Board index ‹ Assorted Bible Questions

[Reeses Pieces]

1. Does Jesus = God? If so, what is all this father/son talk about?

2. If Jesus is a "son", how was he conceived? Was there a Mrs. God that Mated with Mr. God? How we define "son" fon the omnopotent creator of everything? In no way could this be anything like a "son: as we understand the term.

3. Why are humans to blame for our sins if God created us this way and know's full well everything that would ever happen? I know, he gave us "free will" but he;s God, he knew ahead of time that we wouldn't do everything we are told.

4. Why does God care so much if we believe in him? Is he insecure? Why so emotional? It's hard to imagine that the supreme being who created the universe actually gets emotional.

5. We keep hearing about how much he loves us, but he would send us to hell if we dont belive him, or love him? Well, I have unconditional love for my children, and I would never send them to hell even if they hate me. So I guess I'm better and not as vindictive as god.

6. How could heaven be enjoyable if you think some of your relaives are buring in hell?

7. Heaven is for eternity right? Eternity. That's quite a long time. What would you do forever, forever, forever. Would you run out of new stuff to say and learn after about 200 billion years? But no, it goes on, forever.

8. What makes god worth worshiping? Why does he automatically deserve our praise, even if he did create the universe? He always existed, right? What makes him morally good and worthy or worshiping just because he is all powerful? I would say it's reasonable to reject him, just like we reject politicians we dont like. So what there isn't another alternative, doesnt mean I pledge allegiance to God just because he's the only choice.

9. How can God want us to believe based on some musty old book (the bible), when he gave us critical thinking skills? Will I be punished just because I don't in some book? Show me something more real. Then I will believe in you.

[jimwalton]

Wow, so many questions at once. You're asking for a wall of text. I'll try to be brief, but the exchange for that is leaving some things out that need to be said.

1. Jesus/God :: Son/Father.

In the Bible, the Trinity distinguishes between the principle of divine action and the subject of divine action. The principle of all divine action is the one undivided divine essence, But the subject of divine action is either Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. The Father can send the Son according to his power, and the Son can be incarnated according to his nature without dividing the divine essence.

The Trinity is not example of the law of non-contradiction because of the idea of paradox. While some things seem to be self-contradictory, there are both possible and logical ways to reconcile the alleged variance. For instance, we know that light exhibits the characteristics of a particle and of a wave. So while it is a single entity (substance), it manifests itself in various ways.

Why Father and Son? Lots of reasons, of which I give a few. (1) It denotes intimate relationship, mercy, care, love; (2) it avoids all the sexual mumbo-jumbo of contemporaneous mythologies, (3) "Father" enables the birth of Jesus (incarnation) through a mother.

2. How was Jesus conceived?

The only choice is a miraculous event. In the ancient days, they knew nothing of sperm and egg, X & Y chromosomes. Aristotelian theory asserted that the male provided the formative principle of life (the life force), and the bodily substance came from the mother. (This view prevailed until the 18th century.) They thought the life was deposited in the mama, and the mama was the oven for it until birth. In terms of ancient biology, even without a human father, Jesus would have been seen as fully human. His mother Mary provided his human substance, and in this case God, through the agency of the divine Spirit, supplied the animating principle instead of a human father. Our modern understanding requires God to have acted biologically to provide part of the genetic material necessary for Jesus to have been human.

3. Why are we to blame?

Knowledge doesn't necessitate causality. I may know that you'll choose chocolate over vanilla every time, but that doesn't mean I am making you do it. Humans were not God (by definition), and so were vulnerable by nature. But that doesn't mean God made a mistake. There is no way to create an uncreated being (God), so humans by necessity are less than perfect. It doesn't mean God is to blame for our wrong choices. SO much more to say here, not enough space.

4. Why does God care so much that we believe?

No insecurity or emotional deficiency. It's like a parent insisting that her kid not wander into the road. What—Power-obsessed? Insisting on her own way?? Not at all, but realizing the danger of non-compliance. God knows there are only two paths, and one is filled with great danger. His insistence to turn to him is an act of love, not insecurity. So much more to say.

5. Hell

Hell isn't God being vindictive, it's you choosing not to want to be near him. He loves you as his child, but when you spit at him, swear, storm out the door and slam it behind you, then you have made your choice not to have a relationship with him and to be separated from him. God is Life. Anyone who separates from him chooses not-life, or death. Your choice, but don't make God into the cad. He wants you to stay. He loves you. But to lock the doors so you can't get out doesn't make you love him. Love has to be chosen. If you choose to separate yourself from Life, don't blame the One who loves you. SO much more to say.

6. How can enjoy heaven when know loved ones are in hell?

(1) We will understand how God thinks, and how love and justice align and are not mutually exclusive, and that people in hell chose to be there; (2) People that you know are in hell right now, and yet not only does that not keep you awake at night, it doesn't even persuade you to take the path that leads to heaven; (3) During his ministry, Jesus didn't run around screaming at people in a wild panic, "Get saved NOW or you're GOING TO HELL! Believe me on this one!!" One would almost think it's all he would talk about, given the eternal consequences. Granted, he did talk about it an awful lot, but he accepted the concept and reality of justice with a sense of equanimity. People make their choices, and each will get what is absolutely fair, deserved, and chosen; (4) Hell is not torturous fire, but separation from God. SO much more to say.

7. Eternity

So you think with that long, it's bound to turn sour somehow and lose its meaning. It won't be worth living anymore, because boredom will have set in. But what gives life its meaning and vibrancy? What is life about that will be ruined if allowed to continue for too long?

8. What makes God worth worshipping?

To me worship is a recognition of who God is and a response to what he has done. My personal definition of worship is recognizing and rehearsing all of who God is, and giving all of myself to him.

First, God needs to be worshipped because he is Holy (completely Other), majestic, all-powerful, spectacular, awesome, perfect, eternal, love, just, all-knowing, and as such, is worthy of a small creature such as myself recognizing the Greatness in whose presence I live.

Second, God needs to be worshipped because he has acted sacrificially on my behalf to save me from my sin, at great expense to himself, as an act of love. The magnitude of what he has done for me evokes a profound sense of gratitude, respect, love, worship, and obedience.

Third, because of the relationship I am privileged to have with God, I recognize that every thought I have, every attitude of my heart, and every action I do is essentially an act of worship: recognizing and rehearsing all of who God is, and giving all of myself to him. Why does God need that? That part is what I need. It's only right, given who he is and what he has done.

9. The Bible

Are you kidding? Many of the best minds in history have engaged the Bible. The Bible endorses our critical thinking skills. Certainly you've heard of scholars who are Christians (Newton, Galileo, Kepler, Pascal, and people like C.S. Lewis, Alvin Plantinga, Francis Collins, Michael Behe, John Polkinghorne, and many many others). Musty old book? The book and the God behind it has positively influenced law, philosophy, art, music, literature, and ethics for all of western culture. The Bible and the God behind it spawned the scientific quest of the past many centuries. Science expanded greatly in Christian Europe.

> Show me something more real. Then I will believe in you.

We need to talk. The Bible is a treasure chest. It has changed civilization.

FAR TOO MUCH to discuss in one post.