Re: OSAS Anthology. My question is this; why would God allow his Spirit to influence some people to interpret some passages directed towards the prize (eternal rewards) as being interpreted as towards the gift (salvation.) Why would God’s world allow such debate amongst the church only widening the gap in our like-mindedness and unity? Why would God allow someone to incorrectly understand something that is as important as their eternal security, allowing them to live a life fearful that a future sin may revoke their ticket to eternal life, which doesn’t seem like a peaceful existence to me at all, more of a burden by beliefs?
God is not some cosmic puppet master intent upon controlling human action. He put His word out there and gave us His Holy Spirit to help us comprehend it (John 16:13). He didn’t “allow” the Holy Spirit to influence some people one way and other people another way. Nor did He “allow” the other things you mentioned. He gave us one truth, and if different people interpret that one truth in different ways, that’s on us. This is why we should never take anyone else’s word for anything in the Bible. Instead, we should search the Scriptures daily to see if what we’re being told is true (Acts 17:11).