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Here is a link to show exactly where the Space Station is over earth right now: Click Here
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Re: What if Jesus had failed?
[Re: Tom]
#86254
03/09/07 11:47 PM
03/09/07 11:47 PM
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SDA
Active Member 2023
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,583
California, USA
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Yes. And there were other considerations. Abraham's great act of faith stands like a pillar of light, illuminating the pathway of God's servants in all succeeding ages. Abraham did not seek to excuse himself from doing the will of God. During that three days' journey he had sufficient time to reason, and to doubt God, if he was disposed to doubt. He might have reasoned that the slaying of his son would cause him to be looked upon as a murderer, a second Cain; that it would cause his teaching to be rejected and despised; and thus destroy his power to do good to his fellow men. He might have pleaded that age should excuse him from obedience. But the patriarch did not take refuge in any of these excuses. Abraham was human; his passions and attachments were like ours; but he did not stop to question how the promise could be fulfilled if Isaac should be slain. He did not stay to reason with his aching heart. He knew that God is just and righteous in all His requirements, and he obeyed the command to the very letter. {PP 153.3}
By God's grace,
Arnold
There is no excuse for any one in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. RH 12/20/1892
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Re: What if Jesus had failed?
[Re: Mountain Man]
#86296
03/12/07 05:02 PM
03/12/07 05:02 PM
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Active Member 2012
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Lawrence, Kansas
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How much can we learn from something that did not happen? Can we draw concrete conclusions and deduce other truths? For example, can we conclude, based on what did not happen, that God did not know before the fact if Jesus would succeed on the cross? We don't conclude these things based on what didn't happen, but based on revelation and logic. For example, by way of revelation, we know that "Christ risked all," that God sent His Son "at the risk of failure and eternal life," that "all heaven was imperiled for our redemption." From logic we understand that love implies risk. One might not be loved back by the object of one's love. Unfortunately, we all (unless there's some very luck person out there) have personal experience with this.
Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, "Behold your God." The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love.
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Re: What if Jesus had failed?
[Re: Mountain Man]
#86324
03/13/07 03:36 AM
03/13/07 03:36 AM
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How much can we learn from something that did not happen? Can we draw concrete conclusions and deduce other truths? It is possible to learn something from what did not happen. But I can't think of anything significant we can learn from this particular non-event. can we conclude, based on what did not happen, that God did not know before the fact if Jesus would succeed on the cross? No. On another note, can we conclude, based on if Jesus had failed, that God would have allowed Jesus to live with humans isolated from the rest of the loyal universe? No. In fact, I think a strong case could be made that had Jesus failed, humans would have been destroyed immediately. If Jesus had failed would the rest of the universe have had any reason to remain loyal? If “free moral agents” (FMAs) have no reason to trust God would He continue to perpetuate their existence? If so, why? Too hypothetical for me.
By God's grace,
Arnold
There is no excuse for any one in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. RH 12/20/1892
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Re: What if Jesus had failed?
[Re: Mountain Man]
#86365
03/13/07 04:02 PM
03/13/07 04:02 PM
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Lawrence, Kansas
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Tom, it is hard for me conceive of God not knowing in advance if Jesus would fail or succeed on the cross. Whatever else Sister White meant when she employed the word "risk" I cannot imagine it meaning God did not know in advance if Jesus would fail or succeed on the cross.
Perhaps your way of conceiving things is incorrect. "Risk" is an easily understood word. "Risk of failure" is an easily understood concept.
Arnold, I agree with you that if Jesus had failed God would have had to destroy at least the human race and possibly all FMAs. The deity of Jesus, on the other hand, cannot die. Fortunately we do not have figure out what would have happened to Jesus if He had failed.
While we don't have to figure out all that would have happened, we are told that "all heaven was imperiled for our redemption. So even though we can't fathom all the implications, we can still be thankful that God loves us so that He was willing to take such a risk.
Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, "Behold your God." The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love.
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