Does God really have power

[CRATUS]

We have free will. Why are we imperfect? It can take a lifetime to change every last sin. Why bother,? It does not make me better than the next guy for battling my sins. I never know when I will die. God will not love me more for choosing him. For those who choose they will face more afflictions. Does our free will override his power? I can choose to reject him and repent anytime

 

[francisca]

Because it takes freewill in order to become perfect.

If you are perfect because you are made that way, that is a robot

 

[Joy2day]

God is all powerful. But he is not a robot. He does not provide displays at every request. He chooses when & how, and it is always for the best. Of course i’m referring to displays that are extra ordinary.

 

[St_Francis]

We have free will. Why are we imperfect? It can take a lifetime to change every last sin. Why bother,? It does not make me better than the next guy for battling my sins. I never know when I will die. God will not love me more for choosing him. For those who choose they will face more afflictions. Does our free will override his power? **I can choose to reject him and repent anytime. **

Yes, you can choose to reject God, but you may not have the oppotunity to repent. You think you will, but you might be hit by a bus before you decide to do so, and then it will be too late.

Moreover, when you reject God, you lose the grace He would send you to help you be good. He *might *send the grace to repent; He might not. In the meantime, in your rejection you will be drifting ever further away from Him, which will make it more difficult to repent, and your habits will be turning away from Him, another increasing difficulty in repenting.

So the best thing to do, unless you really *want *to spend your eternity burning in Hell, is not to reject God ever.

 

[St_Francis]

We have free will. Why are we imperfect?

We are imperfect *because *we have free will.

It can take a lifetime to change every last sin. Why bother,?

To be with the source of all love forever.

As opposed to spending eternity in the fires of Hell with an evil creature who hates.

It does not make me better than the next guy for battling my sins.

Those who struggle against their sins are doing teh right thiing. Those who wallow in their sins are doing the wrong thing. So battling against one’s sins does indeed make them better than the next guy, if the guy is wallowing.

I never know when I will die.

All the more reason to *always *be prepared to do so, no?

God will not love me more for choosing him. For those who choose they will face more afflictions.

Are you saying that afflictions are a sign that God does not love us? Quite the contrary, afflictions are a sign He is taking soecial care with us by molding our souls to be more beautiful.

Does our free will override his power?

God allows is to choose; this does not mean our ability to choose overrides God’s power. Without God’s power, we wouldn’t even be here, much less have rhe ability to choose to do evil.

I can choose to reject him and repent anytime

 

[friardchips]

God is all powerful. But he is not a robot. He does not provide displays at every request. He chooses when & how, and it is always for the best. Of course i’m referring to displays that are extra ordinary.

God shepherds us.

 

[hazcompat]

CCC
2091 The first commandment is also concerned with sins against hope, namely, despair and presumption:

By despair, man ceases to hope for his personal salvation from God, for help in attaining it or for the forgiveness of his sins. Despair is contrary to God’s goodness, to his justice - for the Lord is faithful to his promises - and to his mercy.

2092 There are two kinds of presumption. Either man presumes upon his own capacities, (hoping to be able to save himself without help from on high), or he presumes upon God’s almighty power or his mercy (hoping to obtain his forgiveness without conversion and glory without merit).

Peace

 

[InNomineDomini]

We have free will.

Correct.

Why are we imperfect?

Because of concupiscence.

It can take a lifetime to change every last sin. Why bother,?

Because we love God and want to have a greater capacity to love Him, without CONSTANTLY OFFENDING HIM.

It does not make me better than the next guy for battling my sins.

It makes you more holy. What the next guy is doing is none of your business

I never know when I will die.

Then you shouldn’t presume. See below.

God will not love me more for choosing him.

God wants to be chosen. This isn’t about YOU. It’s about HIM.

For those who choose they will face more afflictions.

By not going to Hell?

Does our free will override his power?

Our free-will has nothing to do with God’s power beyond being permitted by it.

I can choose to reject him and repent anytime

Incorrect. God will give you the grace to repent. If you consistently reject it, in justice, He may very well STOP giving you the grace to repent. What you propose is the sin of presumption.

 

[pianistclare]

Oh come on. Sometimes I think the OP just wants to argue.
Asking if people of faith on a Catholic forum think God has any power.
Same question over and over in a different form.
I do believe it.
I believe in God.
When I recite/pray the Creed at Mass I MEAN IT.
Do you?

You have been given all the correct answers by people who care.
Take the advice. It’s well stated and correct.
Do yourself a favor and let the knowledge seep into your soul.
God is powerful yes, but He’s never going to yank you by the scruff of the neck and demand obedience. Love doesn’t work that way.

 

[friardchips]

Oh come on. Sometimes I think the OP just wants to argue.
Asking if people of faith on a Catholic forum think God has any power.
Same question over and over in a different form.
I do believe it.
I believe in God.
When I recite/pray the Creed at Mass I MEAN IT.
Do you?

You have been given all the correct answers by people who care.
Take the advice. It’s well stated and correct.
Do yourself a favor and let the knowledge seep into your soul.
God is powerful yes, but He’s never going to yank you by the scruff of the neck and demand obedience. Love doesn’t work that way.

Sometimes He does (in a loving way).

 

[CRATUS]

Oh come on. Sometimes I think the OP just wants to argue.
Asking if people of faith on a Catholic forum think God has any power.
Same question over and over in a different form.
I do believe it.
I believe in God.
When I recite/pray the Creed at Mass I MEAN IT.
Do you?

You have been given all the correct answers by people who care.
Take the advice. It’s well stated and correct.
Do yourself a favor and let the knowledge seep into your soul.
God is powerful yes, but He’s never going to yank you by the scruff of the neck and demand obedience. Love doesn’t work that way.

I do not want to argue, you are wrong. I do not believe it.

 

[friardchips]

I do not want to argue, you are wrong. I do not believe it.

What don’t you believe? That our Creator has power?!!

 

[CRATUS]

What don’t you believe? That our Creator has power?!!

I think so. I do not see it. Sorry. You can tell me this a million times. I do not believe it or get it. Sorry. Why do you think I keep asking the same questions? Simply to annoy you. NO! I do not believe it. I do not want to argue. I am sure there are parts of your faith you HONESTLY DO NOT BELIEVE or struggle to believe.

 

[pianistclare]

I think so. I do not see it. Sorry. You can tell me this a million times. I do not believe it or get it. Sorry. Why do you think I keep asking the same questions? Simply to annoy you. NO! I do not believe it. I do not want to argue. I am sure there are parts of your faith you HONESTLY DO NOT BELIEVE or struggle to believe.

Not really.
Yes, I believe almost everything, I have questions, but I’m also humble enough to know that I can’t possibly know or comprehend the mind of God all the time. So there are things that I take on faith.
For example:
When my first husband committed suicide I questioned how I’d manage to help my daughters heal. I asked God to help me. He sent many loving and caring people (some of them total strangers who would not have done it otherwise) to my life to help us.
I never thought my world would recover. But then, a few years later I met a wonderful man who is a person who restores confidence, is gentle, and who truly loves us.
That was a gift from God. It wasn’t a coincidence. No way.
So yeah, I believe. I’ve studied at length the faith., I’m a catechist as well as a Musician and liturgist. I’ve seen it from all angles. I know it to be true. I could not teach it if I didn’t believe it.
Some of the things have to happen to you, Me telling you that it’s true won’t cut it, in general. You have to allow yourself to feel His presence in your life. You’re busy fighting Him off right now.
Try the alternative. Embrace Him, and see if He doesn’t reach back out to you.
What have you got to lose? Face? We don’t know you at all.
If you want God to give you a sign…you should give Him a chance.
:twocents::bible1:

 

[CRATUS]

Not really.
Yes, I believe almost everything, I have questions, but I’m also humble enough to know that I can’t possibly know or comprehend the mind of God all the time. So there are things that I take on faith.
For example:
When my first husband committed suicide I questioned how I’d manage to help my daughters heal. I asked God to help me. He sent many loving and caring people (some of them total strangers who would not have done it otherwise) to my life to help us.
I never thought my world would recover. But then, a few years later I met a wonderful man who is a person who restores confidence, is gentle, and who truly loves us.
That was a gift from God. It wasn’t a coincidence. No way.
So yeah, I believe. I’ve studied at length the faith., I’m a catechist as well as a Musician and liturgist. I’ve seen it from all angles. I know it to be true. I could not teach it if I didn’t believe it.
Some of the things have to happen to you, Me telling you that it’s true won’t cut it, in general. You have to allow yourself to feel His presence in your life. You’re busy fighting Him off right now.
Try the alternative. Embrace Him, and see if He doesn’t reach back out to you.
What have you got to lose? Face? We don’t know you at all.
If you want God to give you a sign…you should give Him a chance.
:twocents::bible1:

I guess you are right. Some things can only be felt through experience.

 

[friardchips]

I guess you are right. Some things can only be felt through experience.

This can be helped with co-operation.

Do you think the Creator created the universe or are you an atheist?

 

[CRATUS]

This can be helped with co-operation.

Do you think the Creator created the universe or are you an atheist?

Clearly, I believe in God. I would not even bothered posting this at all. Secondly, the whole after life thing seems so far-fetched. God’s plan. Where is the free-will if I must follow God’s plan? I have asked this a million times.

 

[friardchips]

Clearly, I believe in God. I would not even bothered posting this at all. Secondly, the whole after life thing seems so far-fetched. God’s plan. Where is the free-will if I must follow God’s plan? I have asked this a million times.

Okay. So you believe in a Creator. Thanks for sharing that info.

Now, how do you suppose He did this without power, to do so?! I once had to be reminded that the word ‘power’ does actually mean something. So, would it help if we called His Divine power, ‘love’?

Do you think it is His grace which keeps the world in existence? IOW, do you think it was He who created the universe?

(We can get to the freewill bit again in a minute).

 

[CRATUS]

Okay. So you believe in a Creator. Thanks for sharing that info.

Now, how do you suppose He did this without power, to do so?! I once had to be reminded that the word ‘power’ does actually mean something. So, would it help if we called His Divine power, ‘love’?

Do you think it is His grace which keeps the world in existence? IOW, do you think it was He who created the universe?

(We can get to the freewill bit again in a minute).

Yes. I believe God created the universe, the natural world, I feel like he has no control over humans though. Sometimes I think he has complete control - like fate sometimes none. For some people if you follow God you will face afflictions. I think God sends you afflictions. Some people will never understand God ever, yet He still gives them life and sustenance. It is difficult to surrender your life to God if you do not where it will go or how it will go. Not only this, why give you free-will if ultimately you must live the life He intended for you? Lastly, God gave us certain gifts and talents. Why I may ask? I do not know. Life is not fair, nor is God equal. Some people are found before their commit suicide, others are not. Whom does He love more? From the looks of humanity, I think most of us are going to hell. If I repeatedly battle my sins, I am no better than those who ignore them Their luck will not change.

 

[CRATUS]

Some of us are born to holy families, others are not. We all have different circumstances to overcome.