im blessed! Thanks GOd

Thank you, Beryl - and Nan - for those perceptive answers.

Someday we'll be able to sit at Jesus' feet and ask Him these very same questions. Then it'll all be made clear.

Until then, I picture all of us as actors on the stage of the universe, being carefully watched by the inhabitants of other worlds, to see whether or not a people on this planet Earth can - or will - follow God simply because it's the right thing to do, rather than for any perks or any temporal blessings they might receive.

Good Old Job did it. I hope I can too.

Interesting that you should come to a Christian forum to ask such questions, Charis. It seems to prove one thing at least, that you prefer to see what the followers of those who follow Him, the questions, especially in the light of the way the questions are asked. For if it be true that the Supreme God of the universe were guilty of what the questions describe, then the answers from His followers would be fearful of giving any answers that might bring that same wrath down upon their own heads, in case that questioned god might be offended.
That's why I like to go back to the Word to make a response from what He says about Himself. Then if my ideas are incorrect, for whatever reason, He is able to clarify my misconceptions.

"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." 1 John 4:8 KJV

"Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord, and not rather that he should turn from his evil way and return [to his God] and live?" Ezekiel 18:23 AMP

"Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ " Ezekiel 33:11 NKJV
"....for I the Lord your God am...God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me,
...showing mercy and steadfast love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments."Exodus 20:5-7
AMP
"Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?"
Malachi 2:10 KJV
Blessings!

LHC said:

**raises eyebrows**

This is a forum. Shall it only address *comfortable* topics?

I could go to a different, non-Christian forum to ask my questions. They would be most happy to talk about my questions. Would that be better?

Actually in reading over my previous answer I didn't read anything that indicated another place to ask the questions would be a better place. The point I wished to make was that in coming to this forum for answers you have already made the decision some of C/A can be trusted to reveal something about God that is worthwhile to know about Him. Considering your answer I would suppose you can see the reasoning, despite some of the free-for-alls that have taken place on some forums threads.

Often God is judged to be like His children, and that is true about those who are changed into His likeness, but none of us on this earth have been fully changed as yet. Your searching indicates you still want the change He is willing to give. Perhaps you would only have me give you an answer with which you are comfortable.

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed" 1 Cor 15:51 KJV
Blessings!

I'm not taking the bait.

Wow. I love that someone can be so frank on this forum. You all are so genuine and respectful. I am in awe!

O.K.



"Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, saying,
Gird up your loins now like a man; I will demand of you, and you answer Me.
Will you also annul (set aside and render void) My judgment? Will you condemn Me [your God], that you may [appear] righteous and justified?
Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?
[Since you question the manner of the Almighty's rule] deck yourself now with the excellency and dignity [of the Supreme Ruler, and yourself undertake the government of the world if you are so wise], and array yourself with honor and majesty.
Pour forth the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud and abase him;
Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low, and tread down the wicked where they stand [if you are so able, Job].
[Bury and] hide them all in the dust together; [and] shut them up [in the prison house of death].
[If you can do all this, Job, proving yourself of divine might] then will I [God] praise you also [and acknowledge that] your own right hand can save you." Job 40:6-14 AMP

"THEN JOB said to the Lord,
I know that You can do all things, and that no thought or purpose of Yours can be restrained or thwarted.
[You said to me] Who is this that darkens and obscures counsel [by words] without knowledge? Therefore [I now see] I have [rashly] uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
[I had virtually said to You what You have said to me:] Hear, I beseech You, and I will speak; I will demand of You, and You declare to me.
I had heard of You [only] by the hearing of the ear, but now my [spiritual] eye sees You.
Therefore I loathe [my words] and abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:1-6 AMP Brackets, parenthesis, theirs LHC

"Now therefore...go to My servant Job and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept [his prayer] that I deal not with you after your folly, in that you have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job has.
So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord commanded them; and the Lord accepted [Job's prayer].
And the Lord turned the captivity of Job and restored his fortunes, when he prayed for his friends; also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." Job 42:8-10 AMP Regards!

Somebody doesn't understand what "sin" is. IMO 'sin' is anything which separates you from God. That's why the center of the word "SIN" is "I".... God cannot separate Himself from Himself therefore he cannot 'sin'.

With a cursory view that may seem to be apparent (the underlined). However when Jesus was crucified and as well lived His life for us, it would have been no wonder that He did not sin if He was unable. Some of what made the feat beyond our comprehension is that He not only was God and could sin but chose not to, in order that we might live for eternity.
However this also reveals an almost incomprehensible truth, in becoming sin for us He was separated from the Father and died the second death for us that we might live eternally righteous for Him.

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
Hebrews 4:15 KJV

"...For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him..." 2 Cor 5:21 KJV

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; " John 14:9 KJV

"I and my Father are one." John 10:30 KJV

"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high..." Hebrews 1:3 KJV
Regards!