"Would a perfectly good God respect a creature's freedom so much that he'd allow its damnation?"
This question, which was suggested on one of our handouts, is something that I recently I have both thought about, and struggled with.
Back in the day, when I was not challenged in my beliefs and had everything in line, this question would have been answered simply. However, after reading POP, and looking at the parent- child example, questions have been raised.
Ok, so God's love for us is bigger than the love of any human, so much bigger that we can even fathom. Yet, it appears that the parent is more proactive in their love for their children. The parent loves their child through all of their mistakes, yet cares enough to intervene when the child is suffering, or endangering their life. To me, this is a love that is deep.
I really do not understand this. All my life I have been taught that when you love someone, sometimes you need to let them go through the tough times before they improve. However, it appears that God is not only allowing us to suffer, but also he is not intervening. Of course he could intervene indirectly, through some person or event. But that still may not have an affect; why doesn't he make us see? Well, perhaps the problem doesn't lie with God, it lies with us. Perhaps God does intervene when we go to far, but we don't see it? Who is at fault here, it is our problem if we've gone too far and don't understand?