The following paragraph indicates that God allowed Brother Miller to be laid to rest to prevent him from losing his salvation, and others’, in further rejecting the third angel’s message, and from hindering it. The fact he is not lost suggests that he did not reject the message in a way that made him accountable.

“God suffered him to fall under the power of Satan, the dominion of death, and hid him in the grave from those who were constantly drawing him from the truth. Moses erred as he was about to enter the Promised Land. So also, I saw that William Miller erred as he was soon to enter the heavenly Canaan, in suffering his influence to go against the truth. Others led him to this; others must account for it. But angels watch the precious dust of this servant of God, and he will come forth at the sound of the last trump.”

I agree. The following quotes make it clear to me that God knew before He created them that Lucifer and one-third of the angels and mankind would sin. Thus, I do not find it difficult to believe that God knows ahead of time precisely how everything will play out –not a myriad of options and opposite outcomes based on good guessing.

DA 22
From the beginning, God and Christ knew of the apostasy of Satan, and of the fall of man through the deceptive power of the apostate. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but He foresaw its existence, and made provision to meet the terrible emergency. {DA 22.2}

AG 129
But the defection of man, with all its consequences, was not hidden from the Omnipotent, and yet it did not deter Him from carrying out His eternal purpose; for the Lord would establish His throne in righteousness. God knows the end from the beginning. {AG 129.2}

The character of nobody is fixed, except the character of those who committed the unpardonable sin, and in special occasions, like after the sealing work of the last days.


We’ve discussed something about this in your post #86587 (Mar 16) in the thread “What is the truth about the foreknowledge of God?”. You had written that God sometimes expresses His surprise in the Bible, and I had asked if God can be surprised. Although you pointed out that from all eternity God knew of the possibility of a given event happening, you stated that it was apparently not a likely event (for God!). If something that God didn’t consider very likely can happen, how can He be sure that someone won’t accept Him in the future, or won’t abandon Him in the future? How can He be so sure about the future of that person? If He can be absolutely sure about a person’s future, then the future of that person is fixed, for God doesn’t make mistakes.

Are you talking about a person who's character is fixed, or one who's character is in flux?

The character of nobody is fixed, except the character of those who committed the unpardonable sin, and in special occasions, like after the sealing work of the last days.

I don't think you have any basis for asserting this. Why would being settled into the truth so that one cannot be moved be dependent upon living the last days? Daniel, to name just one, appears to have been one who was settled into truth.

Quote:
Regarding being surprised, I do not think I wrote what you said I wrote. I try to be careful when writing on subjects which require preciseness, and I don't believe I wrote that. I'm not infallible, of course, so my memory could be wrong on this, but I'm pretty sure that's not what I wrote.

We’ve discussed something about this in your post #86587 (Mar 16) in the thread “What is the truth about the foreknowledge of God?”. You had written that God sometimes expresses His surprise in the Bible, and I had asked if God can be surprised. Although you pointed out that from all eternity God knew of the possibility of a given event happening, you stated that it was apparently not a likely event (for God!). If something that God didn’t consider very likely can happen, how can He be sure that someone won’t accept Him in the future, or won’t abandon Him in the future? How can He be so sure about the future of that person? If He can be absolutely sure about a person’s future, then the future of that person is fixed, for God doesn’t make mistakes.

God can see all the possible futures a person has. If none of those possible futures includes the person either rejecting God or accepting Him, as the case may be, then He can be sure of that person's future.

I don't understand why, according your perspective of things, God wouldn't simply not create Lucifer, and have a universe without sin. Why would God prefer a universe with sin to one without it? That makes no sense to me.

The quote you cited doesn't say anything about Miller losing his salvation. It talks about his having been led astray. Miller was acting in ignorance. You can't lost your salvation by making mistakes in ignorance. There was nothing in the quote suggesting Miller was in danger of losing his salvation. What caused you to come to the conclusion Miller was in danger of being lost?

Daryl, What does "heaven itself was imperiled" mean? Under the perspective you are suggesting, which is, I understand it, that there is only one possible future which God knows see like a T.V. rerun, how could heaven be in any danger?

bump for Daryl

Are just some persons settled into truth or are all the sincere children of God?


Is God sure of every person’s future at the moment of their death?

Regarding question one, you'd have to define your terms. Regarding question two, God is going to resurrect everyone in one of two resurrections (assuming they are resurrected at all). How could He do this if He were not sure of their future?