Omnibenevolent?

[god's_pawn]

The tree of knowledge version is less logical, imo. Since God would have needed to create evil with the tree (otherwise the tree would have no meaning). And that contradicts his omnibenevolence and is not really an explaination.

The Lucifer/Satan-version does not really make sense either because Lucifer was part of God's creation, wasn't he? I mean, he wasn't just there and God invited him in.

Hmm. This is tricky.

evil is not an entity that needs to be created, rather it is a concept that simply is. thus my explanations still work.

 

[PETE_]

Modhat on
This thread has been moved to Exploring Christianity
Modhat off​

 

[chosenpath]

Omnibenevolent because from the beginning God created all things in goodness to serve a purpose for the well being of all.
Genesus 1:31
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed [it was] very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Part of that loving-kindness is to give free will. Now satan was made as perfect as Adam and Eve. He was exercising his free will by being disobedient to God.
Satan knew Gods sovereignty, but he challenged God on his decisions.

Now like any good parent God was teaching Adam and Eve obediance. For instance a hot stove burner serves a good purpose for cooking, but if you touch it you will burn your hand. A parent will teach their child not to touch a hot burner because they don't want their child harmed. Satan deceived Eve by implying that nothing bad would happen, but God was keeping them from being like him knowing good from bad.
God was already teaching that but in his own way so satan underminded Gods' way.

This is why this scripture is important.
Roman 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose.

Because satan meddled with God's will not all things worked according to his purpose so sin developed.
Today we have the same free will . God is telling us Gehenna (the lake of fire) can burn us if we don't listen to him and obey his commands.

 

[[serious]]

I haven't found any clear biblical claim to omnibenevolence, it's a traditional interpretation I don't know the origins of. I don't see any reason why God would have to be omnibenevolent and there are plenty of examples of His benevolence having a limit. There is also a rather philosophical problem of defining "good" and "bad" If we accept a theistic origin of morality, we have a circular application of that morality to God making any comment on "goodness" completely arbitrary. If we apply a nontheistic (religion neutral) morality structure, we run the risk of having problems justifying Gods actions as recorded in the bible.

I tend to leave it at God is good without trying to apply words like "omnibenevolent"

 

[Explosions in the Sky]

Thank you for your post, chosenpath. I see what you mean. But I have to agree with [serious]. There is a problem with omnibenevolence and I don't see why He has to be be omnibenevolent.

 

[chosenpath]

There is no limit with God because he is infinite in all he is and does. Omnibenevolent is just a word. I really don't think there is a word that can accurately discribe the greatness and goodness of God, however, in giving God all the honor these types of endearments are used to express how much we adore him.

Psalm 147:5
Great [is] our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding [is] infinite.

Daniel 2:20
Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what [is] in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.

Revelation 1:8
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, [the] Beginning and [the] End,"* says the Lord,* "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

Revelation 22:5
There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

 

[XChristian]

If God is everything then anything is possible. Right?

 

[Explosions in the Sky]

If God is everything then anything is possible. Right?

Which makes every reasonable discussion pointless. Unfortunately.