How do you view God?

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Lifelong_sinner

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Here lately there has been an ongoing conflict about things mostly related to calvinism it seems, like OSAS, the doctrine of election. The one thing i think that determines our theology is how we each see God. Some see only His good side, others only see their own good side.

im curious as to how do you view God?
 

MatthewG

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Here lately there has been an ongoing conflict about things mostly related to calvinism it seems, like OSAS, the doctrine of election. The one thing i think that determines our theology is how we each see God. Some see only His good side, others only see their own good side.

im curious as to how do you view God?

I accept God in the Old Testament and in the new. The overall picture of completion of Christ leads me to believe not everyone is saved to the kingdom due to their non-reliance upon God and rejecting his son, God looks at our hearts. There will be people on the heavenly realm believers and non, from what I gather from the view John gave in revelation 22.

Most reject this notion however I can’t replace anything else with Revelation 22 and it stands by itself after everything had been completed dealing with the nation of Israel.

From what I understand all us will have a judgment day and be given a spiritual body based on what was built up here, that will be able to go into the kingdom, and those without still receive a spiritual body however it is not as well equipped to dwell in the kingdom.

Maybe we can go help them by going out of the kingdom and leading them to Christ. Most reject this by dogmatic stances of no second chances, which the Bible has never said or spoken about.

So my overview of God, is that God is love, he is righteous in his love and judgments, he is fair, and he can see right though us.

another side note is the Hebrews even consider God as him/her, as he had made man and woman, the Holy Spirit is actually seen as non-gender but also with the aspect of a comforter like a woman’s comfort. Interesting stuff.

Thank you for asking.
 
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ChristisGod

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I accept God in the Old Testament and in the new. The overall picture of completion of Christ leads me to believe not everyone is saved to the kingdom due to their non-reliance upon God and rejecting his son, God looks at our hearts. There will be people on the heavenly realm believers and non, from what I gather from the view John gave in revelation 22.

.
Could you point out the non or unbelievers that are in the new heavens and earth with believers in Revelation 22.

Thanks
 

ChristisGod

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Here lately there has been an ongoing conflict about things mostly related to calvinism it seems, like OSAS, the doctrine of election. The one thing i think that determines our theology is how we each see God. Some see only His good side, others only see their own good side.

im curious as to how do you view God?
As the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as God has revealed in both Testaments.

I was a former Calvinist for several decades and have recently reexamined those beliefs in light of Gods nature/character within the eternal relationship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

What began this journey was the Calvinist doctrine I once believed for over 40 years called the Penal Substitution theory of the Atonement ( PSA ) where the Son was the recipient of Gods wrath ( anger, retribution ) from the Father and was forsaken( the Father turned away from the Son for hours ) and the Father left the Son ( abandoned ) Him. At this point the relationship with Father/Son was severed.

Now I reject this teaching in light of Gods eternal/Immutable nature/character because of Gods primary and core attribute which is Love. God is love. Gods nature as love is perfect and is relational/experienced between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit before there was a creation when only there was the Eternal and Unchanging Tri-Unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

When I was a calvinist I only viewed and studied the Bible through a calvinist lens/systematic. That would not allow me to learn anything new and on the forums I would only be defending calvinism. I had a bias , I was closed minded to others beliefs. So the past 2 years I fell as though I have been set free, I can see things fresh and new because I'm not reading and studying the bible with a bias and calvinistic view. I'm learning and growing again and its exciting. That first love I experienced over 40 years ago is now stronger than ever. I have fallen in love all over again with God and His word and I'm excited to see what God will show and teach me on a daily basis. Gods word has literally become alive again in my life and I can see things fresh/new and I have no systematic/dogmatic to defend like I had for years prior.

So I'm excited about this journey I'm not on and each day is a new day where God is teaching me.

hope this helps !!!
 
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MatthewG

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Could you point out the non or unbelievers that are in the new heavens and earth with believers in Revelation 22.

Thanks

This is not the thread to do that in, Sir. My simple suggestion is read it for oneself out loud and think about everything said carefully in that section.

Love you brother, take care.
 

ChristisGod

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This is not the thread to do that in, Sir. My simple suggestion is read it for oneself out loud and think about everything said carefully in that section.

Love you brother, take care.
the debate forum is not the place to defend what you say ? then where is the right place ?

I asked where does it say non believers are with believers in Revelation 22- it should be easy if its there right ?

Is this the passage in Revelation 22 you were alluding to ?

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood
 

MatthewG

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the debate forum is not the place to defend what you say ? then where is the right place ?

I asked where does it say non believers are with believers in Revelation 22- it should be easy if its there right ?

As an individual, I choose and do as I please sir.

love you! Thank you so much for your understanding.

@Christophany I trust John and his ability to be right over all else. God bless you.
 

MatthewG

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@Matthias yes! Our Father in heaven who loved all of the people on world so much he sent his Son to pay for the sins of the world before any of us was born! How amazing is that.
 

ChristisGod

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@Matthias yes! Our Father in heaven who loved all of the people on world so much he sent his Son to pay for the sins of the world before any of us was born! How amazing is that.
so everyone is saved if their sins have already been paid for correct ?

there is no longer any debt or anything owed right ?
 
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Cross8527

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Here lately there has been an ongoing conflict about things mostly related to calvinism it seems, like OSAS, the doctrine of election. The one thing i think that determines our theology is how we each see God. Some see only His good side, others only see their own good side.

im curious as to how do you view God?
how do you view God, that is a very good and deep question. For me when i imagine being before him i don't think of my first instinct as falling down or trembling before him rather i can only imagine my excitement bursting out of me my legs moving on their own running into his arms as if posessed. I see him as the most beautiful mysterious and glorious treasure that i desperately want to search the deepest depths every last inch to the deepest most vast parts of the ocean that is his heart. to know him to have him to hold him to simply be mine..... I can ask for nothing more in all of heaven more than any crown more than any title more than any honor he could give me if i could just have him if i could know him and love him as much as we can possibly know love and have him as much as is possible even by his standards this is what heaven is for me and what and who he is to me.

For me salvation eternity heaven these things are blessings yes but all i see is him all my heart knows is him all i hunger for thirst for long for is him, whether i am saved forever or whether i can lose my salvation i honestly don't care i am blind tgo such things because that is not where my eyes are my eyes are only on him. these matters are trivial compared to what really matters if you are focused on him you remain blind to anything else and all truth will be given to you because he is truth, I beleive what i beleive not because of what i was taught but because my eyes are focused on him i see what i see because i see him and like a child chasing after his father in a game of tag i will win this game
 

Lifelong_sinner

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how do you view God, that is a very good and deep question. For me when i imagine being before him i don't think of my first instinct as falling down or trembling before him rather i can only imagine my excitement bursting out of me my legs moving on their own running into his arms as if posessed. I see him as the most beautiful mysterious and glorious treasure that i desperately want to search the deepest depths every last inch to the deepest most vast parts of the ocean that is his heart. to know him to have him to hold him to simply be mine..... I can ask for nothing more in all of heaven more than any crown more than any title more than any honor he could give me if i could just have him if i could know him and love him as much as we can possibly know love and have him as much as is possible even by his standards this is what heaven is for me and what and who he is to me.

For me salvation eternity heaven these things are blessings yes but all i see is him all my heart knows is him all i hunger for thirst for long for is him, whether i am saved forever or whether i can lose my salvation i honestly don't care i am blind tgo such things because that is not where my eyes are my eyes are only on him. these matters are trivial compared to what really matters if you are focused on him you remain blind to anything else and all truth will be given to you because he is truth, I beleive what i beleive not because of what i was taught but because my eyes are focused on him i see what i see because i see him and like a child chasing after his father in a game of tag i will win this game

interesting take on this. But a question i often have and which noone has been able to explain to me is, why arent you scared of God? You do realize He will judge you right? And that He is perfect and we arent? How do you not think about the judgement??
 

ChristisGod

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Another aspect about how does one see God would be Jesus response to Phillip when asking Jesus to show them the Father. He who has seen Me has seen the Father why ask show me the Father ?

One needs to look no further in the Bible to see and know who and what God is like since He ( the Son ) permanently became a man. We can see everything God says , does , hears etc … We can see how He loves and who He condemns and why . He is Divine love in action , justice , holiness , mercy , grace , forgiveness, judge, etc….

hope this helps !!!
 
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marks

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interesting take on this. But a question i often have and which noone has been able to explain to me is, why arent you scared of God? You do realize He will judge you right? And that He is perfect and we arent? How do you not think about the judgement??
I trust Him, and He tells me He loves me. So while I take His judgment very seriously, still I know He loves me, a real love.

Much love!
 
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Lifelong_sinner

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I trust Him, and He tells me He loves me. So while I take His judgment very seriously, still I know He loves me, a real love.

Much love!

so did He love judas? Did He love ninevah? My point is, His love wont figure in with our judgement. This is what i was talking about in the first post. You see Him only as love, but that isnt the Biblical way. He is perfect, and that means He is just and fair. He has no favorites, no partiality. So when He judges you, He has to be fair and give you what you deserve. Ever lied? Ever stolen? Ever cheated or coveted? Guess what, He aint gonna let that slide. and THAT is why i fear Him. Because He is perfect and im not.
 

marks

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You see Him only as love,
That's not what I said.

Suddenly I'm encountering this over and over today. My words changed into something I didn't say.

Jesus reconciled you to God. Consider what that means.

Much love!
 
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Lifelong_sinner

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That's not what I said.

Suddenly I'm encountering this over and over today. My words changede into something I didn't say.

I guess it's the Lord. I'm logging off.

Jesus reconciled you to God. Consider what that means.

Much love!

you did say that, indirectly. And yet, you’re another one who just wont answer my question about this. Why?? Why cant anyone just be truthful and say, yes i fear God’s judgement. It will be scary and terrifying. See? Its not hard to admit.
 

marks

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you did say that, indirectly. And yet, you’re another one who just wont answer my question about this. Why?? Why cant anyone just be truthful and say, yes i fear God’s judgement. It will be scary and terrifying. See? Its not hard to admit.

No. I did not say that.

Your answer is in the Scriptures:

1 John 4:12-19 KJV
12) No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13) Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14) And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15) Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
16) And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
17) Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19) We love him, because he first loved us.

Much love!
 

marks

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you did say that, indirectly. And yet, you’re another one who just wont answer my question about this. Why?? Why cant anyone just be truthful and say, yes i fear God’s judgement. It will be scary and terrifying. See? Its not hard to admit.
What are you afraid of? What do you think will happen?

Much love!