What is the Nature of God to your way of thinking?

[oldethennew]

well said,
and, by the way, Jesus has completely opened His heart to us, and thus,
we begin to know who He is and why He is and where He is calling us to go
while we are here...

 

[SoulWeaver]

No, it is not weak faith that leads to fear; it is believing that God is capricious and vengeful, that leads to this fear. Example: the Flood: all men, women, children and babies were killed. My question is: and what did the babies and animals do to deserve to drown to death (not a pleasant way to go). Seems really unfair. And ... if we are not to question this unfairness, we dont because we FEAR the consequences of even quetioning quietly. No. You have to deny what you read ... in part ... because the Bible presents God in very different ways ... both a God of Love and a God who would drown babies. (I dont believe it ever happened). I believe God would be fair and just.

God is fair and just. The problem is you're taking things out of context (just like atheists do). Rather than pretzel the Bible because you cannot accept God as He is, you should have a bit more faith in Him after all He's done and endured for us, and look at the context. If you were a child at that time, I really think you or any one of us would rather want to be dead.
Consider the world that those children lived in. Child molestation, orgy lifestyle like Sodom, child sacrifice, sickness and wickedness, which continued through genetics. These people burnt their own children alive. It had to be ended. Anyone normal would want to ride out. The adults could leave and create a different settlement, but everybody liked this arrangement because they were evil, except for Noah. The Bible is clear that ALL the people of that age were evil, excluding Noah. I'd personally rather drown than be repeatedly abused, raped or sacrificed to idols by nutcases and this savagery happening on and on to other children for centuries to come.

There are causes beyond words for the flood, and specifically lasting 40 days. It was not a coincidence or a caprice, the flood happened because it had to happen, exactly the way it happened. The loving God who came to save us all and made the universe is the same God who rained that flood against the people who went against His principles of life. We can either strive to know God, or twist/ignore the Bible to make Him palatable to our liking. Actually teaching the watered down hippie version of God is what causes people to turn away, as they later learn through the Bible that they have been lied to.

 

[jacob_g]

Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

It is my belief that believing in a vengeful God leads to fear, which in turn leads to anger à and finally hate. This sort of faith by rules is built on a house of cards. You dare not question things … even when they seem wrong . You must defy reality and in doing so, remove yourself from the world.

A faith that has been questioned, and remains, can only be strong. It is actually weak faith that leads to this sort of fear.

I think anyone holding this view does not really understand the Scripture. Of course vengeance is His that is what He says, vengeance is Mine says the Lord. And I'm sure the Day of the Great White Judgement when those that rejected Messiah are cast into hell, and when He finally does away with satan and his demons, these things are no Sunday picnic. It is torment, wailing and gnashing of teeth for eternity.

Now the ballance!!! The Father is holding off on this so ALL will be Saved. God loves the world so much He sent Jesus and who will ever believe in Jesus is/will be Saved. God is holding back His wrath, but that does not make it not exist. Just like His wrath, that He is holding back does not make His love am compassion exist!!!!!