Christian or not, could you please respond to the list of items below?

?

2011-07-19 16:52:18 UTC

I agree with you entirely, I sort of envy Christians in that way. It must be nice to be so sure.

But that isn't a good enough reason to delude yourself when there are clearly so many faults, many more then you've listed here.

And good point in 6), I myself have always wondered what heaven would be like with us "imperfect" and "sinning" humans in it.

Heidi

2011-07-19 17:23:55 UTC

(1) Theology-wise, G-d knows everything but He allows free will for Adam. Some scholars argue that G-d doesn't know if we would still obey Him when we are under trial.

(2) He knew the plan He had for Adam, again free will is the key here. I got the feeling that free will should be viewed as the freedom to paint the canvas with any color or pattern we will. If we follow G-d's way, we can expect smooth strokes and great result. However, if we follow our own way, the end result would be dull and even deadly.

(3) In the Ten commandments, G-d comes before our parents. But G-d made it clear not to use Him as an excuse to dishonor our parents. If our parents' order has the effect of wronging a third party, then G-d's rule will dominate. If it's just preference such as don't wear the cross, don't read the Bible in front of them, etc It should not be over-emphasized. Essentially we honor our parents even though they are not perfect. In fact I am sure modern people hurt our parents more due to generation gap. What seems casual to us may be a big deal to them. We must be careful.

(4) To understand this, you need to understand the theology. Hell is a place reserved for people who sin. To us cutting off a hand is serious. But the Bible says that the wages of sin is death. And all humans are sinners and deserve to die. If our penalty is death, and we lose just our hand, it's been mitigated. And Yeshua's message is clear. He has the power to forgive sin and make us whole again that we get to keep our hand too.

(5) Again it's the free will element at play here.

(6) The difference between a robot and a human is that a human can decide and choose freely. Free will is a problem currently because out of the multiple choices there's only one answer. We will never choose wrongly in Heaven because all choices are valid and beneficial because there's no evil.

I am also learning. Hope you find my answers helpful.

?

2011-07-19 16:59:07 UTC

<<1) If God knows everything, then why did He continue to create Adam, knowing full well how awful this world would be?>>

Because he knew of the greater good that would come out of it.

<<2) Why was God angry with Adam, if He knew before creation what Adam would do?>>

If you know your kid is going to do something you tell him/her not to, you will still be angry and punish them. Its silly to think that just because He knew it would happen would mean he wouldn't be angry.

<<3) If we are supposed to honor our parents, God is, essentially telling us to dishonor them by rejecting their teachings, if they were not born into a Christian family>>

You can respectfully disagree with your parents faith.

<<4) Why did God create Hell? I know that our children sometimes don't do the right thing, but I would not cut off both of my child's arms for eating an extra cookie, a punishment far less cruel

than Hell. Love me and let me love you, or burn eternally? That seems more like the thinking of a sadistic parent than a loving one>>

Hell is the complete absence of God's love. God does not send anyone there, people that go there, do so of their own accord.

<<5) Christians often say god "did not intend" for certain things, e.g. Lucifer to turn against Him.

Yet, this reflects a very limited, human perspective. It doesn't make sense to know everything and say it was not your intention. If you know something will happen, as with Adam, and you follow thorough with the plan, then there can't be any surprises. Surprises are impossible with omniscience>>

We can't know if God intended certain things or not. Man is limited, God is not. How can we know what he knows? How can we define what he perceives?

<<6) If God does not want robots, then how will people stop sinning in heaven. After all, unless we are transformed in the "rapture", we will still be sinners. And, if not, then why the long drama. >>

God's plan doesn't involve 'robots' or drones who do what he wants without the possibility of free will. God's plan involves salvation and forgiveness of sin.

2011-07-19 17:11:24 UTC

All easy questions.

1) Because He wanted dependency. See Genesis 3:1-5. You can easily pinpoint the self sufficiency/self rule concept in there. Satan's temptation was so that Adam would depend on himself and didn't need God.

2) He wasn't angry. It's implied He forgave Adam (Gen. 3:21). The implications are further supported by His approach seen in the preceding verses (Gen. 3:9-13). God asks Adam as a father asks a disobedient son. The very fact that He spares them a direct cursing unlike the serpent shows that He cursed Adam's descendants in his place.

3) Honor our parents mean don't see beliefs as distinction. Beliefs don't separate a person. Desires do. See Matthew 10:37.

4) Because God is a God of justice (John 12:40; 2 Thess. 2:11-12).

5) They are incorrect. God offered Satan rebellion. Satan only had power over death. Did he have power over choice? I think not. I can provide more Scripture that support that God offered rebellion, but for now, see Mark 5. The demon cooperated with Jesus. Notice how the demon possessed man immediately comes to Jesus after He sets foot. Notice how Jesus casts out demons easily in other instances (Matt. 8:16). Also consider Matthew 4, Satan's temptation. Satan didn't bring Him to him. The Holy Spirit led Him.

6) There is no free will in heaven. Free will is given because of Satan's power over this world. See Ephesians 4:26-27.

As a bonus, I'll include the truth behind repentance. The one thing Christianity is missing (other than unity) is repentance.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20peter%201:2,%2022-23;%201%20peter%203:21;%20heb.%2010:22;%20heb.%209:14&version=NASB;

What do these Scriptures indicate? Also see 1 John 3:3 and James 4:8.

2011-07-19 16:52:25 UTC

God created Adam, Eve, and the angels without sin, but none were equal to God. Most of the angels never sinned, and all souls in heaven are without sin. This does not detract from the glory of God, but manifests it by the work he has done in sanctifying his creation. Sinning does not make one human. On the contrary, it is when man is without sin that he is most fully what God intends him to be.

We also know of another very prominent exception to the rule: Jesus (Heb. 4:15). So if Paul’s statement in Romans 3 includes an exception for the New Adam (Jesus), one may argue that an exception for the New Eve (Mary) can also be made.

Romans 3:23, "all have sinned"? Have all people committed actual sins? Consider a child below the age of reason. By definition he can’t sin, since sinning requires the ability to reason and the ability to intend to sin. Consider an analogy: Suppose a man falls into a deep pit, and someone reaches down to pull him out. The man has been "saved" from the pit. Now imagine a woman walking along, and she too is about to topple into the pit, but at the very moment that she is to fall in, someone holds her back and prevents her. She too has been saved from the pit, but in an even better way: She was not simply taken out of the pit, she was prevented from getting stained by the mud in the first place.

The Catholic Church was commissioned by Christ to teach all nations and to teach them infallibly—guided, as he promised, by the Holy Spirit until the end of the world (John 14:26, 16:13). The mere fact that the Church teaches that something is definitely true is a guarantee that it is true (cf. Matt. 28:18-20, Luke 10:16, 1 Tim. 3:15).

2011-07-19 16:54:20 UTC

1. you need to focus on the positive things in the world

2. Why does a parent get upset at their child for disobeying a houserule?

3. Honoring and obeying your parents are two different things.

4.God created hell for the fallen angels.

5. There isn't a question here. But I've never heard a Christian say this. God intended for many things, it's part of His plan for salvation. No one is saying that Adam and Eve are in hell,

6. Sin can't exist in Heaven. Lucifer tried it and got sent out.

?

2011-07-19 17:28:00 UTC

Your questions are respectable ones, and why I won't attempt to answer them all individually, I will tell you what I truly believe in. Look at it like this, there are many mysteries to God, this is certain. Some things we read in the bible we take differently than they were meant to be taken. We have translations of the bible and even though the KJV is 400 years old, I still think it can have some translation discrepancies. The original Hebrew and Greek languages had many words that had similar meanings, I believe it would've definitely been possible to take the wrong meaning from such words. I say all that to say this...if God had intended for us to fully understand everything He has ever done then He would've given us that understanding. However, if we knew all of this then it might be possible that we are no different than God...in the sense that we are all knowing and such. The bible says that Gods ways are not our ways, Gods ways are perfect and ours are imperfect.

Deuteronomy 29:29 says that God keeps some things in secret, and all else He gives to us. God wants us to choose Him, and at the end of the day that's exactly what it is...a choice. Choose to accept Him or choose to deny Him...it's easy to deny Him, live like you want with no consequences for your choices. Accepting Him takes great faith, faith that if you live for Him as the bible teaches, that you'll inherit the kingdom of Heaven, and remain with Him for eternity with no more sickness, pain, suffering, or death.

2016-05-14 20:49:23 UTC

Sunshine wins, no contest IMHO sorry that is soooo not an answer...... Mensa Logic Test Question no. 42A 1. The problem with Sunshine is that if you give her ANY ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE she suddenly becomes Lara Croft. She has even been known to change into full body SPANDEX and attempt to attempt a Lara-esque version of TWIST AND SHOUT. Truly amazing. 2. DIAMONDS may be a girl’s best friend but Silva prefers the top grade called the AURORA BOREALIS or Northern Lights. They totally sparkle with refracted light. She has real style 3. Ghouly is going to a fancy dress party tonight as either a Police OFFICER, OBIE Wan Kenobi or Big Bird but he can’t decide which costume doesn’t make his backside look fat. Guide to Students Only one of the above points is true. Please select only 1 (One)

2011-07-19 17:00:33 UTC

1- God let man have the freedom of choice, man chooses to listen to satan. But God has the solution to mans disobedience - Jesus

2- Weren't your parents angry with you for disobedience ?

3- Honor not always follow

4- God created hell for the devil and the angels that obeyed him. If Jesus is not your Lord and savior then you are the enemy of God and satan is your leader.

5- God wants love and obedience not love out of oblation. God answered your so called "surprises" with calvary.

6- Born again believers will be like Jesus in body and mind in heaven

cuddlz24

2011-07-19 17:25:43 UTC

1) Because knowing that Adam would disobey him, didn't stop God from loving him and wanting to one day be in a relationship with him, and more of his children(those that accept the gift of salvation through Christ), at an appointed time. (2 Peter 3:9)

2) I looked and reread Genesis 3 and nowhere does it say that God was angry. If you have a reference verse I would like to look it up. All I read is that God finds them trying to hide themselves from him in the garden, he asks what they are doing, they try to blame everyone but themselves (sound familiar?), and God disciplines them, then clothes them properly (is this not a loving God??), then banishes them from the garden forever.(Genesis 3:8-24)

3) No we are to honour our parents, however we are not to honour anyone or anything above God. If a son/daughter is truly saved, they would know that they are to be obedient to their parents as God commands them. If an unsaved parent asks a believing son/daughter to do something that is clearly not scriptural than yes, that son/daughter is to obey God's Word over that of their parent. This is no different in how believer's are to treat government. We are to obey the government and by extension the law, unless the law is anti-scriptural. An example is the homosexuality movement and its affect on the church. Even if government enacts a law that requires ALL churches, regardless of religious affiliation, to marry same-sex couples, a church is not bound by that law as God's law supersedes it.(Romans 1:24-27) In fact God will condemn a church that compromises and caves in to such an abominable dictate as that.

4) God created hell for Satan and his angels originally.(Matthew 25:41). However those that do not become the children of God (John 1:12), remain the children of darkness and will accompany the one that retains his power over them.

5) This is confusing and I apologize for those who don't read and study their Bibles daily. Nothing "occurs" to God. He has provided and planned from before the creation of the Universe.(1 Peter 1:20), knowing full well that man would fall into sin and there would be those that would choose to become his children through the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ, and that there would also be those who would remain eternally separated from him because of their sin.

6) Believers still have a sin nature, meaning that our flesh still wants to continue to sin, regardless of whether we a re saved or not. The difference lies in a believer who has truly repented of their sin and is able to, through the Holy Spirit, break their pattern of sin. As a believer matures through prayer, study, action, service, works etc... so the influence of sin diminishes in their lives. This does not mean that they will never sin again, just that we have indeed become a "new creature" in Christ and that the "old man" is passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17). Only those that have repented of their sin and placed their faith in Christ will live eternally with God, the rest are sent to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). There will be no sin, or sinners in the presence of God as our spirits will be free of our earthly, sinful flesh in heaven (1 Corinthians 15:52)

You're right though, God doesn't want blind faith. He wants us to test and to study that which we are told, and the Bible is no different. Read it for yourself, study it with sincerity and desire to find the truth and God will lead you to him.

2011-07-19 17:00:32 UTC

If you hear things about God but do not investigate them, you can draw very wrong conclusions, as i believe you have. It's too late (1am), for me to specifically answer all, but god wants us to love him and each other for a beautiful world. He could not force us because love is not forced, it is given of free will. Hence, we have choice and time to connect with love. Hell may simply be a purification for those given more time, but, there may be those who become so unresponsive that they do turn to irreversible stone. Whatever the truth on this area, the truth about love is explained by Jesus very well. It's worth looking intently as his words on love and human behaviour and putting it into action as you begin to understand more and more. Ultimately, all your misunderstandings (from believing what you've heard before) lessen as your acceptance grows to a point of no return and a connection is made with the spirit of God.

2011-07-19 17:07:40 UTC

God knew what would happen if they ate of the wrong "tree," and that was also why He warnd them, but He did not know if are going to do it or not. It was of that which they tooked in, it seperated them from God, and it is because of that, man will end up in hell; that is why Jesus is saying you must be born again, which means, you must receive a new Spirit, the Spirit of God. You will never enter the Kindom of God without that Spirit.

TONI101

2011-07-19 17:21:27 UTC

To answer this question appropriately one would need more space than is allowed on this forum.

But I would like to answer "If God knows everything, then why did He continue to create Adam, knowing full well how awful this world would be?"

Does God know in advance everything that people will do?

The question then arises: Is his exercise of foreknowledge infinite, without limit? Does he foresee and foreknow all future actions of all his creatures, spirit and human? And does he foreordain such actions or even predestinate what shall be the final destiny of all his creatures, even doing so before they have come into existence?

Or, is God’s exercise of foreknowledge selective and discretionary, so that whatever he chooses to foresee and foreknow, he does, but what he does not choose to foresee or foreknow, he does not? And, instead of preceding their existence, does God’s determination of his creatures’ eternal destiny await his judgment of their course of life and of their proved attitude under test? The answers to these questions must necessarily come from the Scriptures themselves and the information they provide concerning God’s actions and dealings with his creatures, including what has been revealed through his Son, Christ Jesus.—1Co 2:16.

If the Creator of mankind had indeed exercised his power to foreknow all that history has seen since man’s creation, then the full weight of all the wickedness thereafter resulting was deliberately set in motion by God when he spoke the words: “Let us make man.” (Ge 1:26) These facts bring into question the reasonableness and consistency of the predestinarian concept; particularly so, since the disciple James shows that disorder and other vile things do not originate from God’s heavenly presence but are “earthly, animal, demonic” in source.—Jas 3:14-18.

The argument that God’s not foreknowing all future events and circumstances in full detail would evidence imperfection on his part is, in reality, an arbitrary view of perfection. Perfection, correctly defined, does not demand such an absolute, all-embracing extension, inasmuch as the perfection of anything actually depends upon its measuring up completely to the standards of excellence set by one qualified to judge its merits. Ultimately, God’s own will and good pleasure, not human opinions or concepts, are the deciding factors as to whether anything is perfect.—De 32:4; 2Sa 22:31; Isa 46:10.

To illustrate this, God’s almightiness is undeniably perfect and is infinite in capacity. (1Ch 29:11, 12; Job 36:22; 37:23) Yet his perfection in strength does not require him to use his power to the full extent of his omnipotence in any or in all cases. Clearly he has not done so; if he had, not merely certain ancient cities and some nations would have been destroyed, but the earth and all in it would have been obliterated long ago by God’s executions of judgment, accompanied by mighty expressions of disapproval and wrath, as at the Flood and on other occasions. (Ge 6:5-8; 19:23-25, 29; compare Ex 9:13-16; Jer 30:23, 24.) God’s exercise of his might is therefore not simply an unleashing of limitless power but is constantly governed by his purpose and, where merited, tempered by his mercy.—Ne 9:31; Ps 78:38, 39; Jer 30:11; La 3:22; Eze 20:17.

Similarly, if, in certain respects, God chooses to exercise his infinite ability of foreknowledge in a selective way and to the degree that pleases him, then assuredly no human or angel can rightly say: “What are you doing?” (Job 9:12; Isa 45:9; Da 4:35) It is therefore not a question of ability, what God can foresee, foreknow, and foreordain, for “with God all things are possible.” (Mt 19:26) The question is what God sees fit to foresee, foreknow, and foreordain, for “everything that he delighted to do he has done.”—Ps 115:3.

From this we can understand that God uses his foreknowledge selectively.

?

2011-07-19 16:59:59 UTC

So you say that God is all-knowing but show that He is not. As we don't know what God is, nor can we even begin to guess, it's unfair to put human concepts on Him. I thought about these things when I was 10, arguing with the priest about free will and pre-destination. At this point in my life, such mental gymnastics are irrelevant to my faith. We just don't understand God.

?

2011-07-19 17:17:44 UTC

But after G-d created it all, He saw and said that it was GOOD. It was Man who came along and decided to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil--which means in translation that Man DISAGREED with G-d, and decided to create "evil". The Man-made world is where we find Evil; not in God's Natural World. God didn't do it. We did.

scibear

2011-07-19 17:16:35 UTC

Okay, much of your concern can be answered by a single statement: God did and does what he did and does to bring LOVE into the universe. This is the absolute basis for everything God has done. Love can only exist where free will exists, because love is a choice, and love can only exist where the possibility of choosing NOT to love also exists. Thus, much of what you see as a problem with God actually has much more to do with the free will of man.

Furthermore, because God is indeed GOD, and thus infinite, we cannot even begin to know the merest fraction of his intentions. We may certainly ask why things are the way they are, like why bad things happen to good people, but that is all based on human experience and perspective, which is very limited. This is why we have stories of why things happen they way they do, but they are gross oversimplifications at best. It's important to understand that the old testament was as much a law book and a book for how to be a "good Jew" as much as it is a revelation of some of God's intentions. Thus, it can be stated that while we are to indeed honor our parents, why is rejecting their teachings, if they deserve to be rejected because they are foolish or wrong, DIShonoring to them? When we become adults, we are to live our own lives and make our own decisions. If the advice we have received from our parents furthers that end, then great, but if we have gotten some bad advice from them, we would be fools to follow it. I respect, admire and love my mother, but she believes things which are not helpful to me in living MY life, so i can reject those things which are not helpful and accept those things which are, and offer no disrespect or dishonor to my mother in doing so. Also, we have to remember the the OT was written for JEWS, not for nonjews, and so there is a cultural element there which may not apply to gentile cultures.

Humans exist in time. God is eternal. People tend to think that "eternal" means "forever" or "undying". Actually, what eternal really means is "out of time". In other words, God exists outside of time. Much of what seems like predestination to us is merely the fact that God can see all of history from beginning to end, and the parts that each of the billions of the humans that have lived, are living and will ever live, play in it, ALL AT ONCE.

You are right to say that the "God did not intend" argument is a limited, human perspective. So why does this human perspective make the notion false? If we know that God really sees everything all through time, we, being puny humans, use inaccurate words and concepts to describe that which is indescribable and essentially impossible to know in this realm of existence. This is very unfortunate because it has caused much pain and suffering in the name of God. People WANT to understand God, but most of them fail to realize that the CAN'T, and this failure causes them to believe things that aren't correct and act on those beliefs. Rather than admitting that so much of God is a vast mystery, people instead behave like they know the Truth for sure.

As to your last point: remember that at the rapture (or when we get to heaven, however you want to think of it) people have already CHOSEN to follow God: We were given the chance in THIS LIFE to accept Christ's teachings and to accept his death as a ransom for us. Thus, while the bible isn't clear on this, my personal belief is that when we are "glorified", our sinful natures will indeed be left in the grave. It is not robotic to WILLINGLY give up that part of oneself which causes harm. So, in heaven, we will either not want to sin, have no knowledge of sin, or simply be unable to sin. This is a mystery.

That is why faith is so important: we can indeed know something, but we cannot even know a small fraction, and we have to be willing to accept that. We have to trust that God really does love us and have our best interest at heart. Besides, would God be God if we knew all about him?

?

2011-07-19 16:57:27 UTC

Because the people that wrote the bible were probably high when they got the idea to dress up in fancy robes and claim that the book of ridiculous fairy tail they were about to write was the word of not only a god, but THE God. therefore they probably didnt think most of it through and ended up with a bunch of continuity errors. durrrrrrrr

?

2011-07-19 18:54:10 UTC

1,2) ‘That’s an interesting point, and the answer really involves the kind of person God is. Would it be just or loving to condemn a person for doing something that you yourself planned for him to do?’ Then perhaps add: (1) ‘Jehovah is a God of love. (1 John 4:8) All his ways are just. (Ps. 37:28; Deut. 32:4) It was not God’s will for Adam to sin; he warned Adam against it. (Gen. 2:17)’ (2) ‘God did allow Adam, as he does us, the freedom to choose what he would do. Perfection did not rule out the exercise of free will to disobey. Adam chose to rebel against God, despite the warning that death would result.’ He laid before Adam the consequences of his actions.

Jehovah God apparently chose not to foresee what Adam—and Eve—would do, even though He has the ability to know everything in advance. It is therefore a question, not of whether God can foresee the future, but of whether he chooses to do so. Furthermore, we can reason that Jehovah, being a God of love, would not knowingly and cruelly predetermine that rebellion—with all its sad consequences—should take place. (Matthew 7:11; 1 John 4:8) Thus, as far as God’s exercise of foreknowledge is concerned, it is selective.

3) (Ephesians 6:1) Children, be obedient to YOUR parents in union with [the] Lord, for this is righteous— Colossians 3:20; Proverbs 23:22-25

4) Many religions teach that the wicked will go to a fiery hell and be tormented forever. This is not a logical and Scriptural teaching. The human life span is limited to 70 or 80 years. Even if someone was guilty of extreme wickedness all his life, would everlasting torment be a just punishment? No. It would be grossly unjust to torment a man forever for the sins that he committed in a short lifetime.

Only God can reveal what happens after people die, and he has done so in his written Word, the Bible. This is what the Bible says: “As the [beast] dies, so the [man] dies; and they all have but one spirit . . . All are going to one place. They have all come to be from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust.” (Ecclesiastes 3:19, 20) There is no mention here of a fiery hell. Humans return to dust—to nonexistence—when they die.

In order to be tormented, a person has to be conscious. Are the dead conscious? Once again, the Bible gives the answer: “The living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, neither do they anymore have wages, because the remembrance of them has been forgotten.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) It is impossible for the dead, who are “conscious of nothing at all,” to experience agony anywhere.

5) God is omnipotent. He is also omniscient. Man is not. Therefore, men can not know or say what God intends or did not intend.

God’s omnipotence and omniscience make it impossible for him to fail. He always predicts the future accurately. Hence, he could say: “Surely just as I have figured, so it must occur; and just as I have counseled, that is what will come true.” (Isaiah 14:24;Hebrews 4:13) Like Adam and Satan, remember they had the ability to make choices of their own. They did have free will, they optioned to disobey God deliberately.

6) God purpose for free will to be without limits? Imagine a busy city without any traffic laws, where everybody could drive in any direction at any speed. Would you want to drive under those conditions? No, that would be traffic anarchy and would surely result in many accidents.

So too with God’s gift of free will. Unlimited freedom would mean anarchy in society. There have to be laws to guide human activities. God’s Word says: “Behave like free men, and never use your freedom as an excuse for wickedness.” (1 Peter 2:16, JB) God wants free will to be regulated for the common good. He purposed for us to have, not total freedom, but relative freedom, subject to the rule of law. God’s laws. (Matthew 22:35-40; Isaiah 48:17.)

Were Humans Intended to Go to Heaven?

Since angels were serving God in heaven before the founding of the earth, the first man and woman were evidently not created to populate the heavens. Rather, God said to that first human pair: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth.” (Genesis 1:28; Acts 17:26) Adam was the first of a new form of earthly life, able to know God and to serve him faithfully. He was to father a race of humans whose home would be the earth. “As regards the heavens, to Jehovah God the heavens belong, but the earth he has given to the sons of men.”—Psalm 115:16.

Chris G

2011-07-19 16:55:50 UTC

Doubt is natural, of course. There are times when I struggle with my faith, but I know that there is a reason why God allows things to happen...even if those things seem cruel.

Jim

2011-07-19 17:36:33 UTC

To answer your question, you simply must accept that there must be something in the universe that is greater than human comfort and the lack of suffering. Your whole view of reality is man-centered, as if the agenda of mankind were the greatest thing in the universe.

So . . . . let's assume for a moment that the universe actually centers around God (which it does). What might that scenario look like. Well, first of all if the universe is God-centered, then that means that all things, including man, exist solely for His pleasure and His glory. Imagine that ! ! You do not exist for your own glory and pleasure, but for the God of this universe. And so God must have had some grand agenda in mind when He created all things, and for running things in the way that He does.

Now, let's keep in mind that this God is big enough to create the earth, the planets, the sun and stars, and a universe which we cannot even begin to fully comprehend. Are you feeling small yet? Well, you should.

Now . . . . if you had a voice like Luciano Pavarotti, what would you want to do with it. Would you be satisfied to simply sing in the shower with it? Of course not. You would want to put it on display for others to enjoy and appreciate. Should we then expect that God would be any different? God has glorious dimensions to His character that He wants His creation to enjoy and appreciate. And the only way that He can truly reveal those qualities about Himself is to put them on display in a grand drama. And it just so happens that one of the grandest facets of God's glorious nature is His love. And His love is so profound that He is willing to sacrifice that which is most precious to Him (His only Son) in order to display His love on undeserving creatures, that is, sinful humans.

And so, in order for God to put on this display of unfathomable love, He needs undeserving sinners who have rebelled against Him and who have made a mess of the creation that He gave them to manage. And so God makes it possible to redeem these undeserving humans from the judgment that they deserve according to His law, and He displays His great power by changing their hearts from a state of hateful rebellion to loving surrender and service to Him. And He does the latter by placing His Spirit within them, to show the power of His love not only working in and through Himself, but also what it can do it the hearts of treasonous traitors whom He has redeemed.

When you think about it, Pavarotti's singing really didn't achieve anything other than causing us to appreciate the gift of music that he shared with us through his voice. But . . . that was still significant in our estimation. And when God does what He does simply to reveal the attributes of His character to His creation to enjoy and appreciate, that is significant and good.

That does not mean that God creates evil to achieve His purposes. God defines good, and evil therefore exists by default. And God then allows those who propagate evil to exists for a time, and allows their schemes to work toward the end of displaying His glory and majesty. And that means that sometimes we get caught in the crossfire and experience suffering. And I don't like it anymore than anyone else.

But, at the end of the day, He is the incomprehensible God who has created an incomprehensible universe, and I'm just an average Joe that He created for His glory and pleasure. And so, it's all about Him, and not about me. And I've learned to be cool with that. Because if I was as great as Him, I'd want my creation to be able to know it, enjoy it, and appreciate it.

?

2011-07-19 16:59:39 UTC

To answer your questions in order

1/2) http://www.gotquestions.org/if-God-knew.html

3) http://www.gotquestions.org/honor-father-mother.html

4) http://www.gotquestions.org/eternal-hell-fair.html

5)http://www.gotquestions.org/God-omniscient.html

6)http://www.gotquestions.org/free-will.html

&

http://www.gotquestions.org/sovereign-free-will.html

These are great questions. And I must say that it is great that you are not just giving into on side or the other just because of experience or family ties, etc. That's great. KEEP THAT! =b

Anyway, I know that these answers will help you understand once and for all. Thanks for sharing.

Hope this helps! =)

2011-07-19 16:54:59 UTC

My response?

My response is that I can think of better places than Yahoo Answers to try and teach theology.

The Goat Nose

2011-07-19 16:50:35 UTC

Best to read Mere Christianity by CS Lewis to understand the fundamentals of Christianity instead of bits and pieces of a complex belief system.

?

2011-07-19 16:54:14 UTC

No, I can't. There are too many questions to answer completely in the space allowed. If you will ask these separately, you will get better answers.

2011-07-19 16:56:06 UTC

Here's your answer; ALL of the Churches are guilty of abominations and what they teach is brainwash!

2011-07-19 16:48:48 UTC

You can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish.

Joe N

2011-07-19 16:52:50 UTC

There are many questions that require believers to torture logic so they can answer them.

If they could face reality they would see that Christianity, like all religion, is BS.

2011-07-19 16:54:53 UTC

Come on - don't use logic with religious types.

2011-07-19 16:50:10 UTC

Funny how bronze age fearmongering just doesn't stand up to rational thought.

2011-07-19 16:49:34 UTC

this question is too long to answer, it grinds my gears when you ask long questions

?

2011-07-19 16:48:20 UTC

easy- there is no god- for all of the above