God is playful?

[Delvianna]

Of course we have attributes that God doesn't have. Even Christians still have sin in their lives. God doesn't. We have bodies which get tired, hungry, thirst, etc. God doesn't. (He did in the person of His Son when He walked the earth). And who here is attributing only fearsomeness to God, and negating His love?

Sin isnt an attribute, its a condition. You dont lose attributes in heaven when youre perfect. Same with being tired, hungry etc. Those are conditions, not attributes.

Jeff Carr basically insinuated that because I believe God is playful that I dont have fear of the Lord. So my response to that is, is basically forgetting that God is love. That his attribute of Love is proof that he can be playful and that doesnt mean I dont have fear of the Lord at the same time. And in general, that concept still holds. So to answer your question on who is basically attributing only fear of the Lord? Jeff Carr is. Because of his response to me.

 

[David Lamb]

Sin isnt an attribute, its a condition. You dont lose attributes in heaven when youre not perfect. Same with being tored, hungry etc. Those are conditions, not attributes.

Jeff Carr basically insinuated that because I believe God is playful that I dont have fear of the Lord. So my response to that is, is basically forgetting that God is love. That his attribute of Love is proof that he can be playful and that doesnt mean I dont have fear of the Lord at the same time. And in general, that concept still holds. So to answer your question on who is basically attributing only fear of the Lord? Jeff Carr is. Because of his response to me.

I would say that sin is the attribute of the natural man, the man described in the bible as being "in Adam". Something of that attribute remains when we are saved. The apostle Paul wrote:

(Rom 7:21) I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
(Rom 7:22) For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
(Rom 7:23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
(Rom 7:24) O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

I agree that tiredness ansd hunger are not themselves attributes. However, they are the result of the atrribute which humans have on earth - a mortal body.

I don't seen how God having the attribute of love proves that He is playful. Wher8e do we read in Scripture of God being playful?

 

[Aussie52]

Sin isnt an attribute, its a condition. You dont lose attributes in heaven when youre perfect. Same with being tired, hungry etc. Those are conditions, not attributes.

Jeff Carr basically insinuated that because I believe God is playful that I dont have fear of the Lord. So my response to that is, is basically forgetting that God is love. That his attribute of Love is proof that he can be playful and that doesnt mean I dont have fear of the Lord at the same time. And in general, that concept still holds. So to answer your question on who is basically attributing only fear of the Lord? Jeff Carr is. Because of his response to me.

I said your post (not you) has no fear of the Lord in it. You are being overly defensive.

 

[Delvianna]

I would say that sin is the attribute of the natural man, the man described in the bible as being "in Adam". Something of that attribute remains when we are saved. The apostle Paul wrote:

(Rom 7:21) I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
(Rom 7:22) For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
(Rom 7:23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
(Rom 7:24) O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

I agree that tiredness ansd hunger are not themselves attributes. However, they are the result of the atrribute which humans have on earth - a mortal body.

I don't seen how God having the attribute of love proves that He is playful. Wher8e do we read in Scripture of God being playful?

Definition of attribute: a quality, character, or characteristic ascribed to someone or something.

An attribute is something permanent. Sin is not an attribute. So anything relating to sin is not an attribute. I suggest you look into the definition more because you arent correctly using the word "attribute".

Show me in the bible the trinity? Or the rapture? So can we agree concepts arent necessarily spelled out but can be there? Same with Gods playfulness. Creation, concepts like a talking donkey with a spiritually blind prophet, Christ nicknamed James and John the sons of thunder. Those are just a few examples.

 

[Delvianna]

I said your post (not you) has no fear of the Lord in it. You are being overly defensive.

How is it defensive to respond to a question? Lol if I was defensive I would have responded to YOU very differently.

 

[David Lamb]

Definition of attribute: a quality, character, or characteristic ascribed to someone or something.

An attribute is something permanent. Sin is not an attribute. So anything relating to sin is not an attribute. I suggest you look into the definition more because you arent correctly using the word "attribute".

Show me in the bible the trinity? Or the rapture? So can we agree concepts arent necessarily spelled out but can be there? Same with Gods playfulness. Creation, concepts like a talking donkey with a spiritually blind prophet, Christ nicknamed James and John the sons of thunder. Those are just a few examples.

Thanks for replying.

Taking your definition of "attribute", sin certainly is a permanent characteristic since Adam. That is why we need a Saviour.

I agree with what you imply that it is not a matter of whether specific words occur in the bible, but whether what those words mean is taught in the bible. Your example of the Trinity is a case in point; the word isn't there, but certainly the idea of one God in three "Persons" is. You say that Creation was playful, that God miraculously causing a donkey to speak, and Jesus calling James and John sons of thunder are examples of God's playfulness. Really? Here is a definition of playful:

"Playful describes a person, animal, or action that is lighthearted, fond of fun, and not serious. It indicates high spirits, humor, and a desire to play or tease in a good-natured way, often characterized by energy or mischief."

Was God not serious, was He teasing or displaying mischief, in Creation, the talking donkey, or giving the "sons of thunder" name?

God bless you!

 

[Delvianna]

Thanks for replying.

Taking your definition of "attribute", sin certainly is a permanent characteristic since Adam. That is why we need a Saviour.

I agree with what you imply that it is not a matter of whether specific words occur in the bible, but whether what those words mean is taught in the bible. Your example of the Trinity is a case in point; the word isn't there, but certainly the idea of one God in three "Persons" is. You say that Creation was playful, that God miraculously causing a donkey to speak, and Jesus calling James and John sons of thunder are examples of God's playfulness. Really? Here is a definition of playful:

"Playful describes a person, animal, or action that is lighthearted, fond of fun, and not serious. It indicates high spirits, humor, and a desire to play or tease in a good-natured way, often characterized by energy or mischief."

Was God not serious, was He teasing or displaying mischief, in Creation, the talking donkey, or giving the "sons of thunder" name?

God bless you!

Wo sin is permanent? It continues in heaven? Heaven isnt a perfect place?

So does God have a sense of humor to you? Because it seems like you take everything seriously and leave no room for humor. Take God out of the equation and say someone else gave James and John that nick name, you still think theyre serious without any teasing/humor involved?

 

[David Lamb]

Wo sin is permanent? It continues in heaven? Heaven isnt a perfect place?

So does God have a sense of humor to you? Because it seems like you take everything seriously and leave no room for humor. Take God out of the equation and say someone else gave James and John that nick name, you still think theyre serious without any teasing/humor involved?

Without God taking the initiative to remove it, sin is permanent. We cannot get rid of it ourselves.

I didn't say that humour is wrong. I don't believe, for example, that Christians should never laugh, or go around with long faces all the time. I was talking about God.

Anyway thank you again for your reply.

 

[Delvianna]

Without God taking the initiative to remove it, sin is permanent. We cannot get rid of it ourselves.

I didn't say that humour is wrong. I don't believe, for example, that Christians should never laugh, or go around with long faces all the time. I was talking about God.

Anyway thank you again for your reply.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Thank you for your responses and I hope you have a blessed memorial day.

 

[Leviathan-at-play]

I think this thread points to a very deep and fundamental aspect of God’s nature, and there is contemplative fruit to be had regardless of where one lands. My approach was to take a big step back and ask “well, what is it then that God’s actually doing, if it is not play?” to which I’ve still not heard any counter claim.

Of course “play” does not in this case mean that God’s a mischievous 4-year old putting a thumb-tack under Grandpa’s seat cushion, but here I mean play in the technical, social psychological sense: “Play is a voluntary, self-chosen and self-directed activity that is intrinsically motivated, guided by mental (player-created) rules, often imaginative or non-literal, and engaged in with an active, alert, but relatively non-stressed frame of mind. Play is distinguished from work, exploration, or routine behavior”. This sounds bang on to me. If not to you then what aspect do you specifically disagree with?

Where do we read in Scripture of God being playful?

Job is always insightful. In the fullest depths of his lament, suffering before a silent God, the whirlwind finally spoke and completely side-stepped Job’s questions, instead responding by pointing at all of Creation and its infinite wonder as if to say “You are not seeing rightly, your locus of attention is on a blink of pain when it should be on this theatre of my glory, created for you from the very beginning when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7).

 

[GoldenKingGaze]

Thanks for replying.

Taking your definition of "attribute", sin certainly is a permanent characteristic since Adam. That is why we need a Saviour.

I agree with what you imply that it is not a matter of whether specific words occur in the bible, but whether what those words mean is taught in the bible. Your example of the Trinity is a case in point; the word isn't there, but certainly the idea of one God in three "Persons" is. You say that Creation was playful, that God miraculously causing a donkey to speak, and Jesus calling James and John sons of thunder are examples of God's playfulness. Really? Here is a definition of playful:

"Playful describes a person, animal, or action that is lighthearted, fond of fun, and not serious. It indicates high spirits, humor, and a desire to play or tease in a good-natured way, often characterized by energy or mischief."

Was God not serious, was He teasing or displaying mischief, in Creation, the talking donkey, or giving the "sons of thunder" name?

God bless you!

Playfulness need not exactly accord your definition. On Earth and with just three last years of ministry, a 37 year old Jesus said that the disciples should suffer the little children to come unto Him, so He could lay hands on them. Note that the children would not normally want to play with Jesus. Jesus was pushed for time. But in Heaven or Paradise there is much time. Jesus has vast time and raises children who for example, died in abortions. Personal time, with wonderful knowledge and power. There is great joy and friendship, without hiding from threats or facing death... So some aspects of a secular definition of play are inept for Jesus but He surely plays with growing children.

Playing together is a healthy part of peace and growing.

And the Holy Spirit in revival seems to be a kind of playful. Not like the pious Catholic popes or strict Lutherans of old. How could one happily play around a man tied to a stake? And the church headed away from all that having new freedoms of thought and practice. Some left the church altogether, a few of those returned to better orders.

We have fun churches and some have youth groups... I remember playing in youth group. Not things like Frisbee Eucharist...

At church or at a New Age festival with gifts of knowledge two mums can play to serve God like a tag team with newbies. Some people asking for prayer are inwardly troubled.

God gives us laughter when facing hardship. The joy of the Lord is our strength.

 

[GoldenKingGaze]

If we see Jesus in Heaven, throwing and catching a ball with a group of little friends, isn't that playing, and Jesus can really do that?