The OT, unsafe, reveals both God's justice and humanity's brokenness. The NT reveals that God's final answer to sin was the cross, where justice and mercy met together!
it is God's judgment on thia Wicked cursed world and it shows the unbelieving People that they need a Saviour and that everything they worked for and all the STUFF they gathered in their lives and held in high esteem over God is fruitless and can be gone in an instance and who then do they rely on ----their life's gathering is just dust -----and they sit crying as their life vanishes before them ------
Truth, Mendalla, must produce love. Love must reflect truth.I've always liked the process approach myself. God's power isn't to change the world unilaterally, but to change the hearts of people to get them to change the world. God does this through lures, things that inspire us to do better and be better. So God's approach to disease isn't to miraculously make it all go away, it's to inspire compassionate, caring health professionals to care for those suffering and scientists to try to mitigate or eliminate disease through things like cures and vaccines. Why this limit on God's power? God wants free, loving people living in relationship with God and the universe, not robots controlled by God's every whim. God wants us to choose to be better, to choose to make a better world, not just shove it down our throats. Christ is a lure, but not the only one. In the end, anything that brings us closer to a caring, compassionate effort to make a better world pleases God, not believing the right thing or following the right religion.
And that's enough heresy for this thread today, I guess.
Christianity's claim, chansen, is that God's present even in the places where reason fails.
WHy do you see this as a contradiction? MAybe both are true.
And we're back to, "You can't possibly understand." The final refuge of scammers.
I don't see what Jaebius said as a contradiction -----I see it as him being confused as being confused as to first the scriptures he uses to prove that the Spirit opens the heart which he quotes wrong ----- for starters -----
this is the Scripture New International Version One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. |
Natural disasters, unsafe, remind us how much creation's groaning for redemption (Romans 8:22-23) and how desperately we need Christ's return to make all things new.
Find this beautiful, unsafe.Here is one for you all -----
Do Non Believers call out to God in a crisis or when Disaster strikes -----
According to this definitely some do ------Surprise you ??????
Non-believers turn to prayer in a crisis, poll finds
Family and friends top the list of reasons to call on God, rather than global issues such as poverty or disasterswww.theguardian.com
This article is more than 8 years old
Non-believers turn to prayer in a crisis, poll finds
For many non-believers, it is an instinctive response to a crisis: “Please, God.” So perhaps it should not be surprising that a new survey has found that one in five adults pray despite saying they are not religious.
Among the non-religious, personal crisis or tragedy is the most common reason for praying, with one in four saying they pray to gain comfort or feel less lonely.
OR..
As for why God permits suffering at all, unsafe, I don't have a complete answer.But here is the thing -----I believe God hears the cries of the Unrighteous ---but answering their cry needs to be studied -----
This Folks is not taught in mainstream Churches -----this is one of those forbidden and Harsh Teaching that is buried and never talked about ----as it is mostly preached that God hears and answers all peoples Prayers -----believers and unbelievers --Well there is a little more to it than that --
What does the Scripture say about God answering the unbelievers prayers -----
People in the Pews need to be fed God's Truth not Human Truth------
Prayers of the Unrighteous
Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of the prayers of the unrighteous is a significant theme in the Bible, reflecting the relationship between human sinfulness and divine response.
The Scriptures provide insight into how God perceives and responds to the prayers of those who are not in right standing with Him.
Biblical Perspective
The Bible often contrasts the prayers of the righteous with those of the unrighteous.
In Proverbs 15:29, it is stated, "The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous."
This verse highlights the distance between God and the wicked, suggesting that their prayers may not reach Him in the same way as those of the righteous.
Similarly, Isaiah 59:2 emphasizes the barrier that sin creates between God and humanity:
"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear."
This passage underscores the idea that unrepentant sin can hinder communication with God.
Conditions for Answered Prayer
The Bible outlines certain conditions under which prayers are more likely to be heard and answered by God.
One key condition is repentance. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God promises, "If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land."
This verse indicates that a humble and repentant heart is crucial for effective prayer.
Additionally, James 5:16 states, "The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail."
This suggests that righteousness, characterized by a life aligned with God's will, enhances the efficacy of prayer.
Examples of Unrighteous Prayers
The Bible provides examples of prayers offered by those considered unrighteous.
In Luke 18:10-14, Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
The Pharisee's prayer is self-righteous and prideful, while the tax collector's prayer is humble and penitent.
Jesus commends the tax collector, illustrating that God values humility and repentance over self-righteousness.
Another example is found in the account of Cain in Genesis 4.
After murdering his brother Abel, Cain laments his punishment rather than expressing genuine remorse.
His interaction with God reflects a lack of true repentance, and his "prayer" is not met with favor.
God's Sovereignty and Mercy
Despite the general principle that sin hinders prayer, the Bible also reveals God's sovereignty and mercy.
In Jonah 3, the people of Nineveh, known for their wickedness, repent at Jonah's preaching.
Their prayers and fasting reach God, who relents from sending disaster.
This account demonstrates that God is willing to hear and respond to the prayers of the unrighteous when they turn from their sins and seek Him earnestly.
Conclusion
The prayers of the unrighteous, as depicted in the Bible, serve as a reminder of the importance of a contrite heart and a life aligned with God's will.
While sin can create a barrier to effective prayer,
God's mercy and willingness to forgive offer hope to those who seek Him with sincerity and repentance.
I say ------Good Sermon that all Ministers should be Preaching often to their Church ----
The Holy Spirit opens our eyes, unsafe, to see Christ as He's revealed in Scripture.
Not surpised you think that GordW -----that is the way secular people would think -----
The real question, unsafe, is who's worthy of our worship.
JaeBius -----I think your using this word humble sometimes in the wrong light --
If morality's determined only by power, jim, then we're left describing what is.
If believers can't interpret Scripture at all, unsafe, then why did the apostles write letters expecting ordinary Christians to read. Grasp! OBEY!
