What does God is "alive" mean?

FundiMentalist · Feb 20, 2008

I read in the rules of one of the other forums something along the lines of "We believe there is one living and true God."

What is meant by "living" there?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life

Conventionally "life" means:

1. Homeostasis.
2. Organization.
3. Metabolism.
4. Growth.
5. Adaptation.
6. Response to stimuli.
7. Reproduction.

How do these characteristics of life map to the Christian view of God?

What exactly is meant by God being "living?"

I would think most of the Christians around here attested to such a rule. What did it mean to you when you agreed to it?

I guess what I'm asking is according to your understanding of God/God concept, how is God "alive?"

Criada · Feb 20, 2008

God is alive spiritually... the characteristics of life you list apply to physical life.
I am not sure how one would draw up such a list for spiritual life....

For myself, I know that God is alive because He interacts with His creation, and responds to our prayers... because I know His love.

However, these are not anything that I can prove to you, since they are matters of faith, and as such, do not rely on scientific evidence.

FundiMentalist · Feb 20, 2008

Criada said:
God is alive spiritually...

That "spiritually" has about six-point-some billion different meanings.

What exactly are you talking about?

Merlin · Feb 20, 2008

God is alive refers to Jesus being raised from the dead

FundiMentalist · Feb 20, 2008

Merlin said:
God is alive refers to Jesus being raised from the dead

So you're referring to physical resurrection I guess.

Seems that would require God to be incarnate.

When he ascended into "ouranos" (perhaps best translated as the "sky"), exactly where did that living body go?

Is Jesus still incarnate?

And before Mary's conception, how was God then "alive" then?

Just trying to make some sense outta what you're saying.

seashale76 · Feb 20, 2008

Here is an interesting article, An Introduction to Orthodox Spirituality, which explains the Christian view of God, briefly touching on the Divine Energies:

http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article9284.asp

FundiMentalist · Feb 20, 2008

Energy and life are anything but synonymous. Not sure where you're going with this.

Also read on the site: In Orthodox theology, a distinction is made between the "essence" and "energies" of God.

What in the world does that exactly mean???

tapero · Feb 21, 2008

FundiMentalist said:
I read in the rules of one of the other forums something along the lines of "We believe there is one living and true God."

What is meant by "living" there?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life

Conventionally "life" means:

1. Homeostasis.
2. Organization.
3. Metabolism.
4. Growth.
5. Adaptation.
6. Response to stimuli.
7. Reproduction.

How do these characteristics of life map to the Christian view of God?

What exactly is meant by God being "living?"

I would think most of the Christians around here attested to such a rule. What did it mean to you when you agreed to it?

I guess what I'm asking is according to your understanding of God/God concept, how is God "alive?"

HI, if you had the source where you took the one true living God, may help to pin down why it's written in something.

I checked the nicene creed, it's not there, and it's not in cf rules.

Here's the Nicene Creed:

http://christianforums.com/showpost.php?p=42963769&postcount=1

If you can find where you saw it, get the name of what it's written in, then we can find out why it says that.

But as to living God; to me it's opposed to a dead god.

Of course this may have nothing at all to do with wherever you read it, but to note that there are many gods, little g, meaning created gods, and such have no life. Generally little g gods refer to idols and such.

God lives, God has always lived, has never been a time when has not lived. When Jesus died for our sins, his body died, His essence, who He is, did not die. It was his body that died and was resurrected.

As I don't know how God would term He lives, I can only give you a human term of God is a living as opposed to dead.

You ask how is God alive? Well, I don't mean to give a simple answer but it means He lives. Again, no idea to what the proper term would be, perhaps God exists or is.

Those who say there are other gods are talking about non living beings. There is no other God.

Adstar · Feb 21, 2008

[FONT=&quot]

FundiMentalist said:
That "spiritually" has about six-point-some billion different meanings.

What exactly are you talking about?

Life does not just mean physical life. Why do you ask such a question when the answer is so simple and clear.

God is an existing personality, He continues to exist and interact with us in a relationship. This means he is not dead. The word alive is used to show God is still an active intellegance if you like.

Persisting in this can only be a vain debate over the meanings of words when the meaning of the word is simple to understand for the vast majority of people who read it.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days[/FONT]

ebia · Feb 21, 2008

FundiMentalist said:
I read in the rules of one of the other forums something along the lines of "We believe there is one living and true God."

What is meant by "living" there?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life

Conventionally "life" means:

1. Homeostasis.
2. Organization.
3. Metabolism.
4. Growth.
5. Adaptation.
6. Response to stimuli.
7. Reproduction.

How do these characteristics of life map to the Christian view of God?

What exactly is meant by God being "living?"

I would think most of the Christians around here attested to such a rule. What did it mean to you when you agreed to it?

I guess what I'm asking is according to your understanding of God/God concept, how is God "alive?"

You seem to be looking for a scientific or psuedo-scientific definition of a term that is being used much more loosly and naturally.

God is alive as opposed to:
dead
inanimate
unresponsive
unrelational
uninterested
fake
...

it's a positive way of expressing a ruling out of the question any and all of those negatives. YHWH is a vibrant God, constantly active in, through, and in relationship with (though distinct from), all of his creation. A claim few other religions make of their God.

FundiMentalist · Feb 21, 2008

ebia said:
You seem to be looking for a scientific or psuedo-scientific definition of a term that is being used much more loosly and naturally.

God is alive as opposed to:
dead
inanimate
unresponsive
unrelational
uninterested
fake
...

it's a positive way of expressing a ruling out of the question any and all of those negatives. YHWH is a vibrant God, constantly active in, through, and in relationship with (though distinct from), all of his creation. A claim few other religions make of their God.

I think "imminent" might be a better word for what you're describing rather than "living."

My question was about the use of the word "living."

salida · Feb 21, 2008

"living" means God is infinite and all that exists and is living comes from Him. God is a spirit and the only time He was physical was when Christ walked on earth to die for our sins. Yes, He is the living God.

FundiMentalist · Feb 21, 2008

salida said:
"living" means God is infinite and all that exists and is living comes from Him. God is a spirit and the only time He was physical was when Christ walked on earth to die for our sins. Yes, He is the living God.

"Living" and "infinite" are two very different concepts. Almost exclusive. Don't know about your experiences with the world but living things seem much more ephermeral than eternal, much more finite than infinite as far as I can tell.

However, I do remember singing many, many times...

Alive, alive, alive forever more...
My Jesus is alive,
Alive forever more!

Even learned on a missions trip:

Buhay, buhay, buhay, kailan pa man...
Si Hesus ay buhay,
Buhay kailan pa man!

Emmy · Feb 22, 2008

Dear FundiMentalist. It means our God is alive, He is not dead, not just some inanimate object we worship. Our God lives, He knows all our thoughts and wishes, He listens to our prayers and pleas, and He knows us as His children, when we call Him: " Our Father in Heaven." I say this with humility and kindness, FundiMentalist. Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ.

FundiMentalist · Feb 22, 2008

"Not just some inanimate object."

You're not suggesting God is an animate object are you?

You're suggesting God is an animate non-object I presume.

What does that mean?

To be "animated" and to be "living" are separate matters anyhow.

How can a non-object "live?" That is metabolize, etc.?

And the only non-objects I really know of are ideas.

Are you suggesting God is then an animated idea? And really how are ideas "animated" anywhere else than inside the conscious mind?

Would be interested on someone getting down to what's being talked about here.

Thanks.

Lukaris · Feb 22, 2008

"I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."(Revelation 1:8). Sure you read it many times & it seems self explanatory & if one chooses to beleive it or not.

HypnoToad · Feb 22, 2008

Don't over-analyze, Fundi.

God did, does, and always will exist, He's eternal, that's it.

FundiMentalist · Feb 22, 2008

HypnoToad said:
Don't over-analyze, Fundi.

God did, does, and always will exist, He's eternal, that's it.

C'mon. That sort of approach isn't even gonna rule out Shiva or Allah.

FundiMentalist · Feb 22, 2008

Lukaris said:
"I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."(Revelation 1:8). Sure you read it many times & it seems self explanatory & if one chooses to beleive it or not.

First and last imples finiteness. Is that what you intended by "self explanatory?"

This thread is about what "living" means.

Not what "infinite" means.

ebia · Feb 22, 2008

FundiMentalist said:
I think "imminent" might be a better word for what you're describing rather than "living."

My question was about the use of the word "living."

Imminent might be a more precise term for some (thought not all) of those, but sometimes it's more appropriate to use language that is evocative even if less precise. Not everything we say, or read in the bible or anywhere else, has technical precision as a primary aim. To say something or someone is alive is at least as likely to be about conjorouring up images as it is about making a technical statement about the state of the thing/person.

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