Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament?

[ToastAndTea]

Thanks Dino

Just to clarify a couple of things : So the word "good", in your understanding, means whatever God decides to do ; regardless of how we normally use the word?

And I wouldn't say that I simply invented a concept of God because I preferred him that way. It was based on my experience of encountering God over the years of seeking. And that experience was a deep, warm, embracing love. It certainly got me to question my preconceived ideas, even biblical ones ( I have read the bible). That is why I can't accept God ordering genocide, because I know from my own experience of God that it would be impossible. I guess you wouldn't consider me a correct christian, or even one at all. If I need to accept that God can do such things to be a christian I,m not sure it is for me. Partly why I,m on this site is to test out what I have found and discovered to see if there is a place for me in christianity. Probably not by the looks of things lol!

However, I have and will continue to ask for God's guidance.

I'm not going to attempt to answer his response to you, but you said that you encountered a God that was deep, warm and embracing, right? Where did you encounter this? Because on a basic level, that is who God is. He is altogether loving and forgiving. However, we need to temper our view of an all-together loving God by also being aware that He can and does judge sin, because of who He is. It is not separate from His love, it is inextricably linked to it. To create a God that is only ever accepting and loving without the need to for judgement is to create a God that does not exist in scripture.

I don't wish to discourage you from your search for Christ. You seem like someone who is seeking, but my advice to you is to find out who God truly is; the God of the Bible wishes to make Himself known to you and to have a relationship with you, but it's on HIS terms, not yours.

 

[Dibby53]

I'm not going to attempt to answer his response to you, but you said that you encountered a God that was deep, warm and embracing, right? Where did you encounter this? Because on a basic level, that is who God is. He is altogether loving and forgiving. However, we need to temper our view of an all-together loving God by also being aware that He can and does judge sin, because of who He is. It is not separate from His love, it is inextricably linked to it. To create a God that is only ever accepting and loving without the need to for judgement is to create a God that does not exist in scripture.

I don't wish to discourage you from your search for Christ. You seem like someone who is seeking, but my advice to you is to find out who God truly is; the God of the Bible wishes to make Himself known to you and to have a relationship with you, but it's on HIS terms, not yours.

I spend time sitting quietly most days with an inner reaching out to God. I may pray, or read something poignant like a scripture or other writing and ask for wisdom. Often I feel his presence. But on occasions I have experienced that love powerfully and it blows my acquired and preconceived ideas out the window! There was not a shred of blame, fear or anything negative in it. Totally unconditional, forgiving and invitationally embracing......like the sun shining, we could open to it if we chose.....anyway I,m rambling now coz words don't do any justice really.


You are right that we cannot separate God's love from his judgement. When I experience the love of God I see all the ways I have treated people badly and been motivated badly. It is like a huge mirror. It is quite an experience to see myself from God's standard. However, there is no threat in the love of God, in my experience. By turning to him we are convicted but also cleansed and renewed. So there is a judgement. I get the feeling that seeing all one's actions and motivations in the love of God could be a devastating experience for the very wicked.