God of the Bible vs how we view Him

[AJ85]

It seems like all I here when people talk about God is love love love. I hear how he gives us so many chances and always loves us. I definently don’t see that in the Bible. I see a stern God who loves you if you follow his way and hates you if you don’t. Why do we look at God in the way we do?
I have a few other questions.
1.Everyone says God gave us free will because he loves us. Does a parent give a child free will? Of course not. The parent knows the child will get into trouble if given free will. So why does God give us free will, knowing that we will missuse it?
2.In the Bible, God killed people because they made one mistake. Why? I(and many others) have commited serious sins, but God lets us live.
3.Why did God make us all suffer from Adam and Eve’s sin? Jesus died to redeem us. Why did he do that considering we did not even commit original sin? Why was all humanity punished for two people’s sins?
I would really appreciate any answers. Thanks.

 

[buffalo]

A parent does not have the authority to give his child free-will. That comes from God alone.

What parent does not guide his child? What parent does not punish his child if he errs? A parent does this because he loves his child.

 

[DanteAlighieri]

It seems like all I here when people talk about God is love love love. I hear how he gives us so many chances and always loves us. I definently don’t see that in the Bible. I see a stern God who loves you if you follow his way and hates you if you don’t. Why do we look at God in the way we do?

The events in the Old Testament were meant to shape the Chosen People – to prepare them, as it were. The result was that, by the time of the Nativity, the Jews were a people with a deeply rooted sense of religion and tradition and a strong religious identity that set them apart from the rest of the peoples in that region.

I have a few other questions.
1.Everyone says God gave us free will because he loves us. Does a parent give a child free will? Of course not. The parent knows the child will get into trouble if given free will. So why does God give us free will, knowing that we will missuse it?

God created us in His image – which means not that God has two arms and two legs, but rather that He has free will and the capacity to love and create. We are images of that nature; we do not perfect it as God does. Had God created us without free will, we would be mere automatons who, while incapable of sinning, would also be incapable of choosing to follow God’s will. That is not love.

2.In the Bible, God killed people because they made one mistake. Why? I(and many others) have commited serious sins, but God lets us live.

As I said before, the events of the OT were essential to the formation of the Jewish people. Furthermore, it’s not as if the people who died were guilty of spilling milk; they were guilty of deliberately disobeying God (i.e., mortal sin). Their deaths were instructive.

Here’s another point: where on earth does one get the idea that death is the worst possible fate one can endure?

3.Why did God make us all suffer from Adam and Eve’s sin? Jesus died to redeem us. Why did he do that considering we did not even commit original sin? Why was all humanity punished for two people’s sins?

God didn’t “make” us suffer; that was the nature of the beast, as it were. Adam and Eve incurred the penalty of death for themselves and all their descendants because that’s what they chose. Original Sin is not something that we “commit”; it is the concupiscence inherent in our being because of the original sin committed by Adam and Eve, and it is the very reason we need Christ’s salvific act.

Peace,
Dante

 

[nablaise]

Try the ‘Our Father’s Plan’ audio. Here Scott Hahns explains how to read the Bible and how to understand it. You can also read the Cathechism of the Catholic Church. It is a great book to understand the Christian faith.

The Bible is a library of sacred texts/books. One can’t just enter and start reading without a guide.

What I can say is ‘Covenant’ is the key to understanding the Bible and our lives.
The God in the OT seem as tuff as life is tuff in a certain sens.
The explanation of what happens in life, history, good or bad is all about the covenant.
It is about keeping or braking the covenants that exists between God and man. It is about blessings and curses related to these covenants.

God bless

 

[wina]

God is beyond our understanding and our knowledge. We can’t view exactly what God is but we do know that He loves us very much through Jesus who died on the cross because of our sins.

So, in my opinion, it will be better when we talk to God (through our prayers) than we talk about God as we know that we all have limited knowledge and understanding about HIM.

God bless

 

[Crepusculum]

…I definently don’t see that in the Bible. I see a stern God who loves you if you follow his way and hates you if you don’t. Why do we look at God in the way we do?

You see hatred in God when you don’t follow His way? I sometimes wonder if he ever stopped loving even Lucifer when he chose to rebel. I look at God’s love like that of a parent talking to a child in a dangerous relationship - they can beseech that child and plead that they are going down a road that is destructive, but if the child, caught up in the desire of the destructive relationship, does not hear their parent’'s warnings, or chooses to hear something different, what can that parent do? Stop them moving out?

Hope that helps,

 

[richardwy]

How much pastrami did Canada eat in 1958?

I’m hoping your questions aren’t like that one or similer to this:

Gimme the facts, now! I want to know. It’s all about me, me, me, answer me now! Oh, what’s on TV? Hey. she’s cute, who’s is she? Lunchtime yet?

Start with the Catechism. And I’m not shining you on. If you really desire the truth, the real deal.

Near the beginning is the clause “The desire for God is written on the human heart . . …”

If you can pass over that with a “yeah, I already know that,” then best of luck. If what those words mean arrests you, get a pencil, a Catechism, and make a beginning.

Again, my reply isn’t flip. As a teaser, when matter at hand is beyond our mind’s ability to comprehend, the Catechism doesn’t duck it.

If there’s not much left on your plate but a desire for God because all else has seems unimportant by comparison, it’s a perfect time to begin.

God Bless

 

[AJ85]

Thank you guys for your answers. I was raised Catholic, but, as you can see, I don’t have a great understanding of the Bible. Thanks for helping me with my questions.

 

[Nickkname]

vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html

 

[Ruthie]

AJ, if you are blessed to be in the Denver Archdiocese, they have an excellent course on the Bible. the Catholic Biblical School is a big deal - it is 4 years of study! It is well worth the time and effort, as even at the end of the 1st year, you will know more about the OT t6han many a Protestant, and at the end of the 2nd year, ditto for the Gospels. (And so on!)

The course is also given in Colorado Springs, and may even get as far north as Cheyenne this year. And I believe a few other dioceses offer it, too. Look for it at archden.org.

If not, there is an excellent course, available online, called the “Great Adventure” series, by Jeff Cavins. Read about it at greatadventureonline.com/.

HTH,

Ruthie

 

[Crepusculum]

AJ, if you are blessed to be in the Denver Archdiocese, they have an excellent course on the Bible. the Catholic Biblical School is a big deal - it is 4 years of study! It is well worth the time and effort, as even at the end of the 1st year, you will know more about the OT t6han many a Protestant, and at the end of the 2nd year, ditto for the Gospels. (And so on!)
…

I know we’re supposed to resist envy at every turn, but I suddenly find myself wishing I lived in Denver. What can I find in this deeply cynical country of mine? 1 1/2 hours once a month, one bible book per session - at this rate, we’ll be done in about 6 years and still have only covered the basics!

 

[SilentKnight]

It seems like all I here when people talk about God is love love love. I hear how he gives us so many chances and always loves us. I definently don’t see that in the Bible. I see a stern God who loves you if you follow his way and hates you if you don’t. Why do we look at God in the way we do?

By way of an introduction - It takes time to get to know people. No difference with God. It takes time to get to know Him as well. What may seem peculiar in some way at first, begins to make more sense in the grand scheme of things as more and more is revealed.

I have a few other questions.
1.Everyone says God gave us free will because he loves us. Does a parent give a child free will? Of course not. The parent knows the child will get into trouble if given free will. So why does God give us free will, knowing that we will missuse it?

Because free will enables us to share in His very life (Heaven). Yes, we can missuse it. But that missuse can also be erased through contrition and confession. In the end, there is far greater good that comes from God allowing us free will than if He disallowed it. (If he disallowed it, there would be no such thing as Heaven for us.)

2.In the Bible, God killed people because they made one mistake. Why? I(and many others) have commited serious sins, but God lets us live.

Right. Part of the reason for this - in my humble opinion - is that the people of ancient times were a lot more “crass”/stubborn than we are today. Thus, teaching them required more dramatic interventions than we need today.

Does that make sense?

3.Why did God make us all suffer from Adam and Eve’s sin? Jesus died to redeem us. Why did he do that considering we did not even commit original sin? Why was all humanity punished for two people’s sins?

The multi-dimensional answer to this is that:

A) He doesn’t punish us for Adam and Eve’s sin. He only punishes us for our own.

B) Yes, one could say He punishes us for their sin in the sense that we all now live in a fallen world, subject to numerous pains, trials, and tribulations. But what of the person who places their hand on a burner and does not feel it because they do not feel pain? Rather than remove the hand quickly and recovering after placing some cold water and or ointment on it - and learning to be careful in the future - this person irrecoverably burns (melts) their whole hand off.

The suffering that we now have to endure is meant to be instructive.

C) To the anticipated objection that “I never did anything to deserve this ‘instructive’ state. If I had been Adam (or Eve), I would have done it the right way”, I would respond with two potential answers: 1) No, you wouldn’t have. OR 2) Adam and Eve, in order to keep from falling into sin, would have suffered as well in order to confirm them in grace. (Speculation, but educated speculation nonetheless…)

So…there you go.

There’s my 2& 1/2 cents.

SK