Why does God hide?

lone-traveler · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 4:19 pm Post subject:

Might even show himself as a homeless man standing on a corner saying.."hey, buddy..got a dime?"
or show himself as another stopping to buy him dinner and find a place for him to sleep.

Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
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Joh 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Roster · Big Goldfish Joined: 09 May 2008 Posts: 66

I would like to ask this, If God is all powerful (which I believe He is) then why can't He take a form to where a human could look at Him without dying. If He is all powerful and created the universe (before He could do that, He had to make the space of the universe) and everything within it, couldn't He take a form that would not kill a human?

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 7005 Location: USA

Roster, the question isn't really could He, cause of course He could. But rather what He chooses not to and why. That question is answered throughout scripture in how God has revealed Himself to us and what He asks of us in our belief.
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Niall · Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 5:59 am Post subject:

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 7005 Location: USA

I understand now. Niall, you apparently want a 'god' who acts on your terms, according to what you want and what you think he should do or not do. Rather than recognize the One True God, who created this existence and insists we come to Him on His terms.
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JP's Mind - my blog

lone-traveler · Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 8:09 am Post subject:

Hi Niall,

Roster · Big Goldfish Joined: 09 May 2008 Posts: 66

Rev, Niall's topic is "why is God hiding?" I think what he means, is why is God not showing himself to us, because you just said he could. Does God like the confusion? Why does He want us to put faith in man (scripture, which I believe was mans doings not Gods, so don't say that scripture is Gods word.) Why would God want to reveal His message through words instead of visuals? I would like your opinion without scripture.

Niall, I feel you, I think I would be able to tell if God came to me by sensing His great Power.

Niall wrote "3) Well, i can start by stating that if god existed/not hiding and was all he was cracked up to be, I think eliminating some of the suffering. You know maybe just a little from the terminally ill or starving children. Maybe lead by example. Maybe improve our world."

Thats where we disagree. I believe we (humans) started all evilness. You want to know why God allows all the suffering. I think it is because, God has never been with us, we started the suffering by our foolish ways. I believe in the beginning God created potential (us) and left us to fend for ourselves, not neglecting us, but giving us our free will with out Him interacting. As we observe the world, we see some parts are good and some are horrible environments to live in. Us humans created this world that is ran off greed, lusts, pleasure etc. God did not. All the starving kids are because we are to selfish to give up our luxuries and our conditioned lifestyles to help the suffering out. This is not because God doesn't care, but simply because we don't care. We are a ruthless race. Have you ever considered that the reason we are in war is because some might be profiting from it. When people by weapons, armor, ammo etc. people are making money off it.

God cares, we are the ones that don't care. I believe God didn't create this mess and He will not help us fix it, we must become more humble and let go of the desires of the world and it's evil promises. We are our own enemies.

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 7005 Location: USA

lone-traveler · Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 6:33 pm Post subject:

That's an interesting question Roster.
Why did God create man in his image and likeness in the first place?

Maybe we are the only species capable of understanding or verbalizing what we can't see. so God shows himself, his spirit, his essence through that species he chose to represent and to communicate to each other who he is.

I look in the fields as we go by and in them are cows and horses and sheep. All just eating, minding their own business, happy and content. And I wonder why it is that we can't figure out how to live among our own species in peace.

So when the bible says God is love, and we say we have God's spirit in us, and then we go and hate each other or cause fights wth each other just to get a better clump of grass..who's the liar? God or man?

And if we are created in his image and likeness then why don't we show it? Why can't one person look at another person and say..I see God in you?

So God gives us words and visuals to talk to us through others who know him and these we call scripture or gospel because those who wrote concerning him knows who he is.
And they having his spirit in them are able to verbalize what it is we're not seeing.
And sometimes it's real hard to believe in what we can't see and so he gives us words, so if we can't see at least maybe we can hear.

So Niall asks, why can't we see him? And this is a very good question. Why can't we see him in ourselves and others who were created in his very own image and likeness?
Where is he?

Maybe he said the heck with man and went to hang out with the cows and the horses and the sheep.. Confused or disgusted

_________________
Joh 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Roster · Big Goldfish Joined: 09 May 2008 Posts: 66

Rev, I do understand how you can only use the Bible because thats where all your opinions come from and I do respect that. I used to be the same way until the overall plan of the bible just didn't seem like God to me.

First I think the God/Creator is formless and can take any form at any time He pleases. And the reason I think God doesn't show himself (physically, not by works in man) is because He is not prideful of His creation and I feel that if anything, He is saddened in how we debate and argue over Him and His ways (I'm guilty) not having 100% proof that they came from Him. Faith is not 100% proof of an invisible God and neither is ancient Scripture that is considered to be inspired by God. The only proof of a God/Creator(s) is this world and universe and its consistent operation throughout its time. Thats my witness to God, and what supports my thought is their is no human on this entire earth that can be a 100% sure in their theory of where we came from. No matter what you hear, it is all opinionated. And my opinion is that we will never now in this physical world of how we became, but will find out at death.

Lone wrote "So God gives us words and visuals to talk to us through others who know him and these we call scripture or gospel because those who wrote concerning him knows who he is.
And they having his spirit in them are able to verbalize what it is we're not seeing.
And sometimes it's real hard to believe in what we can't see and so he gives us words, so if we can't see at least maybe we can hear."

I don't think God gives us literal visuals or words of Him. If we want to make a comparison of the visuals and words, then I think the visual is the Creation in general and its beautiful operation since the beginning, and the words are our conscience which is Gods Spirit, the part of God's image that we were created in. I mean, the conscience is were all inspiration and goodness comes from right?

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 7005 Location: USA

Silver Surfer · Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 6:24 am Post subject: Re: Why does God hide?

Evee · Moderator Joined: 13 Sep 2005 Posts: 674

Silver Surfer · Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 7:33 pm Post subject: Re: Why does God hide?

Niall · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 7:05 am Post subject: