I Can't Understand God

[Edward_G]

I don’t know why people try to figure out what God is. I have spent the last twenty years trying to define and understand the nature of God. It seems like I’ve read everything, I even invented a few theories of my own only to come to the conclusion that God is entirely incomprehensible to human beings.

And maybe this is as it should be. I mean, if I could understand God–I would be God.

Didn’t Jesus Christ make it clear that if you had seen him you had seen the Father? Doesn’t it make sense then that if we want to see God, the only thing we can do is examine the life and teachings of Jesus Christ?

 

[MarcoPolo]

We can understand some things about God, but in a certain sense, you are right. To man, He is incomprehensible, and we rely on inadequate figures to perceive Him as if through a dark glass. In theological terms, God is sometimes referred to as the “wholly other” for which we have no comparison. But it helps to understand God as “Father” or “Creator” other figures to which we can relate that we might have a glimpse at Him through these figures.

 

[Qoeleth]

I think you are pretty much right. My years of studying theology were a process of un-learning everything I though I understood.

I like your point about Jesus.

 

[Spritus1]

Here is my pathetic attempt at ‘understanding’ God. It can only be pathetic as our finite minds cannot conceive of One who is of necessity Infinite.

Jesus said that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father. I take this to mean that Jesus being perfect in every virtue, being all love and selflessness and generosity and mercy and goodness and humility and gentleness was a ‘window’ in on the Father and his nature so to speak.

God the Father being outside of time and space is truly utterly incomprehensible. This doesn’t mean we can have no idea of His nature. We can begin to form a picture of what He is like. His essence and nature is exactly what Jesus showed us. He is the most perfect goodness, love, generosity, in fact He is the absolute perfection of every virtue and excellence and good, without spot, stain or blemish and then some. Try to imagine the nicest person you have ever met in your life and then multiply that to infinity.

God is the I AM WHO AM, the uncreated creator. He is existence, untrammelled, unfettered, eternal, infinite and unchanging. God is AWESOME in might, power and intellect.

What must He be like?

Now that is a thought.

 

[inocente]

I’d put it like this: by knowing Christ we know everything we need to about God, otherwise Christ’s sacrifice was for nothing.

 

[PRmerger]

I don’t know why people try to figure out what God is.

Because we cannot love what we do not know.

And because we are commanded to try to “figure out what God is”.
[BIBLEDRB]Matthew 22:37[/BIBLEDRB]

Loving God with our “whole mind” is trying to “figure out what God is.”

 

[fhansen]

I don’t know why people try to figure out what God is. I have spent the last twenty years trying to define and understand the nature of God. It seems like I’ve read everything, I even invented a few theories of my own only to come to the conclusion that God is entirely incomprehensible to human beings.

And maybe this is as it should be. I mean, if I could understand God–I would be God.

Didn’t Jesus Christ make it clear that if you had seen him you had seen the Father? Doesn’t it make sense then that if we want to see God, the only thing we can do is examine the life and teachings of Jesus Christ?

You’re right. The only way we can comprehend God in an immediate way that would truly satisfy us is if He chooses to reveal Himself that directly. And this experience is generally reserved for the next life although some have been given tastes of it in the here and now. For the most part we must wait until heaven; until then our knowledge is mainly about God as opposed to directly intuitive. The Church teaches that our faith is actually a relatively dim foretaste of the knowledge of God, a supernatural gift itself which enables us to believe in the truths revealed about Him.

 

[Eric_Hyom]

If we could understand the greatest commandments we might understand God.

When Jesus spent his time on Earth, he would have lived by the greatest commandments, this would have been the greatest way he could respond to each and every situation in his life. But how did Jesus love all his neighbours as he loved himself, the ones who condemned him to death, the soldiers who crowned him with thorns and nailed him to the cross? Jesus was an innocent man, with the power and authority to ask God to punish these people.

But it seems that nothing, and no one should stand in the way of Jesus living by the greatest commandments, and we know that he prayed on the cross, ‘ forgive them Father’
It seems that every time Jesus suffered injustice here on Earth, he forgave, in order that he should continue to love the sinners as he loved himself. If Jesus can forgive the people who had him killed, then it should give us hope that we can be forgiven also. What kind of a burden do we place on Jesus with our sins?

After his resurrection does the divine nature of Jesus, follow his human nature? When Jesus ascended into heaven, does Jesus still forgive us, in order that he should continue to love each and every one of us as he loves himself?

Just some thoughts

Blessings

Eric

 

[fred_conty]

I don’t know why people try to figure out what God is. I have spent the last twenty years trying to define and understand the nature of God. It seems like I’ve read everything, I even invented a few theories of my own only to come to the conclusion that God is entirely incomprehensible to human beings.

And maybe this is as it should be. I mean, if I could understand God–I would be God.

Didn’t Jesus Christ make it clear that if you had seen him you had seen the Father? Doesn’t it make sense then that if we want to see God, the only thing we can do is examine the life and teachings of Jesus Christ?

Someone on CAF once said that St. Thomas Quinas said, after one of his prayer sessions, that all his theology was a bunch of straw. Next to God, it was like nothing.

When all is said and done, it is the love in our hearts that count, be it hard or soft.

Just a thought.

 

[wcknight]

After thousands of years and millions of philosphers, no one has and no one other than Christ will ever really understand God.

BUT the good news is we really do not have to understand God. All we need to know is how to live our lives properly and how to get back to Him, and Jesus tells us all of that in the Gospels.

Thank God for that !!!

 

[Edward_G]

We can understand some things about God, but in a certain sense, you are right. To man, He is incomprehensible, and we rely on inadequate figures to perceive Him as if through a dark glass. In theological terms, God is sometimes referred to as the “wholly other” for which we have no comparison. But it helps to understand God as “Father” or “Creator” other figures to which we can relate that we might have a glimpse at Him through these figures.

Very well said.

I think you are pretty much right. My years of studying theology were a process of un-learning everything I though I understood.

I like your point about Jesus.

Thanks.

 

[Edward_G]

I’d put it like this: by knowing Christ we know everything we need to about God, otherwise Christ’s sacrifice was for nothing.

Right. I mean when it says that …God so loved the world that He sent his only begotton Son… We have to conclude that this was God reaching out to man in the best possible way that God can reach out to man.

Here is my pathetic attempt at ‘understanding’ God. It can only be pathetic as our finite minds cannot conceive of One who is of necessity Infinite.

Jesus said that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father. I take this to mean that Jesus being perfect in every virtue, being all love and selflessness and generosity and mercy and goodness and humility and gentleness was a ‘window’ in on the Father and his nature so to speak.

God the Father being outside of time and space is truly utterly incomprehensible. This doesn’t mean we can have no idea of His nature. We can begin to form a picture of what He is like. His essence and nature is exactly what Jesus showed us. He is the most perfect goodness, love, generosity, in fact He is the absolute perfection of every virtue and excellence and good, without spot, stain or blemish and then some. Try to imagine the nicest person you have ever met in your life and then multiply that to infinity.

God is the I AM WHO AM, the uncreated creator. He is existence, untrammelled, unfettered, eternal, infinite and unchanging. God is AWESOME in might, power and intellect.

What must He be like?

Now that is a thought.

Yes, that is a thought. But I don’t think we can actually think about it. I don’t think it works. I can tell you I’ve pushed reason so far that I’ve ended up with a god that cannot think, whose nature is utter chaos, and is incapable of any action whatsoever. But of course, that doesn’t match up with the reality that is right before my eyes. That’s when I threw my hands up and just decided to go with Jesus Christ. I have some hope of understanding him, but no hope of understanding God directly. :dts:

 

[Edward_G]

Because we cannot love what we do not know.

And because we are commanded to try to “figure out what God is”.

Loving God with our “whole mind” is trying to “figure out what God is.”

Well…it could also mean accepting that you can’t comprehend God and yet still believing, i.e., faith. It could also mean to study the only revelation our minds are capable of comprehending, i.e., the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and I also think studying the teachings of the Catholic Church might be a way to love God with one’s mind. But honestly, who can say they understand the first thing about God? :hypno:

You’re right. The only way we can comprehend God in an immediate way that would truly satisfy us is if He chooses to reveal Himself that directly. And this experience is generally reserved for the next life although some have been given tastes of it in the here and now. For the most part we must wait until heaven; until then our knowledge is mainly about God as opposed to directly intuitive. The Church teaches that our faith is actually a relatively dim foretaste of the knowledge of God, a supernatural gift itself which enables us to believe in the truths revealed about Him.

Well said, in my opinion.

 

[Edward_G]

If we could understand the greatest commandments we might understand God.

Good point.

After thousands of years and millions of philosphers, no one has and no one other than Christ will ever really understand God.

Yeah, I think you’re right. No wonder its mandatory that we put our faith in Christ. :yup:

Someone on CAF once said that St. Thomas Quinas said, after one of his prayer sessions, that all his theology was a bunch of straw. Next to God, it was like nothing.

When all is said and done, it is the love in our hearts that count, be it hard or soft.

Just a thought.

Interesting.

 

[PRmerger]

Well…it could also mean accepting that you can’t comprehend God and yet still believing, i.e., faith.

This is very Catholic of you to say, Edward.

It could also mean to study the only revelation our minds are capable of comprehending, i.e., the life and teachings of Jesus Christ,

I don’t see that at all in the Scriptures.

and I also think studying the teachings of the Catholic Church might be a way to love God with one’s mind.

Indeed.

But honestly, who can say they understand the first thing about God? :hypno:

I think we can apprehend him but not comprehend him.

 

[Eric_Hyom]

Edward G;.
I can tell you I’ve pushed reason so far that I’ve ended up with a god that cannot think,

The following is just a collection of words to challenge the mind to think, if you choose to read further then search for something greater than I have written.

---

In search of a Greatest or Ultimate Truth for God****

Here is a childlike and yet profound way to test the power of the greatest commandments; when looking for a purpose for the creation of the universe and life. Can God love us more than he loves himself?

Did God have a complete plan for the creation of everything, did he think ahead? Were Christ’s life, death and resurrection planned before the creation of the universe began?
To search for a deeper meaning, was Christ as ‘One with the father’ for the creation of the universe to go ahead? Was Christ freely given the choice to accept his sacrifice before the creation of the universe began?
What purpose can be so great, that it would compel God to create the universe and life, knowing in advance the suffering of mankind and that his son would die?
Would it be to forgive the sins of mankind, or can there be something greater?

Challenge your mind to find a greatest good purpose for creation; by searching for answers to three questions.

What greatest thing can God create?
God could create all the stars and planets of the universe; he then becomes God the builder.
God could create a whole variety of life with almost no intelligence like plants; he now becomes God the gardener’ God could create life with more intelligence but if the knowledge is limited he has now created the animal kingdom. He now becomes God the farmer. God could create life in his own image, a life that could understand him. Can God create anything greater than children in his own image, does he now become God the Father, we pray to God our Father. Does the greatest thing that God creates, depend on the relationship that he can have with them?

What greatest purpose can God have to create children in his own image?
Could love be the greatest reason for God to create children?
Could the ultimate God be a God who loves in the greatest way?

God the Father willingly loves all of mankind as he loves HIMSELF.

Can there be any greater reason to create children, even for God, can God love us more than he loves himself?

To find a greatest purpose for all God’s children.
What greatest purpose could God set for humanity? Would it be for everyone to turn to His kind of religion and pray the way that he stipulates, or would it be to banish poverty, gain intellectual superiority, conquer sickness and death, and subdue the universe or is there more?

If the greatest reason God could have to create mankind, is to love us, as he loves himself, then God could create mankind, with the freedom to return God’s love

All of mankind to be created with the freedom to love God the creator unconditionally, are we given the greatest commandment as a guide for this very purpose?

God willingly loves everyone as he loves himself; do we also need this same freedom to love everyone in the same way, so that the truth can be complete for God and mankind.

All of mankind, to be created with the freedom to love their neighbour; as they love themselves unconditionally; are we given the second greatest commandment as a guide?
Is this how God wants his children to be one? He wants us to love each other as we love ourselves.

In a way, God loves us more than he loves himself, because he was willing to do what was good for us but not good for him (send his Son to die). In a sort of contradicting way, God loves himself more than us, because he knows that he is the greatest being in the universe and retains the power of heaven or hell over us. When you ask the question; why did Christ say they are the greatest commandment, can it possibly be because God can do nothing greater?

Could the greatest commandments be a Greatest and Ultimate Truth?

If our greatest purpose for creation is to live by the greatest commandments, then this freedom to love also gives us the choice to do both good and evil. Are the greatest commandments powerful enough, to compel God to create the universe and life, knowing in advance the costs involved?

We can marvel at the great attention to detail that is evident in everything from the tiniest single cell of life and right up to the giant structures of galaxies. Can you find any greater purpose for all this to exist? Challenge the above statements in your mind in an honest way, test them against any religious beliefs, and test them against any form of logic.

Blessings

Eric

 

[Edward_G]

I think we can apprehend him but not comprehend him.

Very well said.

 

[Edward_G]

Thanks, Eric, you have a lot of good wisdom in your post.