Agnostic75
Well-Known Member
The topic question can apply to any God who supposedly wants people to believe that he exists.
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Is God able to provide additional evidence that would convince more people to accept him?
- Thread starter Agnostic75
- Start date
I wonder if you are talking about God or Jesus ?
God the Father has never provided man with evidence of his existence - for God is spirit and invisible to human eyes.
GOD relies on our 'faith' to believe in his existence Heb.11v6.
If you are talking about Jesus the Son of God there has been evidence of his existence while he was on earth - and there will be again when he returns
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Agnostic75
Well-Known Member
Beta said:
But is God unable, or unwilling to provide additional evidence that would convince more people to accept him?
The New Testament shows that faith in Jesus' words alone was not enough to convince some people to accept him, and that it was only after God provided them with tangible, firsthand evidence that they accepted him. Consider the following Scriptures:
John 2:23
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
John 3:2
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
John 10:37-38
If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
John 11:43-45
"And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him."
John 20:30-31
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Those texts show that some people would not accept Jesus' words based upon faith alone, and that he provided them with tangible, firsthand evidence that convinced them to accept his words.
Will these discussions eventually end up with you claiming that might makes right? How else could you try to justify what God does?
sandandfoam
Veteran Member
Our problem is that we have to reconcile ourselves with the infinity in which we find ourselves.
Does God want people to believe or is it the other way around?
I suspect it's the other way around. I certainly need God - when I admitted that to myself I did not find the evidence wanting.
I also found it necessary to figure out what the word God meant to me - again that was my problem not God's.
Erebus
Well-Known Member
No idea, try asking? If a god gives you no answer you can pretty safely say that either they don't exist, they don't care or they can't hear you... Or maybe they're just keen on deceit.
Jose Fly
Fisker of men
Except the OT states the exact opposite. In the OT, God walks around and interacts with select people.
God has a magnificent PLAN for mankind which does not entirely depend on his might and power. In fact ALL his characteristics and qualities come into play in his creative work.
What many people don't realize is that God is not trying to save the whole world (everybody) at the same time but is dividing up groups of people and time itself. God moves forward 'in stages' for our benefit to help us keep up with his plan. But this takes obedience, belief, faith and trust on our part which is hardly found in our present evil world.
Could God change that ? If he thought it would help he would have devised a better plan for he does not want us to suffer or be ignorant.
What many people don't realize is that God is not trying to save the whole world (everybody) at the same time but is dividing up groups of people and time itself. God moves forward 'in stages' for our benefit to help us keep up with his plan. But this takes obedience, belief, faith and trust on our part which is hardly found in our present evil world.
Could God change that ? If he thought it would help he would have devised a better plan for he does not want us to suffer or be ignorant.
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
If he/it is able to, then he/it is apparently not willing to.
Mr Cheese
Well-Known Member
marvellous isnt it....
Bar charts, their infallibility and how they can improve your pectoral muscles
next on Oprah
Plenty people ask but they don't care to look for the answers. They discard what does not fit into their own opinions and their own reasoning. The Word of God is there for all to read and follow but people would rather look to churches and be finger-fed by them - even though we are told there is only ONE true church and all others false.
However each has managed to convince their followers that THEY are IT while badly deviating from His Word thus being deceived Rev.12v9.
if you know anything about scripture you will have read that God planned and purposed everything before the foundation of the world.
God the Creator is working to a plan and has no need to pander to people's whims along the way. We can know of it IF we go along with him and those who don't will be left behind.
Agnostic75
Well-Known Member
Beta said:
Since I was a fundamentalist Christian for over 30 years, I know a lot about the Bible.
Beta said:
What did early native American Indians know about the existence and will of the God of the Bible?
God withholds evidence that would cause more people to accept him. Surely no man can morally be sent to hell for refusing to accept evidence that he would accept if he was aware of it, and certainly not for eternity without parole.
In your opinion, what justifies what God does, his power? The writer of Romans chapter 9 believed that God's power justifies what he does.
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Erebus
Well-Known Member
To an extent I agree with the bit I highlighted. I think if people want to find deities they should look for them themselves.
However, personally speaking it was reading the Bible and the silence of Yahweh which ultimately put me off Christianity, so I disagree that yours is the true god and that the bible is divine.
Agnostic75
Well-Known Member
Beta said:
No, some people who live in remote jungle regions have never heard the Gospel message. In addition, millions of people who have died did not hear the Gospel message. Apparently, God wants people to hear the Gospel message, but only if another person tells them about it. That makes sense since God wants people to have enough food to eat, but only if they are able to obtain it through human effort.
Of course, if the God of the Bible does not exist, people would only be able to hear the Gospel message and obtain food through human effort.
Jose Fly
Fisker of men
It's your first sentence that makes your second sentence so funny.
In the OT, God is all ticked off and ready to smite a bunch of people. It's only after Moses talks him out of it that God realizes his error and not only decides not to go through with it, but repents for his mistake.
Now, who needs to "read scripture"?
God decreed that during this age we should live by faith. No one will be sent to hell (which is basically death and not torment) untill they get some more knowledge and truth . As scripture says not all are called at the same time but each in their own order. God does not convict/condemn people out of hand on the lies they have been fed and believed. Condemnation comes when they reject the TRUTH of God .
God does what he does because he is working out his plan for mankind.
Mr Cheese
Well-Known Member
Mr Cheese
Well-Known Member
Fingermouse used to work things out too...
I liked fingermouse
I think God may produce evidence of himself through tv, like with shows like fingermouse....
the underlying moralistic principles discussed on fingermouse clearly show that God is true, wonderful, likes cotton candy and can't be mistaken for Susan
finger mouse...showing us the face of God