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The purpose of God is to take a people out of the world throughout the history of mankind,to dwell with Him for all eternity giving them the joy of living forever with peace,love,and joy.
The Bible says that without God coming in flesh,He would of not created anything He created,for it is because of Jesus that creation is successful,even for the angels,for it is all made for people,especially the man Christ Jesus,and the angels assist in that purpose.
Some might say that they do not understand why so many people go through hurt,and suffering,so that God can have people dwell with Him for eternity,but mankind has a choice,and it is their bad choices that causes problems,and suffering.
The Bible says creation testifies there is a God,and of His attributes,which one of them is love,for He provided food,and the means to make clothing,and shelter,so the world is without excuse,which covers the 2 greatest laws,love God,and love people,which is the universal law whether people heard the truth or not.
It does not matter what problems are on earth,and what people go through,in the aspect that they can cry out to God,and be saved,and this world is temporary,and they will escape it when they leave this earth.
The things that happen on earth,the problems,sin,suffering,does not hinder a person from reaching out to God.
God gave Israel a blessing,and a cursing,for if they did right a blessing,that no enemy would control her,but if not than a cursing,her enemies would prosper over her,and scatter her in to the nations.
They could not touch Jesus until His time was come.
God's purpose is to give people a choice,to have people dwell with Him that made the choice to dwell with Him,and so there will also be evil,suffering,and pain,because of the bad choices people make.
It is because God wants people to dwell with Him for eternity,that made the right choice,that causes God to not step in and rule the world as He sees fit,for He gave people a choice,but one day He will cause all people that do not love Him,to follow a kingdom that is based on the occult,spiritual evolution,and believes in no personal God,and when they do then God will put them down,and the choice is over,and Jesus will take over the world,and then it will operate the way God always wanted it to operate,peacefully,where people will not war,and animals will be plant eaters,and will not fight with each other,and be so tame that a child can lead the most ferocious animal today.
If God did not give people a choice,then there would be no problems on earth,but there would not be salvation either.
The Bible says that without God coming in flesh,He would of not created anything He created,for it is because of Jesus that creation is successful,even for the angels,for it is all made for people,especially the man Christ Jesus,and the angels assist in that purpose.
Some might say that they do not understand why so many people go through hurt,and suffering,so that God can have people dwell with Him for eternity,but mankind has a choice,and it is their bad choices that causes problems,and suffering.
The Bible says creation testifies there is a God,and of His attributes,which one of them is love,for He provided food,and the means to make clothing,and shelter,so the world is without excuse,which covers the 2 greatest laws,love God,and love people,which is the universal law whether people heard the truth or not.
It does not matter what problems are on earth,and what people go through,in the aspect that they can cry out to God,and be saved,and this world is temporary,and they will escape it when they leave this earth.
The things that happen on earth,the problems,sin,suffering,does not hinder a person from reaching out to God.
God gave Israel a blessing,and a cursing,for if they did right a blessing,that no enemy would control her,but if not than a cursing,her enemies would prosper over her,and scatter her in to the nations.
They could not touch Jesus until His time was come.
God's purpose is to give people a choice,to have people dwell with Him that made the choice to dwell with Him,and so there will also be evil,suffering,and pain,because of the bad choices people make.
It is because God wants people to dwell with Him for eternity,that made the right choice,that causes God to not step in and rule the world as He sees fit,for He gave people a choice,but one day He will cause all people that do not love Him,to follow a kingdom that is based on the occult,spiritual evolution,and believes in no personal God,and when they do then God will put them down,and the choice is over,and Jesus will take over the world,and then it will operate the way God always wanted it to operate,peacefully,where people will not war,and animals will be plant eaters,and will not fight with each other,and be so tame that a child can lead the most ferocious animal today.
If God did not give people a choice,then there would be no problems on earth,but there would not be salvation either.
Who is in contol in the Earth? God? No. We are to be taking dominion in the Earth.
Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Psalm 115:16
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
If we are not doing our job, people are going to suffer.
Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Psalm 115:16
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
If we are not doing our job, people are going to suffer.
Is it possible that before the fall, animals did talk? Sin brought in death..Not just to mankind but to all of the Earth... Its possible that there were many differences before the fall. What do you think? On the other hand Balaam was not surprised when his donkey talked. That donkey saved Balaams life.
But if He truly knows all, do we really have free will? Isn't our destinies pre-planned? Does He not create some souls knowing full well that the souls will never end up following Him, essentially creating people just for the purpose of sending them to burn forever in Hell?
Not my argument, but a common counter-argument that I would really like to see how one should respond to it. I myself think there are too many unknown factors to answer the question.
Not my argument, but a common counter-argument that I would really like to see how one should respond to it. I myself think there are too many unknown factors to answer the question.
It all depends on your understanding of term omnipresent as well as omniscient.
If omnipresent means the ability to be present at all points of time simultaneously then it follows that it is relatively easy to be omniscient as well.
Our lives are not predetermined as in the case of a programmed automaton but God being omnipresent and therefore omniscient means that God knows the outcome before it comes to pass (this from our perspective).
Because human beings are stuck in a linear timeline this is troubling to comprehend but God is not limited by our experience of time and its inevitable limitations.
Free will and the sovereignty of God are not exclusive of each other.
If omnipresent means the ability to be present at all points of time simultaneously then it follows that it is relatively easy to be omniscient as well.
Our lives are not predetermined as in the case of a programmed automaton but God being omnipresent and therefore omniscient means that God knows the outcome before it comes to pass (this from our perspective).
Because human beings are stuck in a linear timeline this is troubling to comprehend but God is not limited by our experience of time and its inevitable limitations.
Free will and the sovereignty of God are not exclusive of each other.
Because God does not absolutely force people to do good.
If God controlled you absolutely to be good, then it maybe argued that you wouldn't even exist.
So, God micro-managing everything would mean that there may not be any consciousness.
Another reason is because morality demands something called intentionality.
Intentionality means that you choose to do good because you want to... not because your forced.
Imagine two guys...
One guy gives to the poor out of his Godly heart. He has chosen, intentionally, to give to the poor.
The other guy does not want to give to the poor but lets say someone else puts a gun to his face and forces him to give to the poor.
Judging both guy's character which guy is acting morally? The guy who does it by a Godly heart or the guy who is forced?
I'd think that the guy who has chosen, intent-fully, was the one who was morally right. See, if God forced you to do what's good, then it wouldn't be right. God asks for free-willed sacrifices. Jesus went out and preached to many... he invited... he did not force.
If God controlled you absolutely to be good, then it maybe argued that you wouldn't even exist.
So, God micro-managing everything would mean that there may not be any consciousness.
Another reason is because morality demands something called intentionality.
Intentionality means that you choose to do good because you want to... not because your forced.
Imagine two guys...
One guy gives to the poor out of his Godly heart. He has chosen, intentionally, to give to the poor.
The other guy does not want to give to the poor but lets say someone else puts a gun to his face and forces him to give to the poor.
Judging both guy's character which guy is acting morally? The guy who does it by a Godly heart or the guy who is forced?
I'd think that the guy who has chosen, intent-fully, was the one who was morally right. See, if God forced you to do what's good, then it wouldn't be right. God asks for free-willed sacrifices. Jesus went out and preached to many... he invited... he did not force.
The "problem of pain," as the well-known Christian scholar, C.S. Lewis, once called it, is atheism's most potent weapon against the Christian faith. Our human intellects and notions of fairness reject the apparent contradiction between a loving God and a world of pain. Therefore, the only way to reconcile this issue is to view the world from God's perspective. The only way to even begin to understand God's perspective is to read His Word, the Bible.
The Bible tells us that God created a "very good" world (Genesis 1:31). Mankind was blessed to live and fellowship in a beautiful garden planted by God Himself (Genesis 2:8, 9). However, mankind rejected God and His "very good" creation. Mankind disobeyed God's simple rules and chose to taste of the fruit of evil. As a result, suffering entered the world (Genesis 3).
God's initial purpose for suffering was punishment for Satan, Eve and Adam. Since Adam was mankind's first representative, Adam's punishment affected all of creation (Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 5:12; 8:22). God's ultimate purpose for suffering is redemption for mankind (1 Corinthians 15:22) and renewal of all creation (Acts 3:21).
God takes no pleasure in the suffering of His children (2 Peter 3:9). He is patient, loving and merciful, operating for our eternal good outside our notions of time and fairness. His only goal is to reconcile His children to Himself.
Many argue, "Why would an all-powerful, all-loving God allow pain and suffering?" The only way to begin answering this question is to view our fallen world from God's perspective. You see, God dwells in the dimension of eternity. His primary objective is to love us and have us love Him in return. From God's perspective, He uses the trials of this painful world to lovingly prepare His children to spend eternity with Him.
The Apostle Paul said, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). In Hebrews, we learn that Jesus himself "for the glory that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).
Suffering is a fact of this fallen world. The Bible is a testimony to this reality. However, the complete message of the Bible is that God has His plan for redemption all worked out. Those who put their faith in Jesus Christ have a wonderful hope - a hope of eternity with God in a place where there is no more suffering, evil or death (John 1:12, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Revelation 21:4).
The Bible tells us that God created a "very good" world (Genesis 1:31). Mankind was blessed to live and fellowship in a beautiful garden planted by God Himself (Genesis 2:8, 9). However, mankind rejected God and His "very good" creation. Mankind disobeyed God's simple rules and chose to taste of the fruit of evil. As a result, suffering entered the world (Genesis 3).
God's initial purpose for suffering was punishment for Satan, Eve and Adam. Since Adam was mankind's first representative, Adam's punishment affected all of creation (Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 5:12; 8:22). God's ultimate purpose for suffering is redemption for mankind (1 Corinthians 15:22) and renewal of all creation (Acts 3:21).
God takes no pleasure in the suffering of His children (2 Peter 3:9). He is patient, loving and merciful, operating for our eternal good outside our notions of time and fairness. His only goal is to reconcile His children to Himself.
Many argue, "Why would an all-powerful, all-loving God allow pain and suffering?" The only way to begin answering this question is to view our fallen world from God's perspective. You see, God dwells in the dimension of eternity. His primary objective is to love us and have us love Him in return. From God's perspective, He uses the trials of this painful world to lovingly prepare His children to spend eternity with Him.
The Apostle Paul said, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). In Hebrews, we learn that Jesus himself "for the glory that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).
Suffering is a fact of this fallen world. The Bible is a testimony to this reality. However, the complete message of the Bible is that God has His plan for redemption all worked out. Those who put their faith in Jesus Christ have a wonderful hope - a hope of eternity with God in a place where there is no more suffering, evil or death (John 1:12, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Revelation 21:4).