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Behold, the terror and goodness of God!

  • Thread starter angellous_evangellous
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angellous_evangellous

Guest
I was talking today with a very (very) conservative Baptist theologian. We got to discussing Calvinism and the like, and we agreed that we both didn't like these theologies because they completely dismiss the mysteries of God.

Then my friend went on to explain God to me. :D

In any case, God is a complex character. It is often said in the face of evil, that God is either unwilling or unable to stop it.

My friend presented the problem:

Either God was sympathetic to him at his father's death, and said "I would be willing to prevent it, but I'm simply not able."

OR

God said to him, I am able to prevent your father's death, but I have a plan for you (and I added, because I am not willing to save his life for this purpose)

I say, my friend, God is more terrible than we can possibly imagine, but when we finally see God, she will be more full of goodness than we can imagine.

A complexity of character is seen in ourselves, as illustrated by Polycarp (who is summing up Paul and Christ):

"Remembering what the Lord taught when he said, 'Judge not so that you will not be judged. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Have pity and you will be pitied. That which you measure, it will be measured out to you."

Perhaps we should do these things.
 
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angellous_evangellous

Guest
tomspug said:
Why is death the face of evil? I don't think God considers death to be that big of a deal.
Click to expand...

If death isn't a big deal, the suffering and death of Christ loses all of its force.

Remember the context of the verse: Jesus wept. It was at the death of Lazarus. Our representative of God's character takes death and our suffering from it quite seriously.
 
tomspug

tomspug

Absorbant
Death was conquered already if you remember. And death is not the face of evil, it is a symbol of our disobedience, a tragedy that is enough to make God Himself weep.
 
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Afrikaner

New Member
angellous_evangellous said:
If death isn't a big deal, the suffering and death of Christ loses all of its force.

Remember the context of the verse: Jesus wept. It was at the death of Lazarus. Our representative of God's character takes death and our suffering from it quite seriously.
Click to expand...

No, you obviously don't get it, Jesus can understand to us why Death as mortals is a big deal, but to Himself as God it is clearly not a big deal, Death is when at last our forms and natures melt away to reveal our spirits once more.

The idea that death isn't a big deal takes nothing from Jesus' sacrifice, which was to show us specifically how we should look at death as unimportant...Jesus wasn't begging to be brought off the Cross nor did he fight against it...he was more like "meh...whatever".
 
DallasApple

DallasApple

Depends Upon My Mood..
Afrikaner said:
No, you obviously don't get it, Jesus can understand to us why Death as mortals is a big deal, but to Himself as God it is clearly not a big deal, Death is when at last our forms and natures melt away to reveal our spirits once more.

The idea that death isn't a big deal takes nothing from Jesus' sacrifice, which was to show us specifically how we should look at death as unimportant...Jesus wasn't begging to be brought off the Cross nor did he fight against it...he was more like "meh...whatever".
Click to expand...

No he was NOT....it was a HUGE deal...

He asked asked His father WHY he had forsaken Him..

Love

Dallas
 
Dunemeister

Dunemeister

Well-Known Member
Jesus prayed long and hard that God would find some way for him to avoid death in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had to pray through the night in order to finally go through with what he knew was about to happen to him. I'd say his impending death was a really, really huge deal to Jesus. His anguished cry from the cross illustrates just how painful and traumatic the experience was for Jesus. Jesus' attitude was anything but "meh".
 
DallasApple

DallasApple

Depends Upon My Mood..
Afrikaner said:
Doubt is not the same thing as a big deal - get over it, you obviously are taking bits and pieces to support your argument.
Click to expand...

No..I wont get over it..

And I have no "argument"...To me it is not a "bit and piece"...

YOU get over it..

Love

Dallas
 
AK4

AK4

Well-Known Member
Heres somthing i posted in another forum. Think on it!

Dang i did a response earlier, a long one but the system was all messed up and it didnt save the post to answer you dewey.

Quote:
Thanks for your input ak4 but for all you said you did not answer my question at the start and at the end of my post. If all are to get life why does God do any judging at all?
This time i will give a short answer. Without all the scripture, but know everything i put here is backed up with scripture
Why does God do any judging at all?-- He wants all his children to be like Jesus, holy and righteous.
God takes responsibility for His creation and therefore He will correct everything in it. He is responsible, we are accountable. Mankind feels they have a free will that is free from any cause, basically eliminating God and sitting on His throne in His temple. We have choices, but those choices are never free frome any cause (uh-oh i feel another discussion coming :cool: )Basically saying their will can thwart the Will of God. For this and other things we will be held accountable.
You can judge yourself now and not go to/through the GWT judgement or let God judge you more severly in the LOF were you will be purified by fire.
God judges to set things right. Not to destroy forever. You may be quoting from a bad translation.
Imagine this scenario:GWT Judgement

god: You are judged guilty and now i will destroy you forever (or barbeque you for those who believe in a hell). Yeah I know I created you for dishonor and you had no choice in that matter and yes I know I said numerous times in my word that I am a god of love and rich in mercies, but you have served your purpose of dishonor. Yes I did create creation in subject of vanity, not willingly, and with hope, but Im sorry, well not really because you knew my standards and you didnt live up to them. You fail short here. See you were timid and fearful and because of that i must annihilate you (or barbeque) in my very hot and steamy lake of fire that is unquenchable and the worm never rots. Its final. You had one shot and blew. Yes,yes, I judge in righteousness and this fair. I created you for dishonor and that was your purpose. You have no other purpose and now i will focus on the 10% of all humanity that has ever lived that i gave my grace to and they followed. I love them more than i love you and they are my favorites now. Thank you for doing everything i wanted you to and now good(bad)-bye!! ( I didnt capitolize god in any of that because that is not a god i would worship)

Dwell on that scenario for a minute and ask yourself again when reading those passages in 2 peter and throughout the bilble if people are going to be destroyed everlasting and that is a god of love.
 
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