How does God reveal Himself in the context of a two-way, one-on-one relationship?

[TruthSeek3r]

Many atheists and skeptics argue that God is hidden.

In fact, in philosophy of religion there is a whole argument against God's existence known as "the argument from nonbelief" or "the argument from divine hiddenness" (source 1, source 2).

To their point, the Bible itself acknowledges that God is (sometimes) hidden:

• Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. (Isaiah 45:15 ESV)
• How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? (Psalm 13:1-2 ESV)
• Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2 ESV)
• With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them. (Hosea 5:6 ESV)

However, if God is hidden at times, it stands to reason that God reveals Himself at times as well. In fact, many Christians believe that a personal relationship with God is possible (e.g. see What is the origin of the "religion vs. relationship" dichotomy?). But a personal relationship between two parties is not possible when one of the parties is hidden. Therefore, it logically follows that God must reveal Himself somehow to the Christian in order for a two-way, one-on-one relationship between the two to exist.

Question

What are ways in which God reveals Himself to a Christian?
What does a two-way, one-on-one relationship between God and a Christian look like?

 

[Carl Emerson]

He has built into us as part of the human spirit an ability to hear him.

This by-passes the normal human senses. It is in fact the only avenue for us to experience absolute truth.

For this reason He can call all humans to account. No one can claim having not heard.

This equally applies to the non-believer.

However when He indwells us the whole communication experience rises to another level.

The Holy Spirit takes permanent residence and communes with us.

His peace becomes a judge within us responding to every circumstance we encounter.

This is a dynamic relationship that guides us to righteousness in a way that the Law could never do.

 

[Neogaia777]

Many atheists and skeptics argue that God is hidden.

In fact, in philosophy of religion there is a whole argument against God's existence known as "the argument from nonbelief" or "the argument from divine hiddenness" (source 1, source 2).

To their point, the Bible itself acknowledges that God is (sometimes) hidden:

• Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. (Isaiah 45:15 ESV)
• How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? (Psalm 13:1-2 ESV)
• Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2 ESV)
• With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them. (Hosea 5:6 ESV)

However, if God is hidden at times, it stands to reason that God reveals Himself at times as well. In fact, many Christians believe that a personal relationship with God is possible (e.g. see What is the origin of the "religion vs. relationship" dichotomy?). But a personal relationship between two parties is not possible when one of the parties is hidden. Therefore, it logically follows that God must reveal Himself somehow to the Christian in order for a two-way, one-on-one relationship between the two to exist.

Question

What are ways in which God reveals Himself to a Christian?
What does a two-way, one-on-one relationship between God and a Christian look like?

Some of the ways in which God can choose to reveal Himself to anyone are many, but off the top of my head, and kind of the way it has happened/still does happen with me, are things that go against the odds, or what people might call coincidences, but that are just way too coincidental to be just only mere coincidence, and this happening in consecutive waves, or in quick succession, etc, things that you know if you tried to calculate the mathematical odds, or possibility or probability of, you already know it's off the scale, and so you think there has to be something more to it, and you find out there is, etc...

And I experienced/still do experience some other things also, but nothing almost anyone would believe, so I'm not going to get into them/those right now here, etc...

What does a two way, one on one relationship look like?

Well, you finish each other's thoughts and sentences sometimes, so much so that you could be easily fooled into believing it's just you thinking only, etc, but sometimes, and because of this, it can sometimes seem like the conversation is over with before it ever even started, or ever even began, etc, and you both sit together in silence for a little while again, and until the next time again, etc...

That's all I have for now, but if I think of more later I'll let you know, ok...

God Bless!

 

[Aussie Pete]

Many atheists and skeptics argue that God is hidden.

In fact, in philosophy of religion there is a whole argument against God's existence known as "the argument from nonbelief" or "the argument from divine hiddenness" (source 1, source 2).

To their point, the Bible itself acknowledges that God is (sometimes) hidden:

• Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. (Isaiah 45:15 ESV)
• How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? (Psalm 13:1-2 ESV)
• Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2 ESV)
• With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them. (Hosea 5:6 ESV)

However, if God is hidden at times, it stands to reason that God reveals Himself at times as well. In fact, many Christians believe that a personal relationship with God is possible (e.g. see What is the origin of the "religion vs. relationship" dichotomy?). But a personal relationship between two parties is not possible when one of the parties is hidden. Therefore, it logically follows that God must reveal Himself somehow to the Christian in order for a two-way, one-on-one relationship between the two to exist.

Question

What are ways in which God reveals Himself to a Christian?
What does a two-way, one-on-one relationship between God and a Christian look like?

God reveals Himself through creation, through His people (Israel at first, now the Church), His Word and through His Son, Jesus. I had a number of encounters with God in my youth. It was not until I was 20 that God broke through my doubt and unbelief and I came to know Him.

God is real and I have a relationship with Him that covers every aspect of life, from mundane to the vital. When I was in hospital, I cried out to God and He answered me. Recently, I was riding my bike when I had a leg muscle pain. I need to ride to keep fit. The Lord spoke to me and told me to push down hard, the opposite of what I was inclined to do. When I did, the pain went immediately.

God is hidden because He is Spirit and we are born blind to God.

 

[Neogaia777]

Yes @TruthSeek3r, when you are alone and by yourself in your house, or home, or apartment, and there is not the option of going or getting out anywhere, or getting or going outside and what-not, getting into God's Word and reading passages and lines and chapters/books, and then pausing and looking up from it occasionally from time to time and asking questions and seeing if you get anything back or not that just occurs to you or not, (supposedly, etc), is an excellent way, and is one of the very best ways to get practice communicating or communing with God...

But just don't expect answers right away or all of the time, etc, but as you put the time in, and do this more and more often, you will hear Him "speak" back to you in your mind, but then may go quiet again for a little while longer again, but as you do this more and more often, while it may start off slow at first, over time, and with more and more of your putting the time in and getting more practice, it will at some point begin to grow and deepen exponentially at some point, so that you be finishing each others thoughts and sentences at some point, etc...

I have a confession to make, and that is I haven't been into God's Word as much as I should lately, or as much as I used to when I did used to put the time in alot lately, but this is mainly because the Bible quite literally explodes for me now anytime I do get into it, or do read it now a lot lately, etc, and sometimes it's too much for me, and I need a break, etc...

But I do plan to get into it more like I used to before soon, etc...

A lot of it is already in me now though, because I did put the time in in the past, etc...

God Bless!

 

[Neogaia777]

Yes @TruthSeek3r, when you are alone and by yourself in your house, or home, or apartment, and there is not the option of going or getting out anywhere, or getting or going outside and what-not, getting into God's Word and reading passages and lines and chapters/books, and then pausing and looking up from it occasionally from time to time and asking questions and seeing if you get anything back or not that just occurs to you or not, (supposedly, etc), is an excellent way, and is one of the very best ways to get practice communicating or communing with God...

But just don't expect answers right away or all of the time, etc, but as you put the time in, and do this more and more often, you will hear Him "speak" back to you in your mind, but then may go quiet again for a little while longer again, but as you do this more and more often, while it may start off slow at first, over time, and with more and more of your putting the time in and getting more practice, it will at some point begin to grow and deepen exponentially at some point, so that you be finishing each others thoughts and sentences at some point, etc...

I have a confession to make, and that is I haven't been into God's Word as much as I should lately, or as much as I used to when I did used to put the time in alot lately, but this is mainly because the Bible quite literally explodes for me now anytime I do get into it, or do read it now, etc, and sometimes it's too much for me, and I need a break, etc...

But I do plan to get into it more like I used to before soon, etc...

A lot of it is already in me now though, because I did put the time in in the past, etc...

God Bless!

@TruthSeek3r

You do not always have to be asking questions all of the time either, you could just stop and pause for a minute just to comment on what you just read about it out loud to God maybe, or maybe just pausing for a minute to "chew" on what you just read before going and continuing on and reading more again maybe...

These are all very good/very excellent practices with God and His Word that will increase the likelihood that He will begin to speak back to you much more often, and much more frequently, etc...

God loves His Word intensely, and so should you, etc...

God Bless!

 

[tturt]

Also, reading and meditating (focusing) on Him and His Word is a constant revealing, discovering the gems there about God and His Love and Wisdom.

 

[JAL]

Wrong on both counts.

He has built into us as part of the human spirit an ability to hear him.

This by-passes the normal human senses. It is in fact the only avenue for us to experience absolute truth.

Actually it's all physical despite how we've been indoctrinated for 2,000 years. Plato somehow bewitched the church fathers (except Tertullian) to believe in the concept of immaterial spirit (the English term 'spirit' is a contextually and exegetically indefensible translation of the Greek and Hebrew terms, an irresponsible translation rooted in Plato). I've debated this issue on other threads. Perhaps I'll debate it again here - but for the moment I'll just make a brief comment about fellowship.

Scripture summons us to fellowship with God (1 Corinthians 1:9 Philippians 2:1 1 John 1:3 1 John 1:6). There is only one possible way to define fellowship - anything else is either completely vacuous or logically incoherent. Fellowship can ONLY be defined as a mutual exchange of sensations, between two parties, that is sufficiently distinct (sufficiently loud and clear) to be perceived. It is BY DEFINITION a sensory experience. Therefore a mature believer will see God clearly, face to face. Sample scriptures:

"For now [in our immaturity] we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then [in maturity] we shall see face to face" (1 Cor 13).

"You have never heard his voice, nor seen his form" (Jn 5:37).

"Moses spoke with the Lord face to face, as a man speaks with his friend" (Ex 33:11).

The notion of an immaterial realm completely muddies the water, such that 2,000 years deep, theologians still can't even explain something as simple as regeneration !!!

This is a dynamic relationship that guides us to righteousness in a way that the Law could never do.

If this is meant to imply that OT saints and NT saints have walked under different dispensations of grace, then I say again you are wrong on this second count as well. To define a believer apart from regeneration/sanctification/indwelling-Spirit doesn't make a lot of sense. As a proponent of Covenant Theology, I find no distinctions between OT and NT saints.

 

[tturt]

Actually, we are more than physical according to Scripture . - 'And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Thess 5:23)

"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24)
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" (John 10:27)
Even those who think God doesn't speak anymore received communicated of some kind because "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:44)

That counteracts the influence of the enemy "...for their minds have been blinded by the god of this age, leaving them in unbelief. Their blindness keeps them from seeing the dayspring light of the wonderful news of the glory of Jesus Christ, who is the divine image of God."
(II Cor 4:4)

 

[JAL]

Actually, we are more than physical according to Scripture . - 'And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Thess 5:23)


"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24)
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" (John 10:27)

Nope. Again, the English word "spirit" is a Platonic translation of a material Greek/Hebrew term. You can't think like the Hebrew/Greek writers due to 2,000 years of indoctrination.

"The term spirit…in both Hebrew and Greek is primarily a material term, indicating wind, air, or breath” (see Lewis Sperry Chafer, “Angelology Part 1,” Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol 98:392 (1941), p. 401).

The Third Person's true title is not the Holy Spirit but The Holy Wind/Breath. The term Ruach/Pneuma is the term at issue here. That's the Hebrew term in Exodus 15, for example:

8By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up...10But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them."

Those waters didn't part instantly. Rather The Holy Wind/Breath from the Lord GRADUALLY pushed them apart over the course of an evening. An intangible, immaterial Spirit would be unable to push ANYTHING.

Translators are trying to have it both ways - they correctly interpret Ruach/Pneuma as Wind/Breath in SOME passages but then revert to "Spirit" in other passages. That's irresponsible because the term is used as the TITLE of the Third Person. Since His title doesn't change, translators should be consistent. Consistency would look like this, for example:

Jesus breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy [Breath]" (John 20:22).

Jesus was expelling the Third Person as material Wind/Breath from His lungs. He continues to do so from His throne today (e.g. Psalms 18:8 Psalms 18:15).

Like I said, I probably won't go into a full debate on this thread since I've covered it on other threads.

 

[tturt]

I posted #9 and could have included many other Scriptures because people need to know what Scripture says. Not going to debate.

 

[TruthSeek3r]

The notion of an immaterial realm completely muddies the water, such that 2,000 years deep, theologians still can't even explain something as simple as regeneration !!!

How do you interpret 1 Corinthians 15:35-49 (ESV) ?

35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

 

[JAL]

How do you interpret 1 Corinthians 15:35-49 (ESV) ?

35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

You mean the term spiritual? In Greek it's the term pneumatic, right?
Have you ever heard of pneumatic tools sold at hardware stores? Regarding those tools:
1. Are they tools powered by air/wind/breath?
2. Or, are they tools powered by immaterial spirits?

More to the point, Gordon Fee, himself an immaterialist, admitted that "spiritual" in the NT never means "immaterial" - primarily it means "powered by the Third Person", he said.

 

[eleos1954]

Many atheists and skeptics argue that God is hidden.

In fact, in philosophy of religion there is a whole argument against God's existence known as "the argument from nonbelief" or "the argument from divine hiddenness" (source 1, source 2).

To their point, the Bible itself acknowledges that God is (sometimes) hidden:

• Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. (Isaiah 45:15 ESV)
• How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? (Psalm 13:1-2 ESV)
• Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2 ESV)
• With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them. (Hosea 5:6 ESV)

However, if God is hidden at times, it stands to reason that God reveals Himself at times as well. In fact, many Christians believe that a personal relationship with God is possible (e.g. see What is the origin of the "religion vs. relationship" dichotomy?). But a personal relationship between two parties is not possible when one of the parties is hidden. Therefore, it logically follows that God must reveal Himself somehow to the Christian in order for a two-way, one-on-one relationship between the two to exist.

Question

What are ways in which God reveals Himself to a Christian?
What does a two-way, one-on-one relationship between God and a Christian look like?

Question

What are ways in which God reveals Himself to a Christian?

Through studying His Word and through the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart.

What does a two-way, one-on-one relationship between God and a Christian look like?

One who truly enjoys spending time with Him ... through study of His Word (getting to know Him) and prayer (communicating with Him) ... one who responds to His teachings through study (spending time with Him) and the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

 

[Blade]

What was is not what is today. Christ told them they didn't have Him in their hearts nor knew Him nor seen Him. We that believe have God, Christ, sweet holy Spirit (Luke 11:13) in us. Hes not hiding. He talks more then we ever do we just don't take the time nor want to pay the price to hear. Everything we do hear say think watch comes into play with this. And many really like this life and if it comes to giving some things up.. we will make excuses as to why what we hear say think watch is really ok.

Comes down to believing having faith. One must have faith. Christ said my sheep know/hear my voice. No pause in that no time delay no circuits are busy right now call back later. I will say today it seems as if things with God are really speeding up. Happening faster and faster. Prayers alone are being answered so fast today. He's showing Himself greater every day