Is God capible of sin?

[starrazor]

With some major life changing events in mylife I have taken a deeper look into my "religion" and belifes. I was asked by someone whos belifes are far different from mine if I thought God was cappable of sin. Their comment to me was if God is a loving God he is not capable of sin, of course this person doesnt believe there is a hell either because if God is a loving God why would he do something like that to us.

After great thought and some remembering of some acts in the old testement I have come to think that maybe God is capable of sin. We are told he is a jelous God and while some dont see jealousy as a sin some do see it as part of ones sinful nature. We are told not to kill as deamed by the 10 commandments and yet look at what God did to Sodam and Gahmora, or all the people that missed the ark. God has shown his anger and wrath through out the bible.. are these not weaknesses that we face in our sinful nature? I dont want to hear God is allowed to be that way because he is God. I feel like that is a major cop out for those that cant explain things.

We are created in the image of God. Is it not impossible then that the sinful nature came from him also. Possibly traits from himself that he doesnt particularly like that he wanted us to choose not to have. I dont know the answer but I know how I am feeling about things. I know there are many things in the bible we cant explain but I dont believe we werent ment to try and find it out. I am interested in hearing what others might have to say about this topic. Thanks for reading.

 

[Willamena]

Only in as much as you are God.

 

[Reverend Chris]

I don't believe in hell so for me, God is a loving God. I believe hell was created by man for control. Love does not send a soul to hell for eternity. Vengeance is what I would call condemning a soul to hell for any length of time more especially eternity.

 

[Ringer]

With some major life changing events in mylife I have taken a deeper look into my "religion" and belifes. I was asked by someone whos belifes are far different from mine if I thought God was cappable of sin. Their comment to me was if God is a loving God he is not capable of sin, of course this person doesnt believe there is a hell either because if God is a loving God why would he do something like that to us.

After great thought and some remembering of some acts in the old testement I have come to think that maybe God is capable of sin. We are told he is a jelous God and while some dont see jealousy as a sin some do see it as part of ones sinful nature. We are told not to kill as deamed by the 10 commandments and yet look at what God did to Sodam and Gahmora, or all the people that missed the ark. God has shown his anger and wrath through out the bible.. are these not weaknesses that we face in our sinful nature? I dont want to hear God is allowed to be that way because he is God. I feel like that is a major cop out for those that cant explain things.

We are created in the image of God. Is it not impossible then that the sinful nature came from him also. Possibly traits from himself that he doesnt particularly like that he wanted us to choose not to have. I dont know the answer but I know how I am feeling about things. I know there are many things in the bible we cant explain but I dont believe we werent ment to try and find it out. I am interested in hearing what others might have to say about this topic. Thanks for reading.

I don't think that God is capable of sin because by doing that he is going against his own nature. Just like we sin because it's in our nature to do so. I know a lot of people have a hard time dealing with God as being loving when you bring factors such as Hell and destruction/wrath into the picture. From what I've studied of the bible though, God's wrath is always poured out as a result of disobedience. It is this justice that many people can't comprehend and as I have seen in RF, turns people off to the Christian God. I won't pretend I know 100% the reasoning behind those events in the bible but the more you study them in context, the less likely you'll see God as full of unbridled wrath.

I would agree with what you said about jealously and that some don't see that as sin. Our idea of jealousy has a negative connotation attached to it but it doesn't always have to be the case. Straight out of an online dictionary:
Bible. intolerant of unfaithfulness or rivalry: The Lord is a jealous God.

The bible tells us that we are God's creation and we are on the earth to worship him and bear his image. When we choose to live otherwise I can see how that would provoke God's jealously but I don't see this as him having a hint of sinful nature. I eluded to wrath already and IMO, after what I can grasp from biblical accounts, do noto see that as hinting to a sinful nature either.

 

[Hema]

No God is not capable of sin. In the physical universe there is the law of cause and effect (which I call karma), there are dualities, pleasure and pain, right and wrong. God is not limited to the physical universe and is not bound by these rules. God cannot be tempted by negativities which can result in sin. God is above all of this.

 

[lilithu]

With some major life changing events in mylife I have taken a deeper look into my "religion" and belifes. I was asked by someone whos belifes are far different from mine if I thought God was cappable of sin. Their comment to me was if God is a loving God he is not capable of sin, of course this person doesnt believe there is a hell either because if God is a loving God why would he do something like that to us.

Define sin.

Seriously, how can one answer this question without a definition?

If, as some people define it, sin is anything that is "bad" then the question is who gets to decide what is "good" and what is "bad."

If, as some people define it, "God is good." Then no, God cannot sin, because anything that God does is by definition "good." But that does seem like a cop-out, at least to me.

Otoh, if you decide that being "a jealous God" is bad, then you can say that God has sinned. But then the question is on what basis can you make such a decision.


I prefer the definition of sin as "missing the mark." And I recognize that we all make own marks. We all chose what we aim for. Maybe God was aiming to be a jealous God.

Has God ever fallen short of what God has aimed for?

Interesting question....

 

[Buttercup]

If you're asking about the Christian God, I say he isn't capable of sinning even though He invented it. He lives in different realm that as far as I know, isn't subjected to sin. God is completely holy and therefore cannot sin.

 

[starrazor]

Yes but who or how are we to know and classify that God is or isnt capable of sin we can barely understand and comprehend the earth time and space around us how can even fathom then the time and space in which God is in there for how do we really know then that God can or can not sin.

Yes sin is relative in the manner in which it is looked upon. I believe though that time and space are not relevant here since there is the story of the confrontation between God and Satin in which Satin was cast out of heaven. Pure defiance of God the essence of sin. So it did exist at some point and time in "heaven".

How are we to know what God has or hasnt fallen short of?

Yes I do believe there are different standards for us then God has for him self but I am also a firm believer in walk the talk. How can he expect us to do what is good right and true when he doesnt always show us that. Or at least do a really good job of explaining it?

We are supposed to praise God and strive to be in his likeness and yet I look back and think how we have been told that jealousy and hatred and killing and destroying are bad things, maybe not all of them sin but things non the less that God supposedly looks poorly upon and yet he has shown us his hand at these traits. He is a jealous God he has destroyed millions and so on. This is Gods nature to do these things.

God sent Christ to be our savior, to save us from what? If he is loving and there is no hell then why send Christ to earth for what reason does he need to save us from.

 

[Buttons*]

If you're talking about the 10 commandments concerning sin, than I agree with you. I believe according to God's definition of sin, that he's a bit of a sinner himself.

 

[Buttercup]

Yes but who or how are we to know and classify that God is or isnt capable of sin we can barely understand and comprehend the earth time and space around us how can even fathom then the time and space in which God is in there for how do we really know then that God can or can not sin.

We don't. We don't even know if there's a God.

How are we to know what God has or hasnt fallen short of?

We can't know.

Yes I do believe there are different standards for us then God has for him self but I am also a firm believer in walk the talk. How can he expect us to do what is good right and true when he doesnt always show us that. Or at least do a really good job of explaining it?

Supposedly that's what the Holy Spirit is to help with.

We are supposed to praise God and strive to be in his likeness and yet I look back and think how we have been told that jealousy and hatred and killing and destroying are bad things, maybe not all of them sin but things non the less that God supposedly looks poorly upon and yet he has shown us his hand at these traits. He is a jealous God he has destroyed millions and so on. This is Gods nature to do these things.

That's what I used to believe as well. Others don't see these actions as commanded by God, they see them as man doing what he wanted all the while saying God said to do it. How you can figure out who says what in the bible is a mystery to me as well, friend.

God sent Christ to be our savior, to save us from what? If he is loving and there is no hell then why send Christ to earth for what reason does he need to save us from.

That's a million dollar question. If you find out the answer then post it here. I doubt you'll find total agreement on the answer though...that's the problem with organized religion.

 

[ayani]

no, i don't believe that God is capable of sin...

i do not adhere to the Old or New Testaments as ultimate spiritual authorities. and yes, there's alot of things God seems to be doing there that made me scratch my head as well... if not protest in disgust (silently or outloud).

i'm going to echo Hema's awesome response to this question : God, for me, is in part that within us that colpells us to love, reflect, connect, and feel compassion. God has created our hearts for one another and for knowing and drawing near to Him- He has written this upon our hearts (or souls, spirits, minds...) and this is itself a spiritual law. to cause selfish suffering to others is, i feel, itself a sin, as it denies others this freedom and cynically presumes that one has a greater right to one's purpose in life than another.

 

[doppelganger]

"God" is in the process of moral and ego development. "God" is as capable of "sin" as the person experiencing "God" is capable of "sin."

 

[ayani]

"God" is in the process of moral and ego development. "God" is as capable of "sin" as the person experiencing "God" is capable of "sin."

hmm.... i kind of agree with you, and yet i don't.

there is the time-worn phrase "God is within", and i do believe this. but i do not believe that God changes, grown, and makes mistakes as we do, through us. God, as i understand Him, is in part that within us that encourages moral and spiritual development, yet it is not as though, when we fail, God fails alongside us, because of us. rather, we are limited creatures, and we stumble. that does not mean that God, being a part of us, stumbles as though He were tied to us at the leg as we fall. He is with us when we fall, but He does not himself fall, imo.

 

[doppelganger]

but i do not believe that God changes, grown, and makes mistakes as we do, through us.

Have your beliefs about "God" changed during your life? If so, how?

God, as i understand Him, is in part that within us that encourages moral and spiritual development, yet it is not as though, when we fail, God fails alongside us

What if I believe "God" wants me to hate Roman Catholics, but later I decide "God" wants me to love Roman Catholics?

that does not mean that God, being a part of us, stumbles as though He were tied to us at the leg as we fall. He is with us when we fall, but He does not himself fall, imo.

What is "God" other than the way I think about "God"? Before you answer, think carefully about what it means to take the "existence" of a "thing" solely on faith. Think very carefully about it.

 

[ayani]

Dopp- you are good, man.

ya, my beliefs about God have changed. i was raised as a trinitarian Christian, later veered towards agnosticism, Quakerism, and then where i am now. at the same time... i never stopped thirsting after *something* throughout. despite the various doctrinal and cosmological changes, what remained was a desire to connect with something ultimately meaningful and holy, through and beyond the guises of doctrine concerning the nature of that Being.

your question about "God told me to hate Catholics, oh wait..." is a juicy one. my answer at the moment (ha) is that while man can be driven to seek out meaning and spiritual development, we can also build up barriers in defense of our current belief system, and exclude and hate. what is ultimately hateful is not a set of people or even their doctrine that one disagrees with, but the inner barriers that foster arrogance and exclusivity. God is not in the dogma, He is in the dialogue, if that makes sense. so basically... the "God told me to hate you" stance is just...wrong.

What is "God" other than the way I think about "God"? Before you answer, think carefully about what it means to take the "existence" of a "thing" solely on faith. Think very carefully about it.

yes... ok. if one were to take the assumption "God is within", this does have some weight. God is in our understanding of Him, and as Hazrat Inyat Khan said "there are as many faces of God as there are people to think about Him". but God is not ultimately summed up by what we think of Him. He remains beyond our ideas, cosmologies, and limits.

 

[SoyLeche]

That's an iteresting question.

Is it within the realm of possibility that God could sin if He so chose? I'd have to say "yes". Do I believe that God will ever so choose? No.

So, I guess my answer to your question is "a little from column A and a little from column B".

 

[doppelganger]

despite the various doctrinal and cosmological changes, what remained was a desire to connect with something ultimately meaningful and holy, through and beyond the guises of doctrine concerning the nature of that Being.

Great stuff, ayani. This resonates with me.

God is not in the dogma, He is in the dialogue

That gets my vote for "post of the day" . . . and it's only 9 am. Beautifully and concisely phrased.

 

[ayani]

Dopp- that just made my freaking day... :clap2: you resonate with me as well, man. you ask the good questions, and i'm honored to be able to respond to them, and to you. thank you.

 

[vandervalley]

If a being kills (say by flood or fire or a sword etc)then that being is capable of committing a sin; let it be a being in heaven or elsewhere in the universe.

It's a common sense; don't know what u guys are debating about.

 

[Captain Civic]

Sin, from a Christian perspective, is "falling short of the glory of God." How does God fall short of Himself? It's logically backwards.

Yes God has taken life, but things like the Flood were in response to justice. He didn't just say "well, humans are boring now, time to drown!" He did it because no one would turn to Him, despite Him saying so. Murder with no reason and murder with justice are two separate things.

Not to mention that if He gives you life, what right do you have to say He can't take it away?