Saint Anthony vs. "the God cannot be in the presence of sin" concept

~Anastasia~ said:

It is impossible that sin overcomes/repels God such that He cannot be in its presence.

1. Satan presented himself before God and conversed with Him in Job ... Satan is almost synonymous with sin.

2. Jesus is God, and He became incarnate and spent his lifetime on earth surrounded by sin and sinners.

3. God is everywhere present. It would be ridiculous to think that somehow He is pushed out or shrinks away from where sin is present.

That's what comes up off the top of my head. I was raised being taught God couldn't be in the presence of sin or could not look upon sin, but I've since come to think that has to be completely wrong.

I do agree it's more a matter of sin not abiding easily in God's presence.

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~Anastasia~ said:

It is impossible that sin overcomes/repels God such that He cannot be in its presence.

1. Satan presented himself before God and conversed with Him in Job ... Satan is almost synonymous with sin.

2. Jesus is God, and He became incarnate and spent his lifetime on earth surrounded by sin and sinners.

3. God is everywhere present. It would be ridiculous to think that somehow He is pushed out or shrinks away from where sin is present.

That's what comes up off the top of my head. I was raised being taught God couldn't be in the presence of sin or could not look upon sin, but I've since come to think that has to be completely wrong.

I do agree it's more a matter of sin not abiding easily in God's presence.

Click to expand...

The Liturgist said:

Indeed, the Orthodox interpretation of Heaven and Hell is that God is a consuming fire of pure love; for the righteous (those likewise dilled with godly love), this will be paradise, but for the wicked (the hateful), it will be an unbearable torture.

I am working on figuring out a good way to explain this doctrine to Western Christians who are poorly catechized and imagine Hell as a fiery red dungeon with torture equipment.

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