Breaking News! - GOD Almighty has feelings!
Sorry about the sarcasm, but sometimes it does seem like it's breaking news for folks who still think the LORD GOD Almighty is some kind of statue sitting in a church somewhere. GOD is not an inanimate object, folks.
You know how the Holy Bible says we are made in HIS image? Well, surprise, surprise, it's true. Not only outwardly do we resemble our CREATOR, but inwardly, too.
GOD gets angry. (1 Kings 11:7-10)
GOD takes pleasure in people and things. (Psalms 149:4)
GOT gets jealous (all over the Holy Bible).
And GOD gets sad and disappointed, as seen in Gen. 6 (NKJV):
5.Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually./ 6.And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
As cheesy as it may sound, GOD has feelings. And they should not be taken lightly. HE takes pleasure in our doing good deeds aka treating others as we would want to be treated. But HE can't stand sinful ways. And just as HE rewards us when we follow the commandment of love, he also punishes and disciplines us for delighting in sin.
Christians who walk knowing full well that GOD Almighty is constantly aware of everything we do, think and say, carry ourselves with a bit of fear, respect, responsibility and appreciation. Fear because we know GOD will punish/discipline us if we do contrary to HIS laws. Respect because the LORD GOD Almighty is the head of us and must be revered as such. Responsibility because we are Christians and represent Jesus the Christ...we don't want to disappoint him. And we serve GOD in appreciation -- of HIM finding us acceptable to sit at HIS table. For loving us. For picking us up and looking past our filth to clean us up and make us worthy. For getting us through the days and trials and tribulations. For blessing us.
So don't think you show GOD respect by serving him out of stark fear (like a lightning bolt is going to come from the sky and strike you). HE delights in that we delight in serving and knowing HIM. You must serve HIM with humility and love... remember what HE has done for you, and show your appreciation by praising HIM and helping others. It is pleasing to HIM.
Do you want your children to obey you out of stark fear, or because they respect and love you?
No, it's not exactly the same, but you get the drift.
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Notes On Genesis #3 - Man's Nature Is Evil
Posted by Name: Theist Labels: Choice, Creation, Evil, Free Will, Genesis, Man's Nature, WickednessThe nature of man (or man's natural inclination) is to do evil...
In Gen. 6:
1.Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them/ 2.that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose./ 3.And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”/ 4.There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown./ 5.Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually./ 6.And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart./ 7.So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
Although, I'm mostly interested in verses 5 and onwards, I couldn't resist taking a look at the verses concerning the so-called fallen angels. Although it doesn't say that in the Holy Book, it does say so in the Book of Enoch. I am no scholar (obviously), but I've found the Book of Enoch acceptable...after all Enoch does appear in the Holy Bible -- very briefly. It says that Enoch "walked with GOD," which I take to mean GOD took him to spend some quality time...perhaps like how the Almighty took Elijah in the chariot. It would make sense that Enoch would have written something concerning his walk with the LORD. But this is just my opinion, so don't take anything I say concerning the Book of Enoch as gold (or anything I say period as gold...you should always investigate (i.e., read the Holy Bible) for yourself).
According to the Book of Enoch, these sons of GOD, the angels, who decided to have sex with human women committed an awful no-no and were punished. According to the Book of Enoch, these angels were expelled from heaven and bound in the center of the earth in utter darkness (and will be released at some point; read Jude 1:6). Are these the same fallen angels that Lucifer managed to convince to walk his way? -- I don't know, and I don't think it matters much.
The Holy Bible says the product of this unholy coupling (so angels have the same anatomy as human males...and there are only male angels...?) were giants (with major appetites that eventually depleted the earth's resources, according to the Book of Enoch). I don't imagine that they were gigantic giants, like 14, 15 feet tall or anything... but maybe very similar to the giants we have living among us today... take that 8ft 5in man, for example. To be a descendant of angels...wow.
So the Holy Bible goes from these unholy unions to how man was living on the earth. From what GOD saw, "every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually..." And GOD became sorry that he had ever made man.
Now, I've wondered myself, like many others I'm sure, why GOD even made man if HE knew we were going to be so awful? Why make the angels if HE knew 1/3 of them would rebel? We must accept that GOD Almighty knows everything from beginning to end (Acts 15:18, for example), so therefore it must not have been a great shock when HE saw how mankind managed himself on the earth.
So should GOD have not made mankind, then? That wouldn't be fair, right? What's that saying -- tossing the baby w/ the bath water? It says in the Holy Bible that after this discovery GOD looked on Noah as one man who lived an acceptable life before HIM, so that says not all men on earth were corrupt (as not all angels were corrupt).
So then some say, well why didn't GOD Almighty make all of us 'good?' When I think about it, it seems to me that we really wouldn't be humans if we were pre-programed to do good. I mean, then GOD would have just been giving the earth to a bunch of robots. Robots don't have emotions. Just think about when you do something 'good' and when you do something 'bad'...there are some very specific emotions that come along as a result of these actions. Obviously, some find pleasure in doing what a majority may constitute as 'bad' or 'evil,' but normally 'good' things result in 'good' feelings. How would robots appreciate life? I think (in my very humble opinion) that is a part of the reason why GOD created us in the first place.
So the LORD gave us form and breath (a corruptible body and an eternal spirit). HE gave us a mind so as to reason and make choices. As Adam and Eve showed, we make good and bad choices -- even when we know ahead of time what the consequences will be.
So GOD Almighty must have known that something good at last would come out of creation, so why not let it be despite the faults? HE would make sure there was a way to maintain some sort of balance.
I mean, parents hope that they're kids will turn out 'perfect,' but reality says that's never guaranteed -- what we call 'bad' people are born everyday all over this green earth. Despite having less-than perfect kids, do you think parents wish they had never had these children? So, as parents, knowing full well that it's possible that your child will disappoint you, you have these kiddies anyway and hope for the best. That's in no way meant to be completely analogous to GOD and creation, but you get what I am saying.
So even though a good number of us love conceiving and carrying out wicked things when we have the choice to shun evil, GOD gave us a second chance. And, yes, we're still doing the same wicked things to ourselves, each other, the animals and the earth as we did in Noah's time...
But as the Holy Bible also says, no more water...fire next time.
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Notes On Genesis #2 - 'Sin Lies At The Door' | Cain Kills Abel
Posted by Name: Theist Labels: Cain and Abel, Genesis, SinWe all know a little bit about the story of Cain and his brother Abel -- Adam and Eve's first documented kids (I say documented, because the Holy Bible only indicates that they had 3 children...which is kind of ridiculous for people living almost 1,000 years..that's not being too fruitful :)
Even if you've never read the story, I'm sure you've heard the phrase 'Am I my brother's keeper?' That's what Cain said to GOD when HE asked about his slain brother.
But how did all of this come about? -- Cain and Abel presented gifts to the LORD. Cain some fruits since he was a tiller of the ground, and Abel the firstborn of his flock (and their fat, the Holy Bible says) since he was a shepherd.
Gen. 4: 6...And the LORD respected Abel and his offering/ 5.but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell./ 6.So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?/ 7.If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
This is a difficult passage for me because I can only guess why GOD respected Abel's offering and not Cain's. I suppose it's because Abel gave the firstborn of his flock... not just any old sheep in the fold. The Holy Bible says Cain brought "fruit of the ground" to the LORD. Perhaps Cain didn't put enough effort into his gift? Perhaps he just brought any old kinda fruit -- not the best, choice of his crop. Who knows? UPDATE (03/18/2008): I found a cross reference in 1 John). Bottom line, Cain got upset that Abel out-shined him. So what does he do?
Oh, he murders him. Problem solved! ...Only now you're a murderer and will have to answer to GOD.
And apparently GOD knew he was bound to do something stupid because of how angry he had let himself get..w/ his brother. Why get angry with Abel? Shouldn't Cain have gotten angry with GOD and brought his case to HIM?
But what stands out to me in this story is the phrase "sin lies at the door...it's desire is for you, but you should rule over it..."
Cain let his emotions get the best of him, and instead of controlling his emotions, he killed his brother in anger...out of jealousy.
I guess the message is to keep our emotions in check. I know I've let anger lead me to do and say some very stupid things that I wish I could take back. And in that moment of anger or jealousy, or what have you, you can do two things -- 1.give in to your emotions and let them lead you; or 2.conquer your emotions and act rationally.
When you're in those heated moments "sin lies at the door...and it's desire is for you.." But remember, "you should rule over it."
You don't want to be that guy or woman who makes a public fool of him/herself because he/she let anger dictate his/her actions.
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