The focus is on oneself with either camp when it deteriorates to winning an argument.

GO TOhttp://www.reformationtheology.com/2006/04/isnt_divine_predestination_and.php

GOD BLESS
HOBBIT

You are overlooking the fact that(by nature) we are all sinners. That apart from grace we can do nothing but sin! God is not the author of sin, however, He does use our sinfullness to fullfill His purpose.

Gen 50:20 "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.

Acts 4:25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,
'WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE,
AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?
  Acts 4:26 'THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND,
AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER
AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.'
 Acts 4:27 "For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
 Acts 4:28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.


 
 

My theology is founded on SCRIPTURE ALONE.
My desire is for God to recive ALL the glory!

Foreknowledge is not predeterminism. Jesus came to die on the cross, because God's Word said so; so it would happen without God having to make anyone sin. If Pilot, or the Jews had a choice then God did not force them to do anything.

Was Pilot given a chance to not kill Jesus?

FTL

This passage has probably been brought up already on this thread. Even so, I thought that it would be worthwhile to post it again. It addresses the matter of the sovereignty of God - not only the words in the passage itself, but the context and the events which preceded them, and proceeded from them:

"And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" (Daniel 4:34-35)

Your conclusion here leaves no alternative.  If what you are saying is true, then it was God who killed Jesus.  That is the only way it could be.  Once you remove the free will of man, then everything, even the most heinous that we can imagine, are caused by God not by man.

I read it as history.  In other words, just because its recorded doesn't mean that Nebuchadnezzar is entirely accurate in what he says.  And certainly doesn't mean that he's framing theology.  Nor would he be the first choice to do so, I think.

It's kind of like what people do when they quote Ecclesiastes authoritatively, and forget that it's the writing of Solomon during a time when he's basically an apostate.