Week 2 FB Post

01/8/18 Post

Have you read the Ryrie page on Freedom? It is tab 2

2. Freedom

Under item 2 (Scripture) Ryrie makes the following statement in his reference verses in Isaiah:

“2. Scripture. When Isaiah asked the people who had directed the Lord or taught Him anything or instructed Him, he expected the answer, “no one,” Because God is free; i.e., independent of His creatures (Isaiah 40:13-14).” God has no obligation to any human being. God interacts with His creation because He wants to. God is free of man’s manipulation. No human being can MAKE God do what he wants. God chooses to do what He wants, when He wants, and how He wants! God has complete freedom.

The Isaiah passage (from 12 – 14 KJV) reads as follows: Isaiah 40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? 13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counselor hath taught him? 14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed [showed] to him the way of understanding?

Can we instruct God? No. Can we teach Him knowledge? No. Can we measure the amount of water on the earth, or measure the universe? No. God has no obligation to any human being, but He chooses to take care of those who are believers! God has obligated Himself to take care of those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ. If God is for us, who can be against us? Believers have God overseeing all that they need! Who can comprehend the fullness of that?

01/09/18 Post:

In God’s perfection, He has complete freedom, but we as believers do not. Give some thought about the following: a quote* “… Three, the temptation is to use incorrect methods to accomplish our purpose (wanting freedom even if it leads to anarchy and disobedience).” As believers, we may sometimes be tempted to use incorrect methods to accomplish something. 1. Do we have freedom to do that? 2. What would hinder our freedom to do what we want, when we want? *(SpiritQuest: Our War with Choices; pg 105)

Directly or indirectly, we are faced with these questions in many of the things we do daily. We should be constantly searching God’s word and seeking Him in prayer about what we do (1 Thessalonians 5:17). When we don’t, many times we see failure or an undesired end result. Our freedom should be limited by how God guides us, but when we fail to ask him for guidance, we see undesired results. We have unlimited freedom of choice, but that may often times mean we will get unwanted results. As believers, we should voluntarily limit our freedom so that what we do is pleasing to God and produces the results He desires. Do you fully understand your freedom and how you are to use it?

Response by Glenda Kuhn

Every free choice has weighty responsibility. Something as simple as freedom to choose what to eat has with it the responsibility to choose wisely. Freedom by its nature negates accusing someone else for the results of choice. Freedom is an individual choice, therefore an individual responsibility. But, isn’t that the free choice every person must make, “I set before you life and death, blessing and cursing….therefore you choose…”

JR McElfresh Glenda, you have given a very deep and insightful thought. I need to mull this over. This thought of yours is exactly what this discussion group is all about. Scripture tells us that iron sharpens iron. All of us can learn from your comment. If only more would do so!

Response by SQBooks

Glenda, a couple of ideas that you inject here are very important. First, you say: “Freedom by its nature negates accusing someone else for the results of choice.” If only we could get more people to understand this concept. It would stop a lot of nonsensical comments about others. Second, Your scripture is, I think, from Deuteronomy 30 where Moses is reminding Israel that they have a choice to follow God or not to follow God. The chapter very strongly advises them to be careful of making wrong choices and their consequences. It is very strong words to the Nation of Israel. So it also applies to us to be careful of our choices and the consequences. Implied in this chapter is also the fact that wrong choices could take away their freedom! Those are strong words that all of us believers need to heed! Good work Glenda! We can all learn from each other and the thoughts that the Holy Spirit will bring to our minds. It takes some thought to get what you were saying, but it is so good!

01/10/18 Post:

In Ryrie’s commentary on freedom, he states under application the following thought:

“Being free, God is not obligated to us in any way unless He chooses to initiate an obligation.” That is from God’s side of freedom, but how does this apply to the Church since Jesus is the head of it? Does this mean that The Church (the inclusive body of Christ in believers) also has freedom with no limits? Or, is the Church, with Jesus as its head, obligated to follow the rules which He has set forth? This raises the question since God is free of any obligation to His Creation, is The Church (see above) also free of any obligation to God?

I think the key to the correct answer is two-fold: 1) as believers, we are His creation in Christ Jesus and therefore obligated to obey Him, 2) The Church is organism created by Our Lord Jesus through His sacrifice and we are to follow His commands and His teaching in Scripture. There are more answers than this, and I am sure that others can give additional insight. Right?

01/11/18 Post:

In Ryrie’s commentary on freedom, he states in # 3 a question and then makes a statement: “There can be no restrictions in perfection.” Give this statement of his some thought. Is it true? Is it not true? Personally, I think there is. In perfection nothing imperfect can be allowed. If this statement is true, is it a restriction? Do you agree? Yes or No.

01/12/18 Post:

“On September the eleventh, enemies of freedom committed an act of war against our country. Americans have known wars – but for the past 136 years, they have been wars on foreign soil, except for one Sunday in 1941. Americans have known the casualties of war – but not at the center of a great city on a peaceful morning. Americans have known surprise attacks – but never before on thousands of civilians. All of this was brought upon us in a single day – night fell on a different world, a world where freedom itself is under attack.” *(SpiritQuest: Our War with Choices, pg 116)
The foregoing is a quote* about 9/11/2001. Is it true or just a sentimental reaction to the tragedy of that day?

Holiness

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