First I did not just make up what I said. Here's what Strongs has to say.
The gospel is hidden to unbelievers? I've never heard that before. I always thought you could share the gospel with an unbeliever and they could choose to accept it or reject it. Why would Jesus want the gospel hidden. If that were the case the cross makes no sense.
I told you how Strongs renders the Hebrew word. I already acknowledged it can mean meant or I could say as your above says planned too. That does not establish a belief however that God ordained these men to do this. And in the light of so many, many other passages of scripture which causes Calvinistic thinking to collapse you'd be wise not to put all your eggs in one basket in one portion of scripture that you impose a meaning upon.
What does the verse say? It's hidden from unbelievers until it is revealed by the Spirit.
Yes I do, I believe in free will when properly defined.
If you are Calvinist you believe in an oxymoron called compatibilism
It's an oxymoron for believing a will which is determined is also free
Why? Saying it easy, proving not so much apparently.
So your beyond God's control?
The question was
Of course... What's the alternative? GOD creates for us the evil we will do then impels us to do it??? Riiiiight.....<sigh>
Of course it wouldn't be Tom. That other way of thinking takes rational thinking and throws it into the trash.
I agree with you on these subjects Ted.
In a sense or in a certain stage of time. God might step in if one had their finger on a nuke button who was going to push it and say, UM no you don't. I have my time for the destruction of the earth and it certainly is not right now. When it comes to all matters of salvation he has let mankind be the controlling factor as to whether they respond to him. God however will take upon himself ultimate control at the judgement.....NO ONE....absolutely no one will be able to say I'm not going to face the consequences of my bad decisions. THEY WILL. God will control that whether they like that or not.
