Is God playing hide and seek?

[tomspug]

Why does God take pleasure in hiding who he is and who the Son is from the 'wise and intelligent' and revealing themselves to the 'infants'?

Uh... I'm pretty sure its the other way around. God Himself is TOTALLY revealed, and we are the ones hiding from him.

 

[Phasmid]

Uh... I'm pretty sure its the other way around. God Himself is TOTALLY revealed, and we are the ones hiding from him.

I can't see Him... where would I hide?

 

[Heneni]

Then why can wise and intelligent people not see Him, while other people can?

I dont know...but I suspect the atheist threads will give us a clue.:foot:

 

[Phasmid]

I dont know...but I suspect the atheist threads will give us a clue.:foot:

Because they don't WANT to see Him?

 

[Heneni]

Uh... I'm pretty sure its the other way around. God Himself is TOTALLY revealed, and we are the ones hiding from him.

If adam and eve was here, theyd agree with you, they were hiding because they felt guilty. And then god went into hiding.

 

[Heneni]

Because they don't WANT to see Him?

OOHHHEE, more like they cant. Their wisdom and intelligence has something to do with it.

However, what the world calls smart god calls foolish. So the smart and intelligent out there wont 'see' god because they dont believe that he exists.

In order to know god, you have to believe that he IS. (exists)

 

[tomspug]

If adam and eve was here, theyd agree with you, they were hiding because they felt guilty.

What makes you think that we aren't still doing the same thing? What proof do you have that God is hiding at all?

 

[Heneni]

What makes you think that we aren't still doing the same thing? What proof do you have that God is hiding at all?

Of course we are hiding tom, but were not being successful are we. Can we really hide ourselves anywhere from god?

But god is successful at hiding himself.

Im using the bible scripture as 'proof' in this case. If you dont believe it means what it says, then press the exit button...but come back again.

 

[sojourner]

I'd agree that god doesnt play pshycological games. But he certainly hides himself from many people. In a certain sense god is all around us, he doesnt hide himself, but its hard to have a relationship with a tree.

God is a God of revelation -- not of secrecy. It's very easy to have a relationship with a tree -- or anything else in nature. Once again, according to Biblical theology, it was Adam who hid in his shame. It was God who sought him out.

 

[sojourner]

Ever been a non-believer? If God wanted us to know of His existence, we'd surely know. Clearly, He doesn't want everyone to know... and so is hiding.

The quotation goes, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone opens the door, I will come in." It doesn't go, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If no one answers, I will break it down with a fire-axe and come in anyway."
God does want us to know. That's why God reveals God's Self to us in so many different ways. It is we who refuse to open our eyes and see God. God's not going to pry our eyes open, because God is love and love does not force itself.

 

[Heneni]

God is a God of revelation -- not of secrecy. It's very easy to have a relationship with a tree -- or anything else in nature. Once again, according to Biblical theology, it was Adam who hid in his shame. It was God who sought him out.

Sure, but still, god takes pleasure in hiding himself from the wise and intelligent. why doesnt he seek them out then? And if adam and eve had a bite of the tree of KNOWLEDGE surely he should have decided to hide himself rather than seek them out.

 

[sojourner]

Then why can wise and intelligent people not see Him, while other people can?

Because the intelligentia rely on their own means, which means that they're trying to lead the dance we dance with God, instead of letting God lead and be Impetus.

 

[Heneni]

Because the intelligentia rely on their own means, which means that they're trying to lead the dance we dance with God, instead of letting God lead and be Impetus.

I dont really agree with you. Atheist dont believe god exists, they are not trying to dance with him.

 

[sojourner]

Sure, but still, god takes pleasure in hiding himself from the wise and intelligent. why doesnt he seek them out then? And if adam and eve had a bite of the tree of KNOWLEDGE surely he should have decided to hide himself rather than seek them out.

God takes no such pleasure. God desires open relationship with all of us. Love demands nothing less. God seeks out all people. People may try to hide, but, in the end, I believe God will find all of us.

Why would Adam and Eve taking a bite of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil make God decide to hide God's Self? In fact, God came looking for them after they had eaten the fruit and hidden themselves from God!

 

[sojourner]

I dont really agree with you. Atheist dont believe god exists, they are not trying to dance with him.

All atheists are not intelligent. All intelligent people are not atheists.

There is a dance. We've all been invited onto the dance floor. God leads. Atheists don't allow God to lead. They'd rather dance with someone else -- or sit out. But that in no way negates the dance that is going on.

 

[Heneni]

God takes no such pleasure. God desires open relationship with all of us. Love demands nothing less. God seeks out all people. People may try to hide, but, in the end, I believe God will find all of us.

Why would Adam and Eve taking a bite of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil make God decide to hide God's Self? In fact, God came looking for them after they had eaten the fruit and hidden themselves from God!

God doesnt do anything that he doesnt approve off...so God does take pleasure in hiding himself from the wise and intelligent.

Exactly after adam and eve became 'smart' god came looking for them, and for the following two thousand years he hid himself. So why does he take pleasure in hiding himself from the wise and intelligent.

Doesnt seem like adam and eve actually got any smarter either. I think they god the booby prize instead.

 

[Heneni]

All atheists are not intelligent. All intelligent people are not atheists.

There is a dance. We've all been invited onto the dance floor. God leads. Atheists don't allow God to lead. They'd rather dance with someone else -- or sit out. But that in no way negates the dance that is going on.

Atheists wont get on a dance floor with god sojourner. They dont think he exists.

You have however touched on somehting else which deserves further investigation. What does god consider to be wise and intelligent?

 

[sojourner]

God doesnt do anything that he doesnt approve off...so God does take pleasure in hiding himself from the wise and intelligent.

Exactly after adam and eve became 'smart' god came looking for them, and for the following two thousand years he hid himself. So why does he take pleasure in hiding himself from the wise and intelligent.

Doesnt seem like adam and eve actually got any smarter either. I think they god the booby prize instead.

God doesn't do anything God doesn't approve of. But we do things God doesn't approve of. And through it all, God (being the good Father that God is) waits at the door with the lamp lit. And when we have turned toward home, God runs to meet us. God doesn't hide from us.

God hid for the following 2000 years? What about the Law? The Prophets? What about God's revelations to the Hebrews? No. God has always been here, because God is always Creator of God's creation. God doesn't take pleasure in hiding God's Self. If God reveals God's Self, then God doesn't approve of hiding, so God does not participate in hiding.

Sure they did. They became aware of the difference between good and evil, and became like God.

 

[sojourner]

Atheists wont get on a dance floor with god sojourner. They dont think he exists.

You have however touched on somehting else which deserves further investigation. What does god consider to be wise and intelligent?

That's their decision -- not God's.

God considers wise and intelligent those who listen to the Spirit within them. Unfortunately, that's not generally what we consider to be "wise and intelligent." What the writer was having Jesus say here (Luke, chapter 10) is that people who are generally considered by society to be "wise and intelligent" rely upon their own devices, rather than upon the Spirit.

 

[Heneni]

God doesn't do anything God doesn't approve of. But we do things God doesn't approve of. And through it all, God (being the good Father that God is) waits at the door with the lamp lit. And when we have turned toward home, God runs to meet us. God doesn't hide from us.

God hid for the following 2000 years? What about the Law? The Prophets? What about God's revelations to the Hebrews? No. God has always been here, because God is always Creator of God's creation. God doesn't take pleasure in hiding God's Self. If God reveals God's Self, then God doesn't approve of hiding, so God does not participate in hiding.

Sure they did. They became aware of the difference between good and evil, and became like God.

Actually you brought up adam and eve, so I followed your line of thinking, but there is nothing about adam and eve that is relevant really to this thread.

God never did with anybody else what he did with adam and eve, in terms of actually being there in their presence everyday. After their fall, he wasnt around like he used to be, not like he was with them. (Until Jesus)

I have to disagree with you. I want to find out why the bible says, god hides himself from the wise and intelligent, and for this thread i'm assuming that those that engage in this discussion at least recognise that the bible is truthful