The nature of God

[W2L]

The smell of steak cooking is sweet to my nostrils too.

 

[SkyWriting]

Christians often say "You cannot hope to explain the nature of God." when a belief doesn't add up. Is this in itself a valid belief? I thought with Christ as our mediator, there were no limits.

We have solid limits, we are not all knowing Spirits yet.

 

[W2L]

We have solid limits, we are not all knowing Spirits yet.

Thats for sure.

 

[SkyWriting]

A fundamental tenet of Christian theology is the ineffability and incomprehensibility of God's nature.

No, that's not a fundamental tenet.
Those who knew Jesus had a clue.
Those who read about Him do as well.

 

[SkyWriting]

That is God is, in His Essence or Being, completely unknowable.

Except for the Jesus part.
....and the Holy Spirit inside us.

 

[Left]

No, that's not a fundamental tenet.
Those who knew Jesus had a clue.
Those who read about Him do as well.

In your opinion.

 

[Left]

In your opinion.

What I mean is it just seems like you were saying devout theologians know the true nature of God better than anyone else.

 

[W2L]

No, I was paraphrasing the gist of Numbers 29:36 and I didn't know I apparently worded it the same way as an atheist website.

Why is it that people automatically say "Atheist in disguise!" when someone is too questioning for their liking? Why avoid and fear questions? Why discourage them? Why guilt-trip people who ask questions and have inquiring minds? The more questions are discouraged the more likely the group discouraging it isn't entirely truthful. We can't just accept things without looking into them.

Frustration i suppose. We would all like to have all the answers but we dont.

 

[SkyWriting]

What I mean is it just seems like you were saying devout theologians know the true nature of God better than anyone else.

Not in the slightest.

 

[W2L]

I believe that the folks who know God the most are those who sacrifice more for him. Most people are not willing to give up their riches, their pride, their status, and become a humble minded man of God.

 

[ViaCrucis]

No, that's not a fundamental tenet.
Those who knew Jesus had a clue.
Those who read about Him do as well.

Read my entire post.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Neogaia777]

Christians often say "You cannot hope to explain the nature of God." when a belief doesn't add up. Is this in itself a valid belief? I thought with Christ as our mediator, there were no limits.

I think they mean one of us cannot contain, all of what God is...?

God Bless!

 

[2PhiloVoid]

But God isn't Love even by the Bible's own definition of love.

My, my! What a "Catholic" thing for you to say, Crystal. (Yes, I say that with a touch of friendly sarcasm.)

 

[Victor E.]

Christians often say "You cannot hope to explain the nature of God." when a belief doesn't add up. Is this in itself a valid belief? I thought with Christ as our mediator, there were no limits.

Christ was the full deity of the Godhead in the flesh. If you study everything about Christ you know all about God the Father. It's only a mystery if someone can't accept this fact (in that case, it is the spirit of the Anti-christ).

 

[W2L]

Christ was the full deity of the Godhead in the flesh. If you study everything about Christ you know all about God the Father. It's only a mystery if someone can't accept this fact (in that case, it is the spirit of the Anti-christ).

I disagree that its the spirit of Anti Christ. I think you may be confused on that one point.

 

[Victor E.]

I disagree that its the spirit of Anti Christ. I think you may be confused on that one point.

I'm not confused.

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and is already in the world at this time." 1 John 4:1-3

 

[W2L]

I'm not confused.

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and is already in the world at this time." 1 John 4:1-3

Yes, i agree with the scripture above, You however seemed to say that if a person doesnt fully understand trinity doctrine, that they have the anti Christ spirit, but thats not what John is saying in his epistle. Not even close. Perhaps i misunderstood you. If so, my apologies.

 

[Victor E.]

Yes, i agree with the scripture above, You however seemed to say that if a person doesnt fully understand trinity doctrine, that they have the anti Christ spirit, but thats not what John is saying in his epistle. Not even close. Perhaps i misunderstood you. If so, my apologies.

I did not say that. That was a presumptuous conclusion. I hope it is clear for you.

 

[W2L]

I did not say that. That was a presumptuous conclusion. I hope it is clear for you.

My apologies.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I think it is more accurate to say that we can't "fully" explain the nature of God. We do have the Bible, and it imparts to us some modicum of information. It just doesn't do it in a comprehensive manner (nor could a finite writing do so, really). It's enough for us to know that: God is the Creator, God is Holy, God is Love, God is Just, God sent His Son, and that God has given us His Holy Spirit.

But, as to exactly the full nature of each of these characteristics and aspects of God is to remain a partial mystery.

Jesus made this quite clear. He said that if we have seen Him we have seen the Father. When we read through the Gospels and we see what Jesus was like and how He conducted Himself, then we see what God is really like. We also see from 1 Corinthians 13, that God has all the attributes of love described there. John says that God is love, and therefore 1 Corinthians 13 actually describes the nature of God quite clearly. Also, we see in the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, the nature of Christ and therefore of God.
From that we see that God is loving, joyful, peaceful in Himself, gentle, the kindest Person we will ever meet, faithful in all things, meek in that He is a gentleman in the way He handles people, absolutely good in every respect (Jesus says that the only good Person in the universe is God), and totally self-controlled in everything He does.

These things give a very clear and accurate view of the nature and character of God. He is not a mystery to those who know Him.