Most simple yet hardest question?

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Fox

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Feb 7, 2007
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In reality, He has done this many times. Eyewitness accounts of human interaction and conversations with Him have been duly recorded and preserved for us in the Bible. But does such documented testimony satisfy skeptics and scoffers? It never has, and it never will. If G-d accepted the challenge of always having to prove His existence, what would it take? Would it have been necessary for Him to personally appear to and perform miracles to every human being ever born? But even that might not be enough to satisfy everyone. Instead, G-d long ago decided to provide solid evidence - in the form of His handiwork, human testimony and fulfilled prophecy - that He is the living, intelligent Creator of the universe. This evidence is compelling, powerful and reasonable to those with an ear to hear and an eye to see. But everyone has a choice. He can face the evidence, or he can scoff at it.
It was not G-d’s idea to remove Himself and be seemingly unapproachable. It was mankind’s choice. From the beginning of human existence G-d has given people freedom of choice. He allows us to choose whether we will believe in Him, accept the knowledge He reveals to us and obey Him - or not. G-d didn’t force Adam and Chava to follow His instructions. They freely chose not to. Humanity has felt the repercussions of that fateful decision ever since. Neither did G-d force ancient Isra'el to obey Him. He clearly offered the Israelites a choice: "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses," He told them. "Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19). They had witnessed miracle after miracle in their trek out of Egypt. Yet the Israelites quickly forgot that evidence and chose to disregard the way of life and blessings G-d offered (see also Deuteronomy 31:27).Mankind has consistently chosen to turn away from G-d's revelation, preferring the way that ultimately leads to curses and death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). Nothing has changed. We are faced with the same two choices: Believe G-d and obey His laws, or disobey. Centuries after ancient Isra'el went astray, G-d did not force Yeshua's countrymen to accept Him as the promised Messiah and Son of G-d. Even in the face of incredible miracles demonstrating His power, most still didn’t believe Him. They repeated the response of their forefathers. After several years of seeing Yeshua perform many dramatic miracles, including the feeding of thousands (Matthew 14:13-21; 15:30-38), only 120 people had been sufficiently convicted to form the core of His Church (Acts 1:15) - though He would later add many more.Most people like to think they are openminded, that they wouldn’t be antagonistic or prejudiced against the truth. Yet some of those same people who knew of Yeshua's miracles later shouted for His blood. Yeshua pointed out that some were so hardened toward G-d they wouldn’t be persuaded even if someone were raised from the dead (Luke 16:31).Human nature hasn’t changed. The same bias and prejudice remain just as deeply entrenched in our modern era. It’s not a pretty thought to consider that a significant part of humanity willingly hardens its thinking against G-d. Yet it happens (2 Peter 3:5). And the reason is simple to explain. The natural human way of thinking is fundamentally hostile toward G-d (Romans 8:7). Therefore a mind influenced by that attitude is more than eager to find ways of reasoning around evidence for His existence.G-d has promised that the time is coming - at a time most people don’t expect - when the whole world will witness the same type of miraculous evidence of His existence that He displayed in ancient Egypt. This coming intervention in world affairs will be unmistakable. Every eye will see Yeshua Ha'Moshiach when He returns! (Revelation 1:7; compare Matthew 24:27-30).
 

lastsecman

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Nov 8, 2006
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'God is a Spirit', those who want to see Him have to see Him in 'spirit' and in 'truth', because 'God IS love itself.'
 

jaareshiah

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Mar 19, 2007
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Hi lastsecman,The apostle Paul wrote that God's "invisible [qualities] are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable."(Rom 1:20) Thus, there are those who deny the existence of the One whom has made all "things", though it is "inexcusable". For example, after noting many things that could be considered evidences of design in the universe, George Greenstein, professor of astronomy, wrote: "I became convinced that such 'coincidences' could have hardly have happened by chance." Nevertheless, Greenstein asserts: "God is not an explanation". Is it necessary for God to personally appear to prove his existence ? No. When we use a new computer, do we know who personally designed it ? No. But we do know that there was a designer. The new German jetliner, the Airbus A380 that costs about 11 billion dollars to initially manufacture, do we know just exactly who laid out the design for it ? No, but we are well aware that someone did take considerable mental effort to design and then implement it into production. The apostle John wrote, in about 96 C.E., that "no man has seen God at any time".(John 1:18; 1 John 4:12) Thus, God has not personally appeared on this earth, but he has used his angels to speak for him. Some though, will point to accounts in which it seems that God is speaking. For example, at Exodus 24:9,10, did Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy older men see God, though the account says that "they got to see the God of Israel" ? No. How do we know this ? Because at Acts 7, Stephen, in giving a witness concerning Jesus, told those in the Sanhedrin: "Obstinate men and uncircumcised in heart and ears....you who received the Law as transmitted by angels but have not kept it".(Acts 7:51,53) Thus, what Moses and the others saw, was not God, but a display of angelic power, for these represented God and spoke in his name, when the Law was given to Moses. To show that even people can stand for or represent God, Moses was told: "And Jehovah (God) said unto Moses, See, I have made thee as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet."(Exodus 7:1 American Standard Version) Thus, Moses served as "God", speaking for him in this official capacity, representing him before Pharoah.If Moses can be spoken of as being "God", could not angels also do so, for these have superhuman power that is used to accomplish God's purpose. Deuteronomy 5:4 says that "the Lord talked with you (Moses) face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire." Did God speak literally "face to face" with Moses ? No, for Stephen had already said: "This is he, that was in the church (congregation) in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us."(Acts 7:38 King James Bible) Thus, Moses spoke to an angel, who represented God and was spoken of as "God", even being called "Jehovah".Hence, on numerous occasions, angels spoke in God's name, being representative of him. These materialised angels looked like men as we do, even sitting down and eating a meal with Abraham.(Gen 18:4,5) Four hundred and six years later, in 1513 B.C.E., Moses upon asking to see God's "glory", was told: "You may not see my face, because no man may see me and yet live".(Exodus 33:20) Moses got to see a part God's glory, evidently through an angelic representative. At Judges 13, an angel appeared to Manoah and his wife about the yet-to-be-born Samson. After the angel "ascended in the flame of the altar" while Manoah was offering a burnt offering, Manoah then "knew that he was the angel of Jehovah."(Judges 13:21 American Standard Version) Yet, Manaoh said to his wife: " We shall surely die, because we have seen God."(Judges 13:22 King James Bible) Manoah spoke of this angel as "God", although realizing that he was only an angel. Also, by means of visions and dreams, God can "speak" to his servants or even those not his loyal ones, such as Abimelech, king of Gerar.(Gen 20:2,3) After Abraham had rescued his nephew Lot from King Chedorlaomer of Elam and his allies, Genesis 15:1,2 says that "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward", with Abraham replying: "Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus ?" (King James Bible) Thus, God can cause ones to see him through a "vision", with these replying as if he were there. Though in outer space, are not astronauts able to easily communicate with earth despite the great distance ? Then, speaking to someone by "vision" or a "dream" poses no problem for the "Creator of the heavens".(Isaiah 45:18) Later, after preventing Abraham from killing Isaac, the Genesis account says that "the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven."(Gen 22:15 American Standard Version) Yet the next verse says that this angel said: "By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son."(American Standard Version) Thus, this angel spoke as if he were God, Jehovah. God gave him this angel authority to speak in his name. When Moses was on Mount Sinai the first time, he was told: " Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for My name is in him."(Exodus 23:20,21 King James Bible) Thus, this angel had God's "name ...in him", being spoken to as if he were God himself. Therefore, at Exodus 24:1, Moses is told: "Come up unto Jehovah, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off."(American Standard Version) Moses was to go up into Mount Sinai to receive the Law from angels, though spoken as if God, Jehovah, were there. During the trek through the wilderness, God communicated with Moses. The apostle Paul wrote that "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."(1 Cor 10:1-4 King James Bible) Hence, Jesus, in his prehuman existence, spoke for God to his servant Moses. That is why the apostle John called Jesus "the Word of God" at John 1:1, being his chief spokesperson. Therefore, God has never appeared personally, but sent representatives to speak for him, whether it be angels or his "only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ.(Heb 1:2)
 

Shingy

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Mar 26, 2007
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Faith is the fundament of most religion.Only by faith can we please God:Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God; because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek HimHe will reveal Himself when it is time.