Why does God reveal himself to some but not others? (Article)

[fhansen]

A great question for those of us outside the Middle East…why did the Christian God wait thousands of years to reveal himself to people like the first North Americans?

He waited thousands of years just to get His chosen people-those through whom salvation is conveyed to the world- to the point where humanity was just barely ready for new light, brought into the world by Jesus Christ. God remains behind the scenes so as not to overpower or force His will upon us; He informs us as we’re ready and willing, in history as well as in our own individual lives. Then He judges on what we’ve done with what we were given: our backgrounds, circumstances, time, opportunities, revelation, grace, etc. The Parable of the Talents as well as Luke 12:48 and Matt 11:23 give insight into this.

The bottom-line message with Christianity is that goodness is foundational to the universe-and that created beings with free will don’t necessarily embrace this goodness; they may even use their freedom to oppose it-that’s how “great” they were made, or how great they truly are in potential if and when they come to freely choose the good. The “bad” is evident all around us-and in us depending on the orientation of our wills. So light and darkness co-exist in this world, the wheat with the tares, and both are probably growing in strentgh, but light will eventually overcome, goodness will reign in the end after humanity is allowed to experiment with less-than-goodness for awhile and eventually learns the value of the ultimate goodness of God and His will-the mind behind and within nature and the universe-or not. Hell means separation from that goodness-a radical possibility for those who persist in rejecting it, because existence itself is inherently good so exiting from it isn’t an option. God is just and fair beyond measure. Catholic teaching includes the concept that He’ll make all well-we wait to find out just how He’ll pull that off.

 

[oldcelt]

He waited thousands of years just to get His chosen people-those through whom salvation is conveyed to the world- to the point where humanity was just barely ready for new light, brought into the world by Jesus Christ. God remains behind the scenes so as not to overpower or force His will upon us; He informs us as we’re ready and willing, in history as well as in our own individual lives. Then He judges on what we’ve done with what we were given: our backgrounds, circumstances, time, opportunities, revelation, grace, etc. The Parable of the Talents as well as Luke 12:48 and Matt 11:23 give insight into this.

The bottom-line message with Christianity is that goodness is foundational to the universe-and that created beings with free will don’t necessarily embrace this goodness; they may even use their freedom to oppose it-that’s how “great” they were made, or how great they truly are in potential if and when they come to freely choose the good. The “bad” is evident all around us-and in us depending on the orientation of our wills. So light and darkness co-exist in this world, the wheat with the tares, and both are probably growing in strentgh, but light will eventually overcome, goodness will reign in the end after humanity is allowed to experiment with less-than-goodness for awhile and eventually learns the value of the ultimate goodness of God and His will-the mind behind and within nature and the universe-or not. Hell means separation from that goodness-a radical possibility for those who persist in rejecting it, because existence itself is inherently good so exiting from it isn’t an option. God is just and fair beyond measure. Catholic teaching includes the concept that He’ll make all well-we wait to find out just how He’ll pull that off.

It really didn’t matter They had their own beliefs that seem to have been quite satisfactory until Europeans arrived. For the record, I know what Christianity teaches, I just don’t believe it any longer. Just want to save you some typing.

 

[Della]

God does what he wants without regard for what we think he should/shouldn’t do.

I think everyone is forgetting who are are talking about here. We’re not talking about another human being. We are talking about the motives of one who answers to no one but himself. We are merely his creation–like a potter making objects on the potting wheel. The potter decides what each thing he is creating will be, not the clay.

God calls those he wishes for his own reasons. He speaks to whom he wishes without worrying about what others will think about that. St. Therese of Lisieux likened it to some flowers being big and showy, like roses and other being mere flowers in the field that people trample under foot. Is the flower in the meadow less a flower because no one takes notice of it? Is the rose more a flower because it is loved and cultivated?

We have to be careful in two things here. Firstly, we cannot ascribe to God our own limitations in understanding who and what each of us is. And secondly, we cannot be envious if God doesn’t reveal himself to us in some special way. He has given us his Son, his Church, and all the good things of the earth. What more do we need to give him thanks and say in simplicity and humility, “Thy will be done.”

 

[fhansen]

It really didn’t matter They had their own beliefs that seem to have been quite satisfactory until Europeans arrived. For the record, I know what Christianity teaches, I just don’t believe it any longer. Just want to save you some typing.

A few more taps: Native Americans believed a variety of things. Many of those beliefs centered around God or the Great Spirit, etc., much of which was consistent with Christianity. Consequences for an evil life were generally considered to be expected. Otherwise I really can’t say how satisfactory things turned out.

 

[ynotzap]

If I told you that I know Jesus-God-man exists would you believe me, Maybe yes, maybe no.
I believe it is the predisposition of the listener whether he will or he won’t Like St. Paul when he preached the Way to the gentiles. Some responded, some didn’t. I understand God has to act first motivating one to listen. Are we humbly disposed to receive? Are we arrogant in our demands? Are we sincere? Are we really seeking? Are we doing what we can to be receptive? Are we being true to ourselves? I personally found God to reveal Himself slowly through living situations. Some very painful, some very enlightening. I believe persons of good will and kind to other people are good candidates. I also believe those who are reaching for God’s hand from some helpless, desperate and painful circumstance who turns to Jesus Christ and asks for help, and love are excellent candidates. One who is stripped of any self-reliance, and seeking to know the truth is on his way to being disposed to God’s saving grace. Like the Good thief, this man did nothing wrong, we deserve what we suffer,Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom, and Jesus responded “This day you will be with me in paradise” Sincerity, humility, belief and a simple request was enough to move God to answer as He did. God is forgiving, and He is love.

 

[oldcelt]

God does what he wants without regard for what we think he should/shouldn’t do.

I think everyone is forgetting who are are talking about here. We’re not talking about another human being. We are talking about the motives of one who answers to no one but himself. We are merely his creation–like a potter making objects on the potting wheel. The potter decides what each thing he is creating will be, not the clay.

God calls those he wishes for his own reasons. He speaks to whom he wishes without worrying about what others will think about that. St. Therese of Lisieux likened it to some flowers being big and showy, like roses and other being mere flowers in the field that people trample under foot. Is the flower in the meadow less a flower because no one takes notice of it? Is the rose more a flower because it is loved and cultivated?

We have to be careful in two things here. Firstly, we cannot ascribe to God our own limitations in understanding who and what each of us is. And secondly, we cannot be envious if God doesn’t reveal himself to us in some special way. He has given us his Son, his Church, and all the good things of the earth. What more do we need to give him thanks and say in simplicity and humility, “Thy will be done.”

But as sentient, intelligent beings, we are required, in my mind to ask the questions. Not to accept what someone told us was truth or fact when there is nothing, or little to back it. Whatever form God mat take, I can’t imagine him being annoyed by us questioning the teachings of man about him.

 

[Sean_St_Jude]

A great question for those of us outside the Middle East…why did the Christian God wait thousands of years to reveal himself to people like the first North Americans? Then do it through people who often viewed them as inferior?

…and it makes me wonder.

One thing I’m beginning to ponder and actually find very comforting is God’s infinite Love and Wisdom, and on. Being someone who has been treated very kindly by God and who likes theology a lot – though sometimes it goes over my head – for those who are outside the period of public revelation, I find great comfort in Romans 2:14-15

“When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them.”

That tells me that many of those who didn’t receive Christ’s revelation during their lifetime but lived according to that law written in their heart, were delivered when Christ died and descended to the dead after His death. We try to define God according to our limited wisdom, yet his ways are inscrutable (Romans 11:33).

 

[Della]

But as sentient, intelligent beings, we are required, in my mind to ask the questions. Not to accept what someone told us was truth or fact when there is nothing, or little to back it. Whatever form God mat take, I can’t imagine him being annoyed by us questioning the teachings of man about him.

And how do you know they are merely the teachings of man? How do you know anything at all since almost everything we learn is from others and not from personal researches? For instance, how do you know your parents are your parents? Because they told you so or even showed you a birth certificate? And how do you know they are telling you the truth or that the certificate is authentic? We can question until we cannot get an answer because no answer will satisfy what we want to hear. As G. K. Chesterton once wrote (I paraphrase) “The reason for having an open mind is to clamp down on the truth when it comes in not to let the truth escape because we have to keep an open mind.”

 

[oldcelt]

And how do you know they are merely the teachings of man? How do you know anything at all since almost everything we learn is from others and not from personal researches? For instance, how do you know your parents are your parents? Because they told you so or even showed you a birth certificate? And how do you know they are telling you the truth or that the certificate is authentic? We can question until we cannot get an answer because no answer will satisfy what we want to hear. As G. K. Chesterton once wrote (I paraphrase) “The reason for having an open mind is to clamp down on the truth when it comes in not to let the truth escape because we have to keep an open mind.”

Just reverse your whole argument and you will understand a bit more. BTW, my parents raised me…that is a fact. Whether they were my biological parents is irrelevant to me.

Chesterton…why would anyone care what another human being wrote except for research purposes?

 

[oldcelt]

One thing I’m beginning to ponder and actually find very comforting is God’s infinite Love and Wisdom, and on. Being someone who has been treated very kindly by God and who likes theology a lot – though sometimes it goes over my head – for those who are outside the period of public revelation, I find great comfort in Romans 2:14-15

“When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them.”

That tells me that many of those who didn’t receive Christ’s revelation during their lifetime but lived according to that law written in their heart, were delivered when Christ died and descended to the dead after His death. We try to define God according to our limited wisdom, yet his ways are inscrutable (Romans 11:33).

I doubt that any of that gave comfort to those who disagreed.

 

[Della]

Just reverse your whole argument and you will understand a bit more.

Reverse it? How? You’re not making sense. But never mind. If you don’t see the point, you don’t.

BTW, my parents raised me…that is a fact. Whether they were my biological parents is irrelevant to me.

Not the point. I think you know that.

Chesterton…why would anyone care what another human being wrote except for research purposes?

Try reading him and then say that.

 

[ynotzap]

I doubt that any of that gave comfort to those who disagreed.

You are predisposed to being opposed, you don’t call yourself Oldcelt for nothing