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Gary wrote:

> "Bob Felts" wrote in message
> news:3F991EF7-AE9F-3B29-BD27-F6D70FB25A57@srcbs.org...
> > Gary wrote:
> >
> > > I recently came across this little passage from Thiessen's Lectures on
> > > Systematic Theology.
> > >
> > > The edition is 1949. p. 150.
> > >
> > > The latest edition, revised by a man named Doerksen, changes much of
> > > what Thiessen wrote.
> > >
> > > "Neither does God exercise an arbitrary will. Suns Scotus and certain
> > >other extreme determinists have held to the absoluteness of the divine
> > >will. They have taught that there is no criterion of value that
> > >determines God's will. A thing is right because God wills it. [This is
> > >voluntarism. gkm] To this we reply, that if this is the true, then the
> > >death of Christ is also not necessitated by any inner principle in God,
> > >but merely by the will of God. If God has willed to save man without
> > >the death of Christ He could have justly done so."
> > >
> >
> > That's exactly right. In fact, I had a professor at Washington Bible
> > College once remark that if God had wanted to institute carrot sacrifice
> > he could have.
> >
> > So what's your problem with the above? Do you really think that there
> > is something external to God to which God Himself must conform? By
> > which God's decisions can be measured to be good or bad?
>
> Well, my problem is sooo great with your suggestion that I
> am almost speechless.

Well, get control of yourself and try to organize your thoughts.

>
> But I did even suggest that their was "something EXTERNAL to God" to which
> He Himself must conform.
>

You make the suggestion in a lot of things that you write. For example,
you claim that an absolutely sovereign God is "infinitely more evil than
Satan".

> God Himself tells us that HE MUST CONFORM to His
> nature, which is TRUTH, hence GOD CANNOT LIE!
>
> Voluntarism is false, obviously.

How do you go from "God cannot lie" to "voluntarism is false"?

>
> And Christ HAD TO DIE for our sins for them to be forgiven.
> Your "carrot sacrifice" is well, blasphemous to say the very
> least.
>

Why? Nothing that you've said shows why this must be the case, other
than it seems to offend your sensibilities. Do you have a reason for
your position?


> In your "carrot view" Paul's response is quite appropriate!
>
>
> Galatians 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness
> could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
>
> Bob states that we could gain righteousness by "carrot sacrifice" hence
> Christ died for nothing! Well