Assuming the Bible is a Book of Rules, it Teaches Predestination

With this said let me proceed to the debate. [Intro] My opponent clearly misconceives his role in acting as Pro. My opponent has clearly made the resolution and is entitled to show proof of it. He has instead spent time refuting my arguments (and insulting them) as if I have the burden of proof, when it is indeed his resolution to prove. Personally instead of spending the bulk of his space refuting my words, perhaps presenting proof of his resolution would yield more fruitful results. My opponent then goes on to insult my arguments instead of refuting them denoting: "it seems to be some sort of homemade logic. " I do not know where my opponent derives his logic from, but the only place I receive mine is from myself, which I assume my opponent refers to as "home". If this is the case, then indeed my logic is "home-made" if you desire to refer to it as such. My opponent can simply choose to use miscellaneous scripture from the old testament if he truly desires this to be a droll debate with copy and pasta style scripture, however I was merely hoping that he would show us at least menial proof from Jesus himself that man indeed has no freewill, and was predestined. As Jesus created the bridge for man to go to heaven, it would be suitable if there were at least some evidence of Jesus denoting predestination. [Refutation, Clarification, Extensions] >>>Opponent's Main Qualms with my argument base<<< 1. God is love. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ My opponent instead of offering proof of his resolution has intended to debate that "God is love". My opponent by doing so, has chosen to make the claim that God is not Love. Instead of stopping at this my opponent has gone on to make the claim that God hates. However he does not go on to define hate (which I will do for you) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ My opponent's proof: A. Malachi 1:2 <--- Old Testament B. Psalms 5:5 <--- Old Testament C. Psalms 11:5 <--- Old Testament D. Hosea 9:15 <--- Old Testament ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In depth view of the verses: A. What my opponent fails to understand about the Bible is the meaning of the word "hate". It is an easy thing to confuse, as in the Bible, three different types of hate are spoken of. 1. Hate - Malicious and unjustifiable feeling towards others. -- Matthew 5:43 2. Hate - "A feeling of aversion for that which is evil or wrong. " --Hebrews 1:9 (and the other examples my opponent provided for us) 3. Hate - a relative preference of one thing over another. --Malachi 1:2 Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. " Here the meaning is that Esau was loved less than was Jacob. When the Bible says "God is love" it means God is love. Not simply that God is partially loving, or that God loves only a select group of people, but simply this: God is Love. God loves everyone, everything he has created, he loves. He loves everyone so much that he was willing to sacrifice his >>only<< son. ROMANS 5:6-8 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. – John 3:16 (KJV) The most important words to note in John 3:16 are the words >>World<< and the word >>whosoever<<. He doesn't say that he gave his only son for God's elect, he says for the world, everyone. Having established God does indeed love everyone, this refutation holds pending further interrogation and analysis by my opponent. I move onto my opponents proof of predestination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opponent's Proof of resolution: 1. Proverbs 16:4 <--- Old Testament 2. Jude 4 <--- New Testament 3. Romans 9:18-24 <--- New Testament ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Refutation: --------1. At a glance this verse seems to fully support my opponent's resolution and I commend him for finding such a verse. However when we actually take the time to read the surrounding scripture, it is very easy to determine that this is what the verse truly means The Truths: God knows the future of every man, he is omnipotent which is obvious. God creates everything; Again a given. The Question: Why does God create people who turn out to make poor choices? Why not take away their free will and only allow them to make good decisions, or only create people who, by free will make good choices? The Answer: This Bible verse. God makes everything for a reason, even those he knows will (by free will) make poor decisions and go to hell. I don't pretend to understand those reasons, the Bible simply says there are reasons. The Second Question: So doesn't this prove that ultimately men have free will, and thus affirm my opponents resolution? The Second Answer: No, creating creatures who he knows will make poor decisions is not the equivalent of creating creatures whose decisions he controls. The Conclusion: It should be obvious that God wouldn't willingly condemn someone to hell from the beginning. He gives them a choice, he simply knows what choices they will make. ---------2. This two is another excellent example of context, and again I comend my opponent on his verse selection. This verse simply means this: It was foretold (prophesied) long ago that there would be false Christians who would use Christianity as a tool, to seem superior to others, when in fact they are not obeying the rules of Jesus Christ and are not true Christians. The verse is not talking about specific people but is talking in generalities about false Christians. ------------3. Next my opponent chooses one of the most thought provoking bits of scripture in the Bible, but he again uses it out of context to prove his resolution. The following scripture means this: God doesn't answer to man. Man has no right to question God's decisions (as they are perfect). He is not merciful because of man's actions, he is not merciful because we obey his rules. If God felt like it, he could use forces of nature and destruction to show the world he is God (as he did with the Pharaoh for Noah. ) God is forgiving because he is God and not because of any action of man. These verses demonstrate that God is fully in control, not that he predestined anyone. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Wrap-up] 1. Conceding the first 6 points of Base 1 includes point number 5. Thus only direct quotations from Jesus are evidence for predestination. 2. I quoted Romans 5 for Romans 5:6-8 and also the gift. A gift 3. Romans 3:10-18 is simply 8 verses of Psalms joined together by Paul its simply a description of those who sin and don't seek God, not that absolutely no one seeks God. 4. I do not understand your point of Genesis 6:5? Simply that at the time many people were wicked? 5. Jeremiah describes the difficulty of changing ones ways, I don't see how it relates to this debate. Base 2 1. The Bible? God is love, that doesn't leave too much up for discussion. 2. ROMANS 5:6-8 I'm not so sure. 3. He created all mankind in his image, thus mankind are his children. 4. It is clear God loves eve