Cheryl Schatz

Joel, Regarding the Joshua 24:15 choice to serve YHWH, the choice was still valid as Joshua chose to serve the LORD God, but I agree with you that the Israelites appeared to have rejected the LORD as Joshua seems to imply that they had found it disagreeable to serve the LORD. I do think that what Joshua was saying was beyond choice and into commitment. Joshua said that he WILL serve the LORD. His commitment removed any other choice for him. Thanks for those comments. They were good. As far as Sovereignty and Responsibility as being part of the same definition, are you saying that God’s responsibility and His Sovereignty are part of the same definition and man’s responsibility is not part of the equation? As far as the “Sidewalk English” version of the Sovereignty of God, I have more to add to it. You said “He does WHAT He wants” but what has God already told us in the Scripture that He wants? It isn’t a mystery what He wants, but it is revealed. He does WHEN He wants to, because His wisdom is beyond ours and His timing is perfect. Regarding the WHOEVER and the WHATEVER REASON, He does GOOD to those who will listen to Him and for those who are stiff necked and turn away from Him, He turns them over to their sin and the consequences of their sin as the Scriptures tells us. I also think that there is things that we miss in the Sovereignty of God that doesn’t allow us to consider God’s humility. I wrote an article quite a while back on the humility of God here http://www.mmoutreach.org/wim/2010/06/21/the-humble-god/ I believe that although it seems that God is unfair on this side of eternity, when we know as we are known, I believe that we will see that God has been more than fair to us and given us more than we deserve. I also believe that when God pulls back the curtains of time, we will see all that He has done for us that we were not aware. God’s nature is goodness. He has anger but He IS NOT anger. He IS good. Thanks again for your comments. I appreciate the tone in which you offered your thoughts.