The Character of God - Reader Poll

[St. SteVen]

That's an interesting point.
How should God be described? (in your view)

Best way to answer that is to quote a whole gaggle of scripture - do you want that ???

Right. The questions is a bit of a tall order.
I was hoping for a succinct description of the indescribable. - LOL

Perhaps, my real issue has to do with how we describe the justice of God.
That seems to be the sticking point for me.

I can't imagine that God would act in ways that he wouldn't approve of us acting.
Others seem to give Him carte blanche, because "He's God, so He can do whatever he wants."
I question that position. An authority loses credibility if they don't limit their actions.

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[Zao is life]

Just. Hence the cross of Christ.

Hence Gehenna.

Loving, merciful, compassionate, forgiving, and Just.

Some don't like the Just part, even leaving it out of any discussions about God.

 

[Zao is life]

Then answer it. "Why does He then find fault? For who resists His will?"

Paul answered it.

18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 ¶ Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
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What you sow you will reap. What an easy example to understand. We "neurotic" people understand it . Since God created us in His image and likeness, we are answerable to Him for why we do not reflect His image, and subject to either mercy and forgiveness, or just punishment. The cross dealt with God's just punishment in mercy and love. Those who reject this reject life, because they reject the only means of salvation and returning to the God who made us. God does not resist their will if they resist His will. Very simple.

 

[St. SteVen]

Just. Hence the cross of Christ.

Hence Gehenna.

Loving, merciful, compassionate, forgiving, and Just.

Some don't like the Just part, even leaving it out of any discussions about God.

Thanks for joining the discussion!

Can you define God's justice for us?
How does it compare to human justice?

How was the cross of Christ just?

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[Zao is life]

Thanks for joining the discussion!

Can you define God's justice for us?
How does it compare to human justice?

How was the cross of Christ just?

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God's justice is not the same as human justice because God's justice is produced by His perfect holiness and righteousness and does not do away with the other characteristics of His nature just because His justice is being applied in judgment, or else (for example) there would be no humans and no flesh alive to inhabit the planet anymore because there would have been no mercy and hence no Noah and no ark.

The cross of Christ was just, because as a human and the Son of man who is the last Adam He was representing mankind when He took the judgment that we all deserved, because though He Himself was sinless, He became our sin for us, and He did so willingly, out of His love and compassion and mercy for all mankind. In becoming our sin and our sin being laid upon Him, bearing our sins, God's judgment was indeed just because as the Son of Man Jesus was US - and we deserved the judgment He took upon Himself in our place.

The cross of Christ was just, because God was not punishing the sinlessness of the Son of God who represents God to mankind, but the sinfulness of mankind represented in the One who as the last Adam became our representative, a.k.a "the Son of man", who represents mankind to God (still our only Mediator between God and man), and became our sin for us.

 

[Carl Emerson]

I can't imagine that God would act in ways that he wouldn't approve of us acting.

Isn't that exactly what He says when He warns that our anger can not achieve the purposes of God ?

That is because no matter how righteous we perceive human anger might be, it falls short of His Holy purpose.

There is a theological concept of the 'Holy Other' of God.

Then there is the issue of who would have pressed the nuclear button on Sodom or Hiroshima - In this age - tut tut that is not never justified as a humane action under any circumstances because prevailing philosophy is that man is not and never can be inherently evil, yet biblically the reverse is true. So you have plenty of support from the prevailing intellectuals of the day.

I must say that when I was given a second chance as a prodigal coming out of darkness and encountered His Holiness while being Baptised in the Spirit and seeing the infinite gulf between my 'righteousness' and His Holiness - that was a revelation of the 'Holy Otherness' of God in which His ways are past finding out.
As Isaiah experienced, we are rendered prostrate before Him and our questions are eclipsed by the power of the Son. (In whom there is no shifting shadow)

Then there is Ananias and his late wife - in this age there would be not even be a criminal charge. Slaying the innocents - what sort of God is that ???

So we need to pull our heads in and be silent before His better judgement and be rendered speechless before His Holy presence.

Yet He says be Holy as I AM Holy - so in Jesus our actions if motivated by the Holy Spirit within should reflect His Holiness. Now there is a miracle. Mmmm. that could even lead to actions condemned by an unholy world.

This is a bit of a ramble but the fear of God is rare in this age - churches welcome all comers with open arms - a far cry from the early church being a place that folks dared not go near because God's Holy presence was there.

Now there is a real question - if folks flock to a feel good programme, is this not a different spirit ?

Believe it or not I love you all...

 

[St. SteVen]

Now there is a real question - if folks flock to a feel good programme, is this not a different spirit ?

My Pastor talked about this today.
The series is titled: Being comfortable with [un]comfortable.

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[St. SteVen]

Very impassioned post. Quite impressive actually. Well done.
And I know that wasn't your aim. Just sayin' ...

Yet He says be Holy as I AM Holy - so in Jesus our actions if motivated by the Holy Spirit within should reflect His Holiness. Now there is a miracle. Mmmm. that could even lead to actions condemned by an unholy world.

This is a bit of a ramble but the fear of God is rare in this age - churches welcome all comers with open arms - a far cry from the early church being a place that folks dared not go near because God's Holy presence was there.

Now there is a real question - if folks flock to a feel good programme, is this not a different spirit ?

Is this what God wants?
A church that has nothing to offer but...
... fear and misery.
The awful truth. Oppressive wrathful presence. Depressing reality.

Is there a bright side to this bleak horizon?

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[Carl Emerson]

Very impassioned post. Quite impressive actually. Well done.
And I know that wasn't your aim. Just sayin' ...

Is this what God wants?
A church that has nothing to offer but...
... fear and misery.
The awful truth. Oppressive wrathful presence. Depressing reality.

Is there a bright side to this bleak horizon?

/

You are putting your spin on it...

Consider the kindness and severity of God... It is not one or the other - it is a both and.

However if you want to justify a UR position then you will do this to mount a case that dissenters believe in a tyrant God.

Fellowship with His presence is sweet to those who are in fellowship with Him.

So the early church was not as you describe...

"A church that has nothing to offer but...
... fear and misery.
The awful truth. Oppressive wrathful presence. Depressing reality."

Far from it.

The fear of God is welcomed by the faithful as a friend, and feared by the unsaved.

 

[St. SteVen]

You are putting your spin on it...

If that's what we call a person's POV now, okay.
Your view is truth and view is spin?
Spin makes the world go 'round. (unless you are a flat-earther)

Consider the kindness and severity of God... It is not one or the other - it is a both and.

The context of that statement is about the gentiles being grafted in.
God was kind to us gentiles and severe with Israel.

However if you want to justify a UR position then you will do this to mount a case that dissenters believe in a tyrant God.

On the contrary.
Those who claim that eternal torment, or even annihilation, awaits those who don't receive
the free gift of salvation are responsible for creating a tyrant God,

--- PARODY ---

Person #1: Receive the free gift of eternal life.
Person #2: No thanks.
Person #1: I said it was free.
Person #2: There must be some strings attached.
Person #1: Well, of course.
Person #2: It's not a free gift then, right?
Person #1: You had better take it... or else!
Person #2: Say what?
Person #1: Otherwise you will be incinerated!
Person #2: What sort of free gift is that?

Indeed.

The fear of God is welcomed by the faithful as a friend, and feared by the unsaved.

So... fear is not fear?
You seem to be using two definitions.

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[Carl Emerson]

Your view is truth and view is spin?

Spin is opinion...

The context of that statement is about the gentiles being grafted in.
God was kind to us gentiles and severe with Israel.

Context does not limit principle.

Those who claim that eternal torment, or even annihilation, awaits those who don't receive
the free gift of salvation are responsible for creating a tyrant God,

You will have to take that up with Jesus...

So... fear is not fear?
You seem to be using two definitions.

The Fear of God and the fear of man are different fears.

 

[St. SteVen]

The Fear of God and the fear of man are different fears.

They seemed fairly identical in your previous quote below about the early church.

This is a bit of a ramble but the fear of God is rare in this age - churches welcome all comers with open arms - a far cry from the early church being a place that folks dared not go near because God's Holy presence was there.

Folks dared not go near?

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[Carl Emerson]

They seemed fairly identical in your previous quote below about the early church.

Folks dared not go near?

/

Well Steve, I guess from your questions you are yet to experience an encounter with His Holy fear - quite different than anything else like being afraid in the normal sense. I remember being unable to speak for several hours when He passed by at a prayer meeting years back. Unforgettable. Quite different than the healing touch of the Holy spirit. Our Father is not to be messed with. Awe and reverence are His due. there are various Scriptures that refer to this but Isaiah 6 the most quoted.

Then the promise of Jeremiah concerning the New Covenant that His fear would indwell us to keep us from going astray - how I appreciate this and consider it a friend, sealing my salvation. So His Fear and Love are intertwined for our own good.

 

[quietthinker]

What is the point of a poll? What will the collector of polls gain and to what end?

 

[St. SteVen]

What is the point of a poll? What will the collector of polls gain and to what end?

Good question.

This poll gives us a cross section of the participants views.

The majority of participants saw God's character as Loving and Merciful.
Followed by Compassionate. (only on less vote)
Many wanted to add a different view than was provided by the poll. Other votes.
Wrathful and Angry was chosen by some.
And only a few chose Aloof and uncaring. So...

Loving and Merciful > Compassionate > Other > Wrathful and Angry > Aloof and uncaring

These poll results indicate participants favored a view of God as Loving, Merciful and Compassionate.
This indicates a shift away from the typical view.

From 18 voters we got: (from most to least)
- Loving and Merciful received 13 votes 72.2%
- Compassionate 12 votes 66.7%
- Other 8 votes 44.4%
- Wrathful and Angry 6 votes 33.3%
- Aloof and uncaring 2 votes 11.1%

As they appeared in the OP.

How would you describe the character of God?​

• 1) Loving​

  Votes: 13 72.2%

• 2) Wrathful​

  Votes: 6 33.3%

• 3) Merciful​

  Votes: 13 72.2%

• 4) Aloof and uncaring​

  Votes: 2 11.1%

• 5) Compassionate​

  Votes: 12 66.7%

• 6) Angry​

  Votes: 6 33.3%

• 7) Other - please comment​

  Votes: 8 44.4%

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• Total voters 18

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