Why doesn't God reveal himself unequivocally to the entire world?

[TonyChanYT]

In the beginning, Adam and Eve could see God personally. They knew God existed but that's not the point. The point was this: Did they obey God? God created the world to test people. As people increased, sin increased and the physical presence of God became more remote.

What about the time of Jesus?

Jesus spoke the words of God and performed miracles. Yet, people would not believe. In the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Abraham said to the rich man who was being tormented in Hades in Luke 16:

31b ‘If they (the rich man's brothers) do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’

After Jesus' resurrection, Thomas doubted his resurrection and said to the disciples who had seen Jesus in John 20:

25b “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Then Jesus showed up and said to him:

29b “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Will you have faith and believe in Jesus and obey his teaching? That's the point.

Why doesn't God reveal himself unequivocally to the entire world?

Because that's not the point. You are here in this world as a testing ground for your behavior. Will you choose God based on faith and do good?

What about the future?

Well, one of these days, Jesus will return and reveal himself unequivocally to the entire world. By then, it will be too late.

 

[Wrangler]

Why doesn't God reveal himself unequivocally to the entire world?

Because that's not the point. You are here in this world as a testing ground for your behavior. Will you choose God based on faith and do good?

This is a question that I used to rail against before I was sealed by the Holy Spirit.

 

[O'Darby]

Atheists ask this all the time. If God were to reveal Himself unequivocally to the entire world, that would be coercive. Faith would be eliminated. People would not turn to God of their own free will but because their free will was overridden by God's coercive revelation - no different than me holding a Glock to your forehead and asking you to admit I'm the kindest person you've ever met. God's plan and purpose is for people to freely admit their need for Him and to turn to Him in appreciation of what He offers, not to turn to Him because their free will has been overridden.

We could also say, of course, that God did unequivocally reveal Himself in Jesus, yet some of those who sat at His very feet still turned away. But impressive as Jesus may have been, He was one of numerous miracle-working ostensible messiahs in Judea and this really wasn't the kind of coercive unequivocal revelation the atheists are asking about. A better example might be Adam and Eve - direct contact with God, yet they still disobeyed. Maybe that's the real answer - nothing God could do would be "unequivocal" enough for some people.

 

[Jericho]

It also goes back to the fall, doesn't it? That closeness we had with God was severed when Adam & Eve rebelled. We have been living with the consequences of their actions ever since. I don't pretend to know all the whys, but I can speculate. This world is a sandbox of sorts where we can express the full limits of our free wills apart from God. We have been trying to perfect humanity, bring about world peace, and return to that state of Eden ever since without much success. If anything, the more advanced we get, the greater the chance humanity has of destroying itself. Perhaps the whole point is to show us why we need God. When God does reveal Himself to the world, He will accomplish what we have failed to do.

 

[Jim C]

Atheists ask this all the time. If God were to reveal Himself unequivocally to the entire world, that would be coercive. Faith would be eliminated. People would not turn to God of their own free will but because their free will was overridden by God's coercive revelation - no different than me holding a Glock to your forehead and asking you to admit I'm the kindest person you've ever met. God's plan and purpose is for people to freely admit their need for Him and to turn to Him in appreciation of what He offers, not to turn to Him because their free will has been overridden.

We could also say, of course, that God did unequivocally reveal Himself in Jesus, yet some of those who sat at His very feet still turned away. But impressive as Jesus may have been, He was one of numerous miracle-working ostensible messiahs in Judea and this really wasn't the kind of coercive unequivocal revelation the atheists are asking about. A better example might be Adam and Eve - direct contact with God, yet they still disobeyed. Maybe that's the real answer - nothing God could do would be "unequivocal" enough for some people.

Not to mention that in Revelation, God will pour out His wrath upon the Earth and the unbelievers will still refuse to glorify God.

 

[Bob Estey]

In the beginning, Adam and Eve could see God personally. They knew God existed but that's not the point. The point was this: Did they obey God? God created the world to test people. As people increased, sin increased and the physical presence of God became more remote.

What about the time of Jesus?

Jesus spoke the words of God and performed miracles. Yet, people would not believe. In the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Abraham said to the rich man who was being tormented in Hades in Luke 16:


After Jesus' resurrection, Thomas doubted his resurrection and said to the disciples who had seen Jesus in John 20:


Then Jesus showed up and said to him:


Will you have faith and believe in Jesus and obey his teaching? That's the point.

Why doesn't God reveal himself unequivocally to the entire world?

Because that's not the point. You are here in this world as a testing ground for your behavior. Will you choose God based on faith and do good?

What about the future?

Well, one of these days, Jesus will return and reveal himself unequivocally to the entire world. By then, it will be too late.

God did reveal himself to the world, I think, in Jesus. Look what happened.