Okay,….the title to this one is not really what this is about…well…it is a little bit,….but the meaning is just a tad deeper than what it suggests,…Ok,…What I’m trying to say is this,…the title is lame,…There you go, I said it…
This is about a question that I have had for quite sometime now,…which is this,…
“WHY DID GOD LET SATAN EXIST??? WHY DIDN’T HE JUST KILL HIM???”
there it is,……that’s my question…….
You see,…Iv’e never heard anyone ask this question before. The closest thing that even gets close to it, is when I hear the term “NECESSARY EVIL.”
BEFORE I EVEN GET STARTED I WANT TO SAY THIS,…..SINCE I ASKED THIS QUESTION,….I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ANY AND ALL COMMENTS, THOUGHTS, OR ANSWERS, AS TO WHY YOU THINK THAT SATAN STILL EXISTS,…THEY DO NOT HAVE TO AGREE WITH MY VIEWS AT ALL, OK???…..I am not looking for people who will say, “yes this”,…or,…”yes that.” What I hope to hear, and what I would like to hear, and what I need to hear, are others thoughts on this,………due to the fact that it is a question concerning the Bible, which is a book for humans about God, written for us all…for me, and for you (those of you who are believers) to share your opinions,…Please try to throw in some accompanying scriptures so that we all can dig a little deeper,..thus allowing us to somewhat,…stay on point, though. Ok???? I’ll try to do the same in reflecting my views as well………………..
I will also tell you now, that I have drawn a “loose conclusion” on why I think that satan still exists,…and,…it is “not based on the Necessary Evil” point of view…as that point of view seems to be a little too easy,…or convenient,…like a cop out, or a dismissal, actually,…and I find those to be dry and boring…jus sayin’…
I like thoughts that make my wheels turn,…and really get me thinkin,…ya know?
Also,..I have found that when I look a “little deeper” at what may, at first, have appeared to be somewhat unimportant, that is when I see these things,…”in a whole new light”,….then, everything else in the Bible changes in the sense of becoming more clear as well……Anyway,…again, I hope that you read along and share with me (and others) what you think…Thanks much!
It has been said, based upon different surveys, that most of us believe in God in some way shape or form,….83% or something like that,….it’s just a human thing,….and this is based on whether we have been taught or learned anything about God at all. There is just that ” hopeful something” inside of us that “feels” that God exists. I find this to be fascinating. I love it.
Now,…it seems that we, as humans, tend to think of a happy God, a loving God, a creative God,…or,…a good God,…for the most part…A God of hope…A kind God,…one of light, and energy,…of spirit…etc, etc,…a God that we can pray to,..and talk to…a God of heaven,…where the angels fly, and sing, and play music,…..and watch over us,…and protect us,…(protect us from what? or who? hhmmmm)…the happy place that we go to when we die…a place of good rewards for our lives lived as good people….a place where we see grandma,…and our other loved ones…and these thoughts are just fine,…and great actually…what about the other side of the coin?…
So,…Why is it then, that many (most) of us “do not” like the idea of believing in satan,…at all,…is it because he just kind of casts a pall on things,…as he is a downer,…the god of hell…where the demons fly and torture and torment, and the fires burn us constantly…the bad place that we go to when we die…If we are bad…A place where we are eternally punished for being bad people. A place where we “don’t” want to see grandma and out other family members…wow,…that kinda takes all the fun out our happy happy joy joy belief…doesn’t it???…
Of the two contrasting illustrations above,….I think I prefer the first one,……..
But, if a coin has two sides????,…So, why didn’t (or, doesn’t???) God just kill satan????
more on this one later………gonna do a tad bit of research……….toksoon……….
Okay, this is now the day after thanksgiving. I write this from nashville, tennessee….and this is the beginning of an inclusion, and belated follow up to this question which I originally posed some time back,…..I am not going to write much now. But,…try this one on for size,….
So,…God created satan, correct? My thinking at this point is based on a slightly different view than many of us have,….which is,….was satan also God’s “son???” although he (satan) chose to be the “bad son???????”,……Does God destroy what He creates??? (if so, example please) Although God can do anything, can he “undo” anything which is a part of Himself,…or, “can” He destroy what He creates????…Does this (spiritual energy) destruction go against His very nature itself?????…(God is SPIRIT),…I don’t mean destroying the earth, I mean destroying the energy or the “spirit” which is a part of Himself???????,….(have you ever read about a demon being destroyed???????)…And finally,…(for now anyway),…does God, as a “creator”, as “thee creator”,…as a (loving) “father”, or otherwise,…I ask, does God,…still love satan???????????
I very much believe that the answer to my question may very well be,…”YES”,…….(I think that we are, or may be, seeing another, although “unpopular” example of how “very completely and totally loving” that the God of everything, really is)……ponder this,…………toksoon,……john e doe
johnedoe.wordpress.com/ 
Good question. I have pondered this situation for many years. This is a very extensive subject I have done a lot of writing on, and the answers I have discovered are not at all in line with most normal ‘religious’ Christian thought and belief. It is not possible (in a simple “Reply”) to cover all the territory involved in answering your question, but just as a way of initiating a conversation (which may become ‘hairy’, and I won’t endlessly argue about concepts), I will say that it DOES involve “necessary evil”. God’s main object is to build Godly Character into us with our cooperation; but just as we can not correctly define Light unless we have Darkness to compare it with, we can not correctly define and apply Righteousness without sin to compare it with.
Does this mean God created sin? No, but he did create nature, and nature (the mental/physical realm) does not operate within the realm of spiritual character. Nature operates in the realm, and by the principles of, Carnality. Our task, as humans, is to use God’s spiritual principles to overcome the impulses and forces of sinful, emotion-driven carnality.
No “religion” on earth today has all the Truth [not even Christian “religion”… controversial, I know, but you have to know that Christian “religion” is much different from true Christianity), but most every religion has at least some fragment of Truth (thus, the “hairy” part – which includes some of the elements of ‘evolution’, ‘reincarnation’, ‘generational curses’, and many other things formal Christianity may or may not approve of or incorporate]… Just being honest with you… I believe the Holy Spirit is TRYING to impart God’s Truth to all people (all religions, cultures, ethnicities, etc.), but because of our carnality, self-centeredness, and other things that separate us from Him and each other, He is only able to get us to understand small amounts of actual Truth (which over time usually gets diluted and trivialized).
If you would like, we can continue this conversation on any subject you prefer; but I prefer a narrow perspective at any particular time. It is not possible to cover everything at one time.
HEY WOODY,…..great to hear from you again! i have quickly extended and lightly edited this writing and I am now going to post the “copied” end section from my writing now,…..here ya go,….I have more thoughts on what i am “pasting” here now, but my time is lilmited, as well as “has been limited” lately,……give it a read,…..here it is,………………..
Okay, this is now the day after thanksgiving. I write this from nashville, tennessee….and this is the beginning of an inclusion, and belated follow up to this question which I originally posed some time back,…..I am not going to write much now. but,…try this one on for size,….
so,…God created satan, correct? my thinking at this point is based on a slightly different view than many of us have,….which is,….was satan also God’s “son???” although he (satan) chose to be the “bad son???????”,……Does God destroy what He creates??? (if so, example please) Although God can do anything, can he “undo” anything which is a part of Himself,…or, “can” He destroy what He creates????…does this (spiritual energy) destruction go against His very nature itself?????…(God is SPIRIT),…I don’t mean destroying the earth, I mean destroying the energy or the “spirit” which is a part of Himself???????,….(have you ever read about a demon being destroyed???????)…And finally,….for now anyway,….does God, as a “creator”,as “thee creator”,…as a (loving) “father”, or otherwise,…..I ask, does God,…still love satan???????????
I very much believe that the answer to my question may very well be,…”YES”,…….(I think that we are, or may be, seeing another, although “unpopular” example of how “very completely and totally loving” that the God of everything, really is)……ponder this,…………toksoon,……john e doe
Hi Johnny. I do think God can and will destroy some of the things he created (or created through a process He set in motion: the human-creation process, etc.). I believe the Bible makes clear that God Loves man and would rather DESTROY souls than sentence them to an eternity is the ‘Lake of Fire’. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that people will suffer an eternity of torture. The “Devil” will, but the people unworthy of LIFE will simply be destroyed.
As for the thing about “son-ship”. God has only one “begotten” son, that was (is) Jesus. Jesus was begotten in the Spirit realm. Lucifer was initially created [and then ‘evolved’ (developed)] in the mental/physical realm. Lucifer (Satan) is not a spiritual being, he is a mental being – and that is the only place he has influence.
To open up another “can of worms”; Lucifer and Eve were both made to operate in the same realm (mental). Eve was created to replace Lucifer as God’s direct righteous link to mankind through Adam who was initially created (and still operates) in the Spirit realm. They all became aspects of humanity when they moved out of the “Garden of Eden” (came into the realm where humans now live). The creation of Eve upset Lucifer, and through his unwillingness to yield to God’s plan he became Satan: the great deceiver. This is only part of something I have been working on, piece by piece, for many years, and one of these days I will have it completed on paper.
I LLLLLLLLOOOVVVVVVVVEE COMMENTS LIKE THIS ONE!!!!!,………why do you think it is that people don’t think about the fact (biblicaly) that adam lived in the “normal” world before god created the garden of eden and “placed” adam in it????? god “haad looked” for a helper (woman????) to be good for him, but, did not, could not find one??????? (you like that part there, huh??????,……so,……ttttttthhhhhhennnnnn,….god created eve to be a mate (helper) to be good for him.adam was “lonely” in the garden,…correct?????,…..
he “missed” something??????? i usually miss something or someone because i had known them. does that make sense???? so, based on that,….why was adam lonely?????,………heh heh heh????
i write all of this with a lighthearted fun loving way. i “do not mean” mean fun!!!! i mean, thoughtful fun! there are so many basic pieces in genesis alone to help build the borders of the puzzle (mystery) fo the simple (yet in depth) loving, hopeful. joyous message of the bible,……….but,…too many times, these little “first things” get overlooked and “undervalued”…..
and woody,…you know that i love your writings,…and i also know that i have been away for quite a while,…now, i will be back on blogworld for a while,…more frequently,………..i like the fact that you give a very intense, complete, thorough, and legimate shot at answering my “ponderments” here. i say that because so many believers won’t “get their feet wet” in these waters. that is fine with me. i do not mean to appear to be knockin someone down. the questions that i ask, are questions which i myself have pondered for years, with many of these questions being answered as i searched,…………MANY OTHER HUMANS HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS WHICH I ASK,…..SO,….IF YOU AND I COMMUNICATE AS WE DO, AS TWO HUMANS WHO HAVE NEVER MET, BUT, AS WE RESPECT ONE ANOTHER AS WE DO,…PERHAPS PTHERS MAY FIND SOMETHING IN WHAT WE “SHARE” WITH ONE ANOTHER. i really kinda dig that!!! so, i just throw what’s on my mind right out in the open!!!! this is blogland in the real world,…………….good stuff right there, buddy!!!! ain’t life great,..when you look at it just “right?????”,…..
toksoon, woody,………thanks, man!
good mornin woody,……one other thought before i start my day. spending today with my mother. regaining much lost time. i honestly say that i almost never thought this day would come. spent yesterday with her too. funny how life works,…….anyway,…the word “begotten????” is the definition of this word rock solid??? does begotten, perhaps, mean,…..born of man??????? in other words, god’s son,…born of man,………….i’d like to hear your thoughts,…….toksoon,………….
Good question Johnny. “Begotten” is an earthly word associated with sex. Of course, we can also think of begotten as being a spiritual and/or mental realm word, such as when someone plants the seed of an idea in someone ease’s spirit or mind. When they accept that idea and begin to incorporate it into the way they live their life, it ‘could’ be inferred that that idea was “begotten” by the one who planted it. God’s Spirit (The Word) planted His Spirit into the life giving womb of Mary. It took on physical form through the words all the Prophets who prophesied about the Messiah’s coming and His life (which Mary believed with all her heart). The Spirit of Jesus took on fleshly form through that Spirit and Word, and was born into the world. But that’s not the end of the story. Since Jesus was fully man, he could have been corrupted in the early years of his earthly visit had it not been for Joseph and Mary’s dedication to raising him in accordance with God’s written word.
That is a very quick answer, but maybe it will add a little information you can work with or use to ask another question. God bless.
i dig your responses,……remember, my basis for what i brought up earlier was about how deep god’s love and forgiveness runs,……..thus,….letting satan live because of his love for him,….i say this as a light reflection of his love for us as the sinners which we are,…..freewill frees us,…but, it frees us to make choices,….it is our choices which affect us,….in a “god” or “bad” way,………….satan’s whispers and influences “taint and confuse” our decisions,………jesus forgiveness is all encompasing,……..thus, because of jesus’ blood payment,….we,…..are,…..free……………………i mean every human of every religion, color, creed, etc….etc,……..etc,…………some of us may not know jesus name,…..but he knows all of us,………FOR GOD SO LOVED “THE WORLD” (THE WORLD????????? EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL FROM HITLER, TO GHANDI, TO GEORGE BUSH, TO CHILD MOLESTORS, TO PEOPLE WHO RUN HOMELESS SHELTERS, TO RAPISTS, TO CHARLIE SHEEN, TO MICHAEL JACKSON, TO JEFFERY DAHMER, TO,…….ME,……TO YOU,………EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US!!!!!! YES??????
WHETHER WE AGREE WITH WHAT THEY (ANY AND ALL OTHERS) BELIEVE OR NOT!!!!!!!!!
2000 YEARS AGO, FROM THE TIME OF THE DEATH ON THE CROSS AND THE RESURRECTION,…………..EVERYONE, EVERY ONE, ALL HUMANS HAVE BEEN FREED,….AND STILL ARE FREE!!!!!!,…..
WE ARE TOLD THAT “MANY WILL BE LOST FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE”,…CORRECT?????? WHAT KNOWLEDGE?????? THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE WERE ALL COMPLETELY FREED 2000 YEARS AGO,………TOTAL FREEDOM, TOTAL (GODLY) FORGIVENESS,…EQUALS,….PURE UNDENIABLE GODLY LOVE,……………………..) the death on the cross (BLOOD PAYMENT) paid everyones debt,….forever and ever, amen!!!!!!!,………did god love satan????? yes,……does God’s love die???? no. so, God still loves satan,…….yes or no???????,……..
when we can see how powerful and deep God’s love goes,…we, our “self” can and wiill “then” find a more powerful and deeper freedom as well,…………….
OK,…..MORE LATER,……keep venting,…….oh,…i asked in an earlier post,…….have you ever read of a demon dying or being killed????????
toksoon,….thanks again,….keep sharing,…….i have a reason for all that i am asking,…..your comments help very much,…..
True God is love– but He is a Holy God and that means that He is just in His dealings. Just like Adam and Eve, people have a free will to choose whether they will follow God in their lives or choose to live in their sin. Jesus said–“I am the way the truth and the life. No man comes unto the Father but by me.” John 14:6 It is only through the belief in what Jesus did on the cross that we can be assured of a heavenly home.In Romans 6:23 the Bible plainly states what the payment for unconfessed sin is–death(separation from God for all eternity) but the rest of the verse conveys God’ love –“but the gift of God is eternal life.” and so “But God commendeth hIs love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” Romans’ 5:8 But that does not mean that everyone will be saved from there sins and receive eternal life–John 1:12 tells us plainly “As many as receive Him——to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” While i too would like to believe that all people will go to heaven the Bible does bear this out in it’s teachings. That is why it is so important that we are proactive in our approach to sharing the gospel with those around us so that they too might understand and have an opportunity to accept Christ into their hearts and lives. God Bless
oh and about demons dying —in the New Testament we see Jesus casting out demons but never destroying them. Think of the demon possessed man that lived amongst the tombs —when Jesus asked who they were they said Legion and begged Him to cast them out into the swine rather into some “outer space.” Someday all of those demons will be cast into hell, which was prepared for them, and there they will be kept forever and ever. Their time to move about freely in this dimension is limited and God will end if forever when the time comes that He has chosen. Why doesn’t He just out and out destroy them? I don’t know. My finite mind can not always understand the workings of a infinite God. God Bless
An interesting premise. I think I agree that once God creates a living being He never destroys them. Satan was God’s favorite angel at one time so there is no doubt He loved Lucifer as he was called then. But God is a God of Justice and righteousness. When sin entered the picture then God had no choice but to condemn Satan for that sin and cast him out of heaven. I don’t believe that Satan was ever God’s son. The Hebrew name for God used in Genesis is Elohim. Meaning three in one which would be The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I also think that there are a lot of things that we with our finite mind just cannot understand. Still it is a fascinating subject. God Bless Also thanx for stopping by my blog:)
It’s called choice. God wants you to love Him. If you only love Him because there is no other choice, then what kind of love would that be? That’s the short answer.
hi there jane,…how are you?,…..if we only love him because there is no other choice???? please share more when you have time,…..thank you
God could have killed Satan. He could have. When Satan and his demons rebelled in Heaven, after Eve ate the apple – at pretty much any point he wanted to, but He didn’t want us to be victims of the Stockholm Syndrome. He didn’t want us to be drones, following Him because there wasn’t any other choice. Satan made a choice and because God is about life and about choice, He allowed Satan to exist. Satan is our proof that God has given us the liberty to love him or leave him. Like Satan, we make our choice. In this world, Christians have to live with the consequences of the choices of everybody else, but a day is coming when that will no longer be so. Then God will bind Satan – but even then, He will not kill him, because that’s not what God’s about.
JANE, THANKS FOR THE RESPONSE,…..stop by any time you wish and share more,…….now i have to google the “stockholm syndrome.”……have a good day
Thanks, Johnny, for the encouragement to speak freely. It can be fun to play around with ideas once in a while, but I prefer to not venture very far from what is actually said in Scripture, or the meaning of the metaphors used.
First, you made a basic false assumption. The Bible does not say that Adam was “lonely”, it says (Gen.2:18) he was “alone.” Being alone, does not mean one is lonely and, as you implied, “miss something or someone” they had known before. I am quite often along, but very seldom am I lonely. In this text God is simply saying that Adam was alone (in his particular position in the spirit realm) and didn’t have anyone (in the mental realm) that could help him complete the task God had assigned to him {keeping the “Garden” [we might call it the “spiritual control room” (‘heaven’) of lower Creation] – which exists in the spirit realm and has a “shadow” (a lower dimensional likeness) in the physical realm}.
Lucifer, whom God spoke so highly of (later known as “Satan” and “serpent”), was in (and ruled) the mental realm that was associated with the pre-Adamic physical realm (Isa.14:12-20; Ezek.28:12-19). Lucifer was superbly designed to rule in the mental/physical realm until God was ready to introduce humans into his Creation; then he was to take a subservient role to Adam and Eve. Eve was created to be Adam’s “help meet” that Righteously connected him to the lower dimensions of Creation. Lucifer, in his assigned duties, in his role as director of the physical realm at that time, was (and still is) ruled by carnality, and God needed an entity to replace him and be Adam’s Righteousness-based connection to the world, so he created Eve. Lucifer didn’t like being “upstaged” so he rebelled and tried to take control of the situation (that was in his very nature). Adam’s responsibility (and accountability) was to maintain his position of leadership, but, having not yet developed Godly Character, he succumbed to the temptations. Etc., etc., etc. This is a long story, but I think you get the idea that he was not “lonely”.
Yes, life is great. I love to explore ideas. I, also, hope others, like churchbus71, are listening and will join the conversation.
That’s enough for now. I’ll catch you on the turn-around.
Yes it is an interesting premise that you present. I’ve never heard of it before though I know there are many different thoughts about the pre-Adamic world. Such as the Gap Theory–etc. The problem I see with that is that there is no way to Biblically prove it. In Ez. it does state that satan was in the Garden but we know he was there but for what purpose? I’m not sure scripture clearly defines this.
As for Adam–if God had not created Eve than His command to be “fruitful and multiply” wouldn’t have worked very well. There are many questions about Adam and Eve and the serpent in the Garden that I think are unanswered. My husband has been teaching Genesis in his Men’s Bible study for several months now and has discovered some interesting things that I’d never thought of before. Got me to thinking—How do you think Eve got Adam to eat the forbidden fruit? Did she disgiuse it in a fruit salad:) just joking— but it is fascinating to try to put one’s self there to better understand what may have taken place. GodBless–
HI CHURCH BUS,…PONDER THIS,….GOD’S SPIRIT (VOICE) WHISPERS TO OUR CONSCIENCE,…SATANS SPIRIT (VOICE??????????????????) WHISPERS TO OUR (SINFUL) FLESH (IN OUR MINDS, NOT OUR CONSCIENCE),………….as for eve getting adam to eat the forbidden fruit??????
think as a human using some thoughts that you “may” have had yourself in your own life, and your answers will be found there,……for example,……..adam may have feared “loss” if he didn’t please eve????????????? (if momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!!!! you ever heard that one??????) now, as for adam’s “loss?????”,…..
were adam and “woman” (she had no name till they were thrown from the garden (ponder why she “needed” a name when they left the garden??????) having sexual relations????? i believe we are told that they were,……….
sexual desires and losses and or lack of sex can be a strong (and usually not good) motivator,……..ya think????? (i know that they effect me)
or,…..he could have been afraid if he didn’t please her he would be lonely (again, loneliness can motivate people to make very bad and stupid choices),………
i could go on about this for a long time,…..but not now,…………………….i ask you, or anyone else, this question,…..”when satan was tempting eve, why didn’t adam tell satan to “shut the hell up???” (adam had dominion over all things in the garden, correct???)
i believe that satan was not there physically or visibly!!!” (he didn’t become a snake or srepent or “whatever” until AFTER GOD CURSED HIM QUITE A WHILE “AFTER” THEY HAD EATEN THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!),……….no “snake” ever tempted eve (woman),……..so much more,…..i’ll write more later,…….thanks so much,……toksoon,………..
I was joking about the fruit salad–I know that the relations between men and women get complicated now that sin has entered the picture. i think the account in Genesis leaves a lot of questions but answers the basic one–why we are born with a sin nature separated from God. Whatever took place between Adam and Eve with regards to the forbidden fruit none the less they chose to disobey God and suffered greatly for it as we all have. But thanks be to God who made a way for our redemption and way that we to can “walk in the garden” so to speak and have communion with Him. God Bless
cb71: I do have a response, probably not acceptable either since it is not directly provable through Scripture, but I can’t give it now. I’ll try to find time tomorrow.
KEEP VENTING,…..VENTING IS GOOD FOR US,………..more later,…………
This whole conversation has gotten so jumbled up with different aspects, I’m going to have to wait a while and let the dust settle. I’m more of a straight-line thinker ?most of the time? I’ll pick up later when I can see a particular string. Thank you both for the conversation.
[…] November 22, 2012 at 3:43 p11 (Edit) […]
HI EVERYONE!!!!!! you know,….I no longer apologize for anything that I write, as there is no need to. We believe “how” we believe, as well as “what” we believe,….the words that we write won’t change anyone. the changes in us come from inside of us. i read what people write, and “if and when” I find “inspiration”,….I pursue what I have found,….and, sometimes I have no need to pursue it. I just let it be what it is,……….
what began this “ponderment” which I threw out here was the extent of god’s love,….”For God so loved the world”,……….the “world???”,…every single individual,…….no matter what,……..
We love God because why???? He “first loved” (still loves) us,…………..in Him there is no shadow of turning,……No changing of God. He is still the same, as is His love,…….He is “not” monty hall,…and this (salvation, acceptance, being saved, etc) is NOT, LET’S MAKE A DEAL!!!!!
I believe it is in hebrews 13;8,…..Jesus is the same today, as yesterday, as forever,…………..(no change),………….correct???????????????
God’s complete and total love and acceptance is for every individual,…..His blood has been applied to the doorway of every “home”, (EVERY HUMAN)…even to the houses of people who DO NOT KNOW IT!!!
IS IT THE “GOOD NEWS???????”,…..or the, “Oh gee, it “might” be good news,…if you “measure up, that is”,……?????????,…….the Good News is that 2000 years ago, the final blood payment freed us all!,…OR DOES ANYONE FEEL AND BELIEVE THAT THIS ISN’T TRUE???………..if this is not true and factual scripturaly,…….then it WOULD NOT BE the good news,…WOULD IT???……………………………………..
I hope the dust is settling and things are unjumbling,……but, even then, what we believe and how we believe is up to us,……..gotta run, started a new job this mornin,…..love yall,….toksoon,…..john e doe
MY EARLY MORNING THOUGHTS,……OK, this morning, my question to myself is this,..”What do I want and need?”,….hhhhmmmmmmmmm???? wants have a way of getting us all into serious trouble. We neglect our needs many times, to achieve our wants. Or, is it just me? In oklahoma we have a saying, “Want in one hand, and **** in the other and see which gets full the fastest.” Not exactly the most intellectual saying in the world,…but the truth is there. So? what do I need?
It is so easy to become a “christian” because of a fear of “going to hell.” This type of “conversion” (if we dare to call this a true conversion) is absolutely not love based. It is “fear” based. Correct? The Bible tells us, (who have read it), that “PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT ALL FEAR”……..
It is “because of God’s grace that heaven is our future,…………..hhhhmmmmmm…….as I said, these are my early thoughts,……..
PERFECT LOVE????? Perfect love comes from God only. What He did and has done, and is still doing for us all…….which is, ACCEPTING US ALL. Godly acceptance is NOT BASED ON PERSONAL MERIT, GOODNESS, OR ACHIEVEMENT OF ANY KIND. Period. There are thousands of scriptures which reinforce what I have just written. WHAT DO I NEED? PERFECT LOVE. WHAT DO I WANT? PERFECT LOVE. In this godly, complete perfect love, IS WHERE WE FIND FREEDOM. if we DO NOT SEE that we are all free, WE CONTINUOUSLY TRY TO “EARN WHAT IS A GIFT.” this is juust our human nature, and our “natural thoughts” telling us that we have to DO SOMETHING “RIGHT” (righteous) AND SOMETHING “GOOD ENOUGH” for God to love us and accept us so that we may (“if we’re lucky”) earn our way to heaven,………..this earning, or buying, or “Trading our works for God’s grace” is unnecessary,…………..
A few more to pursue later (THESE ARE JUST LITTLE NOTES SO THAT I DON’T FORGET, AS I HAVE TO LEAVE FOR WORK IN A MOMENT) did the isrealites in egypt have to “do anything” for God to have applied the blood to the doorways of their homes while they “slept” to ensure that the plagues passed them by?????????????,……..They were asleep. Many of them had no idea that there was blood applied to their “doorways.” (so HOW COULD THEY HAVE KNOWN OR DONE ANYTHING?) Is anyone “seeing” this????? GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY AND LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE APPLIED THE BLOOD,…….Does anyone agree????
Now let’s go to the cross…………….AGAIN, GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY AND LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE APPLIED THE BLOOD TO US ALL,………not just christians,…BUT EVERYONE!!!!!
IF WE WANT FREEDOM, TRUE GODLY FREEDOM, AND WE SEE THAT WE “NEED” FREEDOM,…..THEN WE “MUST” SEE THAT THE WORK DONE BY JESUS (THROUGH GOD) ON THE CROSS, FULLFILLED ANY AND ALL REQUIREMENTS FOR US TO HAVE SALVATION,…….SALVATION???? TRUE FREEDOM. this is what I “need.” this is what I “want.”,…..this is what I have,………..what I have is what I can give to, or share with others……….
work calls now,……….gotta run,………..any thoughts??? please back your thoughts with accompanying scriptures pertaining to WHAT JESUS HAS DONE, PLEASE,……THANKS MUCH,…..HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!!!!
[…] says: December 5, 2012 at 3:43 p12 […]
Everything God does is for the benefit of his FAMILY. God’s intent is to develop a family of people who are like Jesus. In the end, who will be in his family? Those who LOVE God and FOLLOW his precepts and direction (Rom.8:28). God is no slacker when it comes to fulfilling his promises, whether it is to our personal benefit or detriment.
HEY WOODY,….HOW ARE YOU DOING????,…as i write tonight (for a while longer) i think about my faith,…….for me to “follow” precepts etc, i have to know them,….to know them, i have to have learned them,….this is the same with everyone,……would you agree, woody???,………some individuals out in the world are christians, but, they haven’t learned many, if any, scriptures,….as simple believers,…they are absolutely, through basic faith, part of god’s (jesus’) family,…….faith is what saves,…..correct??? it is not a certain, or specific amount of “faith”,…do you agree, woody??? (or any one else, for that matter???),….
jesus said that he will write his laws upon our hearts, correct??? he said this “before” he died on the cross and was ressurected,……so,…..in and with his living spirit, he has written his laws upon our hearts, as believers (and perhaps all hearts as well),…we are told that IN THE FINAL DAYS, GOD WILL POUR OUT HIS SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH,…….is this correct???
are “these” days, the final days??? did the final days begin when jesus died? is this “pouring” synonymous with the “age of grace?” is one the same as the other? as a child, i believed in god. a very, very, very young child,….i had heard jesus’ name, an di believed in him as well,….simply,….innocently??????? as a tiny child, i was born as a human, thus, as a “sinner”,…it is and was all of our birth nature as humans. we are imperfect. we are fallible. correct? imperfect beings. but, through jesus, because god’s grace and mercy, and love, etc,….we are adopted and or adoptable through simple faith into god’s family? correct? we do nothing to become saved,….WE ALREADY HAVE BEEN SAVED,……BEING “SAVED” IS WHAT JESUS DID FOR US,……..correct,……did i “get” saved in a church? i will say that i responded to the every head bowed every eye closed thing come forward and “be saved” thing,…..but,…I DID “NOT” GET SAVED IN A CHURCH BUILDING THROUGH OR BY ANYTHING THAT “I DID”,……..I BECAME SAVED THROUGH JESUS DYING ON THE CROSS,…….PERIOD.
DOES ANYONE DISAGREE WITH WHAT I JUST WROTE,….IF SO,….PLEASE SHARE,………..
AS A TINY CHILD OF 3 YEARS, JESUS KNOCKED AT THE DOOR OF MY HEART, I OPENED. i ask, is this possible? was i “saved” then??? or,…did i (scripturally) need to “follow the steps of some kind of “other” ritual? ritual? works? some “thing” that i had to do?????
when i simply believed in jesus, as i still do, as that tiny boy, i did not know the scripture about jesus standing at the door of my heart and knocking. did i need to know “the scripture” to be saved? did i need to know any scriptures, to “follow” god (jesus) and “their” (his) precepts??? i have been in god’s family for many, many years now…………jesus loves me, this i knew,………i knew it through my “conscience”,…i knew this as a three year old boy, because god (jesus) had written his laws upon my heart,……..the perfect law of love and liberty,……the perfect love of freedom,…….being saved was a gift, THEE GIFT, from god and jesus to all of us,……………….
or,….do we feel that we “need”,….”truly” need,…..to DO ANYTHING??? the alpha and the omega,…the beginning and the end,….thee author and finisher of our faith,…….our life in god’s family,…………it is finished, jesus said on the cross,…….we were all made free at that moment,…….2000 years ago,…….now, through spiritual adoption,….we have rest,………not oppressive works,….workds which only weaken and tire us,……..jesus did what THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS COULD “NOT” DO,………correct????
more soon,…supper time,……..my mother waits,…….
this evening is a miracle and gift in and of itself,….a gift,….and i am thankful for it,…tonight, god is restoring the wasted years of my life,……as thee imperfect person who i am,………………love you all,….toksoon,…
Hi Johnny, thank you for the testimony, it was good to hear some detail of your past. I don’t know if you are arguing with me or not. It sounds like you may be, but there is no need. I believe almost all of what you have said here. The only difference would be my perception of “doing nothing” to receive God’s salvation through Jesus. We DO have to open the door, that is something we must DO. Another thing we must DO is to remain in Jesus. As we have opened the door, we can also ask Jesus to leave and close the door. I don’t believe anyone who has actually RECEIVED Jesus will ever reject him, but we must say it is possible for someone to do that. Other than that our Salvation is secure. I do not believe that everyone in the world is “Saved” automatically just because Jesus paid the price of their Salvation. There is too much evidence to the contrary, especially in Paul’s writings.
no arguing at all, woody,…..i love ya man,…..i “do not” like arguing (even though i have done it, and i’m good at it,…which is nothing to be remotely proud of!!!!!!!) for it is probably the biggest rift builder and joy and peace stealer in god’s family!!!!!!!!!!!!,……..no argument, or arguing,…at all,……ok??????,………..more in a few
i opend my door many years ago,…..and jesus has been with me the whole time,…he told me that HE WILL “NEVER” LEAVE ME,…………..NEVER,………
JESUS HONORS HIS WORD, CORRECT, JESUS, “IS” HIS WORD, CORRECT??? HE DOES NOT OPPOSE HIMSELF, NOR HIS PROMISE TO US,……….DO YOU AGREE?
he has always been with me, and in me,….he has NEVER left me,…he has NEVER forsaken me,….he has gone with me through my entire life,…..even through the very very dark times of my life,….i have been involved in some terrible things in my life,….jesus was with me always,…….and now,…because of his love and mercy and patince,….he has brought, and/or, “led”, me here now,…….he is here with me now, in spirit,….as i have just finished having dinner and conversation with my mother,…..i have “NEVER” had to “RE-RECEIVE” HIM,….why? because he has never left me,…..through good and bad,…thick and thin,………this is the love of a father,…and the love of a brother,…and the love of a friend,……………..more soon
[…] December 5, 2012 at 3:43 p12 […]
Hey Johndoe,
didnt read all the follow up comments so not sure if this has been stated. But I once heard an illustration from a sermon. The Pastor gave the analogy of going to the Jewelry store to purchase a diamond ring. When you choose one from the glass case, most times what they will do is set out a black piece of material, that soft felt material, but always black. Then they display the diamond on top of this black fabric. The Pastor then when on to explain how God in all His glory is able to shine so much brighter when we come through the fiery trials of the devil. If everything was always perfect, God would just be perfect, no big deal. But now that we see death, pain, crying, sorrow and everything else evil under the sun. When God saves us, when He redeems us, when He delivers us from our bondage, sin and pain; we are overwhelmed with joy, peace and love towards the God of the Universe.
Not very deep, but i like it, hope you do.
You pose some great questions! You might be the modern day “Jack Handy” (vintage SNL reference) of the Christian blogosphere! To answer one of your questions I don’t believe Satan is the son of God in the sense that Jesus is the son of God. John 3:16 describes as God’s “only begotten” son. I know the LDS church teaches that satan is the spirit brother of Jesus, but as an evangelical Chrisitan, this does not line up with my theology.