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Re: The Law and Gods Character
[Re: Mountain Man]
#116168
07/17/09 05:58 PM
07/17/09 05:58 PM
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Active Member 2012
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 14,795
Lawrence, Kansas
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What I believe is not only would it not occur to Him, it's not something He could have done, even if it had occurred to Him.
Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, "Behold your God." The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love.
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Re: The Law and Gods Character
[Re: Tom]
#116190
07/17/09 11:14 PM
07/17/09 11:14 PM
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What do you mean it's not something He "could" have done?
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Re: The Law and Gods Character
[Re: Mountain Man]
#116201
07/18/09 12:21 AM
07/18/09 12:21 AM
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Active Member 2012
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I don't understand your question. Here's what I said before. Perhaps this will help in understanding what I meant: To my way of thinking, the answer is no. It's not that God could have created creatures that could have thrived in sin, but such a thing is not possible. Happiness, joy, peace and prosperity can only be found by living in harmony with God's character. Not because God so dictated, but because these things emanate from God's character.
Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, "Behold your God." The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love.
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Re: The Law and Gods Character
[Re: Tom]
#116239
07/18/09 02:56 AM
07/18/09 02:56 AM
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Tom, it sounded to me like you said, Even if it occurred to God (e.i. to create FMAs capable of experiencing perfect peace and happiness while living in partial violation of His law) it's not something He could have done.
I can see why He wouldn't have done it, but why couldn't He have done it?
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Re: The Law and Gods Character
[Re: Mountain Man]
#116241
07/18/09 03:01 AM
07/18/09 03:01 AM
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Because it can't be done. As I stated, "It's not that God could have created creatures that could have thrived in sin, but such a thing is not possible." Actually, this would be clearer stated like this: It's not that God could have created creatures that could have thrived in sin, for such a thing is not possible.
Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, "Behold your God." The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love.
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Re: The Law and Gods Character
[Re: Mountain Man]
#116250
07/18/09 03:54 AM
07/18/09 03:54 AM
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A: God's moral law is like the law of cosines. It is not merely imposed by an external authority who can apply penalties for disregarding it. It is a fundamental expression of how God made us to function. If you function any other way, you are very broken.
Hence, when holy angels were obeying God, they were just acting in the way they were made to act. Similarly, those who have been re-created in God's image will act the way they were made to act - in harmony with God's law of love. It's not something they do, but something they are.
M: Did God have any choice when they made FMAs?
A: Like tq, I don't understand your question. That is, did God have any other choice, than the one you articulated above, in how they made FMAs? For example, could they have made them to experience peace and happiness living in harmony with only say two-thirds of the law? the law was posted in the op. could you give an example of what you mean, i mean which 2 thirds of the law.
Psa 64:5 ...an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?
Psa 7:14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. 15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. 16 His mischief (and his violent dealing) shall return upon his own head.
Psa 7:17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
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Re: The Law and Gods Character
[Re: teresaq]
#116270
07/18/09 01:18 PM
07/18/09 01:18 PM
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Tom, I agree. God is too kind and loving to create FMAs who would be at odds with Him and the rest of the Universe. That it can be done, though, is evidenced by the human race in its present state of sinfulness and rebelliousness. I meet people all the time who are "good livers", who seem to thrive apart from God. They seem to be no worse off than most Christians. Or, put the other way around, most Christians seem to fare no better than unbelievers do. What can we make of these things?
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Re: The Law and Gods Character
[Re: Mountain Man]
#116271
07/18/09 01:26 PM
07/18/09 01:26 PM
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Exo 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,
Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. M: That is, did God have any other choice, than the one you articulated above, in how they made FMAs? For example, could they have made them to experience peace and happiness living in harmony with only say two-thirds of the law?
t: the law was posted in the op. could you give an example of what you mean, i mean which 2 thirds of the law. Actually, I wasn't being precise in the figure I cited. As you know, we cannot break one commandment without also breaking all ten. It's one law - not ten laws. That is, the ten commandments are one law. So, the question is - Could God create FMAs who are capable of experiencing perfect peace and happiness while violating any one of the ten commandments? Is such a thing possible? The key word being "perfect".
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Re: The Law and Gods Character
[Re: Mountain Man]
#116289
07/18/09 06:11 PM
07/18/09 06:11 PM
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Active Member 2012
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Posts: 14,795
Lawrence, Kansas
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I say no, God couldn't do that. Not simply because His character wouldn't allow Him to, but because it can't be done. It's like asking of God could make a rock so large He couldn't lift it.
Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, "Behold your God." The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love.
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Re: The Law and Gods Character
[Re: Mountain Man]
#116307
07/19/09 03:20 AM
07/19/09 03:20 AM
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That is, did God have any other choice, than the one you articulated above, in how they made FMAs? For example, could they have made them to experience peace and happiness living in harmony with only say two-thirds of the law? I suppose that it might be theoretically possible, but even that is iffy. Realistically, only holy beings can live happily in a universe where our holy God exists. Anything short is torture.
By God's grace,
Arnold
1 John 5:11-13
And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
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