Many people have wondered why God has created things like the shark or the lion. Indeed, why all those millions of years of death decay and suffering as animals devour each other? No one can fathom all of God’s justifiable reasons for doing what He does. Many things remain a mystery and we must trust Him. On another level though we learn something of the Creator through what He has created as the above Romans passage tells us. It may not make us feel good but nature tells us that God can be wrathful. This is what His power includes. People here say they don’t believe God is like that. But on what basis? Is it because nature is always so gentle and kind that the God who created nature couldn’t have said and done all those wrathful things in the Bible? One thing is certain. Both nature and the Bible agree. If you are to believe what is true and not just what you wish to be true, then you must swallow the hard pill that the True God is just not who you want Him to be. You may hate the wrath of God but you cannot say it is illogical. What is illogical is to believe that God would never harm a flea when fleas are being harmed all around us. Even the terrors of nature testify that God exists. We must marvel at the lion even while fearing it.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is not the end of wisdom, though - perfect love casts away all fear. Not fear of the lion! But of the God who is pleased to have us call him Father.
Christ showed us what the Father is really like. Looking for analogies in nature or anywhere else gives an incomplete view from which we can easily mis-interpret the meaning.
Is God always and forever good? Yes.
There are many different types of fear. Perfect love casts out the unhealthy type. There is such a thing as healthy fear. Since we are human we all have it. Jesus is depicted as a lion in scripture. This is how C.S. depicted Him in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Moreover, the above Romans passage tells us that God’s wrath is revealed in what He has made. The comments here show that people have a false God. They blaspheme and hate the true God because they think He’s a Monster. Yet they fail to prove this. As I stated in the OP, we cannot fathom all of God’s justifiable reasons for doing what He does. We must trust Him. You are no different than the atheist who calls God a monster. If there are justifiable reasons then God’s not a monster. Instead of butchering the Bible and God’s character you need to trust Him.
Cole, you’re out of line judging people here and saying we have a false God simply because we interpret scripture differently than you do. You change your interpretation regularly. does that make you a believer in a false God? I don’t think so. I think it makes you a seeker of the true God who is, as we all are, feeling his way and trying to find the truth about Him. Not everyone who disagrees with you is wrong, nor is everyone who disagrees with me wrong.
I do agree with you that there is a certain kind of “fear” that is appropriate. I do fear to disobey Him – not because He will harm me (or anyone else) but because I love and adore Him and I do NOT want to displease Him. Yes He would be very stern with me if necessary, and probably do things I wouldn’t like – not to hurt me but to correct me and to protect others. You, our brother, are acting like a goat in pretending that you are the arbiter of all truth and accusing those who disagree with you of having a false God. If you don’t like to hear me say that, then think how your words look to others. You are not a great teacher or a bishop placed over others because of your spiritual maturity. You are only one of the kids, just like the rest of us. In fact there are pastors and teachers and such-like among us and they are all more humble than you in presenting their opinions. Because people treat you with kindness and deference does not mean that you are a person of special substance with more to offer than others, but rather that you are a beloved brother worthy of the respect due to a brother.
Please offer that respect to others as well.
Cindy,
Seeing that I don’t know Greek like Jason it would be best if you didn’t discuss these things with me.
Cole, you are being unreasonable. I know it’s hard to read something that makes you angry, but please read this carefully.
Yes I respect Jason’s and Paidion’s knowledge in the original languages as well as that of the others who occasionally share in these fields. You should too, whether or not you agree with everything they say (no one does) or not. I respect Sobornost’s knowledge of history and Akimel and Andrew and Michael and the many other clergy members who post here for their respective knowledge (even as I disagree with all of them from time to time.) I respect you too. I don’t consider any of these people to be an authority over anyone else (except in the limited sense that some of us are moderators and/or administrators) nor do I consider you to be an authority over others.
Please treat others as you would like to be treated. And I’d appreciate it if you’d go back and re-read the post you’re responding to – I know that if you’re like most of us, you weren’t able to read it carefully because of anger. When you cool down, please read it again and do as I ask. You may consider this an official request, which may be followed by an official warning if necessary.
Cindy,
I’m going to ask you one more time to leave me alone.
Cole, I’m a moderator. If I think you’re acting inappropriately I will not leave you alone. Don’t ask again.
Cindy,
If you have a false God then you have a false God. I have every right to say so just as the apostle Paul said so. As far as discussing issues with you I will not do it any longer. From here on out I will not respond.
Cindy,
Since you feel the need to harass me all the time then I will just stop posting from now on. I will go to William Lane Craig’s forum from now on.
I’m sorry Cindy and Dave. I’ve been upset the last couple of days. It won’t happen again.