Results 1 - 6 of 6
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Gen 6:6-7 vs. allmighty and omniscient | Gen 6:6 | Bruno Dosca | 220822 | ||
Hello, I see many problems trying to undestand this passage: Gen 6:6-7 How can this be true if God is omniscient and almighty? I see His regret totally incompatible with being omniscient and almighty at the same time. I would be very happy to read an answer. Thanks. |
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2 | Gen 6:6-7 vs. allmighty and omniscient | Gen 6:6 | DocTrinsograce | 220824 | ||
Dear Bruno, Welcome to the forum! Scripture often uses anthropomorphisms. Anthropomorphism attributes human characteristics to non-human things. Sometimes it is merely poetic. For example when we say, "The angry gray clouds." Other times, we fool ourselves. For example, when we talk about the "loyalty" of a dog. Dogs may be loyal in the strictest sense of the word, but dogs are not human. They are a mere fraction of our intelligence. They are driven by very different motives. We cannot assume that when a dog is being loyal that it is the same kind of thing that goes on inside of a human being when they are being loyal. The Bible often uses anthropomorphic language regarding God as a means of helping us to understand. For example, when it speaks of His "fingers" in creating the stars, His "right arm" in upholding the righteous, etc. The Bible warns us not to make the error of assuming that God is man-like. See the following scriptures (cf Job 9:32; Isaiah 55:8-9). God is utterly different than anything in our experience. Indeed, He is utterly different than anything that is now, ever will be, or ever has been in the universe or any possible other universe. God is entirely self sufficient. He is totally complete and perfect in and of Himself. He has no origin and no cause. In philosophy there is a field called ontology that deals with the nature of being. Theologians speak of the otherness of God. Whereas it is true that He thinks, He speaks, He sees, He acts, He moves, He loves, He hates, He wills, etc. etc. These things are not to be thought of in strictly human terms. Yet, if they were not communicated to us in human terms, we would not be able to understand. Thus, God often speaks to us about Himself in ways that we can comprehend. John Calvin said that God speaks a kind of baby talk to us, in the condescension of His self revelation. In Him, Doc |
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3 | Reply to Mr. Doc | Gen 6:6 | Bruno Dosca | 220826 | ||
Thanks a lot, Doc. But, his later decision of make the flood was not symbolic. This shows a real "change of mind". Anyway, how do you know which verses take literally and which others take as symbolic? I mean, there are parts of the Old Testament which are really heavy and have worried me. Num 15:32-36 for example. You think that's symbolic or literally true? |
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4 | Reply to Mr. Doc | Gen 6:6 | DocTrinsograce | 220843 | ||
Dear Bruno, Note that I did not use the word "symbolic." Symbolism is a different thing entirely. God is not changeable in His character, nature, and attributes. That does not mean He is utterly changeless. :-) That would preclude thought and action, etc. etc. If you mean do I believe that Numbers 15:32-36 actually happened as related, yes I do. A lack of credence because something is "really heavy" or worries us, shows us that we are judging Scripture from some other authority than itself. For example, if we judge God's behavior as being too cruel or uncaring, what we are doing is judging Him by our own standard. Remember, we do not evaluate God by what He does, we evaluate what He does, by who He is. In Him, Doc |
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5 | Good and Evil logycally ANTERIOR to God! | Gen 6:6 | Bruno Dosca | 221198 | ||
Dear Doc, thanks for your answer and sorry for mu delay I've been really bussy those las weeks. About your sentence "we do not evaluate God by what He does, we evaluate what He does, by who He is" I see a problem with that. I mean with the relation between God and "Good and Evil". There are two options: Option 1: God decides what is Good and what is Evil so it depends on His, lets say "caprice". Option 2: God sees what is Good and Evil and supports the Good. But in that case Good and Evil are logycally ANTERIOR to God! Reading your comment it seems to me that you are a supporter od the Option 1. Am I right? |
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6 | Good and Evil logycally ANTERIOR to God! | Gen 6:6 | DocTrinsograce | 221201 | ||
Hi, Bruno... To answer your questions explicitly, "No." I do not agree with either option. The subject you bring up is called theodicy. What you have expressed, as an answer, is what is called a false dichotomy. There are other options that do not contradict His self-revelation (the Bible). You might want to go to someplace like www.mongerism.com and look up theodicy. You might also want to spend some time at that same site looking into the attributes of God. Although you may see "a problem with that" (sic) concerning how we understand the Divine, nonetheless, it is an orthodox Christian distinctive. In Him, Doc |
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