J
jwashu
Guest
When we say the Our Father (or Lord’s Prayer) we pray “thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done” and I believe that’s important in a way we may not think about it.
For those of you who have Evangelical friends or especially devout Presbyterian friends you may hear a lot of talk about “well it was God’s will” What do they mean by that?
From my experience that phrase seems to get a lot of use when things don’t go the way people want… when of course it should be used more when things are going well…
Here is my point though… predeterminism. We don’t talk about it a lot as Catholics but a lot of Protestant fall into this even though they probably wouldn’t know the term. My thoughts/questions revolved around this subject and His will.
When we, and other Christians, pray the Lord’s prayer we are ASK for God’s will to be done, that we are open to His will be done in our lives. We have made a choice to give God control.
I see this as different than those who often say that “it” whatever it was/is, was “just God’s will” as if they or we are on some kind of set path that we can’t change.
Yes I believe God is outside of time and knows how all will end but I believe strongly that He gave us free will. Others say they believe that but do they? Presbyterians will say that even the decision to become a Christian is truly not our own but that we are spurred by the Spirit. Yes God calls us but there has to be a consent and decision of our own correct?
Think of it this way… if God is all good and wants everyone to obtain salvation and only His will is done, then wouldn’t everyone obtain salvation regardless of their own decisions to face or turn away from God? So I guess part of my point is that, do you believe that God forces His will on others who are not open to it?
Perhaps I’m rambling but I have had similar conversations with my best friend, who is an Evangelical, often and I don’t believe he truly understands… and he is very educated and a devout Christian.
Thoughts?
Joe
For those of you who have Evangelical friends or especially devout Presbyterian friends you may hear a lot of talk about “well it was God’s will” What do they mean by that?
From my experience that phrase seems to get a lot of use when things don’t go the way people want… when of course it should be used more when things are going well…
Here is my point though… predeterminism. We don’t talk about it a lot as Catholics but a lot of Protestant fall into this even though they probably wouldn’t know the term. My thoughts/questions revolved around this subject and His will.
When we, and other Christians, pray the Lord’s prayer we are ASK for God’s will to be done, that we are open to His will be done in our lives. We have made a choice to give God control.
I see this as different than those who often say that “it” whatever it was/is, was “just God’s will” as if they or we are on some kind of set path that we can’t change.
Yes I believe God is outside of time and knows how all will end but I believe strongly that He gave us free will. Others say they believe that but do they? Presbyterians will say that even the decision to become a Christian is truly not our own but that we are spurred by the Spirit. Yes God calls us but there has to be a consent and decision of our own correct?
Think of it this way… if God is all good and wants everyone to obtain salvation and only His will is done, then wouldn’t everyone obtain salvation regardless of their own decisions to face or turn away from God? So I guess part of my point is that, do you believe that God forces His will on others who are not open to it?
Perhaps I’m rambling but I have had similar conversations with my best friend, who is an Evangelical, often and I don’t believe he truly understands… and he is very educated and a devout Christian.
Thoughts?
Joe
