Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
A more modern way to answer your question would be thus: Human judgment is flawed. When God says or does something that seems unfair, unjust or immoral to us humans, should we trust our own judgment, or God's? I agree it doesn't seem fair that some should be saved and others damned, in what seems to be an arbitrary fashion. However, the Bible is fairly clear. Whether or not it seems like a good plan to us humans, it's what God has done. We can strive to understand the why of it all, but questioning his divine judgment gets us nowhere.
I still don't see Roman 9 showing anything. However, I do believe I understand one thing now. You seem to see God as this mystical, unimaginable God that can not be comprehended, nor understood. We are simply his creation, are entitled to nothing, and deserve nothing. We get only what God wants us to have, and we will do only what God wants us to do. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I would never critisize someone for their beliefs, and I don't wish to do so to you. However, I would like to introduce you to the God I know. We are created in his image and he loves us dearly. However, he wants us to grow, to become better, and he knows that the only way for that to happen is for us to make mistakes and to learn and grow from them. Herein is the purpose of Christ mission, as well as that of the Adversary, or Devil as some call him. The Adversary is there to present the ability to sin, not to MAKE us sin, but to present the opportunity. Christ is there to provide a way for us to be forgiven when we do.
Consider yourself as a father (not sure if you are one or not). Have you ever taught a child how to ride a bike? If so, did you let her fall over, knowing that that was the only way she would learn? You knew it would hurt, but you also knew it was necessary. For if you caught her everytime before she feel, her body would never learn. Believe it or not, life is much like this.
The God I believe in gives us that opportunity, known as free agency. We have the ability and right to fall, to do wrong. But we also have the ability to do the right thing, and to get up each time we fall. And each time we do, we shall rise even higher than before.
I don't believe that God is some strong being that can't be understood. On the contrary, I believe God wants us to understand him as much as possible. He wants us to love him, to want to be with him, but also to respect him.
This is why free agency, to me, is such a pivital part of the Gospel. If we could never freely do wrong, there would be no sin. There would simply be God's actions.
Again, I'm not trying to discredit your beliefs or anything, only to express my own. I think I'll PM any other post like this though, as I think I may have strayed off topic just a touch.