Who is God & What is the Gospel ?

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May 8, 2024
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#61
Do you seriously believe we can truly understand God, given the fact that we are limited and God has no limits? Does anyone really understand how God created the universe out of nothing? If people understood God they would not question the deity of Christ for example. And even Christians can only understand Him to a certain degree. Who can truly understand the sufferings and sacrifice of Christ other than the Father Himself?
Well it depends on the meaning of the word "truly." The holy scriptures do encourage, even command, us to know God, which should give us hope that it is possible, at least in part, in some way, right ?
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
13,915
5,638
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#62
If your still up, i'd like to continue...you are the first person that has understood something i believe and actually, if i am portraying your thoughts correctly, agreed. you may not be able to fathom the profound impact this has on me. i have had so many things that i believe the lord has taught me, yet no one to confirm or prove a correction to such from the scriptures any of them over many years. it can really place a toll on one's soul to the point of thinking "am i deluded?", "am i insane?" or are these things really true., are they really from God Almighty to me?
Often times people use different words and ways of speaking the same things , God is doing this same with all of us he’s teaching us as we abide in his doctrine as we pursue him, and yes often others won’t understand the same thing at the same time
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
13,915
5,638
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#63
I would like to summarize what I think is our common belief on the topic of "God is Love."
1. the Godhead, Father, Son, Spirit, in eternity past were in a continuously harmonious, loving relationship and so continue to this day.
2. God, being pure love, could not remain in such a state without a desire to bless others with the joys of such a relationship.
3. God therefore created mankind , into whom He desired to pour the blessings of said relationship into others.
4. this therefore constitutes a main character trait of Who is God in that He is Love which is irresistibly of a giving nature and thereby is not self seeking but others seeking (1Co 13 - "love seeks not it's own").

Does this make sense and do you agree ?
john
going to bed soon, it's 12:45am here, will be up a little longer and will check in tomorrow am
wow, when you see your own words written, it can really make you think further...
“the Godhead, Father, Son, Spirit, in eternity past were in a continuously harmonious, loving relationship and so continue to this day.”

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

i dont believe God is three persons but one. His spirit is the holy spirit it’s not a different person in a relationship with him but his living spirit .

i believe the father son and Holy Spirit is identifying Jesus Christ the true and everlasting God who is the beginning the creator , and who came o to the world manifest in the flesh , then returned to the glory of the father afterwards and now gives the spirit of his son to believers

“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

i believe God is one ( father ) and he became flesh ( son ) and he gives (his spirit ) to believers

Bit I was saying before I really don’t want to get into this debate again ot is rehashed here about once a month and always creates arguments and accusations
 
May 8, 2024
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#64
“the Godhead, Father, Son, Spirit, in eternity past were in a continuously harmonious, loving relationship and so continue to this day.”

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

i dont believe God is three persons but one. His spirit is the holy spirit it’s not a different person in a relationship with him but his living spirit .

i believe the father son and Holy Spirit is identifying Jesus Christ the true and everlasting God who is the beginning the creator , and who came o to the world manifest in the flesh , then returned to the glory of the father afterwards and now gives the spirit of his son to believers

“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

i believe God is one ( father ) and he became flesh ( son ) and he gives (his spirit ) to believers

Bit I was saying before I really don’t want to get into this debate again ot is rehashed here about once a month and always creates arguments and accusations
I don't like debate either, but do enjoy friendly conversation. Concerning your thought that God is only one person, how would you respond to the scriptures, "Let us make man in our image", or in Jhn 17, to whom is Jesus praying ?
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,526
2,608
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#65
1.) What if God's own will and pleasure is "to give" and that selflessly ?
2.) What if love needs an object to love and thus God created mankind ?
1.) "What if God's own will and pleasure is "to give" and that selflessly ?"
A. I never said God was not giving, and I never said God was selfish.
B. I said "selfish" is not a word that applies to God, just as pride is not a word that applies to God... our human sin concepts simply have nothing to do with God at all.
(To have pride is to think too highly of yourself, but it's impossible for God to think too highly of himself; he even commands we worship him. So pride is a word that simply has nothing to do with God. The words selfish and selfless are much the same: God isn't selfish because everything already belongs to him; God isn't selfless because his "self", his own "divine person and motives" cannot be removed from anything he does.)
C. It IS God's will and pleasure to be "giving" because he is "loving"... and these things are part of his nature.
(But we still can't use humans words like pride or selfish to assess him, because he isn't like us. There are words and concepts that apply to humans, but which don't apply to God.)

2.) What if love needs an object to love and thus God created mankind ?
A. We cannot say God "needs" anything, because a "need" logically implies a "lack" in God, and God cannot be lacking in any way or he would not be perfect... and if he isn't perfect, he isn't God.
B. This is not a new idea; this is well-known, it's standard orthodox doctrine, and it's the logical conclusion if we study God's attributes and nature.


Conclusion:
A. If we want to ponder God's nature and attributes, the nature of the infinite God, then we need to give that topic the deep and serious thinking it deserves.
B. Luckily we have 2,000 years of great Christian minds which came before us, so we don't need to dream up anything new... smarter people than us have studied these things for millennia.

.

.
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
13,915
5,638
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#66
I don't like debate either, but do enjoy friendly conversation. Concerning your thought that God is only one person, how would you respond to the scriptures, "Let us make man in our image", or in Jhn 17, to whom is Jesus praying ?
That God knows the end before the beginning and already knew his Will and already sees things as if it is done as soon as he speaks

“In the beginning God created ( singular ) the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved ( of his spirit a different person ?) upon the face of the waters. And God said, ( word ) Let there be light: and there was light.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:1-3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, ( God created ) the Word, ( God said ) and the Holy Ghost: ( the spirit of God moved ) and these three are one.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him;( singular not they ) and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him,( singular person him not they ) and the world knew him not.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1:1, 3-4, 10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The glory of the son on earth

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

retrined to the glory of the father in heaven after he preached the gospel and finished his work returned to the glory of the father in heaven

“I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
‭‭John‬ ‭17:4-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The way I see it is Jesus is the one and only God who is manifest in our sight so we can know him. He created all things , then later he became flesh and blood a man the son of God , then he returned to the glory he was in the beginning the father in heaven

i see one God who is revealed as the father in heaven , the son on earth and the holt spirit of him in our hearts
 
May 8, 2024
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#67
That God knows the end before the beginning and already knew his Will and already sees things as if it is done as soon as he speaks

“In the beginning God created ( singular ) the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved ( of his spirit a different person ?) upon the face of the waters. And God said, ( word ) Let there be light: and there was light.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:1-3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, ( God created ) the Word, ( God said ) and the Holy Ghost: ( the spirit of God moved ) and these three are one.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him;( singular not they ) and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him,( singular person him not they ) and the world knew him not.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1:1, 3-4, 10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The glory of the son on earth

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

retrined to the glory of the father in heaven after he preached the gospel and finished his work returned to the glory of the father in heaven

“I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
‭‭John‬ ‭17:4-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The way I see it is Jesus is the one and only God who is manifest in our sight so we can know him. He created all things , then later he became flesh and blood a man the son of God , then he returned to the glory he was in the beginning the father in heaven

i see one God who is revealed as the father in heaven , the son on earth and the holt spirit of him in our hearts
ok
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,771
113
#69
Well it depends on the meaning of the word "truly."
There are no ifs, ands, or buts. You do not truly understand God, nor does any human being. So don't keep on this silly track but go back and see what the Bible says. Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. (Job 9:10) O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Rom 11:33).
 
May 8, 2024
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#70
There are no ifs, ands, or buts. You do not truly understand God, nor does any human being. So don't keep on this silly track but go back and see what the Bible says. Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. (Job 9:10) O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Rom 11:33).
What about Jer 33:3 ?
 
May 8, 2024
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#71
There are no ifs, ands, or buts. You do not truly understand God, nor does any human being. So don't keep on this silly track but go back and see what the Bible says. Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. (Job 9:10) O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Rom 11:33).
Nehemiah6,...I just read that, it's about Sanballat, Tobiah and Gesham trying to subvert Nehemiah from completing the wall. Well,...
Jhn 10:14 I am the good shepherd; and I know mine own, and mine own know me, 15 even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father;...
Jhn 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, [even] Jesus Christ.
Are the previous scriptures not enough for you to consider that it is possible, and even God desires us to know Him ?
Let's try logic,...how is it possible to prove that one cannot know God ? Isn't that trying to prove a negative ? You seem very fervent in this belief. Is it possible that you have been energetically trying to know Him for a very long time and have come up short of being personally satisfied ? I feel for you Nehemiah6. There is a way to know Him.
 
May 8, 2024
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#72
That God knows the end before the beginning and already knew his Will and already sees things as if it is done as soon as he speaks

“In the beginning God created ( singular ) the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved ( of his spirit a different person ?) upon the face of the waters. And God said, ( word ) Let there be light: and there was light.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:1-3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, ( God created ) the Word, ( God said ) and the Holy Ghost: ( the spirit of God moved ) and these three are one.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him;( singular not they ) and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him,( singular person him not they ) and the world knew him not.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1:1, 3-4, 10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The glory of the son on earth

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

retrined to the glory of the father in heaven after he preached the gospel and finished his work returned to the glory of the father in heaven

“I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
‭‭John‬ ‭17:4-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The way I see it is Jesus is the one and only God who is manifest in our sight so we can know him. He created all things , then later he became flesh and blood a man the son of God , then he returned to the glory he was in the beginning the father in heaven

i see one God who is revealed as the father in heaven , the son on earth and the holt spirit of him in our hearts
Well, PilgrimsHope, it seems this is where we may have to part ways. At first I thought we might have fellowship, but to deny the Tri-Unity, wow, that's tough to let go. i don't see any profit in having a discussion with someone who doesn't believe in the three divine persons of the Godhead. There are way too many verses that support the Triune God to try and let that one slide. Any topic after that will be tainted severely. That's why i picked this topic "Who is God?" because i believe all understanding comes from a proper conception of such a God. it's ok, we can't all agree, but still be at peace. I hope the best for you. john
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
13,915
5,638
113
#73
Well, PilgrimsHope, it seems this is where we may have to part ways. At first I thought we might have fellowship, but to deny the Tri-Unity, wow, that's tough to let go. i don't see any profit in having a discussion with someone who doesn't believe in the three divine persons of the Godhead. There are way too many verses that support the Triune God to try and let that one slide. Any topic after that will be tainted severely. That's why i picked this topic "Who is God?" because i believe all understanding comes from a proper conception of such a God. it's ok, we can't all agree, but still be at peace. I hope the best for you. john
Sounds good friend ! Lol this was why I told you I didn’t want to get into the trinity and how it always leads to accusations and arguments
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
13,915
5,638
113
#75
np, i hope that i didn't represent myself as an accuser or arguer...
No not at all you haven’t done anything wrong in any way , I just wish you would heave listened to me about the trinity discussion it is rehashed here bout once a month d never fails and never fails to wind up the same way with two believers “ parting “ becaue they begin to accuse each other of denying this and that ect

It’s not at all anything you did wrong and haven’t represented yourself in any negative way at all don’t think that …..all is well no harm is done
 
May 8, 2024
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#76
No not at all you haven’t done anything wrong in any way , I just wish you would heave listened to me about the trinity discussion it is rehashed here bout once a month d never fails and never fails to wind up the same way with two believers “ parting “ becaue they begin to accuse each other of denying this and that ect

It’s not at all anything you did wrong and haven’t represented yourself in any negative way at all don’t think that …..all is well no harm is done
k