god has punished people in the bible and compared it to the number of times god has forgiven people in the bible, which number do you think would be larger?
what kind of portrait does this paint of god?
2007-01-29 16:55:28 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
when God does it its not considered "murder" its considered " wiping evil out and giving human beings a second chance at this free will stuff"
out of all the things in the bible the thing i find the most difficult to believe? that god is "slow to anger"
obviously that is not the case
2007-01-29 17:07:04 · answer #1 · answered by Sheriff of R&S 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
An interesting thought - I do not have the statistics for that, but having read through the Bible too many times to count, I am left with a picture of a God who is more prone to mercy than judgment. I think this quote from Exodus 20:5-6 sums it up pretty nicely:
"You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments."
I think it may also help to consider that punishment isn't an evil, it's a remedy to an evil already committed. Is it evil for parents to punish their children when they misbehave? Is it evil for governments to punish criminals? Why should it be evil for God to punish sinners? It is the misbehaving child, the criminal, the sinner, who has performed the evil, and they are therefore deserving of punishment.
The Bible, however, is filled with countless examples of the deep Mercy of God upon mankind (the Prodigal Son, the woman caught in adultery, Christ forgiving His executioners). Through original sin, man could not remedy his wrong with God because of the infinite dignity of the One offended. However, rather than imposing endless punishment, God sent His only begotten Son, to suffer a most cruel and humiliating Death, so that all men and women might be saved and live with Him forever.
2007-01-30 01:17:30 · answer #2 · answered by greyrider1000 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Just because God punished His people doesn't mean that He didn't forgive them. God doesn't want anyone to suffer punishment, but when a person or nation rejects God, punishment follows.
Just like a good parent will discipline his disobedient child, God punishes those who disobey Him. God is holy, and because He is Holy He cannot tolorate sin. But if that person/nation will repent of their sin, God will forgive them.
This truth paints a portrait of God, that He is faithful and just.
2007-01-30 01:08:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Let's look at the number of times God's people (defined as the people He's communicating with at whatever time) have disobeyed him...
Luke 13:34 "Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how oft would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wing, and YE WOULD NOT."
What kind of portrait does this paint of mankind? I think He's been VERY patient with us as a whole, that He's still willing to accept those who accept Him.
2007-01-30 01:09:06 · answer #4 · answered by Yoda's Duck 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
God does punish more than do good or forgiven, but He is a father and you do good when the children are good and you beat the children when they are bad that is plain and simple enough.
Our natures tend toward the bad so we get beat more.
God does not mind good people doing what they do but it is evil people that bring God's judgment. God sees people sacrificing their babies to their lust, and this was one of the biggest crimes of ungodly pagan people killing innocent babies with fire and feeding them to crocodiles or their God's of Sun Wind Water and Fire.
2007-01-30 01:07:41 · answer #5 · answered by sirromo4u 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ancient Judaism assigned all events to the action of God. It is a form of anthropomorphism.
2007-01-30 01:05:34 · answer #6 · answered by NONAME 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Only God knows what is the right thing to do, I don't question what he does, He is God and we are not, He is just in everything He does.
2007-01-30 01:05:55 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
What number is larger? I never counted. Do you know?
2007-01-30 01:04:00 · answer #8 · answered by ThinkaboutThis 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Man, who's got that much time?
2007-01-30 01:06:41 · answer #9 · answered by Shinigami 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Probably a little like your face
2007-01-30 01:03:20 · answer #10 · answered by Bog-man 4 · 1⤊ 4⤋