You seem more informed than what I consider "average." (And remember George Carlin 'People are stupid," half of the people are stupider than the average person who is pretty stupid.) As to the Bible, Saul was terrible! then in Acts 17:30 as Paul, he gets righteous in a new way by saying "Now that you know better, you have to do better." John 12:40 implies it is God's fault they don't know better--Then we would have to conclude God is foreordaining some people to fail. This is hard for me to accept as it seems. I prefer St. Faustina's view that Jesus really, really wants everyone saved.
Showcasing how even the term “average” is subjective.
John 12:40 implies it is God's fault they don't know better--Then we would have to conclude God is foreordaining some people to fail.
The premise of Free will and the context of the Bible prevents one from coming to that conclusion, should they fully engage God’s words entirely. I highly encourage everyone to read the whole Bible for themselves.
Jesus said:
“But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.””
John 3:12-21 NLT
“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”
2 Peter 3:9 NLT
Yes, that's why the phrasing that "God stopped up their ears" or "hardened their hearts" bothers me, it goes against the general history of giving another chance up to the last breath. But no more religion.
Hold on while I get the last word in and then tell you to stop talking about it.
Just because you don’t understand the way God works doesn’t make it wrong, just cause you don’t like it didn’t make it false. ?? Facts don’t care about your feelings. You brought up religion to start with. All I said was research is subjective, but it seems God would prefer to convict your stubborn heart. Repent and be reconciled to God. The choice is yours, and if you choose a hard heart then God will leave you to it.
You seem more informed than what I consider "average." (And remember George Carlin 'People are stupid," half of the people are stupider than the average person who is pretty stupid.) As to the Bible, Saul was terrible! then in Acts 17:30 as Paul, he gets righteous in a new way by saying "Now that you know better, you have to do better." John 12:40 implies it is God's fault they don't know better--Then we would have to conclude God is foreordaining some people to fail. This is hard for me to accept as it seems. I prefer St. Faustina's view that Jesus really, really wants everyone saved.
Showcasing how even the term “average” is subjective.
The premise of Free will and the context of the Bible prevents one from coming to that conclusion, should they fully engage God’s words entirely. I highly encourage everyone to read the whole Bible for themselves.
Jesus said: “But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”” John 3:12-21 NLT
“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” 2 Peter 3:9 NLT
Yes, that's why the phrasing that "God stopped up their ears" or "hardened their hearts" bothers me, it goes against the general history of giving another chance up to the last breath. But no more religion.
Just because you don’t understand the way God works doesn’t make it wrong, just cause you don’t like it didn’t make it false. ?? Facts don’t care about your feelings. You brought up religion to start with. All I said was research is subjective, but it seems God would prefer to convict your stubborn heart. Repent and be reconciled to God. The choice is yours, and if you choose a hard heart then God will leave you to it.
May you be blessed.