Ban

Good morning It is almost midnight here

Still trying to undersand what you mean, "an understanding you can't know." Do you think God cannot be known?

I think there is a difference between knowledge (mind) and knowing (heart).

From my understanding of life, we are supposed to follow God's law and find peace in this.

I agree. God's Word makes promises about how our hearts will be changed.

That is why knowing Him personally is so important.

Some say the longest journey is the one from head to heart.

I was thinking about this head/heart juxtaposition earlier, in relation to this post of yours:



I added to my last post, by the way

Or are you simply saying you cannot profess to understand that which you do not possess?

I don't know the word profess. Do you mean, that I can't claim to understand something I don't have?

Yes, basically. To profess something is similar to saying or claiming, asserting, stating, etc. Like, you do not know God personally so you cannot claim to understand personal knowledge of God. Is that what you mean by saying you do not believe in a personal God?

By knowing Him personally, I do not mean head knowledge

I see the personal understanding of God as a mental idea. I don't feel a need for following such a mental idea.

I do not see personally knowing God as a mental idea, though mental/intellectual constructs do form around our experiences, which help us understand them in a larger framework as they are integrated into our worldview.

Personally knowing God in the way I speak of it is experiencing Him directly.

Then, I guess, this is where our difference lie

You do not think it possible to experience God directly, or first hand?

I depends on, how we understand God.

When I define God as "Law of Life" (even though this is still only creating a map and not the landscape) I would say, we can experience God when we sense without focusing on a self.
In an understanding of God as personal, I will also say we sense, but include an unnecessary focus on a mental image.

How can you have a true understanding of God without knowing Him personally?

Knowing Him personally means you cannot remove yourself from the equation.

You say it is not head knowledge but that is contradictory without personal experience.

Without personal experience it is merely an intellectual exercise.

And if not personal, what exactly are you seeking, or why?

God is spirit.
He is not just the 'law of life' even though He makes the laws.
we cant see God but God has revealed to us in the flesh when Jesus came on earth.
After Jesus was resurrected and ascended to heaven, He sent his holy spirit (some translations of the Bible say holy ghost) A ghost or spirit is by nature, invisible. we cant always see it or touch it. But we can sense it, The Holy Spirit is God...Has always been part of God from His first breath. another greek translation is pneuma...breath.

Hope that helps your understanding...we get the fuller picture of God in the Bible which is why Christians read it all the time and dont just rely on our senses. After all He is the one who inspired scripture.

I don't describe God by using a sex "Him". I don't have personal conversations with God through praying.

when I say fuller picture I mean Jesus Christ in the flesh...
it does not mean we have a picture or painting of Jesus and worship the picture.

Jesus referred to God as "He" and "Him" and "Father." If Jesus did it, surely it is good enough for us to do so as well.

I can understand thinking God does not have a gender, though God is Spirit.

On the other hand, Jesus is God manifest in the flesh, and He does have a gender, which is male.

You did not answer my questitons...

Yes. I'm aware of this understanding of God

I don't have personal conversations with God through praying.