Describing the Christian God

[Confused]

From another thread the following quote was made:

So long as we insist that God is a scientific matter, then I cannot. In that sense, I agree with you, there will be no direct scientific evidence for God - thus, I do not believe in God as you describe him. I would propose, however, that this is not the whole of the story.

I have heard my daughter make similar claims and find them just as meaningless.

I would ask someone to please describe the Christian God to me and what evidence they have to support their description of Him.

Late edit: as usual, my OP isn't clear enough. I am looking for attributes that you would use to describe God. Not what He wants us to do, not what proves his existence.

[Confused]

Emotions aren't a reliable source. I am not even sure how personal emotions can be used by someone to describe the Christian God. I am not asking for how He makes you feel. I am asking you to describe Him to me and what resources you use to lead you to that description.

Emotion is a big part of theism. Things are right and wrong because they "feel" it is right and wrong. God exists because they "feel" it or have "experienced" it. Really these are all just emotions, but they take it as personal evidence of his existence and his character.

Unfortunately, in doing so, they project alot of these positive emotions onto something outside themselves which really demeans the experience and emotions that they feel.

That may be true, but that is not what I am seeking in this thread.

So, Confused (my friend )

Are you looking for biblical scripture that supports one's description of the christian God? You have said that you don't want to discuss personal experience. Just clear me up on this and I would love to respond
Thank you - K

I do suck at writing OP's don't I? Yes, this is what I am looking for. Though it need not be solely scripture. Just something verifiable.

Nope! Statistics and opinions say you write some of the best ones here!!

My question is this, then :
What are you going to consider 'verifiable' ? Scripture is "iffy' with you at best, and personal experience is always disputable.....so, where does that leave someone like me?

You must've known someone would ruin this perfectly simple question for you!!! It's been a while since it's been me

LOL, missed you girl.

I have already said I will accept scripture to validate your description, should scripture truly represent what you claim as your description.

[Confused]

Not in this thread if you don't mind. It isn't relevant to the OP.

What? what on earth is the OP then?

He said that his description of God is derived on something other than emotions (which includes faith). I said I was willing to hear it but you don't want to hear that in this thread? I thought descriptions and support for those descriptions (excluding emotions and faith) were precisely what you are looking for. I am confused again.

No, he said his BELIEF in God isn't based on emotions, not his description of God. I am not looking for validation of ones belief in Gods existence. Only their description.

[Wellington]

Not specifically biblical. But your description and what you use to validate your description.

You describe God as love. You cite John 4:8.

John 2:17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.[g] 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Now, if we were made in Gods image, then why do we love darkness rather than the light.

John 5:19Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

If the Son is merely doing as He sees His Father, then why are we penalized for acting as we saw our Father acting? God, in a fit of anger threw Adam and Eve out of the Garden and forsake them. Are we wrong for copying our Fathers (Gods) actions? Is it love to forsake your creation in a fit of anger?

Does His actions show the truth of the words? Did He ever love His creation?

whoa there missy, I was just asking if that was what you are looking for. I don't presume to have answers to any of those questions.

Pss.145
[17] The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

^He provided a description and some scripture. Have at it.

[jgh7]

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but I can tell you what God desires based off of the bible.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30)

"The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:31)

God desires us to love Him and to love others. But how can we love God if we do not know Him. God must therefore desire for us to seek after Him in order to know Him. But what guarantee is there that God will make Himself known to us if we seek after Him? We come to this quote:

"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deuteronomy 4:29)

This was addressed to the Israelites and was assuming that they had all but separated themselves from God and become corrupt. It tells them that they will find God if they seek Him with all their heart and soul. In the New Testament, Jesus makes it clear that all are invited to be with God, not just the Jews (If you want to be a stickler I can probably find some scripture for this, but I think it's obvious). This promise that those who seek God with all their heart and soul will find Him therefore applies to everybody.

[InTheFlesh]

Not specifically biblical. But your description and what you use to validate your description.

You describe God as love. You cite John 4:8.

John 2:17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.[g] 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Now, if we were made in Gods image, then why do we love darkness rather than the light.

John 5:19Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

If the Son is merely doing as He sees His Father, then why are we penalized for acting as we saw our Father acting? God, in a fit of anger threw Adam and Eve out of the Garden and forsake them. Are we wrong for copying our Fathers (Gods) actions? Is it love to forsake your creation in a fit of anger?

Does His actions show the truth of the words? Did He ever love His creation?

whoa there missy, I was just asking if that was what you are looking for. I don't presume to have answers to any of those questions.

Pss.145
[17] The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

^He provided a description and some scripture. Have at it.

I think she is afraid of me.

Confused,
What does being created in the image of God have to do with us being evil?
Do you know the definition of "image"?
Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
An image is NOT good or evil, it's something you can see with your eyes.
Your screen name fits you PERFECTLY!

[Beto]

What does being created in the image of God have to do with us being evil?
Do you know the definition of "image"?

Do you? The noun has 9 definitions in Merriam's. I think the most appropriate one is:

3 a: exact likeness : semblance <God created man in his own image — Genesis 1:27(Revised Standard Version)> b: a person strikingly like another person <she is the image of her mother>

Your screen name fits you PERFECTLY!

What part of "exact likeness" confuses you? If we are created in "God's" exact likeness, and we are evil, than "God" is evil.

[justifyothers]

Emotions aren't a reliable source. I am not even sure how personal emotions can be used by someone to describe the Christian God. I am not asking for how He makes you feel. I am asking you to describe Him to me and what resources you use to lead you to that description.

Emotion is a big part of theism. Things are right and wrong because they "feel" it is right and wrong. God exists because they "feel" it or have "experienced" it. Really these are all just emotions, but they take it as personal evidence of his existence and his character.

Unfortunately, in doing so, they project alot of these positive emotions onto something outside themselves which really demeans the experience and emotions that they feel.

That may be true, but that is not what I am seeking in this thread.

So, Confused (my friend )

Are you looking for biblical scripture that supports one's description of the christian God? You have said that you don't want to discuss personal experience. Just clear me up on this and I would love to respond
Thank you - K

I do suck at writing OP's don't I? Yes, this is what I am looking for. Though it need not be solely scripture. Just something verifiable.

Nope! Statistics and opinions say you write some of the best ones here!!

My question is this, then :
What are you going to consider 'verifiable' ? Scripture is "iffy' with you at best, and personal experience is always disputable.....so, where does that leave someone like me?

You must've known someone would ruin this perfectly simple question for you!!! It's been a while since it's been me

LOL, missed you girl.

I have already said I will accept scripture to validate your description, should scripture truly represent what you claim as your description.

Ok I can list some verses that acturately support who I believe God to be...

Job 38:4-41 (very long, so didn't post) I read this from a poetic point of view and somewhat as literal. I think it is breathtaking.

Hosea 6:6 "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice."

Mark 10:27 "With man it is impossible, but not with God. With God, all things are possible."

Isaiah 45:22 "Look to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God and there is no other."

Psalm 36:5-6 "Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
Your judgments are like a great deep.
O LORD, You preserve man and beast.
7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
8 They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house;
And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.
9 For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light. "

So, these are few. I figured you would like to comment on some before I go on....

[InTheFlesh]

What does being created in the image of God have to do with us being evil?
Do you know the definition of "image"?

Do you? The noun has 9 definitions in Merriam's. I think the most appropriate one is:

3 a: exact likeness : semblance <God created man in his own image — Genesis 1:27(Revised Standard Version)> b: a person strikingly like another person <she is the image of her mother>

Your screen name fits you PERFECTLY!

What part of "exact likeness" confuses you? If we are created in "God's" exact likeness, and we are evil, than "God" is evil.

What about the first two definitions?

1: a reproduction or imitation of the form of a person or thing ; especially : an imitation in solid form : statue
2 a: the optical counterpart of an object produced by an optical device (as a lens or mirror) or an electronic device b: a visual representation of something: as (1): a likeness of an object produced on a photographic material (2): a picture produced on an electronic display (as a television or computer screen)

Are you now Christian?
You are accepting the definition that speaks about God?
Why did you not accept the first two definitions since they are the ones used in the real world?
I can see my daughter is alot like me, but I don't say she is my image. Instead she is more the image of her mother. You just illustrated how an athiest will tell you to follow reason and logic like the things in the real world and then ignore the worldy definitions and select the definition with the most spiritual meaning for the sake of debating. If you use Google "images" to search for your favorite celebrity, will you get their qualities or their pictures?

Actually, I agree with you. The most accurate is #3 as the scriptures say about Jesus:
Heb.1[3] Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person

Now according to your definition of choice...
If you say the God of the old testament is evil,
what evil did Jesus do?
How is Jesus the exact "image" of God?
And yes, she is CONFUSED.

And unlike popular belief,
the trinity equals ONE person.
NOT three persons.
If we were made in the image of God,
why are we not three seperate persons?
Well neither is he. He is ONE person.
Now we're getting WAY off topic!

[alexiarose]

It isn't possible to answer the OP with a simple statement of faith. That doesn't describe God and it doesn't say why you hold the faith in your description.

If I say God is all loving, I need to cite my reasons. Faith is not a reason. Faith doesn't describe God to you.

I think your question makes perfect sense to people that claim "God is like this or like that" in a way that is relevant or applies to other people. I would also like to see arguments supporting descriptions of that kind, and maybe we will be shown some. Perhaps your daughter has some ideas.

OBKBOB1KNOB. God created man in His image. I don't really think that that is just in some physical attribute. I think that God may have some supernatural abilities, but I think that He is as human as you and I when it comes to describing him. He can be tempermental, hasty, loving, jealous, remorseful, sad, happy, and every other attribute we have. Scripture will support all of it. I don't recall any scripture that says God is perfect. He makes mistakes, obviously as Jesus was sent to try to help correct some of them. He watched His Son suffer just as parents today watch their own child suffer. He couldn't intervene anymore than we can in some circumstances. He had to experience what His creation had in order to make sense of it. Will that mean He won't keep screwing up? Of course not. God had no long term plans for mankind. He is learning as He goes just as we are. I think the more we try to make Him so much larger than what He is, the more wrong our descriptions would be. Okay, He created all. We create things every single day. Even if they are on a smaller scale. Why does it matter how great or how minute He truly is? Is that going to change anyone? It is so much easier to blame God. God isn't perfect. And those who make Him out to be are those who are truly the most dangerous to our world today. If they believe they have nothing to lose because death only means they get to join Him, then I got a shocker for them, they will probably be very disappointed. God loves us, yes. Just as we love ourselves and others. It is subject to ups and downs.

Mom, God is no more perfect than you or I. Look in the mirror, look deep inside yourself. What you find is nothing more or less than what you would find in God. God is simply described as a combination of every human trait we possess.

And Beto, you still totally rock dude. I gotta go study but I got a couple weeks off coming up and yeehaw if I aint gonna have some fun. But I will try not to create chaos or grief for mom.

[Cathar1950]

What does being created in the image of God have to do with us being evil?
Do you know the definition of "image"?

Do you? The noun has 9 definitions in Merriam's. I think the most appropriate one is:

3 a: exact likeness : semblance <God created man in his own image — Genesis 1:27(Revised Standard Version)> b: a person strikingly like another person <she is the image of her mother>

Your screen name fits you PERFECTLY!

What part of "exact likeness" confuses you? If we are created in "God's" exact likeness, and we are evil, than "God" is evil.

What about the first two definitions?

1: a reproduction or imitation of the form of a person or thing ; especially : an imitation in solid form : statue
2 a: the optical counterpart of an object produced by an optical device (as a lens or mirror) or an electronic device b: a visual representation of something: as (1): a likeness of an object produced on a photographic material (2): a picture produced on an electronic display (as a television or computer screen)

Are you now Christian?
You are accepting the definition that speaks about God?
Why did you not accept the first two definitions since they are the ones used in the real world?
I can see my daughter is alot like me, but I don't say she is my image. Instead she is more the image of her mother. You just illustrated how an athiest will tell you to follow reason and logic like the things in the real world and then ignore the worldy definitions and select the definition with the most spiritual meaning for the sake of debating. If you use Google "images" to search for your favorite celebrity, will you get their qualities or their pictures?

Actually, I agree with you. The most accurate is #3 as the scriptures say about Jesus:
Heb.1[3] Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person

Now according to your definition of choice...
If you say the God of the old testament is evil,
what evil did Jesus do?
How is Jesus the exact "image" of God?
And yes, she is CONFUSED.

And unlike popular belief,
the trinity equals ONE person.
NOT three persons.
If we were made in the image of God,
why are we not three seperate persons?
Well neither is he. He is ONE person.
Now we're getting WAY off topic!

I thought he was created a human.
If you read Paul he wasn't even noticed.
She may be confused but you are selective and pretty meaningless.
The Trinity doesn't equal one it means three.
If you read the Doctrine of the Trinity you would understand that it is three persons or masks which you seem to be confusing with something else.
It is three persons and one substance, god stuff.
We are made in the image of the gods to be servants.
I take it you simply don't know what you are talking about as you seem to be rather confused about your myths and doctrines.

Hi there Alexiarose, long time.
Perfection as in God is perfect is more like complete or even mature.