So here is something that has been exercising my mind lately.
Are some people destined to be evil? To spread evil? To promote and encourage it in others?
Let's look at this another way.
Some people believe in God, or indeed in other religions. They believe in doing good towards others and live by that maxim.
Most people, I think, want the same things from life. To live peacefully as best they can. To have the wherewithal to look after themselves and their families. To have food, shelter, health and so on.
Few people set out in life with the whole purpose of causing havoc, suffering and pain to others.
Yet, the world has known some really evil people through the ages who, for various reasons, have wreaked havoc far an wide.
My question is: Are/were these people destined to follow the path of evil? Are they in this world to be receptive to the call of evil, (Satan), and to do his work? Or did they freely choose that path, and the devil took advantage of their direction in life and helped them along the way?
In summary: pre-destined or free choice?
"And now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one just as you and I are one. While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me. I protected them, and not one of them was lost, except the man who was bound to be lost—so that the scripture might come true. (John 17:11-12)
Was Judas, (and others like him since then), destined to do evil? Or did he/they have a free choice to choose to do good instead?
No all people have a choice. God would not create someone who was created for evil. That does not mean that He did not already know what that person would do.
ReplyDeleteNo all people have a choice. God would not create someone who was created for evil. That does not mean that He did not already know what that person would do.
ReplyDeleteNo all people have a choice. God would not create someone who was created for evil. That does not mean that He did not already know what that person would do.
ReplyDeleteWhat you say makes sense, Unknown. The quote from Jesus (above) seems to imply that Judas was destined to betray Jesus. It was predicted in the Old Testament.
DeleteGod bless.
...evil seems to be a popular thing in this country!
ReplyDeleteand in the world.
DeleteGod bless, Tom.
Free Choice, God doesn't make robots and people choose good and evil everyday... Concerning evil doers; I read Psalms 37 often, usually daily.
ReplyDeleteIt can be complicated I admit. *smile*
Hope all is well across the pond! God bless you Victor.
I agree, Amelia. God does not make robots, and people are free to choose their paths. Yet, that prophesy about Judas from the Old Testament does make one wonder and question.
DeleteHope you and yours are well. God bless.
I know what you mean,it definitely gets complicated.
DeleteWe are all given free choice, Victor. What breaks my heart is to witness people enacting evil all in the name of doing what's "best" for a nation. That is what is going on in the States right now, and I'm praying God will convict our leaders of their wicked ways.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
More prayers I think!
DeleteGod bless, Martha.
People don't even live in reality these days. They do what they want, say what they want and if you don't agree, you're the bad person.
ReplyDeleteSad but true. Wise words, Bill.
DeleteGod bless you.
Verse John 17:11-12 remains an enigma to me.
ReplyDeleteThat is my problem too, Ladka. I once asked a priest about this. He replied that Judas had the free choice on what to do. And if he had not betrayed Jesus, then the Pharisees and the Romans would have found another way to find and arrest Him.
DeleteI thought, that may well be true. But if that had happened then the prophesy about him in the Old Testament would have been wrong! I did not get a satisfactory answer.
God bless, Ladka.
Great posers! I've no knowledge with which to debate my answer, but I'm leaning towards pre-destined.
ReplyDeleteThat is my dilemma too, Mevely. See my response to Ladka about my discussion with a priest years ago.
DeleteGod bless you.
Dearest Victor,
ReplyDeleteCan't imagine that any baby is born, being evil... but it gets kind of instilled into their system by wrong examples. We all are 50% the product from the environment in which we grew up! Sure the devil is tugging constantly and often, too often he seems to win. Yes, lots of evil deeds are being done and people hurt by power greedy 'leaders' that only are after their own wealth! They act without any moral compass, that would only hinder them... ignoring it makes things easy for them. SAD and we ought to counter balance that with lots of sincere prayers.
Hugs,
Mariette
Well said, Mariette. I don't think people are born evil. Which is why I was puzzled by Christ's quotation above.
DeleteJoining you in prayers.
God bless always my friend.
Agree!
DeleteI think the difference from being born fallen and being innocent as a newborn babe. They still have a fallen nature. The Bible does say, there is no one good, not even one. In our fallen state...but praise be to God for choosing us, calling us, saving us and sanctfying us. It's all HIM, we accept His Work on the Cross by Faith. Look around, Satan is the ruler of this world, and it is full of evil. We have a choice. I'm glad I'm a child of the KING, and will reign with Him forever in HIS KINGDOM.
ReplyDeleteAmen Wanda. Yes, we have a choice.
DeleteGod bless always.
There is so much I don't understand ... and probably never will. But I can focus on God's Word and the truth, love, grace ... and justice that He will take care to provide.
ReplyDeleteTrue. There is a lot that we will not understand right now.
DeleteGod bless, Linda.
I don't have an opinion (yet), but reading your post and the comments has given me some good food for thought.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad this helped a bit, Kathy. That passage in the Bible has often confused me.
DeleteGod bless.
I'm a Catholic, so I figure that God knows what my decisive response to salvation will be/is/was/whatever.
ReplyDeleteThat //// thing is my drowsy effort to indicate that God doesn't live at some particular place, passing through time the way I am. I can't, being a finite creature, really imagine what ***everything*** looks like from the infinite, eternal and omniscient perspective.
But I can accept that God is not "in" this universe, limited by space and time. That God is immediately "there" in every place and every time. And 'places' that aren't in what our natural philosophers think of places and times.
So God knows what I (from my viewpoint) "will" do. Because God is "already" there and then. And I accept that God - for whatever reason - gives us free will. I can choose in every moment, including the last moment of my life.
My hope is that I'll be sufficiently savvy to accept God's invitation - as I'm trying to do now. And that's another topic. :)
Good point, Brian. God knew (forever) that Judas would behave this way. Yet Judas had the choice to behave differently.
DeleteGod bless always.
He gives us choice, and yet the G-d who is so powerful and all knowing that He is in control of the past, present and future placement of every sub-atomic particle in the universe is also able to work our choices into His will being done without violating ours. We will, i believe, be astounded when we get to heaven and see how He did it.
ReplyDeleteYes, it makes sense, Mimi.
DeleteGod bless.