Decree for the life cycle of parasites....

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earl40

Puritan Board Professor
Below is an argument that God does not decree everything. Now no doubt this usually leads to "big" matters...how would you answer God decree's on small matters.

"You asserted that there is a decree for everything. I'm just trying to ascertain a) whether you've actually thought that through, and b) whether you really mean it when we explore the full implications of having an actual decree for literally everything.

In your case, I get the feeling that you have not actually thought all this through, and when it comes right down to it, you're not willing to maintain the assertion of full, comprehensive, exhaustive decretalism when you're called upon to affirm its rather ridiculous consequences.

And that forms a starting point for a helpful departure from the who decretal shebang. If you're willing to allow that there was no decree for the life cycle of each parasite larva, then the whole decretal edifice comes crashing down. Which is good. Because once we pitch decretalism into the trash heap where it belongs, we can get back to discussing what the Scriptures say."
 
There is not even one maggot larva out of God's control.

God ordained every wriggle from before the foundation of the world.
 
If you're willing to allow that there was no decree for the life cycle of each parasite larva, then the whole decretal edifice comes crashing down.

I'm wondering why one who believes in God's sovereignty would agree to this. He's right, if you agree that the tiniest details are out of God's hands, then God's decree is meaningless.

But we don't agree with this, so his argument is without any grounds anyway.

He is basically saying, "God would not decree the lifespan of a microbe--I know this because he just, well, he wouldn't. . . ."

So it boils down to which factual statement about God's attributes and power would you want to believe: God's? Or the mocker's.
 
Simple: God ordained everything that comes and yes that includes the parasites. So those who deny the decree of God in all things are ridiculous precisely because we think somehow we are better or greater than such 'insignificant things' but the truth of the matter is that we don't, by ourselves, amount to much in God's eyes (Isaiah 40:17). Worse yet is His estimation of us due to our rebellion against our creator which, of course, is only highlighted by a denial of His decree.
 
If you believe that no sparrow falls to the ground without the Father, why would you believe that any parasite finds a host without God?
 
Exactly, from Perg on down. It's just a degree of control, it's not a change in principle. If you're fine with God being in charge of the creation of planets, but not those nematodes that live in whales, then you're claiming this great, humongous mind that gets to decide when something's worth God's time or it isn't. Must be nice....
 
He probably has difficulty in accepting that there can be a good reason for God to choose one way or the other regarding a small parasite. To him it is ludicrous that there would be a decree for something so small, because, how could it make much difference in the universe ultimately? But, just because we can't see how this fits in to the Grand Scheme of Things, doesn't mean that God isn't decreeing something small in order to accomplish something much bigger.
 
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