Hi iceage,
I would have rather you answered rather than just say OK I give up now tell me why this or that. Nevertheless.
OK now explain why would the God of the expansive material universe hide within a human historical context,
God is not hiding in anything. You think He is hiding because you don't know Him.
First off God the Father has not been fully seen nor has he talked with a human since He walked and talked with the first man in the garden.
The first man's choice to disobey God separated God and man.
Moses was allowed to view the hinder parts of God through a crevice in the rocks and when he came to where the people were he had to cover his head because it was so bright they could not stand it.
Those are the only two occasions that God has shown Himself to mankind, that I know of.
I do know it says in Revelation that in the New Heaven and earth that is to come that God Himself will be there and I will get to see Him.
BTW the earth we live in melts with fervent heat this was told some 1900 years ago.
2Pet 3:10 (KJV) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Back to God hiding.
I have had the opportunity to sit on the south side of Little Cayman in the middle of the Caribbean Ocean. It was a beautiful sight, It was a cloudless night the stars abounded, the moon was almost full, It seemed as if I could reach up and touch the stars they were so vivid. As I sat there in the sand looking out over the calm waters I could see God everywhere. The creation declares God. But if we have our head buried in the sand you see nothing.
provide no physical or material evidence,
iceage what would you want God to provide?
He sent His Son to pay the sin debt of man.
But while He was here on earth He made the blind to see, the lame to walk, the dead to live. There were many witnesses. Many things were written down so we would have a record.
Can God help it if you have made up your mind not to believe the record of His Son.
provide no independently verifiable evidence,
What would you have God supply?
He supplied you the entire universe. Man has spent billions of dollars trying to prove God didn't do it. They have not accomplished that yet although some would like to claim they have.
delivered a confusing and conflicting message
Gods message is not a conflicting message. It is clearly understood by many.
people have interpreted a thousands different ways,
At last count I had it was over 33,000 different ways.
But you can't blame God for people believing what they want to. Remember the first man ate of the tree of good and evil so man knows what is good and what is evil he just interprets that to suit himself and then he interprets God's message to say what he wants it to. Don't blame God for that.
and present Sola Fide that plays just like a chain letter - small entrance fee,
Yes iceage there are many religions that will tell you many different things some of which are.
iceage to go to heaven your good deeds have to outweigh your bad deeds. You must be a member of our church. You must be baptized. You must be faithful. You must tithe. You must live by our set of rules and regulations. If you falter and do not continue doing all these things until you die you will go to hell anyway. That is just a few of the many things you would be told by the many different denominations.
I am telling you all you have to do is receive a full pardon (makes no difference what you have done or will do it is all covered in this pardon. This pardon does not cost you one cent. You do not have to be good to obtain it.
All you have to do is believe God. That He sent his Son to pay your sin debt and that if you would trust in Him for eternal life He would give it to you.
a threat of eternal punishment
It is no threat it is a promise that if you do not receive the pardon you will spend eternity in the lake of fire.
Now the topic is, why would this loving God that I think I have described Create Hell?
I pointed out in
Message 102 God created Hell for the devil and his angels.
But nobody is satisfied with that answer. But in reality that is the only reason it was created. Because that is what God said it was created for. Any arguments to the contrary should be taken up with God.
Now as to why he would allow man to go there. That is not God's choice.
The first man sold you into slavery and doomed you to hell.
If God does nothing you go to hell.
Roma 3:23 (KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
All are under the penalty of sin. Which is..
Roma 6:23 (KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Death and separation from God as He can not have sin in His presence.
John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
This included you in God's love. And since He did not want you to go to hell as your predecessor chose for you, He gave His only begotten Son.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
You like everybody else keep saying God is mean because He wants to make me do something or He is going to send me to hell.
This verse of scripture says you are already condemned to hell. You and only you can change that.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
This verse tells you what is required so you do not continue to be condemned.
In my hypothetical scenario about the condemned murder that is your position before God.
He is offering you a full pardon.
Will you accept it?
In
Message 127 you said:
iceage writes:
The answer is obvious anyone would say "yes" save me.
I don't know if you are jerking my chain or not. But if you meant that answer what is the difference in your condition before God.
Now I would like to take one last stab at clearing up the myth of God's being mean and hateful because he is punishing us for the first man's disobedience.
A hypothetical scenario:
I have an estate that would make Bill Gates diggs look like the slums.
I tell you that you can live there forever.
All you have to is to look after it.
Everything is provided for you.
I say iceage there is a door that has a sign on it that says do not open, it is not locked but if you open that door you must leave the estate that day.
One day you can't stand it any longer you have to open the door.
A red light goes off.
About an hour later a big truck pulls up and says iceage you opened the door. Get your things you must leave now.
iceage is evicted from my estate.
Would you blame this on me? Would it be my fault?
What right would your descendents have to come and live in my estate?
That is exactly what happened so quit blaming God.
It not His fault.
Again back to why would a Loving God Create Hell.
Without it you would have no choice.
You say:
But I don't believe in God. Not my problem.
I don't believe the Bible. Not my problem.
I don't believe you. Not my problem.
"John 5:39 (KJS) Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."
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