Okay, let's look a verse from the Bible.
Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you . . .
Did God form Jeremiah in his mother's womb or no?
Psalm 139:13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.
Did God form the Psalmist's inward parts?
I am aware of these Passages.
I understand "
Jeremiah 1:5" as God forming Jeremiah in the womb as an extraordinary event to fulfill a special purpose; but this does not mean that all people are formed in the womb in this way; for, God created all things to produce after their own kind, just as the Scriptures teach.
Regarding "
Psalms 139:13," this is prophetic of the Messiah that was to come. The forming of the Messiah in the womb of Mary was an extraordinary even by the Spirit of God to make the Logos of God to become man without a human father. The Father gave special attention to the Messiah, because he is the Son of God and Son of Man sent to earth to bring salvation to the world.
God created all living things to produce after their own kind. And God created the entire universe. After creation was completed, God sustains all he created by His word of power.
Grammarians define the aorist tense as "simple past tense." But do you know why they say it's "simple?"
The simple past tense can refer to preceding events, not just time. I showed you a case where Paul uses the aorist tense when speaking about a future event.
Romans 8:28-30
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
The verbs "foreknew," "predestined," "called," "justified," and "glorified" are all in the aorist tense, even though each of our personal experiences is different.
All these are one-time events in the past
for each person who loves God. For each person who loves God, they received what God promised as a one-time past action that took place for each person that presently believes (loves God).
Each person who loves God receives these one-time promises. Those who love God are the ones God:
"foreknew"... God foreknew the ones who love God.
"predestined" ... God already planned in the past to conform to His Son those who love God.
"called" ... God calls all people by the Gospel, but one's who are the called are those who love God.
"justified" .... All those who love God have been justified by faith.
"glorified" ... All those who love God have been seated in heavenly places, transferred from darkness to light.
These all one time past events for each person who loves God.
Both the
imperfect and
aorist tenses describe actions of the PAST TENSE. They differ in one very important aspect;
in that,
- The imperfect tense conveys multiple times an event takes place in the past, while
- The AORIST tense always conveys one single, discreet action (i.e. simple aspect).
In the given text, Paul is defending the view that it was not unfair or unjust for God to regard Jacob with love and Esau with hate, regardless of their actions being good or bad. Paul's argument is that if God is molding something, it would not question its creator by asking, "Why did you make me this way?"
According to the context, Paul is saying that God has every right to prepare for blessing or punishment, noble, or ignoble depending on how they respond.
Romans 9:19-24 (WEB) 19 You will say then to me, “
Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?” 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” [
Isaiah 29:16; 45:9] 21 Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay [
Jew or Gentile], from the same lump to make one part a
vessel for honor, and another
for dishonor?
- 22 What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared/fitted/adjusted [2675 katartízō] for destruction,
- 23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared/appointed/predestined [2675 proetoimázō] beforehand for glory
When we read the entire context and compare it with the other Passages, Paul is describing the same thing.
Romans 2:4-5 ”Or do you think lightly of the riches of His
kindness and
tolerance and
patience, not knowing that the
kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of
your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are
storing up wrath for yourself in the day of
wrath and revelation of the
righteous judgment of God,“
Paul writes the similarly in "
2 Timothy 2:19-22" as follows:
2 Timothy 2:19-22 (WEB) 20 Now in a large house there are not only
vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay.
Some are for honor, and
some for dishonor. 21 {{{
If anyone}}}
therefore purges himself from these, he will be a
vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.
God himself reveals that he is righteous in all His judgments despite those who claim God is not fair.
Ezekiel 33:11 Tell them, ‘“As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “
I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.
Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why will you die oh house of Israel?”’
Jeremiah 18:10-12 (“
Potter and the Clay” explained by God) 10 {{{
if they}}} do that which is evil in my sight, that {{{
they}}} not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good with which I said I would benefit {{{
them}}}. 11 “Now therefore, speak to the
men of Judah, and to
the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Yahweh says: “Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a plan against you. {{{
Everyone}}}
return from his evil way now, and amend your ways and your doings.”
According to Paul's viewpoint, God's creative action is not limited to the past, but He creates each individual as required, in real-time, and according to His purpose for that individual. Each person is the thing molded and God formed each person according to his purpose for that person.
Regarding the creation of all living things, God had, in the past, created all living things to produce after their own kind.
Can God do created acts even now? Sure, God does miraculous acts to accomplish his plans.
According to Paul's viewpoint, Paul never states in "
Romans 9" that God "created" anyone to hate, to do evil things, and to condemn forever. . .
That is an abhorrent thought of yours.
God is not unjust, in that, he has good reasons to prepare some for destruction and others for blessing, but you are going to reject God's reasons, and you will continue to believe God is fair and just to create people to hate and do evil, and condemn to eternal destruction....
Ezekiel 18:25-32 (WEB)
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’
Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust?
Is it not your ways that are unjust?
26 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. 27 But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. 28 Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die.
29 Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’
Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord.
Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.
31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit.
Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord.
Repent and live!"
John is referring to anything and everything that is ever created, whether it is created yesterday, today or tomorrow. This is the power of the aorist tense. John's point isn't to say, "God created a bunch of stuff in the past. His point is to say that all things were created in order to tell the story of redemption and place his son above all creatures including mankind.
That is your own thoughts. John never stated that, and that is not what the Greek states. An aorist verb means a one-time past event for all of creation.