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From: fibercom!lab@uunet.uu.net (Lance Beckner)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Question for Dave Mielke
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Date: 9 Aug 89 06:40:11 GMT
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Dave, 

I have a couple of questions for you concerning the predestination
issue.  As I examine this, I see a couple of problems.

1)   Evangelism:  If God has already decided whom He wants to save
     and whom He doesn't want to save, why should we bother to
     share the Gospel with others.  It would be a waste of time to
     share the Gospel with someone that God hates, wouldn't it?

2)   The Christian walk:  Why should we walk in a manner that
     pleases God?  For that matter, why should we make a decision
     to accept Christ as Savior anyway?  If God wants to save me,
     He will.  Even if I decide not to accept it, I can not change
     God's mind.

These are not flames!  As I have said,  I am looking into this
whole issue.  I am trying to keep an open mind and heart.  I see
these as being problems as far as your point of view goes.  I am
hoping that you might be able to explain this, or show me where my
logic is flawed.

I would also appreciate the prayers of this group as I try to
determine God's truth with this issue.

Peace,
Lance
-- 
Lance A. Beckner                   INTERNET: lab@fibercom.com
FiberCom, Inc.                     UUCP: ...!uunet!fibercom!lab
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[Note by the way that these questions are appropriate for anyone who
believes in predestination, not just Dave.  Believing in predestination
does not necessarily commit you to Dave's position.

The classic answer to 1 is that in predestination God uses secondary
causes.  That is, when God decides that someone is going to be saved,
he also sets up the way that this will happen.  Although some of this
involves a direct presence of the Holy Spirit, people are also
involved.  That is, God may have predestined that someone is going to
be saved through your teaching.  God doesn't strictly speaking need us
to do his work.  Think of it as a privilege he has granted us.

As to why you should respond to God when things are predestined:
again, predestination does not eliminate choice.  It simply says that
God has arranged sufficient influences -- both through the direct
intervention of his Spirit and otherwise -- that the elect will choose
him.  A real choice is still made.  I guess somebody's belief in this
doctrine could cause his mind to get into a recursive loop such that
he doesn't choose, but this certainly isn't a to strategy that I would
recommend to anyone!  --clh]