Why doesn't God let himself be known?

[Pai_Nosso]

Why doesn’t God just make himself known by appearing to everyone in the sky or even on the news?

 

[Hodos]

He did let himself be known through the incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension of his Son. Still there were many who rejected him. That being said, there is a day coming where he will appear again, and every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

 

[CRV]

He will - at the end of time when he comes to judge the living and the dead. General Judgment - The Coming of the Judge.
" … At the Second Coming Christ will appear in the heavens, seated on a cloud and surrounded by the angelic hosts (Matthew 16:27; 24:30; 25:31)."

But why not now? Because His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.

 

[drac16]

There’s no merit in being forced to admit that He exists.

 

[AlbMagno]

Another answer, better in my opinion than the others, is that if God appears in all His might, many people would believe in Him out of fear, and not out of Love. And, in that situation, God cannot force us to love Him.

In the defense of the people who denied Jesus, they didn’t see a Supernatural Entity but just a man, a preacher (that was part of His Plan, for people to believe with Faith). And many who denied Him were zealous jews, just as suspicious to new revelation as we are to heresies today.

 

[annad347]

In the defense of the people who denied Jesus, they didn’t see a Supernatural Entity but just a man, a preacher (that was part of His Plan, for people to believe with Faith). And many who denied Him were zealous jews, just as suspicious to new revelation as we are to heresies today.

Not to mention the part when many people saw Him asend into heaven and still it happened. Saying it was a trick of light. I can just imagine what they would say today.

 

[CelticWarlord]

Why doesn’t God just make himself known by appearing to everyone in the sky or even on the news?

This is a very common question. But it presumes that God is a person, an individual, or a being of some kind who can be located in time and space but chooses not to be revealed. One school of thought, which can be found within Catholicism, is that God is the conscious energy of the universe whose physical world, the one we live in, is a manifestation of His mind. This energy is everywhere, we are both surrounded by it and permeated with it. It speaks to us and can be spoken to. This is what we call God. Bishop Barron describes it something like this. It’s the only “God” argument that makes any sense to me. So to answer your question, God let’s himself be known to me every time I wake up and draw breath.

 

[Dan_Defender]

Because of our free will. But the time is coming when he will appear but it will be too late for the faithless to repent. He will come at the close of the age as a judge.

 

[Neithan]

One school of thought, which can be found within Catholicism, is that God is the conscious energy of the universe whose physical world, the one we live in, is a manifestation of His mind.

Are you sure? That seems like pantheism. While creation depends on God, it is not a manifestation of God; I think that’s what the dogmatic insistence on ex nihilo means. [This is also the basic difference between Abrahamic and Dharmic understanding of creation.]

@Pai_Nosso for whatever reason, God wants us to seek him and find faith, rather than imposing himself on us. Also theologians have speculated that material creatures cannot physically survive the direct vision of God. And so as St. Paul wrote, we see God indirectly through what he has made, and there is no excuse to deny a creator.

 

[De_Maria]

He does, everyday. Most of us, recognize Him. Some don’t.

Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

 

[Jen7]

I think because he respects the choice Adam and Eve made to distance themselves from him. When he acts it is usually within the “laws of nature” (including our fallen nature). Show stopping miracles are the exception not The norm. Satan tried to temp Jesus to reveal himself in a brilliant, amazing way; Christ resisted.

 

[Magnanimity]

Why doesn’t God just make himself known by appearing to everyone in the sky or even on the news?

I believe contemporary atheism refers to this as the “hiddenness of God” argument.
But if God were so hidden, I wonder why all of human history would be so full of religiosity/spirituality?
If God were so hidden, what would account for universalized conscience (e.g., everyone has within themselves the same notion of justice—render to each person what is due to them)?
If God were so hidden, what would account for consciousness itself (which also universally obtains among humanity)?

These types of questions could really go on and on. Humanity itself, to include human history, seems to suggest that God has made himself plenty known to the entire race.

 

[Pai_Nosso]

This is a very common question. But it presumes that God is a person, an individual, or a being of some kind who can be located in time and space but chooses not to be revealed. One school of thought, which can be found within Catholicism, is that God is the conscious energy of the universe whose physical world, the one we live in, is a manifestation of His mind. This energy is everywhere, we are both surrounded by it and permeated with it. It speaks to us and can be spoken to. This is what we call God.

Im not presuming God is a person. Genesis clearly says that God made man in his image. That means he looks like a human and isn’t some kind of universal energy which religions in the far east tend to believe.

Thanks to those who just stated what we already know, that God did show up over 2000 years ago and will show up again some day. That wasn’t my question.

Some referred to Paul as he said we see God indirectly through his creation. I agree with that which is why I love to go away on holiday regularly, for God’s creation isn’t in the city.

With so many Christian denominations and other religions it would be good if everyone was on the same page with the same God.

 

[Gab123]

He does. It’s called reason. But to know God One has to seek Him; thus God makes Himself known for those who seek Him to find Him; those who don’t seek Him do not. But God is constantly calling us.

 

[AHapka]

There was a show stopping miracle in Fatima. While there are wide variety of estimates of attendance, it was between 30,000 and 100,000 (I think 70,000 is the most accepted number).

But, yet… According to critics, the eyewitness testimony was actually a collection of inconsistent and contradictory accounts. Proposed alternative explanations include witnesses being deceived by their senses due to prolonged staring at the Sun and then seeing something unusual as expected.

Nothing is good enough for some…

 

[Gab123]

Genesis clearly says that God made man in his image. That means he looks like a human a

God is Spirit. “In His Image and Likeness” means an intellect and a will. Since God is the Source of Goodness, Truth and Love, we were all made for God. Thus Jesus said we must love and love and serve God with all of our heart, all of our mind, all of our strength, and all of our soul; and to love neighbor as we love ourself.

 

[Gab123]

With so many Christian denominations and other religions it would be good if everyone was on the same page with the same God.

Yes. It’s called the a Universal Church. God is the universal God for everyone that’s why Jesus founded One Universal Church. Thus the Greek Word for Universal is Catholic. One Holt[y Catholic and Apostolic Church. No need to figure things out on your own, as the wisdom of 2,000 years is taught through the Catholic Church. Thus we got the Bible from God through The Church Christ founded. All other Christian denominations are offshoots of those who broke away from the Catholic Church, thus they reflect the teachings of their own founders.

 

[Pai_Nosso]

God is Spirit. “In His Image and Likeness” means an intellect and a will

Oh ok my mistake so God is a spirit. I took that passage literally thinking that God looks like a human…
This changes so many things now in my mind and takes me back to my original belief which was that we don’t know what God is or looks like.

He does. It’s called reason. But to know God One has to seek Him; thus God makes Himself known for those who seek Him to find Him; those who don’t seek Him do not. But God is constantly calling us.

Yes that is true. Satan is also constantly calling us as well. For the person who grew up in a secular family and school they won’t feel the need to find God. Science has their answers. Science has completely blocked God by inventing speculative theories that cannot be tested.

I believe contemporary atheism refers to this as the “hiddenness of God” argument.
But if God were so hidden, I wonder why all of human history would be so full of religiosity/spirituality?
If God were so hidden, what would account for universalized conscience (e.g., everyone has within themselves the same notion of justice—render to each person what is due to them)?
If God were so hidden, what would account for consciousness itself (which also universally obtains among humanity)?
These types of questions could really go on and on. Humanity itself, to include human history, seems to suggest that God has made himself plenty known to the entire race.

He is hiding. That’s what it feels like. People can see their mother and father but we can’t see God. In the old testament God had direct relationships with the prophets now he never makes an appearance

U know today’s atheists have an answer to all those questions and they teach all the kids that at school. So by the time they grow up and start working they have a naturalistic view of everything. So while it may be easy for us to find God because we were taught about him, these kids will find it almost impossible to find him as the bible would sound like a kind of fairytale to them. And what about the billions of people in Asia, practicing other religions.

My original question should of been “Why doesn’t God let himself be known among non Christians.”
Anyway God Bless.

 

[Maximus1]

Jesus Christ?

 

[englands123]

Thanks to those who just stated what we already know, that God did show up over 2000 years ago and will show up again some day. That wasn’t my question.

As you mention God did reveal himself through christ in the flesh.

On one occasion Matthew 17:17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.”