Q: If God Knows Beforehand Who Will Believe, Do We Truly Have Free Will? Selected from our Questions and Answers program Articles by Thru the Bible
Q&A with McGeeJ. Vernon McGeeA: This is a question I’m confident no one will be able to answer in this life. I’ve come to the conclusion that with our little finite human minds one cannot reconcile what is known as the omniscience of God, the election of God, and man’s free will. Yet both of them are taught in Scripture, both of them are true, and there’s no conflict between them. But you must remember that God says His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways (see Isaiah 55:8). Therefore you and I need to recognize that there’s a great deal about God that we do not understand. We attempt to deal with the attributes of God – that’s the way we begin to get a hold of Him. And one of the attributes of God is His omniscience; He does know everything. But I don’t know everything and you don’t know everything. You and I are dealing with a little finite mind, and He hasn’t told us what He’s going to do. He’s told us to preach the gospel to every creature. Now if a minister uses the kind of appeal where they say God is waiting for you to accept His Son, I rather feel like that’s a sentimental appeal. I see nothing wrong with it other than that it is sentimental. Many men have used it effectively in drawing a net that has brought people to a saving knowledge of Christ. Now if those same ministers who make that appeal – saying God is waiting – had also been able to say, “Well, I also have the list here of the ones God’s going to save” and then made that same appeal, then I’d say they’re not dealing in a very honorable way. But I’m confident that no minister has the list of those who will be saved. Here on the radio program we give out the Word of God and expect the Spirit of God to touch the hearts and lives of those who will hear the voice of the Spirit. Now how He works I do not understand. Our business is to give out the Word. And you and I will not be shown the list that He has. We will not be told what God knows. Charles Spurgeon used to say that if God had put a yellow stripe down the backs of the elect, he’d just go around lifting up shirttails to find those with the yellow streak and then give them the gospel. But God didn’t do it that way. God told him to preach it to every creature, so that’s what he did. Because in Spurgeon’s book, they all could accept Christ. And to me it’s the same way: I assume that whosoever will may come, and that’s a legitimate offer that God makes. So if you don’t understand how to reconcile the omniscience and election of God with the free will of man, you are in a class with the rest of us. It reveals you are a human being, that you are finite, and that you do not know everything. And I don’t either. This is in the hands of God, and instead of arguing about these points let us keep busy giving out the Word of God. The Lord will take care of His end. He’ll touch the hearts of those that should hear the Word. My business is to give it out.
Question: "What is going to happen according to end times prophecy?"
Answer: The Bible has a lot to say about the end times. Nearly every book of the Bible contains prophecy regarding the end times. Taking all of these prophecies and organizing them can be difficult. Following is a very brief summary of what the Bible declares will happen in the end times.
Christ will remove all born-again believers from the earth in an event known as the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54). At the judgment seat of Christ, these believers will be rewarded for good works and faithful service during their time on earth or will lose rewards, but not eternal life, for lack of service and obedience (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
The Antichrist (the beast) will come into power and will sign a covenant with Israel for seven years (Daniel 9:27). This seven-year period of time is known as the “tribulation.” During the tribulation, there will be terrible wars, famines, plagues, and natural disasters. God will be pouring out His wrath against sin, evil, and wickedness. The tribulation will include the appearance of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, and the seven seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments.
About halfway through the seven years, the Antichrist will break the peace covenant with Israel and make war against it. The Antichrist will commit “the abomination of desolation” and set up an image of himself to be worshipped in the Jerusalem temple (Daniel 9:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10), which will have been rebuilt. The second half of the tribulation is known as “the great tribulation” (Revelation 7:14) and “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7).
At the end of the seven-year tribulation, the Antichrist will launch a final attack on Jerusalem, culminating in the battle of Armageddon. Jesus Christ will return, destroy the Antichrist and his armies, and cast them into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:11-21). Christ will then bind Satan in the Abyss for 1000 years and He will rule His earthly kingdom for this thousand-year period (Revelation 20:1-6).
At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be released, defeated again, and then cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10) for eternity. Christ then judges all unbelievers (Revelation 20:10-15) at the great white throne judgment, casting them all into the lake of fire. Christ will then usher in a new heaven and new earth and the New Jerusalem—the eternal dwelling place of believers. There will be no more sin, sorrow, or death (Revelation 21–22).
"I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!" - Revelation 1:17-18 When Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples the mother of all questions, "Who do you say I am?" (Matthew 16:15; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20). Mormons answer this question by saying that Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer; Jehovah's Witnesses answer by saying that Jesus is the archangel Michael; New Agers say Jesus is an avatar or enlightened messenger. Jesus, however, answered by claiming that He was God. First, Jesus claimed to be the unique Son of God. As a result, the Jewish leaders tried to kill Him because in "calling God his own Father, [Jesus was] making himself equal with God" (John 5:18 NIV). In John 8:58 Jesus went so far as to use the very words by which God revealed Himself to Moses from the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). To the Jews this was the epitome of blasphemy, for they knew that in doing so Jesus was clearly claiming to be God. On yet another occasion, Jesus explicitly told the Jews: " 'I and the Father are one.' Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, 'I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?' 'We are not stoning you for any of these,' replied the Jews, 'but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God' " (John 10:30-33). Furthermore, Jesus made an unmistakable claim to deity before the Chief Priests and the whole Sanhedrin. Caiaphas the High Priest asked him: " 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?' 'I am,' said Jesus. 'And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven' " (Mark 14:61-62 NIV). A biblically illiterate person might well have missed the import of Jesus' words. Caiaphas and the Council, however, did not. They knew that in saying he was "the Son of Man" who would come "on the clouds of heaven" he was making an overt reference to the Son of Man in Daniel's prophecy (Daniel 7:13-14). In doing so, He was not only claiming to be the preexistent Sovereign of the Universe but also prophesying that He would vindicate His claim by judging the very court that was now condemning Him. Moreover, by combining Daniel's prophecy with David's proclamation in Psalm 110, Jesus was claiming that He would sit upon the throne of Israel's God and share God's very glory. To students of the Old Testament this was the height of "blasphemy," thus "they all condemned him as worthy of death" (Mark 14:64-65). Finally, Jesus claimed to possess the very attributes of God. For example, He claimed omniscience by telling Peter, "This very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times" (Matthew 26:34); declared omnipotence by not only resurrecting Lazarus (John 11:43) but by raising Himself from the dead (see John 2:19); and professed omnipresence by promising He would be with His disciples "to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). Not only so, but Jesus said to the paralytic in Luke 5:20, "Friend, your sins are forgiven". In doing so, He claimed a prerogative reserved for God alone. In addition, when Thomas worshiped Jesus saying "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28), Jesus responded with commendation rather than condemnation. What Credentials Back Up Jesus' Claim to Deity? "When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, 'Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?' Jesus replied, 'Go back and report to John what you hear and see; The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.'" - Matthew 11:2-5 Jesus not only claimed to be God but also provided many convincing proofs that he indeed was divine. First, Jesus demonstrated that he was God in human flesh by manifesting the credential of sinlessness. While the Qur'an exhorts Muhammad to seek forgiveness for his sins, the Bible exonerates Messiah saying Jesus "had no sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21). And this is not a singular statement. John declares, "and in him is no sin" (1 John 3:5), and Peter says Jesus "committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth" (1 Peter 2:22). Jesus himself went so far as to challenge his antagonists asking, "Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?" (John 8:46) Furthermore, Jesus demonstrated supernatural authority over sickness, the forces of nature, fallen angels, and even death itself. Matthew 4 records that Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching, preaching "and healing every disease and sickness among the people" (v.23). Mark 4 documents Jesus rebuking the wind and the waves saying, "Quiet! Be still!" (v.39). In Luke 4 Jesus encounters a man possessed by an evil spirit and commands the demon to "Come out of him!" (v.35). And in John 4, Jesus tells a royal official whose son was close to death, "Your son will live" (v.50). In fact, the four Gospels record how Jesus demonstrated ultimate power over death through the immutable fact of his resurrection. Finally, the credentials of Christ's deity are seen in the lives of countless men, women, and children. Each day, people of every tongue and tribe and nation experience the resurrected Christ by repenting of their sins and receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives. Thus, they not only come to know about Christ evidentially, but experientially Christ becomes more real to them than the very flesh upon their bones. Adapted from Hank Hanegraaff, The Bible Answer Book (Nashville: J. Countryman, 2004).Articles by Bible Answer Man
Did Jesus Claim to Be God?Hank Hanegraaff
Answer: By shedding His blood on the cross, Jesus took the punishment we deserve and offered us His righteousness. When we trust Christ for our salvation, essentially we are making a trade. By faith, we trade our sin and its accompanying death penalty for His righteousness and life. In theological terms, this is called “substitutionary atonement.” Christ died on the cross as our substitute. Without Him, we would suffer the death penalty for our own sins. Here are a few verses that explain this concept: He [God] made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. And while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, The writer to the Hebrews puts it this way: “And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). For God to forgive our sins, His judgment had to be satisfied and that required the shedding of blood. Some object, “Shedding blood seems so barbaric. Is it really necessary? Why doesn’t God simply forgive us?” Because God is holy, He must judge sin. Would a just and righteous judge let evil go unpunished? At the cross, God poured out His judgment on His Son, satisfying His wrath and making it possible for Him to forgive us. That’s why Jesus shed His blood for your sins, my sins, and the sins of the whole world. At what moment during the crucifixion ordeal did God pour out His judgment on His precious Son? Many theologians believe it was toward the end of the three-hour period of darkness when Jesus cried out: “‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Mark 15:34). By taking upon Himself the sins of the world, Jesus removed Himself from God’s holy presence, and God, in turn, removed Himself from His Son. It was a temporary but excruciating separation, for at that moment, the Son of God became Father-forsaken. God unleashed His wrath on His Son so that we might be spared that awful fate. This is the central message of the cross and the reason for our hope: God forsook His Son so that He might never forsake us. God assures us, “‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Isn’t that a wonderful promise? Have you placed your trust in Jesus Christ as the substitute for your sin? Do you believe that Jesus died for you in order to give you eternal life and that He rose from the dead victorious over sin? If not, we encourage you to receive Jesus as your Savior right now. You can express your desire in a prayer like this: Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins and rose again. I trust in You as my Savior now. Forgive me of my sins, and make me into the kind of person You would have me to be. Thank You for your gift of eternal life. Amen. If you truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have eternal life. You can rest in that truth. The apostle John has written: “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life” (1 John 5:11-12). When you have the Son of God, the Lord Jesus, you have eternal life. If you've prayed this prayer and you wish to find out more about knowing God and His plan for you in the Bible, contact us at Insight for Living. You can speak to one of our pastors on staff by calling (972) 473-5097.Articles by Insight for Living
How Does the Death of Jesus Save Me?Insight for LivingQuestion:
I’ve been told that Jesus died for my sins. What does that mean exactly? How could the death of Jesus help me get to heaven? What does the death of Christ save me from?
One way to understand the meaning of the death of Jesus is to imagine a courtroom scene in which we are on trial for our sins and God is the judge. Our sins against God are capital crimes. God Himself is our judge, and according to divine law our crimes deserve the death penalty. Death, in a spiritual sense, means eternal separation from God in unending torment. That’s a very serious judgment.
(2 Corinthians 5:21)
(1 Peter 2:23-24)
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)
I remember when each of my sons took their first steps. Like most parents, we desperately wanted to see our kids take them. We were so excited. Once they started walking, though, we sometimes wished we had never taught them how to do it, because we had to constantly keep an eye on them. My youngest son Jonathan fell so many times when he was learning to walk that he had a permanent bruise on his forehead. A bruise would start to heal, and then he would fall again. He had bruises on top of bruises. We didn’t recognize him without that bruise in the middle of his forehead. The spiritual walk can be like that, especially when we are taking our first steps as a new believer. We stumble and fall. We get up. Then we stumble and fall again. It is all part of growing spiritually. In Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul speaks to us about our spiritual walk, about how to walk spiritually. Walking is an act that speaks of effort and of having a direction with a destination in mind. It speaks of steady motion, regularity, consistency, activity, movement, and progress. In Ephesians 4, God is telling us that it is time for us to walk in light of what we have already learned. Prior to these verses, Paul has spent three chapters telling us what God has done for us, what God has given to us, and what God has provided for us. He has reminded us that we were all separated from God, alienated from His promises. We were aimlessly walking through life with no purpose or direction, heading toward a certain judgment. But God loved us so much that He chose us before the foundation of the world. Then He redeemed us. He bought us out of slavery to sin, adopted us into His family, and sealed us with the Holy Spirit. If that were not enough, He then placed all of His resources into our spiritual bank account so that we would have everything that we need to grow spiritually. In Ephesians 4, we learn more about what we are supposed to do for God. Notice the order. First, Paul tells us what God has done for us (as you read the Bible, you will find that the primary emphasis is just that). Then he tells us what we must do for God. “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Ephesians 4:1 NKJV). We may read that verse and think, “I am in trouble. How could I ever be worthy? There is nothing I could ever do to deserve God’s grace.” But that is not what the word “worthy” means here. This word could be translated as, “to balance the scales.” In other words, what is on one side of the scale should be equal in weight to what is on the other side of the scale. This word can be applied to anything that is expected to correspond to something else. Another way to translate it is, “I want you to live a balanced life.” But what is the balance he is referring to? Paul was telling us that there needs to be a balance between our belief and our practice, between our doctrine and the way that we live. The two need to go together. Some people are lopsided. They may be strong in one area and weak in another. I have met people who have an incredible and impressive knowledge of the Bible. They know Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. They dazzle you with what they know. But their personal life is in shambles. The problem is that they are imbalanced. They have the knowledge. They have the doctrine. But their life is out of balance. Then there are those who don’t know much doctrinally. They don’t really know what the Bible teaches on certain subjects, but they love the Lord. They are passionate about their faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, you might hear them say something like, “Let’s not quibble over doctrine. I just love Jesus.” That sounds admirable, but it is a dangerous statement. If they are not careful, they might end up loving the wrong Jesus. They might end up believing the wrong gospel, and that is where doctrine comes in. We need the balance of having both of these areas working together. That is what it means to walk worthy of the Lord.Articles by A New Beginning
Walk WorthyGreg Laurie
Let's be brutally honest: most of Jesus' teaching is completely out of sync with the mores that dominate our culture. I'm talking, of course, about the Jesus we encounter in Scripture, not the always-gentle, never-stern, über-lenient coloring-book character who exists only in the popular imagination. The real Jesus was no domesticated clergyman with a starched collar and genteel manners; he was a bold, uncompromising Prophet who regularly challenged the canons of political correctness. Consider the account of Jesus' public ministry given in the New Testament. The first word of his first sermon was "Repent!"--a theme that was no more welcome and no less strident-sounding than it is today. The first act of his public ministry touched off a small riot. He made a whip of cords and chased money-changers and animal merchants off the Temple grounds. That initiated a three-year-long conflict with society's most distinguished religious leaders. They ultimately handed him over to Roman authorities for crucifixion while crowds of lay people cheered them on. Jesus was pointedly, deliberately, and dogmatically counter-cultural in almost every way. No wonder the religious and academic aristocracy of his generation were so hostile to him. Would Jesus receive a warmer welcome from world religious leaders, the media elite, or the political gentry today? Anyone who has seriously considered the New Testament knows very well that he would not. Our culture is devoted to pluralism and tolerance; contemptuous of all absolute or exclusive truth-claims; convinced that self-love is the greatest love of all; satisfied that most people are fundamentally good; and desperately wanting to believe that each of us is endowed with a spark of divinity. Against such a culture Jesus' message strikes every discordant note. Check the biblical record. Jesus' words were full of hard demands and stern warnings. He said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?" (Luke 9:23-25). "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26). At one point an unthinkable Roman atrocity took the lives of many Galilean pilgrims who had come to worship in Jerusalem. Pilate, the Roman governor, ordered his men to murder some worshipers and then mingled their blood with the sacrifices they were offering. While the city was still reeling from that awful disaster, a tower fell in the nearby district of Siloam and instantly snuffed out eighteen more lives. Asked about these back-to-back tragedies, Jesus said, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:2-5). Ignoring the normal rules of taste, tact, and diplomacy, Jesus in effect declared that all his listeners were sinners in need of redemption. Then, as now, that message was virtually guaranteed to offend many--perhaps most--of Jesus' audience. Those with no sense of personal guilt--including the vast majority of religious leaders--were of course immediately offended. They were convinced they were good enough to merit God's favor. Who was this man to summon them to repentance? They turned away in angry unbelief. The only ones not offended were those who already sensed their guilt and were crushed under the weight of its burden. Unhindered by indignation or self-righteousness, they could hear the hope implicit in Jesus' words. For them, the repeated phrase "unless you repent" pointed the way to redemption.Articles by Grace to You
Read the Gospels: JC is not PCJohn MacArthur
My time in Haiti was a non-stop, painful exfoliation of the layers of sin and regret, which I had become so accustomed to wearing. The days were long, hot, and difficult. This was no cushy mission trip, we were roughing it with scarce resources, and spent most evenings surrounding one small light, reading from the Scriptures and telling stories. Despite my initial complaints, and nightly battles with the world’s largest moths, I eventually found myself sitting alone on moonlit mountaintops, in total silence, deeply mourning my demolished life. Those nights played out like a slideshow, and clicking past were scene after scene of the sordid wreckage and foul remains of a glittery mess that was more dung than gold, all of which had become the defining characteristics of my existence. I laid myself bare on those hilltops, and wept until exhaustion. I deserved no forgiveness, no mercy, no recompense for all the lost time and failed chances I’d been given. For most of my selfish life, the Lord has stood in front of me, arms wide open, patiently waiting to embrace me and remove all the hurt and the disappointment. The only cost to me? My pride. And now, as my tears fell on parched earth in a country ravaged by war and disease, I was too ashamed and disgusted by all the blackness I felt still clinging to my skin like ink. I raised my arms and surrendered all; I had no fight or pride left in me. “Lord … save me.” And I imagine singing broke out in the heavenly places. “The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you in His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 Every day in Haiti, after finishing up our summer program with the kids, I would wander over to the medical clinic, where two young American nurses were volunteering their time, working tirelessly, sometimes around the clock, overwhelmed by their patient load. Immediately I was given work to do, which included helping during surgery, delivering babies, and holding hands of the dying. I never felt more alive or more certain of my life’s path than during those harrowing hours in the clinic. I returned to Boston clinging to the Lord for direction and guidance, and found myself enrolled and accepted, not three weeks later, into one of Boston’s most competitive and challenging nursing programs, a miracle beyond miracles. That was two and a half years ago, and just recently, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. It was one of the proudest, most surreal days of my life. As I walked across that stage to accept my pin, I thought “The Lord totally wrecked my life, and gave me more than I can could ever ask or think.” My career as a nurse is barely beginning, as I am studying tirelessly for the national licensure exam and waiting patiently to hear from the Lord which hospital He would use me most, for His good pleasure. It is a nerve-wracking time, wrought with financial instability and countless questionings—with seemingly no immediate answers, but I will wait. Temptations arise and distractions ensue, but nothing will ever compare to living under the shadow of the Lord’s wings. The life I held so dear was wrecked beyond recognition. Dear readers, I pray you are privileged to see the Lord wreck your life. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” —Luke 12:32
A Wrecked Life, Part 3
by Virtue for Women on Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 9:00am
If a woman wears immodest clothing, and it results in a man lusting after her, who’s fault is it, the woman or the man?
Who’s fault is it?
8 Comments »
Comment by Leah
Both. She set up the temptation and he chose to allow himself to think about her inappropriately.
Comment by Anonymous
The answer to this is like saying that’s the world’s fault that i fell into porn, conformity, adultery, etc. You have got to be on guard. Yes, the woman has played a part in the man’s lusting, but the man is accountable.
Comment by Joselyn Rushton
The answer to this is like saying that’s the world’s fault that i fell into porn, conformity, adultery, etc. You have got to be on guard. Yes, the woman has played a part in the man’s lusting, but the man is accountable.
Comment by Marcus
If a lady wears immodest clothing, she has the Lord to answer to for that. However, if it results in a man lusting after her, the man has the Lord to answer to for lusting.
If a man was to walk down the red-light district in town, there will be plenty of prostitutes seducing him with their eyes, bodies and clothes. But just because the man is in a situation that will naturally allow him to lust in his fleshy nature, DOES NOT MEAN that the man has no choice but to lust. Following that, the man actually has a choice of whether he wants to sin or not.
So it is the man’s fault for lusting.
Comment by Chris
They are both at fault. The man is at fault for lusting and the woman is at fault for causing a stumbling block in front of the man. Sin is sin
Comment by Mr. H
I won’t quote Bible Verses because everyone should already be well known to which ones “fall” under this category. I have had many discussions with people (especially females) who profess the name of the Lord Jesus, but just don’t care how they dress, about this subject.
They don’t care if they show the shape of their body, how much skin they show, nor what other people think about that. It’s all about what makes them feel good, what makes them look better than the other person. I always wonder if they feel that the world would value them more as a person depending on how much skin (or body parts) are shown.
If you bring it to their attention, they get defensive and they stick to the “their Perverts and they shouldn’t look at me in that way” line. And also, “The Lord sees our heart, not our appearance”, “I need to look cute for my husband and not cover myself up from head to toe or else he is going to leave me for another attractive woman”.
They always, and I mean always, justify their clothing style no matter how revealing their clothes is or what the Bible says about it.
We as men, and some more than others, struggle with our eyes just wandering all over the place, especially when a female is involved. By nature, that’s who we are! Women sometimes don’t understand that and that’s why they don’t care and call men perverts. But they just don’t see the damage they are causing for all men out there.
I’m also not saying that you women need to wear a super long blanket over you and only have your eyes showing… so don’t get it all twisted. Their is ALWAYS a modest and decent way to dress “Cute” and “Stay in Style” without being revealing or inappropriate.
Just think of it this way, “will I be okay standing right in front of our Lord dressed this way?”
Because of today’s Fashion and Hollywood Entertainment world, women want to dress with the latest fashions and it don’t matter how much of their body shows. Which is wrong.
So to answer the question without anymore of my two cents, it’s the women’s fault IF they dress with immodest clothing!
Comment by Ethan
Both are accountable!
The girl is accountable for making Him stumble by casting a stumbling block.
1 Corinthians 8:9-10 “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?”
And the Guy is accountable for what He thought, breaking the 7th Commandment.
Matthew 5:28 “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
Comment by curtis
Maybe both…To me you should only worry about your sin unless ,the woman causing people lust is your daughter or wife. In my opinion it is not lust to look at beauty but it is when your mind goes to far with that beauty, just simply enjoying beautiful women is natural and God intended for us to…just be careful
Comment by Michael James Stone
Who’s fault is it?
If a woman wears immodest clothing, and it results in a man lusting after her, who’s fault is it, the woman or the man?
(interesting this isn’t asked in the Normal Format)
This is a Fallacy question:
1) A woman dresses immodestly
>Fallacy is there is no criteria stated for modesty.
2) Man lusting after her
>Fallacies are “implied” by the dress
>It actually can be a Man who lusts after her no matter what she wears.
Whose fault is it?
>Fallacy is there is only ONE action stated, the man and lust.
It’s what we call a logic bomb. There is no actual fact based answer because it a Vagary disguised as a specific.
See:http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Clear_Thinking/Informal_Fallacies/Introduction/introduction.html
For an exact definition.
But lets play with the scriptures the premise is trying to create the scenario the person wants.
Are you accountable to the actions of another’s reactions?
The “dress” of the person is not a scriptural issue, or, it is a relationship development aspect that a person who has issue with the persons dress is required to seek “settlement” for peace sake if both parties are in the same faith etc.
A man lusting after a woman is not “invoked” by dress. It is a process development of Thought, Consideration, Decision making, and Participation All on the mans “actions” and “intentions”.
If a man is tempted, then he knows it is not the source that is the issue, but the response to temptation in which he decides to “reject” the initial “contact” of the temptation in thought by sight or external stimulus.
If he chooses to “participate” in the temptation, he creates in himself the opportunity for sin. He “indulges” in the process of development of self-discipline by either responding in a scriptural/spiritual/godly manner, or “heeding” and yielding his member (his mind) to the provocation.
If he did not, it would be a growth process.
Since the person who is viewing the “immodesty” is determining the modesty or immodesty and response, it isn’t the clothes that make a circumstance one way or the other.
The same scenario would be less dramatic if you said: A Doctor noticed a woman who was dressed immodestly came to him for a Full Pelvic exam. The fact I didn’t say Gynecologist would also make what looks like “sin of the womans choice of clothes” above proof that this is a Bad question and used in logic classes as a Prime example of fallacy because Scripture is absolute, so your answers have to include any exceptions……