RE: Can you make a God claim?
January 9, 2015 at 3:15 am
(This post was last modified: January 9, 2015 at 3:39 am by Godscreated.)
(January 8, 2015 at 7:34 pm)Simon Moon Wrote:(January 8, 2015 at 6:43 pm)Godschild Wrote: You need a better study of scriptures, God wants only those who love Him to be with Him for eternity, this life is given us to decide if that's what we want, I do and can't understand why everyone wouldn't want the same.
Forget what scriptures say for just a minute.
I am still asking, why couldn't he create souls that already love him and want to be with him?
I'm still saying choice, God wants only those who will freely choose Him, creating man preprogrammed would be like expecting love from a computer.
Quote:Why would he go through game of creating a universe that lasts a minuscule amount of time (when compared to God's eternity) just to filter souls?
He wasn't playing a game. He created the universe perfect to last forever, then the change, because of the sin of selfishness Adam and Eve committed. The sin stamped the creation with an end, it lost it's perfection, it became defiled, this is unacceptable to God, it is why Christ came, to restore man to God so he could live in a new and perfect creation.
(January 8, 2015 at 6:43 pm)Godschild Wrote: God is giving everyone the chance to love Him and spend eternity with Him. He does not desire to have a bunch of puppets hanging around, pulling strings isn't love from either side, even though He knows not everyone will choose to spend eternity with Him He still desires none to be lost. It's that love He has extended to all, if accepted.
Quote:Doesn't God have a plan? Doesn't everything that happens (including my disbelief in his existence) happen according to God's plan?
Yes, He has a plan, that plan is to give everyone a chance at redemption and that redemption could only come through Christ. Your disbelief isn't part of His plan, it's a choice you've made that goes against His desire.
Quote:If so, wouldn't my disbelief in his existence be part of God's plan? If not, then things happen that are not according to God's plan. If so, then God is not omniscient.
Like I said above, no. God's plan isn't predicated on your choices, you being able to freely choose is His plan, either way you choose is within God's plan. God is omniscient.
(January 8, 2015 at 6:43 pm)Godschild Wrote: He didn't need us or the universe, He was already living an eternal life (no beginning), God created because it was His pleasure and He created what pleased Him, because it was His desire.
Quote:A perfect being would not need external things for his pleasure. If he did, he would not be a perfect being. That would mean something is missing in his existence. If something is missing from his existence, by definition, he is not a perfect being.
I did not say He needed to create, He did it to please himself, the omniscient God chose to do what He desired. A desire by necessity is not a need nor a requirement. It is what it is, a choice and our perfect and omniscient God chose. You are trying to define something that no man has ever experienced, perfection for us it's an idea for God it's reality.
GC
(January 8, 2015 at 7:35 pm)ChadWooters Wrote:(January 8, 2015 at 3:47 pm)Godschild Wrote: To my fellow Christians why do you try and explain God through the only process these people will accept, when you know that God doesn't accept their way of, as they put it, "we need absolute proof of God," thinking.I do not accept Rob's criteria for testability; however, it was Paul who said that all of nature testifies to the glory of God. And as part of our witness, we must always be "ready to give an account". That includes some of re-presenting important proofs, like those of Aquinas that helped bring me to faith. Even if it is the Holy Spirit that must ultimately reach their hearts, it is still our job to prepare the soil.
I understand and thought I was clear about we are to give a response to them for our belief, but to offer absolute proof only God can do that when we accept Him.
GC
(January 8, 2015 at 7:49 pm)ChadWooters Wrote:(January 8, 2015 at 4:39 pm)Godschild Wrote: Are you so dense that you can't understand those in heaven will desire it.I really don't see this as a good response. Scripture says that he will wipe the tears from our eyes, but I hope that doesn't mean imposing a kind of willful ignorance on the blessed. I think the better response is this: In heaven we will have command of all the facts, see that the torment of the damned is just, and rejoice in the Lord because he is just.
I agree with what you are saying, however I do not believe we will have the memories of those we love who will be in hell, even though we will understand His justice and agree with it, I can't see how that would lessen the pain of losing loved ones.
GC
(January 8, 2015 at 8:09 pm)Nope Wrote: I have unhappy memories from my childhood and adolescence. Not only was a socially awkward, very shy, bookish kid but my mother was very mentally and verbally abusive. I suspect that my mother had some sort of undiagnosed personality disorder. A psychologists that I saw once told me that my mother sounded like a sociopath but I suspect Mom had borderline personality disorder. There are memories with my grandmother that aren't pleasant, not because Nan was doing anything wrong but the circumstances surrounding those memories are bad. Still, I would not want to lose those memories because they made me who I am and part of why I loved Nan so much is because she showed so much strength and kindness toward me.
I do not want to go to a place of constant joy if it means that I lose myself or forget why Nan was important to me in the first place.
I can't say exactly how the all powerful omniscient God will accomplish this with each one, but I do have the faith He will, this I'm sure of because of who He is. I'm so glad your Nan was there for you and I'm sure God looked down through the ages and saw your need and provided for you, with a wonderful believing lady. Please remember none of us had perfect lives and many much worse than your's or mine.
GC
God loves those who believe and those who do not and the same goes for me, you have no choice in this matter. That puts the matter of total free will to rest.