Thread: A time to die?

Originally Posted by Bookman

Well, we disagree, then. We know from Scripture that "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." And as I said in regard to the shooting, God is not the cause of "suicides and abortions" but He determines the final result in terms of the destiny of the victims.

Excellent answer. Thanks!

Originally Posted by victoryword

As far as not answering your question, exactly what kind of answer were you expecting from me? Did you expect me to say tell you that I would NOT worship God?

As far as your disagreeing - you are disagreeing with God's Word, not with ME and that, despite your misquote of Psalm 116:15 (while ignoring the many passages that dispute the idea that death is precious to God). Perhaps we should consider other translations outside of the Calvinistically influenced King James Version:

The death of the Lord’s faithful is a costly loss in his eyes. (Common English Bible)

From Adonai’s point of view, the death of those faithful to him is costly. (Complete Jewish Bible)

You are deeply concerned when one of your loyal people faces death. (Contemporary English Version)

Very dear to the Lord are the lives of his followers. He cares when they face death. (Easy to Read Version)

How painful it is to the Lord when one of his people dies! (Good News Translation)

Costly in Yahweh’s view is the death of his faithful ones. (Lexham English Bible)

His loved ones are very precious to him, and he does not lightly let them die. (The Living Bible)

The Lord values the lives of his faithful followers. (New English Translation)

The Lord pays special attention when his faithful people die. (New International Reader's Version)

The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die. (New Living Translation)

the death of saints of the Lord is precious in his sight. (The Lord is deeply moved by the death of any of his saints.) (Wycliffe Bible)

Grievous in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his pious ones. (Leeser Old Testament)

I believe that these translations are more consistent with the overall Biblical understanding of God's view of death. God does not sit around rejoicing when His people die. According to some translations, He is actually grieved over it.

I always see a red flag when someone tells someone else who disagrees with them that they're really disagreeing with God.

God did not initiate the fall of man, but neither did it absent Him from the scene. On the contrary, God was immediately on the scene with promised redemption. Down to this very day, though the effects of the fall are with us, God is not absent. Every event in the lives of believers can be a "redeemed" event through faith in God's promises. Where Satan cuts down a forest, God envisions a new meadow. It's trite but true: What Satan means to be stumbling blocks, God means to be stepping stones. There is NO event in my life that God counts as loss. He redeems ALL. Someday I will die. Long ago, I consigned that day over to God. Satan will not and cannot kill me. Nor can he do me harm that is not redeemable by God. I look at every event in my life as God's opportunity to show off.

Originally Posted by Bookman

I always see a red flag when someone tells someone else who disagrees with them that they're really disagreeing with God.

God did not initiate the fall of man, but neither did it absent Him from the scene. On the contrary, God was immediately on the scene with promised redemption. Down to this very day, though the effects of the fall are with us, God is not absent. Every event in the lives of believers can be a "redeemed" event through faith in God's promises. Where Satan cuts down a forest, God envisions a new meadow. It's trite but true: What Satan means to be stumbling blocks, God means to be stepping stones. There is NO event in my life that God counts as loss. He redeems ALL. Someday I will die. Long ago, I consigned that day over to God. Satan will not and cannot kill me. Nor can he do me harm that is not redeemable by God. I look at every event in my life as God's opportunity to show off.

Exactly!

I always see a BIG RED FLAG when someone ignores Scripture, teaches contrary to it, and them sum it up as a mere "disagreement".

So you maintain that you are correct in every aspect of your theology and anyone who disagrees at any point is ignoring Scripture or teaching contrary doctrine?

As to the verse from Luke, I don't see the connection. It IS building on solid rock to entrust one's entire life circumstances to God. Not passively, by the way, but as an ACTION. Faith is an action.

As for the verses from Mark, again I don't see the connection. My faith carries me through "affliction" and "persecution."

As for Madame Guyon, you're right. I do greatly admire the faith she had and her writings. "All we have to do is to remain faithful to God and wholly attentive to his will, and everything that is necessary will be given to us." Madame Guyon

I also have been blessed by authors such as Watchman Nee, Andrew Murray, Hannah Whitall Smith, Jessie Penn-Lewis, and many others.

That simply is not true and any Bible example where God did redeem someone in a bad situation was because they applied some act of faith (i.e. Joseph).

Of course. I didn't say anything different. That substantiates what I'm saying. Through faith, God redeems any adverse situation, though it may take much time (as it did with Joseph). I'm not suggesting that a passive faith will suffice.

Many things happen to us due to lack of faith which goes against your belief that all that happens to us can be redeemed by God for some good purpose.

I thought you understood that I was not suggesting it's automatically redeemed by God. We must walk in faith. If we DO walk in faith, then, yes, ALL things that happen to us can be redeemed by God for some good purpose.

Now, back to the death question. I'm curious. Are you saying that on the day of your death, both the means and the timing of your death are going to be determined by Satan and not by God? It has to be one or the other, unless you don't planning on dying.

Good sound theology, Bookman.