What unanswered questions arise as you read the Bible?
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This answer is somewhat speculative and it goes beyond (but not against) what the Bible teaches about the matter, so I don't want to make too much of it, but just for a moment, let's assume the following points:
1. God's plan for humankind was to eventually elevate us to a higher status than all the angels. (Hebrews 2:7 may support this)
2. Satan knew about this part of God's plan.
3. Satan did not know about the possibility of God redeeming us from our fallen state, so enticing humans to sin seemed to destroy this plan.
It would fit the view that satan fell due to his pride if we posit that one of his motives was to sabotage a divine plan that would potentially elevate billions of humans above him. In a way, this seems easier to understand than JUST rebelling against God due to not bearing the reality that God is above him.
1. God's plan for humankind was to eventually elevate us to a higher status than all the angels. (Hebrews 2:7 may support this)
2. Satan knew about this part of God's plan.
3. Satan did not know about the possibility of God redeeming us from our fallen state, so enticing humans to sin seemed to destroy this plan.
It would fit the view that satan fell due to his pride if we posit that one of his motives was to sabotage a divine plan that would potentially elevate billions of humans above him. In a way, this seems easier to understand than JUST rebelling against God due to not bearing the reality that God is above him.
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I've wondered if "greatly multiply your sorrow" could have a different meaning.
For example, I used to have goats. Most breeds of goat can only get pregnant in the winter, so they'll have summer babies. Could it have been possible that humans originally would only have been able to become pregnant at a certain time of year? Instead, our "sorrow" is multiplied in that, every month we menstruate and can potentially become pregnant. Not only do we deal with a monthly, painful flow but we're either wanting to get pregnant and potentially struggling with our fertility or finding ways to prevent pregnancy. Seems pretty sorrowful to me.
For example, I used to have goats. Most breeds of goat can only get pregnant in the winter, so they'll have summer babies. Could it have been possible that humans originally would only have been able to become pregnant at a certain time of year? Instead, our "sorrow" is multiplied in that, every month we menstruate and can potentially become pregnant. Not only do we deal with a monthly, painful flow but we're either wanting to get pregnant and potentially struggling with our fertility or finding ways to prevent pregnancy. Seems pretty sorrowful to me.
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God is not a man, thus a man-father is as different from God-Father as night is from day. In Fact Jesus said that God is the only one Good, excluding himself, while he was here on earth.
The difficulty of the bible is pronounced when Jesus says that you have to hate mother, father, sister and brother. To the natural man that statement is not comprehensible.
In fact king Saul tried to do greater good than what God had commanded him to do. God told him to kill every man, woman and child and all their animals. Yet King Saul in trying to outdo God though he could save some of the best unblemished sheep to offer as a sacrifice to God.
In short God rejected him and took the kingdom away from him, often causing evil spirits to come upon him.
God told those that he used, not to wander neither to the right or to the left but to keep a straight course, as his commandments to them said.
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I am going to give a short answer as I am out of time.
But I think your entire response is based on logical and intellectual wisdom of man. Unfortunately this does not work.
Before we can acquire God's wisdom which is everything and the absolute truth, we have to give up our own thinking, even the thinking of the one like King Tyrus (Ezekiel 28) who was wiser than Daniel, and then and only then will we be able to acquire God's wisdom.
This is almost impossible for man to do, and most will never do it because of their pride. But it is imperative for coming to know God.
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God's ways are above ours and He is infinitely better ("more good") than we are. To be a Christian means to accept this as a fact, not an opinion. There is never an appropriate time to question God. He is our Lord as well as our Savior.
1 Timothy 6:15
“Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;”
Revelation 19:16
“And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
1 Timothy 6:15
“Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;”
Revelation 19:16
“And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
I have a problem understanding COL 1:24;
""I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,
The way i read this is that paul say he rejoices in his suffering for us, what does this mean? can paul like Christ redeem anyone by his sufferings? can any man but christ?
and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ Does this mean Christ did nor suffer enough????
""I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,
The way i read this is that paul say he rejoices in his suffering for us, what does this mean? can paul like Christ redeem anyone by his sufferings? can any man but christ?
and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ Does this mean Christ did nor suffer enough????
That can be true but my point is that God doesn't seem to mind those who are confused asking him questions and seems to welcome the opportunity to answer. Furthermore, God is infinite and we are finite in our understanding. If you were to listen to a presentation of a nuclear physicist, you might well have some questions you wanted to ask for clarification at the end. Why shouldn't that be the case with God's people as well?
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No, I was asking you. Where does the Bible say it's an abomination to ask God questions?
Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
What about where Abraham was questioning God about how many righteous people would need to be found before God would relent and not destroy Sodom and Gommorah?
What about where Moses kept coming up with excuse after excuse about why he should not be the one to lead the Israelites out of Egypt?
Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
What about where Abraham was questioning God about how many righteous people would need to be found before God would relent and not destroy Sodom and Gommorah?
What about where Moses kept coming up with excuse after excuse about why he should not be the one to lead the Israelites out of Egypt?
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It is almost impossible for me to address this verse and others like it.
The reason is that I do not have the same foundation, that the rest of the churches in the world have.
Therefore my belief would not be understood by you and possibly rejected by most if not all.
Without explaining I will try to give you some passages to read.
Eze 14:14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 14 which speaks about Daniel, Job and Noah is tantamount to our days. In other words we are not living in the church age but rather in the ages similar to Noah, Daniel and Job.
But Paul, the Apostle was living in the church age, similar to Moses in the wilderness, which also was considered the church in the wilderness.
Thus these men Paul, Moses, the Apostles were called and given power beyond normal men to determine the salvation of the men whom they were called to redeem. In fact Jesus told his disciples, greater works than I have done, you will do.
Matthew 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
John 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
I will not address any question like this again because the subject is a thousand times more complicated than the verses that I have quoted to you, and the verses in and of themselves do not prove anything. There are just too many more verses that you would have to understand to appreciate my belief. But as I have told everyone before each man is responsible before God for his own soul. The only tools or witness that God has given to us is the bible and the Holy Spirit. Thus I demand that you do not listen to me or accept my belief or understanding but rely on the Spirit of God to enlighten you.
1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
1Jn 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
What has been taught for 2000 years by the church fathers, I have rejected, therefore I think you should address your questions to some church leader as I am sure that is where everyone's foundation is.
The reason is that I do not have the same foundation, that the rest of the churches in the world have.
Therefore my belief would not be understood by you and possibly rejected by most if not all.
Without explaining I will try to give you some passages to read.
Eze 14:14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 14 which speaks about Daniel, Job and Noah is tantamount to our days. In other words we are not living in the church age but rather in the ages similar to Noah, Daniel and Job.
But Paul, the Apostle was living in the church age, similar to Moses in the wilderness, which also was considered the church in the wilderness.
Thus these men Paul, Moses, the Apostles were called and given power beyond normal men to determine the salvation of the men whom they were called to redeem. In fact Jesus told his disciples, greater works than I have done, you will do.
Matthew 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
John 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
I will not address any question like this again because the subject is a thousand times more complicated than the verses that I have quoted to you, and the verses in and of themselves do not prove anything. There are just too many more verses that you would have to understand to appreciate my belief. But as I have told everyone before each man is responsible before God for his own soul. The only tools or witness that God has given to us is the bible and the Holy Spirit. Thus I demand that you do not listen to me or accept my belief or understanding but rely on the Spirit of God to enlighten you.
1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
1Jn 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
What has been taught for 2000 years by the church fathers, I have rejected, therefore I think you should address your questions to some church leader as I am sure that is where everyone's foundation is.
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The Jews who supposedly had the oracles of God for thousand of years, questioned the integrity of God based on what they believed to be just.
They were condemned by God for their impertinence and ultimately destroyed.
Many of the minor prophets depict this outrageous behavior including the book of Malachi.
God's ways are not man's ways and God determines those who are his. If you notice that Abraham could basically say anything to God, even Moses, because God knew that their hearts were just before him.
Before Abraham asked God about the people in Sodom he said this:
Gen 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
The 10 commandments are divided into 2 sections. Love of God and love of your neighbor.
Out of love for his neighbor Abram inquired of God whether he would destroy the righteous with the wicked. Abraham was not questioning the commandment, statutes, or judgments or ordinances of God.
Based on the above verse he approached God in total humility, lowering himself and lifting up God. As an obedient child of God, he had found favor with God.
Questions that probably could be asked by Abraham, very likely cannot be asked by the heathen. For how can the thing made question the creator who made him.
Isa 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
Isa 45:10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
They were condemned by God for their impertinence and ultimately destroyed.
Many of the minor prophets depict this outrageous behavior including the book of Malachi.
God's ways are not man's ways and God determines those who are his. If you notice that Abraham could basically say anything to God, even Moses, because God knew that their hearts were just before him.
Before Abraham asked God about the people in Sodom he said this:
Gen 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
The 10 commandments are divided into 2 sections. Love of God and love of your neighbor.
Out of love for his neighbor Abram inquired of God whether he would destroy the righteous with the wicked. Abraham was not questioning the commandment, statutes, or judgments or ordinances of God.
Based on the above verse he approached God in total humility, lowering himself and lifting up God. As an obedient child of God, he had found favor with God.
Questions that probably could be asked by Abraham, very likely cannot be asked by the heathen. For how can the thing made question the creator who made him.
Isa 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
Isa 45:10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
Plot twist: Due to the war in heaven, and being defeated, Satan fell. Prior to the fall, Satan was an angel assigned by God to do unpleasant tasks; think of Job for example. Did the war in heaven already occur or is it a prophesied future event?
If Revelation 12:7-17 is chronological, it may well follow that Satan's fall to earth precedes the prophesied future great tribulation.
If this is the case, it may well be that:
1. Satan is not currently a fallen angel
2. Some form of preterism has some truth in it.
I'm not saying either option 1 or 2 is accurate because I honestly don't know. Just food for thought as my questions arise from reading the Bible.
If Revelation 12:7-17 is chronological, it may well follow that Satan's fall to earth precedes the prophesied future great tribulation.
If this is the case, it may well be that:
1. Satan is not currently a fallen angel
2. Some form of preterism has some truth in it.
I'm not saying either option 1 or 2 is accurate because I honestly don't know. Just food for thought as my questions arise from reading the Bible.
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