“Let God be God”

[redleghunter]

Offering some quotes for discussion.

We must allow God to decide who he is and how he will interact with us. Because of our on-going struggle with sin, we all struggle to do this in different ways. There are aspects of God’s revelation of himself in the Bible that we especially like, and there are characteristics we think he should, or should not, possess. And in our minds we start to make these things the central defining point of who we think God is. Any time someone says (or thinks), “I like to think of God as …” that individual is on dangerous ground...When we substitute an idea of who God should be for who he really is, we’re idolaters. At the end of the day, putting it as kindly as I can, it is irrelevant whether or not you or I “like to think of God” in particular ways.

God—the one who created all that exists and reigns over it, the one who providentially guides every facet of his creation, including us, the one “in [whom] we live and move and have our being” (Acts of The Apostles 17:28)—has the right to be God. He tells us who he is, what he is like, who we are, and how he will be in relationship with us. It’s not up to us to conjure up what we think he should be like. We, like Isaiah, are “people of unclean lips.” Our attitude towards the Lord must be one of awe and reverence, for “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:3,5). God is God; we are not.—-Shawn D. Wright​

“Because God is who he is, the covenant Lord, he is not required to defend himself against charges of injustice. He is the judge, not we.” —John Frame
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Things to consider we hu-mans may not like.

God chose his people for his glory (Ephesians 1:4–6). He created us for his glory (Isaiah 43: 6–7). He called Israel for his glory (Isaiah 49:3; Jeremiah 13:11). He restored Israel from exile for the glory of his name (Ezekiel 36:22–23, 32). Jesus receives us into his fellowship for the glory of God (Romans 15:7). We are to do everything for God’s glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). Jesus’s supreme aim is that we would see and enjoy his glory (John 17:24). God’s glory, his supremacy, is one result of his sovereignty.

 

[bling]

Has God obligated Himself to do things and be a certain way?

God is just and the Bible defines just and unjust, so can God be unjust by the Biblical defined definition of Just?

Does the reprobate bring glory to God?

Did Israel always bring glory to God?

 

[ICONO'CLAST]

Simply put,God is God and we are not.
Roman's one describes natural unsaved men as truth suppressors.
The hold down true knowledge of Him and invent religious idols and offer worship to Satan. 1 Cor:10-20

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Even without the Bible, people look around at the world and see things that they like and dislike, and they dissociate the two in their minds, as though God were responsible for the happy sparrow on their doorstep but not the hawk that killed it a second later. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away (Job 1:21). The Lord formed me in my mother's womb, and the Lord programmed my body to grow old and die. He made the disease and the immunity against it. He forms light and creates darkness; he makes well-being and creates calamity; he is the LORD, who does all these things (Isaiah 45:7).

I get people telling me not to blame certain undesirable things on God. He does what he will, and he has a right to do it. He is God, and this universe only exists because of him. It is his right. If we worship any other, then we worship a god that does not exist.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Could we let God even be bigger than the Bible?

Could God be present and involved in other cultures and religions?

 

[redleghunter]

Could we let God even be bigger than the Bible?

Could God be present and involved in other cultures and religions?

I guess the question is since we have God as He reveals himself to mankind in Holy Scriptures, should we not test these other ideas according to His revelation.

 

[St_Worm2]

Could we let God even be bigger than the Bible?

Hello Akita, many have, and many still do, even though God describes Himself to us (both directly and indirectly), what He is, who He is, what He's like, what He expects of us, etc., from cover to cover in the Holy Writ. Reimagining God, to fit our idea of who He is instead, amounts to idolatry, doesn't it?

Could God be present and involved in other cultures and religions?

He is .. Matthew 9:37-38.

--David

 

[St_Worm2]

I guess the question is since we have God as He reveals himself to mankind in Holy Scriptures, should we not test these other ideas according to His revelation.

That is a very good idea

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Could we let God even be bigger than the Bible?

Could God be present and involved in other cultures and religions?

Then Jesus died in vain.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Then Jesus died in vain.

What if God is even bigger than the universe?

 

[Hazelelponi]

What if God is even bigger than the universe?

If there is but one God - and God says He is one - and He declares there is only one way by which to be saved, then the same rule applies equally everywhere, in every potential universe or life form, if that's where your heading.

"There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

we either believe or we dont, in my personal opinion.

 

[redleghunter]

What if God is even bigger than the universe?

God obviously is as He created the universe and He is not governed by time, space and matter.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

If there is but one God - and God says He is one - and He declares there is only one way by which to be saved, then the same rule applies equally everywhere, in every potential universe or life form, if that's where your heading.

"There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

we either believe or we dont, in my personal opinion.

So people of all other religions are not saved and destined for Hell?

 

[Hazelelponi]

So people of all other religions are not saved and destined for Hell?

Yes. That is correct.

Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

 

[St_Worm2]

So people of all other religions are not saved and destined for Hell?

Hello Akita, on what basis do you believe that God will save people of other religions (or even people who are not religious, for that matter)?

Thanks!

--David

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Matthew 25:31-46 the sheep and the goats.

Matthew 7:21-23 Doing the Father's will

 

[St_Worm2]

Matthew 25:31-46 the sheep and the goats. Matthew 7:21-23 Doing the Father's will

Thanks! If that's true however, that we are saved by doing good deeds/obeying God's will, then what was the point of the Incarnation and of the Cross

Thanks again!

--David

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

To show us the way. I think Christ is present wherever love is present as God is love. Other religions may not explicitly affirm Jesus as savior but if they live his love, let's let God be God and make the judgment.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Consider:

The Universal Christ: Another Name for Everything Conference

 

[St_Worm2]

To show us the way.

Hello again Akita, that is one possibility, I suppose. The thing is, He already did that in the OT. He lived among the people, told them exactly what they needed to know and do, and even led them personally (e.g. in a cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night, etc.).

So, why did He change and decide to go with such extreme measures in the 1st Century if just showing us the way was His intention?

Also, why did God send His only begotten Son here to die that HORRIBLE death on the Cross if it was not ABSOLUTELY necessary for our sake that He do so If the Cross/the shed blood of the spotless Lamb of God was not necessary to make salvation possible for us, and He sent His Son here anyway, that would make the Father a monster, not loving, wouldn't it?

Thanks!

--David
p.s. - here are a couple of verses that should prove to be useful.

Hebrews 9
22 All things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Hebrews 10
4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
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