Posted on 06/29/2008 10:09:33 PM PDT by tricky_k_1972
As many as God wanted him to see.
"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" -- Mark 8:36
I have that sense too, strongly. It fills me with wonder...and profound gratitude.
I would add that God the Father has revealed Himself in four ways: 1) through the Person of Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, 2) through the indwelling Holy Spirit, 3) through the Scriptures, and 4) through Creation both spiritual and physical.
Seems to me it would be miserable to close one's mind to any of these.
To God be the glory!
By not having any preconceived ideas how God Must have done it.Considering that God revealed the truths in Genesis to a scribe (Moses?) who only had at his disposal written language in its earliest, most primitive state (including no vowels) -- and whose understanding was constrained by what his eyes could see and his uneducated mind could conceive -- how can modern believers insist that those few sentences must be a complete and sufficient description of Creation? [excerpt]
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, [it was] very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 1:31
Exactly, kind've... at least for now..
I agree. That is one of the reasons I am a Scientist.
Most Scientists in the U.S. are, like myself, people of faith.
And I do not believe he does it maliciously but rather sincerely believing that his own efforts to understand God are good even though it would be as if God the Creator could be fully known by a creature, an irrational objective.
In the end though, when such a one weighs anchor from this physical realm - then things will be more clear to him.
Reference?
The funny thing is, the more I study physics and math, the more "plausible" the idea that the earth is the center of God's creation becomes. The Logos, the Word of God in the Beginning evidently "stacked the deck" in favor of Life; Man was specially created to be a son of God, for into him God breathed the breath of Life, wherein man was specially created a living, ensouled being. This type of being is known to live only on Earth. If there are other such beings elsewhere in the universe, we have yet to detect them by scientific means.
But this is "rationalization." The test of God's Truth is not to be found via scientific methods, or applications of human logic as we know. The truth of your insight that "God created the earth as the center of His Creation" has been spiritually discerned, a gift of the Holy Spirit. As is the magnificent passage from Acts you cite: "In Him we live, and move, and have our being.... For we are also his offspring."
And truly, this is a marvelous insight as well: "...it was onto this earth Christ was born; Christ, "by whom all things consist."
Christ forever dignified Earth by choosing it as the "venue" of his Incarnation.
Christ is Logos! Thus all things really do "consist" by and in Him.
And as you say, that's as real as it gets, Dr. Eckleburg! And I agree that is neither "small" or "lonely."
Thank you so much for your excellent essay/post!
The bottom line is that he must love God surpassingly above all else, the one and only Great Commandment (Matt 22.) Believe Him. Trust Him.
In other words, he should not let science get him down but pray for, not demand, understanding and God will answer his request according to His own will.
We believe all of this – why should we be disturbed by anything or any one?
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39
I will... Moses had no idea of the concept of a galaxy.. or a STAR or Solar System.. or even that the earth was a round ball hanging in nothing.. as far as anything he scribbled down or had scribbled down.. as far as anyone knows.. The very idea of a whole galaxy is heady enough information.. WHo can look at a whole galaxy as viewing some earthly object?..even galaxy "clusters"..
"WE" are blessed indeed.. you and I.. blessed to even KNOW of these things.. to be able to mentally grasp the magnitude of it all.. To think these facts are just the start.. mere openers in universal facts.. to be considered as the eon rolls on..
I see our reality as a dimension that we are alive within. Within the first material dimension, there is a spiritual dimension which not everyone or thing is in. To those who are in it, it is virtually impossible to describe it to those who are not.
All of it is continually sustained by the mind of God, and those who are spiritual can partake in sustaining it, by following His revelation, which is the word of god from the mind of God. The Hebrews say that every scholar who studies the word of god, helps to sustain the universe.
sorry meant to capitalize “God”
Man is not the measure of God!
Thank you so very much for all of your insights, dearest sister in Christ!
Well put! And, as we both observed in recent threads, development of doctrines, traditions and (mis) interpretations along those lines may well have been aided and abetted by those who have violated the Second Commandment...
As our dear Sister, betty boop reminds us.
"God tells us truly, but not exhaustively."
I for one, do not feel worthy to demand more of Scripture than God put into it.
OTOH, I don't disregard sub-atomic physics or the observed red shift -- merely because Genesis did not mention them...
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. - I Corinthians 2:14
Carl Sagan said life must have started somewhere first, why not here.. Indeed, why not here first.. Some natural scientists are not objective enough to see that..
Human life on THIS PLANET just could be a qualification, a TESTING of out "spirits".. for future tasks/deeds/"gifts" to be manifested.. That human history is just the qualification for the REAL STORY to begin.. The population of uncountable Galaxys and other space stuff.. With NO DEVIL/Satan to test the process but human spirits THAT WERE TESTED just for that purpose.. How many eons would it take for intelligent civilation(s) to be "seeded", watered, weeded, and watched over.. in all the Galaxys of this Universe or even many of them.. NOT by a devil but by beneficial creatures with experience with all the errors of human civilation to guide them(beneficial creatures) on what NOT TO DO.. With knowledge of many or all the errors of a developing civilation..
The parable/metaphor of the talents takes on a whole new meaning if that scenario is true.. "Heaven" will maybe NOT be a bodacious choir meeting.. That negative human history maybe will become an ASSET to an even LARGER plan..
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.