Thanks so much for all you're doing to inform your followers about the important things that are happening in the world today. Happy New Year...may your audience continue to grow!
No, not an illegal. Just another of the perpetually offended with a history of arrests for assault and harassment roaming the streets preying on others.
This is not random. This is a repetitive crime that happens so often in NYC that subway riders are protecting themselves by using belts to tie themselves to subway posts to avoid being pushed. Just awful. I wish the cops would connect these crimes to the groups that are doing this.
Praise God he is alive, albeit critical condition. His guardian angel protected him. I trust God lifted the spirit of the woman burned alive and she now found peace and comfort in her new Heavenly abode.
Where was “god” for the homeless woman burned alive as cops walked past and street thugs fanned the flames? Why is your “god” selective over who “he” protects? Isn’t your “god” all-knowing and all-powerful? Didn’t that homeless woman who was burned alive deserve “god” to save her? What good is a “god” who is utterly indifferent to the suffering and agony of most but randomly saves certain lives?
He gives his argument in Romans 9:15, where he says, “For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.”
So God is free to have mercy on whom he’ll have mercy. He is free to show mercy and grace to whomever he wills. Nobody deserves it, and God is not unjust to give it freely to whomever he will, and not to another.
What If . . .
Now why does God exercise his freedom in choosing one and not another? And that brings us to the question that Aaron asked about concerning verses 22 and 23. Because this is Paul’s most ultimate answer in the Bible, I think.
Everybody should put their ears up when I say that. “Whoa, that’s a big claim. Check that out.” So I’m going to say it again: verses 22 and 23 are Paul’s most — and I would say the Bible’s most — ultimate answer for why God does what he does in choosing one and not another. This is the very sentence that Aaron asked about.
It begins by saying, “What if . . .” Now in the Greek it is just if, but what if is okay because we should answer the what if question by saying, “Well, no legitimate objection can be raised.” I’ll come back to that. Here is what the sentence says:
What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory? (Romans 9:22–23)
Aaron is asking, “Do the words what if at the beginning of verse 22 mean that God could act this way, but doesn’t act this way?” That’s what he’s just asking. In other words, does what if mean “Oh yeah, he could act that way, and that would fit with Piper’s Reformed understanding of this text, but he doesn’t really act that way.” Aaron is asking, “Is that a feasible interpretation?”
The answer is no, that’s not a feasible interpretation. It’s not feasible to take the words that way. And there are several reasons, but let me just zero in on one.
Actual, Not Hypothetical
The reason is that the if that introduces verses 22 and 23 has really already happened in Romans 9. It’s not a question of whether it’s going to happen — it did happen. And Paul is restating what he has already said. He is drawing out the application — namely, with regard to Pharaoh.
“Romans 9:22–23 is the Bible’s most ultimate answer for why God does what he does in choosing one and not another.”
When Paul says, “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,” well, he’s restating the very thing that he just said he did in regard to Pharaoh in verses 17 and 18. Here’s what that says: “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills” (Romans 9:17–18).
When Paul refers five verses later, in verse 22, to God’s “desiring to show his wrath and make known his power, [enduring] with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,” that’s exactly what he has just done with Pharaoh in verse 17. This what if is not hypothetical — it’s actual. He did it. The what if is asking, “What if he did it — can any legitimate reaction be raised?” And he answers no.
What good is a “all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful” “god” who allows innocent children to be born with cancer? Or with other crippling conditions? Innocent babies.
Thanks so much for all you're doing to inform your followers about the important things that are happening in the world today. Happy New Year...may your audience continue to grow!
God Bless,
Len Saputo, MD
AwE! So much appreciate that! And what a wonderful wish, thank you! ❤️
There's an old saying: a------s never take a day off. Glad they caught him and the guy survived. God bless you! Gonna be a great year!!!
Right? There's much more going on today, too! They always do something. We go from distraction to distraction.
In my personal opinion something more than an arrest would have been appropriate.
opinion shared!
It will be interesting to see if the perp is an illegal!
No, not an illegal. Just another of the perpetually offended with a history of arrests for assault and harassment roaming the streets preying on others.
https://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/2025/01/01/man-critical-after-being-shoved-in-front-of-moving-nyc-subway-train-at-chelsea-station/
Oh, I forgot to say I will be praying for the victim, join me, please.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 for the victim. This is so disturbing, how can someone do this to another.
🙏
My God!! My God!!
🙏❤️🙏
🙌!!
This is not random. This is a repetitive crime that happens so often in NYC that subway riders are protecting themselves by using belts to tie themselves to subway posts to avoid being pushed. Just awful. I wish the cops would connect these crimes to the groups that are doing this.
WHAT THE HECK?!!!
How AWFUL!!!
Praise God he is alive, albeit critical condition. His guardian angel protected him. I trust God lifted the spirit of the woman burned alive and she now found peace and comfort in her new Heavenly abode.
Yes, I hope she is resting in the full peace and joy of God's presence!! 🙌
Would like an update on Alexis Lorenze please
Thank you for all you do!
Will do that. She is still healing; the scabs are dripping pus. Quite unsightly, poor thing!
Scumbags abound, if they are gonna waste their lives this way, why not a Rothschilds?
WHAT IS SMART DUST?
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGdknKN3r/
I can't watch it because I'm not on TikTok
ASKED ALEXA WHAT SMART DUST WAS.
The death penalty would probably curb much of this type of behavior! Pushing someone in front of an oncoming train is intentional murder.
Be ever vigilant everyday 😡
There are angels among us. They may be winged, but they are not cherubs. They are men in Armor with mighty weapons. God’s Angel Army.
🙌 💪 🙌
Where was “god” for the homeless woman burned alive as cops walked past and street thugs fanned the flames? Why is your “god” selective over who “he” protects? Isn’t your “god” all-knowing and all-powerful? Didn’t that homeless woman who was burned alive deserve “god” to save her? What good is a “god” who is utterly indifferent to the suffering and agony of most but randomly saves certain lives?
He gives his argument in Romans 9:15, where he says, “For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.”
So God is free to have mercy on whom he’ll have mercy. He is free to show mercy and grace to whomever he wills. Nobody deserves it, and God is not unjust to give it freely to whomever he will, and not to another.
What If . . .
Now why does God exercise his freedom in choosing one and not another? And that brings us to the question that Aaron asked about concerning verses 22 and 23. Because this is Paul’s most ultimate answer in the Bible, I think.
Everybody should put their ears up when I say that. “Whoa, that’s a big claim. Check that out.” So I’m going to say it again: verses 22 and 23 are Paul’s most — and I would say the Bible’s most — ultimate answer for why God does what he does in choosing one and not another. This is the very sentence that Aaron asked about.
It begins by saying, “What if . . .” Now in the Greek it is just if, but what if is okay because we should answer the what if question by saying, “Well, no legitimate objection can be raised.” I’ll come back to that. Here is what the sentence says:
What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory? (Romans 9:22–23)
Aaron is asking, “Do the words what if at the beginning of verse 22 mean that God could act this way, but doesn’t act this way?” That’s what he’s just asking. In other words, does what if mean “Oh yeah, he could act that way, and that would fit with Piper’s Reformed understanding of this text, but he doesn’t really act that way.” Aaron is asking, “Is that a feasible interpretation?”
The answer is no, that’s not a feasible interpretation. It’s not feasible to take the words that way. And there are several reasons, but let me just zero in on one.
Actual, Not Hypothetical
The reason is that the if that introduces verses 22 and 23 has really already happened in Romans 9. It’s not a question of whether it’s going to happen — it did happen. And Paul is restating what he has already said. He is drawing out the application — namely, with regard to Pharaoh.
“Romans 9:22–23 is the Bible’s most ultimate answer for why God does what he does in choosing one and not another.”
When Paul says, “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,” well, he’s restating the very thing that he just said he did in regard to Pharaoh in verses 17 and 18. Here’s what that says: “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills” (Romans 9:17–18).
When Paul refers five verses later, in verse 22, to God’s “desiring to show his wrath and make known his power, [enduring] with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,” that’s exactly what he has just done with Pharaoh in verse 17. This what if is not hypothetical — it’s actual. He did it. The what if is asking, “What if he did it — can any legitimate reaction be raised?” And he answers no.
What good is a “all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful” “god” who allows innocent children to be born with cancer? Or with other crippling conditions? Innocent babies.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
Epicurus
Do you seriously not comprehend the absurdity of thinking that quoting the bible proves “god” exists?