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From my Facebook Page.
Russell Norman Murray, PhD
infinite: archives
General source: Reasons to Believe (Hugh Ross): Newsletter, Reasons to Believe, Covina, California.
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Scan from Global News
I can believe the documented evidence that our Canadian indigenous, First-Nations, population has been historically often abused and mistreated by colonization.
In my particular case, having studied problems of evil both with academic degrees and academic websites, this all sadly, makes sense. Contrary to many local media reports, I do not find these true stories shocking, as in surprising.
On the contrary, the Book of Romans (New American Standard Bible/NASB) describes humanity, universally as ungodly and unrighteous, worthy of the wrath of God (Romans 1: 18). Universally, human beings suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1: 18). Universally, no human being is righteous (Romans 3: 10), no human being intrinsically understands or seeks God (Romans 3: 11), although (Romans 1) the existence of God can be understand via creation (Romans 1: 20). No person really seeks God on his/her own (Romans 3: 11). There is none that does good (Romans 3: 12). In other words, there is a taint of sin in all human thought, desire, will, choice, act/action.
However, the gospel is the remedy...
(NASB)
23 for all [a]have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Footnotes: (a) Romans 3:23 Or sinned
Romans 6: 23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8: 1
8 Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus.
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Romans 8:28
Footnotes: Some manuscripts God works all things together for good, or God works in all things for the good
People in Jesus Christ are foreknown, predestined, called, conformed, justified and sanctified through the applied atoning work and glorified through resurrection. Resurrected as is the incarnate, Jesus Christ, that atoned for human sin (see Hebrews, especially).
Through God in regeneration (John 3, Titus 3: 5-7, 1 Peter 1: 23) the gospel is humanly embraced and a person moulded by the Holy Spirit to be Christ-like.
This does not eliminate all human sin in this realm, nor does it eliminate all sin and false philosophy, theology, teaching and practice within Christian people and Christian churches.
There is also no guarantee that everyone within the cultural Christian Church is actually a regenerated believer.
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The often abuse and mistreatment of a colonized group of peoples by colonial powers is an aspect of corrupted, fallen, human nature. This can include disrespect for the colonized culture, and abuse and mistreatment socially and sexually of some colonized people.
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Since I could understand such concepts, I have always had zero interest in being influenced by mild-altering substances to the point of being drunk, etcetera, but admit that Thomas the Tanked Engine, is amusing British satire.
Let us be real, there is philosophically, humour in human folly. It actually can expose human sin. But the folly should not be embraced.
BRUCE, F.F. (1987) Romans, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
DUNN, JAMES D.G. (1988) Romans, Dallas, Word Books.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What Does God Know and When Does He Know It?, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1986) Predestination and Free Will, in David Basinger and Randall Basinger (eds.), Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press.
FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1994) The Many Faces of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House.
FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (2001) No One Like Him, John S. Feinberg (gen.ed.), Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Books.
HUGHES, PHILIP, EDGCUMBE (1990) A Commentary On The Epistle To The Hebrews, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.
