering into the equation. The words used are 'subdue' and 'rule'. The ONLY thing He told man NOT to do was eat from the TOKOGAE. Seems to me everything is up for grabs.
the Bible. . .
We are given stewardship over the Earth. So, how far do we go with that? Is planting a garden overstepping our bounds? Weeding that same garden? Selective breeding? Cross-breeding? Genetic modification? How about smelting metals? Chemical engineering? Making bricks? Building houses? Digging wells? Or maybe this isn't the angle you're thinking of. I didn't see the movie where this question was posed, so I don't know the context. But these are questions I often think about. Some, of course, one can infer from Scripture, but others....well, where do we cross the line from stewardship to arrogance to playing god?
What was the movie that asked that question.
Yes, good question
. To us Christians, everything God made must be respected and looked after. If we destroy something we have to be able to justify our action to God. The problem is that we share the earth with the unGodly. So looking after the earth / making changes becomes discerning what are tolerable and intolerable. Yes, this is not our home we are going to heaven one-day, but, we are stil here for the moment and whatever changes take place in society or the world do affect us! If we do not oppose the unsaved doing the intolerable things, our lives down here and that of our children will be a hell.I was asking the question more from the standpoint of what we [Christians] can change or if we are even capable of changing anything in the larger scheme of things. I like Rumley's example....
That's exactly what made that question jump out at me in this movie. There are examples that you give that are well intended, but then there are others that are man messing with God's design. It's tricky. Clearly God gave us the ability to do these things and even some people possess the gifts and skills to do it. But, isn't it somewhere in scripture it says something about "What God has created, let no man destroy or separate?" Can't find it...
Horrible, horrible movie. I don't recommend any Christian watch it. "Cloud Atlas"
Only example that comes to mind is Mark 10 "But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”"
Well, Calvinism at one level or another could be interpreted to mean that we aren't able to change anything because everything has been already predestined. There are varying levels and opinions on how deeply that can be interpreted. I come from a free-will philosophy, meaning that we are capable of deciding and changing most things. Prophecy couldn't be changed as it is generally a case of God telling us exactly what He is going to do, but even then, depending on how we interpret Scripture, there are debated examples where God changed His actions due to prayer or faithfulness.
Hi LiveOutLouder: I think there is also the aspect that it was man, as opposed to beasts and plants, etc., that was made in the image of God (albeit affected by the Fall); and so God's plan of redemption principally centers around sinners in need of redemption through faith in the work of Christ.
Blessings.
LiveOutLouder
May I suggest you had an experience of the serpent talking to you, ...same old lie, "you will become like God"
Do we really have freewill, before I was saved did I have a free will, what I remember was the only will I had was to chose different sin, ah, but after God's Holy Spirit illuminated my spirit, at that moment in time showing me my destiny of going to Hell, when He gave me the opportunity of unbiased choice (the signification of Jesus word's "setting the captives free"), I truly had a freewill for the first time in my life, I could chose something other than sin and I chose to receive Jesus, then the Holy Spirit came in and knocked sin off of the throne of my heart where "me, myself and I" could now sit, however I had some very good teachers that taught me to allow Jesus to sit on that throne in my heart, ...the difference is, when I'm sitting on the throne I'm what Paul teaches is a carnal Christian, living and guided by my flesh, but when Jesus has His rightful place, I'm walking in the Spirit and am pleasing to Father.
Blessings,
Gene
May I suggest you had an experience of the serpent talking to you, ...same old lie, "you will become like God"
Do we really have freewill, before I was saved did I have a free will, what I remember was the only will I had was to chose different sin, ah, but after God's Holy Spirit illuminated my spirit, at that moment in time showing me my destiny of going to Hell, when He gave me the opportunity of unbiased choice (the signification of Jesus word's "setting the captives free"), I truly had a freewill for the first time in my life, I could chose something other than sin and I chose to receive Jesus, then the Holy Spirit came in and knocked sin off of the throne of my heart where "me, myself and I" could now sit, however I had some very good teachers that taught me to allow Jesus to sit on that throne in my heart, ...the difference is, when I'm sitting on the throne I'm what Paul teaches is a carnal Christian, living and guided by my flesh, but when Jesus has His rightful place, I'm walking in the Spirit and am pleasing to Father.
Blessings,
Gene