The Lord spoke in parables so that the Pharisees would be blinded lest they see the truth at any time and repent (see Mark 4:11 and following verses). The human being is the only species which deliberately blinds themselves to the truth and hardens their heart. This is given to man to whom God has put "eternity in their hearts." ( Ecclesiastes 3:11). There is a way; a door or opening to heaven by which we MUST go through to enter; there is no other way. That; of course is Christ and being Born Again. After all; only the "sick need a physician". ( Mark 2:17). Consider those who most often rejected Christ. These were all those who had heard the message; and mostly the Jews who knew the law and the commandments and the prophecies thus they were without excuse killing the Lord of Glory. That was made clear by Stephen's speech and subsequent martyrdom in Acts 7 and the beginning of Acts 8. Their history was spelled out as to how they sinned and killed the Prophets before them; Christ Himself also brought out these things.
In seeing these things we are reminded with a fair and impartial view of scripture in terms of it's literary composition that men by and large were going on with their personal lives and decisions much of the time. We certainly needn't look at "free will" as something that is diametrically opposed to God's predetermination in our lives as though He is holding us to a standard that we as human beings are paralyzed with our everyday life. He points out to David only when He goes after Bathsheeba that he was given much latitude ( 2 Sam. 12:7-8) and even more wives if he asked; but of course murder and adultery was not to be tolerated. God can't look upon sin; therefore had to turn His back on His own Son. However it is our sin NATURE that is the root of all these things; or the heart ( Jeremiah 17:9; etc.) But after this life ends there is no more freedom for the unregenerate to sin.
The Lord spoke in parables so that the Pharisees would be blinded lest they see the truth at any time and repent (see Mark 4:11 and following verses). The human being is the only species which deliberately blinds themselves to the truth and hardens their heart. This is given to man to whom God has put "eternity in their hearts." ( Ecclesiastes 3:11). There is a way; a door or opening to heaven by which we MUST go through to enter; there is no other way. That; of course is Christ and being Born Again. After all; only the "sick need a physician". ( Mark 2:17). Consider those who most often rejected Christ. These were all those who had heard the message; and mostly the Jews who knew the law and the commandments and the prophecies thus they were without excuse killing the Lord of Glory. That was made clear by Stephen's speech and subsequent martyrdom in Acts 7 and the beginning of Acts 8. Their history was spelled out as to how they sinned and killed the Prophets before them; Christ Himself also brought out these things.
In seeing these things we are reminded with a fair and impartial view of scripture in terms of it's literary composition that men by and large were going on with their personal lives and decisions much of the time. We certainly needn't look at "free will" as something that is diametrically opposed to God's predetermination in our lives as though He is holding us to a standard that we as human beings are paralyzed with our everyday life. He points out to David only when He goes after Bathsheeba that he was given much latitude ( 2 Sam. 12:7-8) and even more wives if he asked; but of course murder and adultery was not to be tolerated. God can't look upon sin; therefore had to turn His back on His own Son. However it is our sin NATURE that is the root of all these things; or the heart ( Jeremiah 17:9; etc.) But after this life ends there is no more freedom for the unregenerate to sin.
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