Month: January 2014

Question Sixteen

Does the Bible really say the earth is less than 10,000 years old?

The first item to understand when asking this question is this:  Where does this idea come from?  Most people have heard this figure from various believers but many are unaware of how it was derived.

The first step was to figure the time period between now and the birth of Christ, which is a little over 2000 years. In addition to this, Bible students have studied the genealogy of Bible names from Christ back to the time of Adam.  The Bible gives enough lifespans of individual to enable students to calculate that Adam began mortal life just over 4000 years before Christ. The 2000 years to Christ plus the 4000 years to Adam equals 6000 years.

So far so good as far as most Bible students are concerned. However, the time lapse from the beginning of creation to the beginning of Adam’s life is problematic.

Many literalists say that before Adam all creation took place in just six 24-hour periods so the earth and the universe itself is only around 6000 years old.

Others will say that perhaps Adam’s life began when he was expelled from the Garden of Eden and became mortal. Maybe he lived a couple thousand years in the Garden that need to be added to the age of creation.

Still others quote Peter who said that a day with the Lord is as a thousand years. (II Peter 3:8) Therefore, they reason that the creation days could have been a thousand years apiece rather than 24 hours.

Taking these things into consideration most literal believers think creation began 6-12,000 years ago.

On the surface, this seems to be what the Bible is saying, but if so it is certainly at odds with science and observed fact. For instance, the Hubble telescope has observed galaxies so far away that their light has taken 13 billion years to reach us. It is really stretching reality to say that such far away light has reached us in less than 10,000 years. Believers say that the speed of light was much faster at creation but the evidence doesn’t support this idea.

Let us see if the Bible really supports such a conflict with science.

The English translation, “day”  comes from the Hebrew word YOWM. This doesn’t necessarily mean a 24-hour day but can also be translated as “time” implying an unspecified period of time.

This makes sense since the first three days of creation took place before the sun was created.  Therefore the first three days could not have been days as we see them in our present.

Then the scripture makes this interesting use of “day.”

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the DAY that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Gen 2:17

Adam lived over 900 years after he ate the fruit so he obviously didn’t die within a 24-hour day from that event. But if we use the more generic Hebrew meaning which is “a period of time” for the meaning of YOWM, or “day,” then it makes sense.

So, the Bible tells us that God’s period of creation was six periods of time.  It doesn’t say how long those times were.

The first couple verses of Genesis give us extra material to ponder:

 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”  Gen 1:1-2.

Generally, these two verses are read as if they are taking place in the same time sequence, but such is not the case.  Verse one describes an event that took place billions of years ago and verse two describes a scene that has existed periodically on the earth over millions of years, the most recent of which took place prior to the beginning of our present civilization.

In examining this scripture one may wonder how it is that the earth can be “without form and void” after it is created.  It could not even be considered a planet if it was truly without form and void.  Fortunately, to the justification of the original author, this is a grave mistranslation.

The words “without form” are translated from the Hebrew TOHUW which literally means “to lie waste” or implies a “desolation”, or “destruction”.

This sheds an entirely different light on the subject and Isaiah gives evidence that there was a time lapse between verses one and two;  “He (God) created it (the earth) NOT in VAIN (“Vain” comes from the same Hebrew word TOHUW)  but formed it to be inhabited.”  Isa 45:18.  Since the earth was not created in a state of TOHUW or destruction, but was formed to receive inhabitants then the period of destruction described in verse two had to take place after a significant time lapse.

The Bible thus tells us in the first verse that God created all there is but gives no time reference when that happened.  It could have began 13.8 billion years ago as science teaches.

But then in verse two we are told that the earth was laid waste indicating that a great destruction occurred.

Was the six days of creation merely representative of six time periods where God was working to restore the earth to a habitable state?

Was the Adam and Eve of six thousand years ago merely a new beginning, the start of rebuilding a civilization that was lost? Many ancient records and teachings support this idea and amazingly, so does the Bible.

 

Copyright by J J Dewey 2014

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Part Two

Questions on The Bible

Question Fifteen

Is the Bible Infallible and Literally True?

A Gallup poll released July, 2011 tells us that 30% of the population of the United States believe that the Bible is the literal word of God. 49% do not take it all literally but see it as inspired. Then there are 17% who see it as merely a book of fables and legends.

The idea that every word of the Bible is literally true and comes from the actual mind of God is not logical and not supported by the Bible itself. In this case the majority of the people have the closest approach to the truth – which is the Bible is an inspired book and should be read and interpreted with good judgment.

Those who see the Bible as infallible and literally true will often quote this verse:

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” II Peter 1:20-21

The idea often taken from this is the reader should not use his mind and attempt to figure out the meaning of scripture but just read and follow it literally.

The problem with this idea is we get hundreds of different interpretations of the Bible from those who take this approach. Obviously, reading the Bible literally doesn’t lead to consensus and judgment still must be used.

But… Is the scripture really telling us to not use our own minds to interpret scripture?

Of course not; the writer is merely telling us that we cannot make the scripture say whatever we want it to but should go by what it actually says. If the meaning is obscure then, of course, we must use our best judgment.

Here is another scripture quoted by literalists:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” II Tim 3:16-17

The idea here is since the scriptures can make the man of God “perfect” they are also perfect and infallible.  On top of this they see God as perfect so anything he inspires would be perfect also.

The word “perfect” here is from the Greek ARTIOS.  This is the only time in the entire Bible this word is used and doesn’t mean flawless but more like “fitted” or “complete.” Most modern versions do not use the word “perfect.”

Here is a better translation from the New International Version:

“So that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Outside of the Ten Commandments, there is nothing in the Bible that tells us that the scriptures were written by the finger of God or that they are infallible.  A work that is inspired still has to be put into words by a fallible human and then interpreted by another fallible human.

Most of the Bible was originally written in Greek and Hebrew and the original manuscripts are long lost. Scribes made many handwritten copies over the centuries and changes have been made. When translated into English judgments had to be made and some of them were wrong.  The King James is a beautiful translation that has been used for centuries but it has many glaring mistakes in translation.  That is one reason why so many modern versions have appeared. No one seems satisfied that there is a perfect translation of the Bible available.

Logic therefore tells us that the Bible cannot be interpreted literally, or as infallible, for two reasons:

(1) Even if God himself came down and wrote the  text with his own hand we still have a problem. We do not have the original text.

(2) No translation is flawless.

There are numerous examples of where believers get into trouble by taking the Bible too literally. For instance, in the first book of Genesis we are told that on the third day God created the earth with all it’s vegetation, but then on the fourth day he created the sun, moon and stars. This is of course an impossibility as the creation of the sun had to precede the creation of vegetation.

Then the Bible has a few very odd admonitions that are problematic to take literally. Here’s just one:

“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience.” I Cor 14:34

Fortunately most churches, even the ones who say they literally believe, ignore this and other teachings that are obviously flawed.

Another problem with inerrancy, even if one believes an inspired work to be flawless, is this question:  Which books are inspired?

This was a question that puzzled church fathers for the first 500 years of Christianity and, even after the dust settled, the Catholics wound up with books in their Bible that are missing from the Protestant one.

There are 28 Books of scripture mentioned by Biblical writers that are missing. Most of these are lost but several are extant.

In addition to this there were numerous books of scripture used by the early Christians that didn’t make it in the Bible. One of these is the Book of Enoch, which was accepted by many of the early Church Fathers, such as Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus and Tertullian and actually quoted in the New Testament as follows:

“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,  To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Jude 1:14-15

This quote is very close to one from the first chapter of the Book of Enoch which has surfaced in our day and readily available on the internet.

So, a major problem we have in taking the Bible literally is this consideration:  The canon of scripture has varied over the centuries and popular opinion has decided which books were to be included. Is popular opinion reliable enough so we can be sure all the books included today are inspired?  And did we leave out some books which were inspired?

Neither the Bible, or God or any prophet has given a solid answer on this so we are left to our own judgment to come up with the answer. We must remember that when the ancients talked about the scriptures they weren’t talking about the Bible but were referring to a handful of scrolls at their disposal.

A final point to consider is this. If truth is written as clear as word can be it is still dangerous to take a literal approach. Even the simple words of a plain spoken person like Jesus can be interpreted several ways by those who take them literally and wars have been fought over who was correct.

Conclusion: The Bible is not infallible because our language is not infallible and our ability to interpret language is not infallible. Even if one considers the Bible to be inspired throughout one must still use his own mind.  If something doesn’t sound right, question it, and see what does register as correct to your own soul. “To thine own self be true.”

Copyright by J J Dewey 2014

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Question Fourteen

Does God love harmful people? Should we?

One of the more difficult admonitions of Jesus to incorporate into our lives is this verse:

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Matt 5:44

Then he gives the interesting reasoning behind this:

“For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?” Matt 5:46

In other words, he was telling his disciples that everyone loves and blesses those who love them in return. That certainly does not set anyone apart as being more loving than average. If they expected to be judged as better than their enemies they needed to go a step farther and love their enemies.

He ended with a comparison of their duties with that of God:

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matt 5:48

They were expected to do their duty even as God does his.

Even the stricter Old Testament backs this up:

“Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Leviticus 19:18

Let’s be real here.  Does God really love the bad guys, even murderers, rapists and thugs? And how about us?  Aren’t there a lot of people that are beyond being loved? After all, even Jesus chased the moneychangers out of the temple.  It didn’t look like he was giving the hypocrites much love, now did it?

Again, the key to understanding God is to understand ourselves as we are in his image.

To explain this conundrum ministers have often used this phrase as an explanation.

“Hate the sin, but love the sinner.”

Still… this does not supply a satisfying direction. If someone were to steal $1000 from you it is indeed easy to hate the sin of theft. But who did the stealing?  It was the thief and without him there would be no sin to hate.

There are two things we need to understand.

(1) What loving your enemy really means.

(2) How loving your enemy benefits you.

First, to love your enemy does not mean that you love or accept what he does. It does not mean that you have to be the guy’s best friend. And, finally, it does not mean that you will not be emotionally affected by his actions.

Jesus, who was the best example we have of perfect love, did not accept the actions of his enemies, nor is there one example of him hanging out with them. He was also not beyond being emotionally affected by them. We mentioned his anger at the hypocrites in the temple but Matthew; Chapter 23 tells us that he was emotionally exasperated with the false teachers of his day. He wrapped up is view of them saying:

“Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” Matt 23:33.

So, did Jesus really love his enemies that he condemned and who got under his skin?

To answer this accurately we need to first comment on point number two:

“How loving your enemy benefits you.”

It is easy to see how loving your enemy benefits the enemy, but how does it benefit you?

To answer this we must first understand how hating your enemy and feeling a grievance over what he has done causes you harm.

Woody Allen, of all people, gives us a clue as to what that harm is on a physical level. When Diane Keaton in Annie Hall asks him why he doesn’t get angry he replies,  “I don’t get angry, I grow a tumor instead.

Numerous studies have indicated that negative emotions and emotional suppression does indeed contribute to health problems. For instance, a Finnish study reports in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics that people with a diagnosed inability to express emotions, have much higher levels of inflammatory chemicals in their bodies that can lead to disease.

It is a pretty common for average people to observe and comment on the correlation between people’s emotional state and health. Most of us do not need much proof that it happens.

When we allow ourselves to be offended by someone we consider to be an enemy, or even just an irritating person, and allow ourselves to hang on to that offense and nourish it, we not only lower our resistance to disease, but the quality of our state of mind goes way downhill.

In other words, to hate our enemies is the same as choosing to be an unhappy person. How can you be unhappy if you love all people?

I know, I know, that loving some people is difficult but we get a little help from examining the Greek word for love, which is AGAPAŌ.  It is used with in a similar fashion to the modern English word, “love,” but with more inclusiveness.  Thayer’s Greek Lexicon tells us it also means “to be full of goodwill and to exhibit the same.”

We see then that the love Jesus was talking about was not limited to passionately wanting to be with someone because they are wonderful, but also extends to goodwill and friendliness.

When he said to love your enemies he was telling us to drop all harmful grievances and send then goodwill, or wish them well.

When Jesus encountered the moneychangers in the temple he found himself full of offense. If he would have done nothing he would have been in a negative state of mind. He released that negative emotion in a powerful way, but not in a manner that caused harm to his enemies. He still wanted what was best for them and if any would have befriended him afterwards he would have immediately responded with goodwill and friendship.

We must also keep in mind that his reaction to the moneychangers was a rare exception and an example that there is a time and place for all things, as written in Proverbs.

There is another important point to consider. Jesus said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matt 25:40

Most people read this and assume Jesus is talking about the poor, the sick and afflicted, but who is it that we really esteem as “the least” in our eyes? It’s not the poor homeless guy, but it is that person who aggravates you the most. That could be someone who has done you great harm or merely an irritating friend or spouse.

The way you treat this person who is least in your eyes is considered by Jesus the way you would treat him.

The book, A Course in Miracles puts it this way. There is, in most of our lives, one particular individual who infuriates us and seems almost impossible to love. This person is your savior, for the moment you see the Christ in him and send love or goodwill, instead of hate, you have saved yourself from a painful life of harboring grievances.

This person gives you an opportunity to become like the Master and walk in his footsteps.

Copyright by J J Dewey 2014

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Question Thirteen

Is Jesus a Socialist?

There are many who claim that Jesus was a socialist because he advocated that the rich share their money with the poor. In other words, they make the case he was a redistributionist.

One of the problems with labeling Jesus or anyone else a socialist is that the word is used very broadly.

The problem was pointed out in the introduction of the Historical Dictionary of Socialism by Peter Lamb & J. C. Docherty – 2006

“Despite its importance in history since the early nineteenth century, socialism eludes simple definition…  As G. D. H. Cole suggested in the first volume of his monumental History of Socialist Thought (1953), the early socialists opposed the individualism that had come to dominate modern thinking and stressed that human relations had an essential social element that needed to be emphasized. Then, as now, there was no single agreed-upon definition of what socialism actually was. Variety has always been an outstanding feature of socialism. In his Dictionary of Socialism (1924), Angelo S. Rappoport listed forty definitions of socialism.”

40 different definitions! Wow. Obviously we can call anything to do with sharing or cooperation socialism if we use the right definition.  It looks like we need to fine-tune what we are talking about when we ask if Jesus was a socialist.

Those who say Jesus was a socialist are not merely saying that he admonished sharing the wealth through giving but use him to support their ideology of current day state run social programs which includes.

(1) Taxes to support redistribution

(2) Sharing the wealth through government programs

(3) A large percentage of the money going to administration and bureaucracies to handle the programs.

Theirs is no evidence that Jesus supported redistribution through the force of taxation. He told the people with means to give to the poor of their own free will.  If they refused he did nothing to force them but let them alone.

In the other hand if a wealthy person does not want to pay taxes to support a social program he will not be left alone but someone will come after him and force him to pay.

Let us look at a scriptural argument used to justify the government confiscating wealth and then sharing it.

One of the most popular is the story of the rich young man who came to Jesus and asked him what he needed to do to obtain eternal life. Jesus responded by telling him to keep the Ten Commandments.

To this the man responded:

“All these I have kept … What do I still lack?”

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Matt 19:16-23 New International Version

“So there you have it,” says the aspiring socialist. “The rich are supposed to give away all their money to the poor so we are just following the teachings of Jesus in advocating sharing or redistribution of wealth.”

I find it amazing that this comparison can be made with a straight face because there is a big difference between what Jesus advocated compared to the socialists and communists of today.

Jesus advocated sharing through free will.  Socialists of today advocate sharing by force. – two very different approaches.

Let us suppose that after the rich man talked to Jesus he went home to discover that a thief had broken into his house and stole all his wealth.  The thief then shared that wealth with his family and friends who were in need.  Do you suppose the rich man then obtained a spot in the kingdom of heaven because his wealth was shared by force with the poor?

Such an idea obviously makes no sense, yet this is what modern day redistributionists want us to believe when they quote this scripture. They think they are helping the rich toward the path of righteousness through taking their wealth by force.

If the taking of wealth by force helps people enter heaven then the churches ought to hire burglars to rob from their rich members. They’d kill two birds with one stone.  They will fill their coffers with cash while assisting those resisting rich on the path to heaven.

Notice that the advice of Jesus to the rich man had nothing to do with force.  Did he tell the man to go to Caesar or the government and donate his money so the welfare programs of Rome could be enhanced?

No.  He did not hint that he should give his wealth to government through either force or free will.  Jesus did not even ask him to give to himself or his group.  He simply told him to give directly to the poor through his own free will.

Then when the man refused, Jesus let him be.  He did not lift a finger to force the man to comply.

This is a difficult scripture for Christians as it is a hard thing for all of us to part with our money. And it is quite possible that Jesus never intended for all the rich to part with their money.  Perhaps this particular individual was corrupted by wealth more than most and parting with it would help his mind focus on spiritual things.

Joseph of Arimathea was a rich friend of Jesus who donated his burial tomb.  He never gave away all his wealth but is considered a saint. Perhaps Joseph’s wealth did not corrupt his soul and he used it toward a good end – making it unnecessary to give it all away at once.

Here is the effect Jesus said we must have upon the disadvantaged if we want to enter the kingdom of heaven:

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Matt 25:35-36 NIV

Again the socialists say, “See. Jesus wants us to share the wealth if we are to get into heaven.”

But again there is no mention of Caesar or force involved.  Those who attain the prize are those who are benevolent through their own free will.

There are numerous scriptures admonishing the rich to share, but not one that indicates forced sharing benefits the soul.

It is interesting to note that the authorities were concerned that Jesus was delinquent in taxes or perhaps avoiding them altogether.  It is written:

…the collectors of the two drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax’?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. (He apparently lied here to protect his master)

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes— from their own sons or from others?”

“From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus said to him.  “But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.” Matt 25:24- 27 NIV

Here we learn that Jesus didn’t pay this tax because he didn’t think it applied to him but when accosted – to keep himself and Peter out of trouble – he went ahead and made the payment.

Word must have gotten out that Jesus was dragging his feet in paying taxes for the Pharisees approached him about his view on them in the hope of getting him in trouble with the authorities.

 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.”

They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Matt 22:17-21 NIV

He avoided saying no, which would have led to an early arrest.  Instead he told them it appeared the coin belonged to Caesar since it bore his image.  If it belongs to Caesar then let Caesar have it but give to God that which belongs to God.

This confused them enough to leave Jesus alone for a while but word must have gotten out that he wanted the rich to give directly to the poor instead of sharing the wealth through taxes. We find this accusation made at his trial:

And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar… Luke 23:2 NIV

It should be crystal clear to any honest thinker that Jesus would not be in harmony with today’s tax and share the wealth socialists.  If something belongs to an individual it was up to him whether he shared with others or not.

Because of inefficiencies of bureaucracy today it often costs a lot of overhead give away to people in need.  The philosophy of Jesus not only operated on free will but was much more efficient. He told the rich to just give their money directly to the poor.  Under the plan of Jesus three dollars out of three went to the poor compared only a fraction.  Which makes the more sense?

Most Christians today follow the example of Jesus and pay their taxes to keep out of trouble, but as far as helping the disadvantaged goes, in most cases, they would rather have the extra money and help of their own free will rather than being forced to share. A thief with a gun can force you to share but that doesn’t even get your big toe into the Kingdom of Heaven.

“I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I traveled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.” –Benjamin Franklin, “Management of the Poor” (1766)

Copyright by J J Dewey 2014

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Question Twelve

Is God a Democrat or Republican?

Does he support my favorite football team?

Throughout history, as humans have taken sides in battles ranging from words to politics to war, both sides have generally maintained that God is on their side. It has mattered not whether that side was obviously wrong from our point of view, whether it was a fight for the right to commit human sacrifice, to own slaves, or to support a tyrant. No matter how outrageous the objectives of the conflict has been, both sides have always maintained that God was with them.

It is understandable that conflicts have resulted in both sides proclaiming to represent the will of God.  After all, what would happen if your rank and file soldiers feared that they were going against God?  How motivated would they be to fight to the death?

Not that much – and that is why leaders have always done everything in their power to convince their supporters that they are doing God’s will.

Perhaps Abraham Lincoln was the first leader in history to openly question this, even a little.  He is reported to have said:

“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side.”

This statement opens up another avenue of questioning.  Does God even have a side, or is he too far removed from us to even care?

Some philosophers have maintained that God is not polarized in one direction or another. Many maintain there is no good or evil, that God just lets us have our little belief systems and in the end everything will be just as it should be (whatever that is).

Let us look at what we accept to be obviously true as we seek for greater light here.

Both God and humans are lives possessing intelligence, though obviously God has a lot more of it than you and me.

As we observe intelligent lives in action we see that they always take sides in areas that interest them. Yes, some will maintain that they are above side-taking, or conflict, but when you examine the whole of their decision-making we always discover this is not the case. The person who says he couldn’t care less whether a Republican or Democrat wins will be found to be taking sides in some other area. We may find him rooting for the Seahawks or possibly championing the preservation a species, wanting to save them from extinction.

Life is about taking sides.  If there were not such a thing as decisions placing us on one side, or one path over another, then we would die as a species and disintegrate into oblivion.

“Are you maintaining then that even God takes sides?” asks the skeptic. “Where is your evidence?”

The most striking evidence is that the universe exists. In the beginning God had a choice to make, to create or not to create. Obviously he took the side of creation for we see that we are in the midst of a grand universe of all there is.

Then, after he got the universe to appear he was faced with taking another side.  Should he place intelligent life within it?

Obviously, he took the side of life for reasonably intelligent life forms live on planet Earth.

Then, many who believe the Bible think that God takes the side that favors love, freedom, peace, helping the poor and comforting the afflicted, to name a few.

So as we move into the modern world Lincoln’s question comes into play.  Which side of the various stances is God on so we can join him? Does he support the Democrats or Republicans, conservatives or liberals? Does he like the Mormons, Catholics, Protestants – or maybe he’s a Muslim or Buddhist? Is he a Yankee’s fan or does he prefer the Red Sox?

When you think of it, it seems silly to consider that the God that occupies the entire universe is concerned about our trivial matters.  After all, this entire planet is less than a speck of dust in his realm. But there is a hierarchy of lives and those directly responsible for humanity do pay attention as the eyes and ears of God.

The fact that there is hierarchy in all things is referenced in the Bible.  It is written:

“If thou see the oppressions of the poor, and violent judgments, and justice perverted, in the province, wonder not at this matter:  for he that is high hath another higher, and there are others still higher than these.”   Eccl 5:8 Douay

No matter how high we get in the hierarchy of lives there is another higher until we get to the One Great Life we generically call God.

To understand how God or any greater intelligence that seeks to serve humanity would support our views it would be wise to consider how a father or mother deals with their children.  After all, Jesus called God our Father, so this is a good way to see him.

Let us take sports, for example. If a father has two kids sword fighting each other his main concern is that they both have a good time and do not injure each other.  After all, he loves them both. Who wins the battle is not that important.

There are many things that are of great concern to children that are of little concern to parents.  On the other hand, there are some things that are of great concern to parents such as getting their kids established in a positive belief system, career choice, marriage partners, etc.

Even so, it is with humanity. God’s representatives are concerned about our choices in politics if those choices affect our happiness and our freedom. A parent is concerned about a child’s choices that determine his future state of happiness so obviously God would be similarly concerned about his children.

Does this mean that God, or his representatives are Democrats or Republicans? No, but what higher intelligence will do is support a position from either side where the greatest good is the result.

Political thinking is basically divided into conservatives and liberals.  Here is the basic rule of thumb that will draw support from a being of high intelligence.

He will support those things, which are conservative, or part of the present or past system that has worked well for humanity and is still beneficial to us in the foreseeable future.

Example: Laws against murder, rape, theft have been very useful in the past and the present and it is logical to keep them in place for the foreseeable future.

He will not support those things we may have held on to in the past but may not work well for us in the present or future.

Example: Speed limits as low as 20 miles per hour were seen as essential when the automobile first arrived. Now all realize that type of thinking needs to be discarded.

On the liberal side that wants change, higher intelligence will support change that will benefit the whole

Example: They would support the advance of technology that would make our lives easier.

On the other hand, they would be against change that would restrict freedom, happiness and be to our detriment in the end.

Example: Allowing our leaders to become dictators and micromanaging our lives.

Most would agree with the above examples.  The problem with us humans is that we have strong disagreements in many gray areas and are constantly fighting over who is right.

The greater intelligences look down on us and smile.  To them the truth is as plain and simple as the need to have a law against murder, but to humans as a whole it is complicated.

Perhaps our goal should be to raise our intelligence up a notch so we can see with accurate vision. Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a world where we are all on the same page, and it’s a page leading in a positive direction that will benefit us all?

Copyright by J J Dewey 2014

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Question Eleven

Who were the beings that appeared to Abraham, Moses and Jacob?

 “Okay, so you say there is one great intelligence occupying the universe that does not match up to orthodox ideas. How about the stories of the prophets who said they met God who seemed to appear in human form? Did they meet the Big Guy or something else?”

 This is awkward for believers to explain. On one hand they say God is an invisible spirit that is everywhere, and, on the other, the Bible presents him as a being in human form occupying no more space than you and me.

Here are some examples:

God takes a walk in the garden

“And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:8

God eats dinner with Abraham

“And the Lord (Lord is from the Hebrew YAHOVAH which means Jehovah) appeared to him (Abraham) in the plains of Mamres and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, THREE MEN stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, and said My Lord (This Lord is from the Hebrew ADONAY meaning master.), if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and WASH YOUR FEET, and REST yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a MORSEL OF BREAD, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, SO DO, AS THOU HAST SAID. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly THREE measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hastened to dress it…. And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, AND THEY DID EAT…. And the MEN rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the Lord (Again YeHOVAH translated Jehovah.) said shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?… And the men (two of them) turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord” (YeHOVAH) (Gen 18:1-8; 16-17, & 22)

God wrestles with Jacob

“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled A MAN with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he (Jacob) said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel (means “the face of God”): for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (Gen 32:24-30)

Moses sees God’s body.

And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. Exodus33:23

So, how do believers explain away an invisible God as being everywhere, yet appearing in a human body, even sharing the fatted calf with Abraham?

The answer they give is this. God is indeed a formless spirit, which is everywhere, but because he is all-powerful he can make anything happen he wants, including making it seem like he has human form. He will sometimes appear as human so we can understand the communication delivered.

That is probably the only explanation a guy could come up with who is trying to harmonize such conflicting beliefs. The only trouble with such an explanation is that it has little appeal to logic and is also not supported in the Bible.

Nowhere does God or the Bible give any hint that he appears in physical form just to make communication easier. Such reasoning is just a guess at explaining something that seems contradictory.

So what is the real explanation here? There’s got to be more to it than some magical all-powerful God pretending to be human now and then.

Here is an answer that will solve the mystery.

The thing that causes confusion is that many other entities are called gods in the Bible other than the One Great Life whose body is the universe. I’m not talking about idols and false gods condemned by the prophets. I’m saying that there were many who were called legitimate Gods in the Bible who were not creators of heaven and earth.

Here are some of the people who were called Gods in the scriptures. Most Bibles do not translate the Hebrew word ELOHIYM consistently as God or Gods, hence the confusion.

Abraham was called a mighty god (mistranslated in most Bibles) Gen 23:6

Moses was called a god.  Ex 4:16 & 7:1

The judges of the people of Israel. The word “judges” is inaccurate and should read “Gods.” Exodus 21:6; 22:8-9, 28.

The physical being who ate with Abraham and the one in human form who wrestled with Jacob were obviously humanoids who were called gods.

In addition Jesus acknowledged that those prophets who received the Word of God in ancient times were gods. He said: “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came…” John 10:35-36

ELOHIYM is the most common Hebrew word for God and is plural. We see evidence of why this is so in the first book of the Bible:

“And God (should be translated “the Gods”) said, Let us make man IN OUR IMAGE, after OUR likeness.” Gen 1:26-27

“Behold, the man is to become AS ONE OF US, to know good and evil.” Gen 3:22

Obviously, more than one entity is legitimately called a god in the Bible.

Here is the explanation.

It is true that there is One Great Life who we generically call God. We as living entities are like cells in his body just as our cells are living entities in our physical bodies.

In addition to the One Life being call God, so are others. These include those who receive the Word of God for the people as well as powerful supernatural beings who are sometimes referred to as powerful angels as in the case of the being who dealt with Moses.

So, the gods of the Bible are really powerful humans who are in tune with the Spirit of the One God. Some of them are powerful mortals and others are supernatural humans.

Who are these supernatural humans and whence came they?

To answer this question we must again examine ourselves, but this time look into the future to see where we may be heading.

Look at the progress we have made in just the last 200 years. We’ve gone from the horse and buggy and slide rules to space travel and sophisticated computers. If we have accomplished such progress in 200 years what will happen in another 200, 2000 or 2 million years?

The universe is 13.8 billion years old so 2 million years is like about 13 seconds if we compressed the age of the universe down to a day. Consider that two million years is ten thousand times as long as two centuries yet still a drop in the bucket or cosmic time. Just imagine what we will accomplish in such a time period.

We will not only explore outer space, but inner space and eventually we’ll figure out how to extend our lives as long as we want, becoming virtually immortal. Sure, we’ll build bigger and better rocket ships, but we’ll eventually figure out how to travel without them and teleport ourselves from one place to another.

Two million years from now we will be so advanced that if we were to go among a civilization like ancient Israel or even twenty-first century humans we would most likely be seen as gods with supernatural powers.

It is not only logical, but it is indeed true that in this ancient universe there exists many lives that have progressed far beyond our primitive state of existence. Sometimes these exalted beings decide to help us out and, when time permits, they will assist us in our spiritual progress.

If this sounds fantastic consider this. Many ancient teachings tell us that this is not the first universe but there have been innumerable ones before this. Even many scientists now believe this is the case.

If this is true then life has an unlimited amount of time to evolve into states of consciousness and power that is far beyond our comprehension. It is completely within the limits of reason to conceive that one of these could pay us a visit and part the Red Sea.

Copyright by J J Dewey 2014

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Question Ten

Why Would God Permit Suffering?

The fact that there is suffering in the world is one of the main causes of rejecting a belief in God as well as the cause of a lot of consternation from believers.

It appears strange to skeptics to accept that God is love on one hand yet allows suffering of innocent people on the other. As noted earlier it seems to skeptics that if there is a God he must be uncaring, negligent or just plain mean.

So what is the real answer to this dilemma?

Here are several that have been given:

(1) God has given us free will so if some crazy guy chooses to abuse and torture an innocent child then no one is going to stop him. The big picture is that we learn from our mistakes.

Comment: This answer fails to satisfy because it looks like God could have set something up where we could still learn our lessons while the innocent were protected from extreme abuse.

(2) There has to be opposition in all things.  Without pain there can be no opportunity for joy.

Comment: True, but some characters who were truly evil go though life healthy, pretty much pain free and die in their sleep.  Why didn’t these characters get their share of the painful opposition so they could have lots of joy? Then we all know loving and wonderful people who have had very painful lives.

Duality is indeed a reality but this alone does not satisfy the soul for it is far from the complete answer.

(3) God wants to show us how fallible we are so we will realize how much we need him.

Comment: This view makes no sense to the thinking person.

(4) All things that happen, even great suffering is part of a great plan if we could just understand it.

Comment:  This is just another way of saying that you do not have a clue as to what is going on.

After considering all the orthodox answers available to this question the sincere seeker has to ask what the real answer could be.  After all, whatever the truth is has to make sense because in the end all truth is logical and satisfying.

The reason that the answers about why God allows suffering make no sense is the foundation beliefs from which they spring is based on pure illusion. The answers are based on a belief in a God who is all-powerful and could, with a snap of a finger, save all the innocent from suffering and right all the wrongs that transpire on earth.

If God indeed had such power then all the explanations to why he allows suffering make little sense.  On the other hand, when we realize that even God has limitations in this physical reality then the fact that there is suffering makes perfect sense.

Remember, we are in the image of God so we can understand God by looking at ourselves. Your life is omnipresent in your body and sometimes a part of your body will experience a lot of pain.  You may discover that you have no instant remedy but after a lot of trial and error you finally find something that works.

Even so, in God’s body, which we call the universe, there is a planet called earth that is experiencing pain for which there is no instant cure. God cannot just snap his fingers and make everything all right for us but he is working on helping us alleviate the pain and suffering.  It’s only a matter of time before humanity tunes into the mind of God and learns to live much higher quality lives and eliminate most of the suffering that many now have to endure.

It is time for humanity to stop being angry with an all-powerful God who just sits on a throne and does nothing to help the innocent enduring pain and suffering.  God, and powerful beings that are in tune with him, do have a lot of power, but even they are limited in how much help they can deliver to 7,000,000,000 individuals on this planet as well as numerous other planets.

Here is a story that illustrates the fact that God often depends on common people to accomplish his work on earth.

The Hands and Heart of God.

Don had been a believer in God and accepted Jesus as his Son. He had always tried to speak positive of living the good Christian life, which would lead to peace and happiness in this world and the next.

Now, for the first time in his life he doubted everything. He was on the verge of totally rejecting God, Christ, sacrifice, salvation, love – the whole works – anything associated with all that he embraced in the past.

Here it was Christmas Eve and he was all alone reflecting on the terrible year it had been. January was a shock because he didn’t get the promotion that he deserved. Then in April when he was expecting a raise he received a cut in salary, In June he had a car accident that laid him in the hospital with the insurance only paying part of the expenses. In September he realized he was hooked on painkillers. In November his wife had an affair and when confronted she asked for a divorce. It didn’t help that she pointed out that she had now found a real man.

Now to top it all off, on this day, Christmas Eve, he was fired from his job where he had been a faithful employee for 20 years. Yes, reflecting on this terrible year filled him with unspeakable rage. He felt like cursing God with such language that would make hell itself shutter. He raised his fist, looked to the sky and was about to lash out at God for being so unloving, uncaring and basically one mean SOB for not giving a damn about him. He was thinking that since God couldn’t possibly be this negligent that he must not exist at all.

Just as he was about to utter the most destructive words of his life he hesitated and could not bring himself to curse his Lord. Instead, he fell to the floor crying like a baby with great sorrow speaking these desperate words:

“Oh, Lord my God! Are you really there? Are you the God of love or just a tormentor laughing at my misery? If you love me, then where is it, because I feel nothing.”

Don just lay on the floor sobbing and feeling sorry for himself until it seemed that he fell asleep. In that place of twilight where he was not sure if he was asleep or awake he heard a gentle voice speaking his name. He looked up and to his amazement his Lord stood in front of him. This beautiful being grabbed Don’s hand and said, “Arise,” as he lifted him up. “What can I do for you?” he asked.

“For starters, you an answer some questions. How can God be looked upon as loving or even good when He allows so much suffering? My life over the past year has been a living hell and even though I have prayed regularly God has done nothing for me. I’ve felt completely abandoned.”

“Come let me show you something,” said the Master. He waved his hand in the direction of the wall and suddenly an image appeared. Don looked and saw a child in a hospital bed awaiting surgery to save his life. He was terrified. Then his mother entered the room and caressed him with love only a mother can give while speaking comforting words. The child was then at peace as he entered the operating room.

The physician looked at the child before him and thought that this could be his own in different circumstances and proceeded with all diligence and skill to save him. The child recovered to live a full life.

“Look again,” he said.

This time he saw a soldier in Afghanistan who had just survived a deadly firefight. He was wounded and dying with thoughts of meeting his Lord when villagers who didn’t even speak English came to assist him and saved his life at great peril to their own.

“One more time,” said the Master.

This time Don saw a man at the end of his rope on the edge of a bridge preparing to jump. He was given an insight into his life and Don had to admit that his life was in worse shape than his own. Just as he was about to jump he heard the soft voice of a young lady who approached him.

“Please don’t do this my friend. Life is good and there is much to live for.”

“I have nothing to live for. My life is horrible and no one cares.”

The lady reached out her hand, looked him in the eye and said, “I care. Now take my hand and come with me.”

The words, “I care,” touched the man’s soul and he realized that he could not jump. He took her hand and began life anew.

The Master looked at Don and spoke, what do these three accounts have in common?

Don replied, “They are all examples of the neglect of God. If humans hadn’t come to assist, the three people would have died.”

“Listen and learn the truth,” said the Master. “Humans are in the image of God and as reflections of Him they are his hands and vessels of love upon the earth. It is the responsibility of the Sons and Daughters of God to manifest the love of God on the earth. When the mother lovingly comforted her child, I was there. When the surgeon saved his life I was guiding his hands. When the villagers saved the soldier, I was in their hearts and when the lady stretched out her caring hand, I was stretching mine also.

“The Love of God cannot be comprehended except through caring and kindness from other humans who are instruments in the hands of God.”

“Well, the hands of God didn’t do much for me.”

“They did more than you realize,” said the Master. “Look again.”

Don looked and he saw a review of his life over the past year. He saw that when he was denied the promotion that his friend Jim reached out to him and spent time with him to lift his spirits.

When he didn’t get the promotion he was in a terrible mood and his wife did her best to comfort and assure him. Instead of appreciating it he lashed out and complained about everything. This led her to seek comfort from another man.

When Don had the accident he saw that he was operated on by the hands of a caring physician who saved his life. When he got hooked on painkillers friends and family counseled him. Then when his wife left him his friend Jim was there for him again.

The Master spoke, “The Love of God has been with you through the whole year, but you saw it not, neither did you understand.”

“I see your point,” said Don, “and am ready to change my attitude. The problem is that I am feeling terrible over losing my job, on top of everything else, and there is no one to cheer me up. Are you going to send me one of the helping hands?”

“I will send a helping hand,” said the Master. “Take one more look.”

The image of a young man caught Don’s attention. As he looked closely he realized it was his own son, lying in bed staring at the ceiling with tears in his eyes. Somehow Don understood his feelings. During this whole terrible year his son did his best to comfort his father and sought to spend time with him. Don was always too busy or preoccupied. He had heard that his Dad lost his job and was contemplating visiting him but was afraid Don would be drowning in sorrow and anger and brush him off.

Don saw that his son was thinking of happier times and was wishing he could share some happiness with his Dad again just one more time.

As the image faded Don spoke, “I didn’t realize the void my own child feels because of a lack of love and that this love must come from me. I must be the helping hand that you will send.”

“Correct,” said the Master. “It is now your turn to be the hands, head and heart of God. Go to your son and fill his heart with joy. Heal your son and you will heal yourself and once more you will believe in the reality of the love of God.”

Don went to his son and they embraced, shared old stories and touched each other’s hearts. Both were healed. Don began to take attention off himself and sought to bring comfort to others. As he did this he realized that he was one of the hands of God and the servants of God are continually nourished with the love of God.

Oh, and it wasn’t long before someone who he helped, assisted him in return and gave him a lead that led to a good job which also led to finding a wonderful woman as a companion.

Their happy home has this message stuck on their refrigerator: “We are the hands and the heart of God, seeking to manifest the Love of God.”

 

Copyright by J J Dewey 2014

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Question Nine

Why Did God Create the Universe?

Again, we must remember that if we want to understand God we must first look at ourselves for we are in his image.  The question to ask then is why do we create?

The answer is quite simple. We create because we enjoy the challenge and when the creation reaches its envisioned end we achieve a degree of satisfaction and happiness. A life without creative endeavors is a pretty boring and unfulfilling one. Sooner or later we all want to do something challenging, useful and constructive. This even applies to God.

So why did God create all there is? The same reason we create. Creating the universe and then occupying it with his life essence was a major challenge.  Guiding the universe toward his desired end is an even bigger one.

He is far from being all powerful to the extent that he can just snap his fingers and make everything work just right.  Like us he finds himself in the middle of a life and has to figure out how to deal with it.

The difference is that his life is on a much vaster scale extending over trillions of worlds and billions of years.

You and I would probably get frustrated over such a tremendous project, but not God. He moves ever onward toward completion and depends in part on the cooperation of you and me for his own progression. That turns out to be a major problem for him because few of us are in alignment with his will.  The fact that God can get anything done when he has to use the tiny lives within his creation to assist him is a miracle in itself.

Other parts of the universe are much more cooperative than humans have been, but God has faith that we will eventually learn our lessons and sense there is a greater plan than our own little lives and cooperate.

Once we collectively realize that we are a part of something greater than ourselves and work for the good of the whole, as well as ourselves, then the progress God seeks to make with his own life will be enhanced.

It is a fallacy to think that God does not need anything, let alone have a need for us. He needs everything within his creation to fulfill his vision, even you and me.

When you think about it, it makes life just a little more meaningful when you realize that God needs us, just as we need him.

Copyright by J J Dewey 2014

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Question Eight

Is Jesus or God Perfect?

This is another one of those traditional beliefs, not supported by the Bible, but by tradition, that is bolstered by fear of offending God.  What if you were to teach that God is not perfect in every detail and then after death you are confronted by a being that is perfect and is annoyed at you for the insult? Why, you just might be sent to the nether regions of outer darkness.

On the other hand, it seems safe to teach that God is perfect.  If God is perfect and a strong authoritarian then he is likely to be pleased at your complements. But, if he is not perfect he may still be pleased that you gave him the benefit of the doubt. The idea of promoting the perfection of God seems to be a good insurance policy.

There are several problems with attributing perfection to any being, even God.

(1) Perfection is in the eye of the beholder.

(2) The Bible doesn’t say that God is perfect.

Let us start with the first one. Perfection is in the eye of the beholder just as beauty is.

There are many creations that the majority will admit are beautiful, but none that appeal to all.  There is no work of art, a human being, an animal, a flower or a diamond that all will agree to be the most beautiful of its kind.

The same judgment goes into perfection. What is the perfect work of art, the perfect poem, the perfect crystal, the perfect planet, ruler, king, president, man, woman, etc.?

The Buddhists in the Bamiyan Valley of Afghanistan thought that their world’s largest, 180 foot tall statue of Buddha, represented beauty and perfection.  In peaceful times people came from all around the world to see it. But the Taliban had a different opinion. To their eyes it was an ugly abomination so they took high explosives and blew to smithereens the great work that had existed there for 1400 years.

This sad account of ignorant action illustrates the point that both beauty and perfection is in the eye of the beholder and not a thing we can earmark for everyone.

Therefore, a person’s view of a perfect God may be much different than his neighbor’s.  My view of a perfect God may be your view of the devil himself.

Now let us move on to the second statement that the Bible doesn’t say that God is perfect.

“That’s blasphemy and untrue,” says the fundamentalist. “Let me give you two statements from the Bible that prove you wrong.

“Here is one about God: ‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your father in heaven is perfect.’” Matt 5:48

“And here is one about Jesus: ‘And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.’” Heb 5:9

“Obviously, the Bible says both Jesus and God are perfect.”

Not so fast, my friend.  Those words were not written in English, but translated from the Greek.  An examination of the meaning of the Greek words reveals that believers have been relying on a gross mistranslation over the centuries.

There are two words in the Biblical Greek from whence the word “perfect” is translated. The first is AKRIBELA and the second is TELEIOO.

The word AKRIBELA corresponds to the modern usage.  If a person or thing is AKRIBELA then it functions flawlessly with no imperfections. The religious leaders in the days of Jesus placed great emphasis in following the laws of Moses with this type of perfection.  They placed particular attention on the Sabbath Day and condemned Jesus for not being perfect in honoring it. They thought that if one were perfect (AKRIBELA) that he would do no work on the Sabbath Day as was written in the law, but Jesus labored tirelessly on this day healing and teaching. They even criticized him and his apostles for picking some grain to eat on the Sabbath.

In the end they crucified him because they thought he was far from perfect and thus could not be the messiah.

The other word translated as “perfect” is TELEIOO. “Perfect” is a poor translation, not correctly representing the meaning. This, or the adjective form, TELEIOS, does not imply that one has functioned without flaw but that he has finished a job or completed a work. Let us therefore interpret from the Greek and retranslated the above two verses.

Instead of, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your father in heaven is perfect.” It should read, “Finish your work to completion even as God does his.”

That makes a lot more sense doesn’t it? After all, who can expect any mortal to be as perfect as the infallible omnipotent, omniscient God that is envisioned by many religions?

Now let us look at the one about Jesus which reads, ‘And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation…”

A much better translation is, “Having finished his work he became the author of eternal salvation…”

Conclusion: It was the enemies of Jesus who placed great emphasis on flawless perfection, whereas Jesus placed emphasis on getting the job done successfully, even if he had to use flawed fishermen to help him.

God brings his works to wonderful and beautiful conclusions, but that which happens as the work progresses may be far from perfect. That which is to be the beautiful butterfly was once a repulsive caterpillar.

Copyright by J J Dewey 2014

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Question Seven

Is God All Powerful?

The common view among believers is that God is indeed all-powerful. If he wanted to establish a paradise on earth he could will it done in an instant, or if he wanted the entire earth to disappear he could make it vanish in the snap of a finger.

This belief creates a problem for skeptics as they say that if there is a God he must be one mean guy. If he has all power then why does he allow wars and not extend a hand to those suffering and in need, especially innocent little children? Rather than believe in a mean God, they generally believe in no God at all, as a world ruled by chance seems to make more sense to them.

Believers counter that all this suffering is part of some divine plan to allow us free will and teach us lessons but even they have a problem when loved ones have to endure great pain or grief.

It indeed appears that a piece of the puzzle is missing for no explanation so far satisfies the soul.

The missing piece of he puzzle is this.

God is not all-powerful.  There, I’ve said it.  This is a blasphemous statement for some believers but food for thought for others, as it explains a lot.

But, if this statement is true why would so many think otherwise?  Is it because the omnipotence of God is taught in the Bible?

Actually, it is not.  The Bible says that God is powerful, but nowhere does it say he is all-powerful and omnipotent.

So, if this doctrine did not come from the Bible, where did it come from?

The answer is quite simple. Just put yourself in the position of one of those who first formulated this and other doctrines on the attributes of God.

You have a responsibility to teach the people the truth about God and you are not clear on the idea yourself.  You study all the holy writings for answers to your questions. You wonder, is God all-powerful, omniscient, perfect, etc.?  He seems to be but the scriptures do not give many details about such things.

You are now faced with a decision about the presentation of your teachings. “Should I teach that God is all-powerful or merely powerful?”

You think about it a minute and consider the results if you are wrong.  If you diminish God in any way and it turns out that he is all-powerful then he may be offended and punish you.  On the other hand, if you present God as being even greater than he is then he is not likely to be offended. Who’s going to punish anyone for assuming good things about them?

Therefore, you consider that the safe route is to assume the best and the highest possible things about God in all you present.  You tell the people he is indeed all-powerful, omniscient, perfect, etc.

It’s a win win for you.  If you are correct God will be pleased and if you are wrong he will not be offended.

This approach to teaching about God has influenced  most teachers down through time.  After all, it is human nature to take the safe route, and this most of us do pretty consistently.

Let us be brave souls though and discern the true reality, for it is also written somewhere that God hates a coward

If we want to know the power of God we must look at two things.

(1) Ourselves.  As we said earlier we are reflections of God or made “in his image” as the Bible says. Therefore, if we want to understand the power of God we must look to ourselves. It turns out we human beings are capable of doing some powerful things.  We have harnessed atomic energy, built great structures and are generating computing power that will soon equal the human brain itself.

When humans are united the Bible says that “nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” Gen 11:6

So we can accomplish anything we imagine to do but we do not consider ourselves as being all-powerful.

Why?

Because many of our goals take an enormous amount of time. We have desired an efficient form of central heating for thousands of years but only achieved it recently.  We have also desired peace on earth for thousands of years, and have made some progress, but the goal is still far away.  Yet we know in our hearts that it will come one day.

Like us, God can accomplish whatever he sets out to do, but he is not all-powerful to the extent that he can just snap his fingers and make everything work perfectly in an instant.

(2) Reality

The scripture says: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” Psalms 19:1

If indeed the universe, the galaxy, the earth and all things therein are the handywork of God, then that is what we must observe to understand his use of power.

The Hubble telescope has looked back in time about 13 billion years and this has allowed us to see what the early universe looked like just shortly after creation.  What we see are galaxies that do not have the form and beauty as nearby galaxies whose light doesn’t take so long to reach us.

This tells us that, over a very long period of time, billions of years, the universe has been increasing in refinement, perfection and beauty.  In other words, God just didn’t snap his fingers and make perfect creation in an instant. He has an idea of how he wants the universe to end up and he’s been working at perfecting it for over 13 billion years.

The same idea applies to the earth. 4 billion years ago this place looked like a living hell. There were volcanoes spewing hot lava all over, the surface was too hot for water and the atmosphere was poisonous to life. Then over a long period of time this creation has turned into a very beautiful planet.

What does this knowledge tell us about the power of God?  It tells us that the Intelligence we call God is indeed powerful for the creation of the universe was a very powerful thing to do.  On the other hand, this intelligence is not all powerful, for it has taken him a long time to get it right and he’s still working on it.

Conclusion:  the Intelligence we call God is indeed powerful and can accomplish any work he wishes if given enough time.  On the other hand, he is not all powerful in that he cannot instantly make his creations perfect any more than we can.  Just like it takes time and thought for us humans to build a house it takes God time and thought to get his universe completed to his satisfaction.

The Bible tells us that God worked for six periods of time to manifest his creation.  If he had all power he wouldn’t have had to work at it until the work was good, but could have just snapped his fingers and made a perfected universe appear.

To understand that God is powerful, but not all powerful should be encouraging, not discouraging.  Why?  Because it brings us closer to pure truth and the truth always empowers and makes us free.

 

Copyright by J J Dewey 2014

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