Hi there,
So I have thought long and hard, about why I believe (and what I believe) and I have made very little progress! But something that has encouraged me, is simply that what God created couldn't be as infinite as it is, unless God had willed it to be so. Matter on its own, does not beg the question of how it got there, because it is simply matter; but infinity, which does something with matter, continues long after it is needed. Now, partly because I am uncertain how to phrase this argument, and partly because it is the only argument that appeals to me, I don't think I am going to win you over with this argument - much like that argument from design ("a painting has to have a painter") that Ray Comfort uses so well. The difficulty for me, is that I am patient; I sort of think to myself, if I am wrong, it will only be a matter of waiting to find out (if infinity really is infinity).
The struggle to prove God, grows out of this idea, which is contrasted with my own mortality. I don't have the luxury of waiting infinitely, while I live on this Earth. I have to make a conjecture, that "from the evidence I have seen" there is no suggestion that infinity will end. This is coupled with the idea that "something needing to be infinite, needs someone infinite to create it (infinitely)" in other words 'not having time to wait, is God's doing"? I suppose you could take it one step further and say "not having infinite time to wait, is God's infinite doing" which brings us to the idea that 'if God can reveal infinity before it is over (as infinity), does He not have infinite mastery (over infinity)?'. You can see why this less than a revelation - God revealing Himself to be infinite God, requires infinity if not more?
So how can you reconcile this "waiting infinitely, for an infinite God", well there are two factors: one, God is patient; two, God is able to gift His Creation with "patience". Now God does not gift as much patience to Creation as He has, because He has infinite patience; but He can gift Creation enough patience, to realise that it's time is running out. This then, is compassion, on the part of God. By comparing finite patience with infinite patience, Creation can also discover that it has a "place" for God - that being patient for God, is something that can be done any where. So we have two gifts, patience and compassion and a third, understanding. But is this enough to prove that God exists?
The argument against this conjecture (that God makes it possible for us to appreciate the time he has given us) is simply that if you waited, you would develop patience anyway; that it is compassion to say "don't just keep waiting, you are waisting your time"; to say "understanding that there is infinity, shows you that infinity is meaningless". And this just comes down to whether believing in God patiently saves you from anything. If you were going to wait for a moment, but Creation went on for eternity, believing in a God who waits infinitely, might save you from waiting too little. The same could be said of being compassionate or understanding. It seems to come down to whether you want to believe it or not.
I'm not sure I can explain more of why time is such a mystery to me, without writing a whole book, but suffice it to say, for now, I am prepared to wait! I am prepared to meet the infinite God! I am prepared to share in God's infinite understanding. It is a sobering thought, that I cannot exhaust God's patience, outgrow His patience or undermine His understanding. I just pray people don't go to Hell, while they are waiting for the wind to blow another way! I hope this has been of some encouragment to you.
God bless.
So I have thought long and hard, about why I believe (and what I believe) and I have made very little progress! But something that has encouraged me, is simply that what God created couldn't be as infinite as it is, unless God had willed it to be so. Matter on its own, does not beg the question of how it got there, because it is simply matter; but infinity, which does something with matter, continues long after it is needed. Now, partly because I am uncertain how to phrase this argument, and partly because it is the only argument that appeals to me, I don't think I am going to win you over with this argument - much like that argument from design ("a painting has to have a painter") that Ray Comfort uses so well. The difficulty for me, is that I am patient; I sort of think to myself, if I am wrong, it will only be a matter of waiting to find out (if infinity really is infinity).
The struggle to prove God, grows out of this idea, which is contrasted with my own mortality. I don't have the luxury of waiting infinitely, while I live on this Earth. I have to make a conjecture, that "from the evidence I have seen" there is no suggestion that infinity will end. This is coupled with the idea that "something needing to be infinite, needs someone infinite to create it (infinitely)" in other words 'not having time to wait, is God's doing"? I suppose you could take it one step further and say "not having infinite time to wait, is God's infinite doing" which brings us to the idea that 'if God can reveal infinity before it is over (as infinity), does He not have infinite mastery (over infinity)?'. You can see why this less than a revelation - God revealing Himself to be infinite God, requires infinity if not more?
So how can you reconcile this "waiting infinitely, for an infinite God", well there are two factors: one, God is patient; two, God is able to gift His Creation with "patience". Now God does not gift as much patience to Creation as He has, because He has infinite patience; but He can gift Creation enough patience, to realise that it's time is running out. This then, is compassion, on the part of God. By comparing finite patience with infinite patience, Creation can also discover that it has a "place" for God - that being patient for God, is something that can be done any where. So we have two gifts, patience and compassion and a third, understanding. But is this enough to prove that God exists?
The argument against this conjecture (that God makes it possible for us to appreciate the time he has given us) is simply that if you waited, you would develop patience anyway; that it is compassion to say "don't just keep waiting, you are waisting your time"; to say "understanding that there is infinity, shows you that infinity is meaningless". And this just comes down to whether believing in God patiently saves you from anything. If you were going to wait for a moment, but Creation went on for eternity, believing in a God who waits infinitely, might save you from waiting too little. The same could be said of being compassionate or understanding. It seems to come down to whether you want to believe it or not.
I'm not sure I can explain more of why time is such a mystery to me, without writing a whole book, but suffice it to say, for now, I am prepared to wait! I am prepared to meet the infinite God! I am prepared to share in God's infinite understanding. It is a sobering thought, that I cannot exhaust God's patience, outgrow His patience or undermine His understanding. I just pray people don't go to Hell, while they are waiting for the wind to blow another way! I hope this has been of some encouragment to you.
God bless.
