On the ordinary person's quest to understand God

[Stan]

Seek me and ye shall find me....

We tend not to talk about the ordinary person quest to understand God

[aldona]

What do you mean, "quest to understand God"?

You read or listen to each of the 27 fundamentals. You mechanically nod your head in agreement. Congratulations, you are now a believer, and your membership in the denomination seals your salvation.

What is there to "understand"?

(OK, removing tongue from cheek <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />)

True story - this really happened.

Housemate's sister (gazing in wonder at our study, with shelves filled with books of all different religious writers, denominations, etc): "Wow, do Brad & Aldona really read all this stuff?"

Housemate: "Yes...I guess they're always searching for more information.."

HS: "But weren't they born and brought up as Adventists?"

Housemate: "Yes."

HS: (long pause) "...So, what on earth are they still searching for???"

typical Adventist approach..."we have all the facts - why would we try to look for truth?"

aldona

(heads off to read The Books Of Adam and Eve)

[LifeHiscost]

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aldona said:

typical Adventist approach..."we have all the facts - why would we try to look for truth?"

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Stereotypical assumption. <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/yeahthat.gif" alt="" />

[:"red"] "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? " [/]

On the surface these seem to be logical, if not rhetorical

questions. OTOH they were questions posed to Job at a time in which his so-called friends were taking Job to task for assuming he knew Almighty God.

For God's opinion of that, one can find more evidence by reading the book of Job.

If the answer(s) to the questions are no, as I believe Job's interrogaters wished Job to admit, then why this counsel from the Son of God?

[:"red"] "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." [/] John 17:3 NASB

[:"red"] "...No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." [/]

Matt 11:27 NIV

[:"red"] "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him."

Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."

Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. " [/] John 11:7-10 NASB

<img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/DOVE.gif" alt="" />

Blessings!!

[GodsOath]

Aren't there different levels of "knowing"? We many know HIM but not know why He does certain things.