Questioning God ?

[Lewis]

I already know the answer and the answer is yes you may question God. I know that when I was coming up the old people taught that you were not to question God. That teaching I now know is wrong. When you are in a close relationship with someone, questions are a big part of that relationship. Now in another topic here on this board that I started we were talking about why does God let us humans suffer and allow the suffering and deaths of babies, and the starvation of babies. Or the old and the sick. I think that these are legitimate questions. When you see a baby who has done nothing to anybody die of starvation and disease it is hard to take, and we as finite beings do not have the answers for such things like that. It makes you say why God do we all have to suffer because of Adam, why have we all been cursed because of Adam. It is so hard living in this flesh the emotional and physical problems that we have living in this flesh can be overwhelming. It makes you ask God why did He create us if we are to suffer like this. Now these are thoughts that have ran through my mind countless times, and if you say that it has not run through your mind before you are a lie.
But as Christians we have life through Jesus Christ. But yet in these bodies we suffer.

So is it alright to question God ? I say yes what do you say ?

 

[Ace1234]

I was raised in a fairly fundy church where the theme was "do not question God"
I think what is really being said is don't question the denominations beliefs.

If you live long enough you will question God. Anyone that wants to form a sincere studied faith must be open, ask question and seek answers. It is up to you to build your faith, not depend on the faith of others.

Doubt is in itself a part of the faith process. Our goal is to grow out of doubt into faith. Look at all the great men of the bible that dealt with severe doubt and know you're in good company.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I don't question God directly. I think my Calvinist leanings make me think "God has a really big plan I'll never understand," and I kind of leave it at that. I will, when praying, say "I don't know why you did ____" or "I'll never understand ___", but that's about as far as it goes.

I guess questioning God is normal, but look at the Book of Job. You can question all you want; at the end of the day, He's the creator and you are the creature.

 

[jasoncran]

i can tell that some havent faced what lewis is saying personally.

i have wondered why myself. its common, i dont know why he does but i trust him.

job said this" though he slay me yet will i trust him,and also the lord giveth and taketh away blessed be the name of the lord"

several yrs ago i prayed lord i dont want the paper route anymore. so i tried to leave it but i cant find the extra money that i need but now when my grandmother died i get money from her estate. even then now my daughter needs us and i have been blessed with them in my house.

blessing come in strange ways. my grandmother died a jew and may not have confessed in christ. that said i have let God be God and he is to have control.

 

[for_his_glory]

If we never question then how do we learn. We know that all of Gods promises are yea and amen as God blesses those who are his, but yet will curse those who reject him as in Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Hosea 4:7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

This is why bad things happen to seemingly good people. God has all the answers, but are we willing to accept them.

 

[WIP]

I don't think I question God. After all, it wouldn't matter what I think anyway. What matters is that I trust Him. What I will question is my understanding. I'm the one in this relationship that struggles with questions and I am the one that struggles with the answers.

 

[Aardverk]

I questioned God for many years - never got a single answer though.

I questioned my Christian friends - never got an answer that made sense. That was about the unfair suffering in the world. It's not just sinners that get punished, it is innocent babies, children, etc. Yes, it is a very old conundrum but there is still no satisfactory answer to it.

 

[TRUTH over TRADITION]

As a believer, I recall having a degree of "Godly fear" and respect that made me very hesitant to question God (or what I thought and had been led to believe was God). What I have come to understand is that since I have no way of objectively being able to know or determine who, what, or if God is, then I would do well to question the writings and people that claim they do. Questioning and being skeptical of preachers, other religious leaders, as well as the texts of the Bible itself is an intelligent and wise investment of time in light of the significance of the subject matter. Today my questions are not so much directed at God, but moreso to why it is that we should believe that the God as described in any religious writing is actual God at all.

 

[Aardverk]

As a believer, I recall having a degree of "Godly fear" and respect that made me very hesitant to question God (or what I thought and had been led to believe was God). What I have come to understand is that since I have no way of objectively being able to know or determine who, what, or if God is, then I would do well to question the writings and people that claim they do. Questioning and being skeptical of preachers, other religious leaders, as well as the texts of the Bible itself is an intelligent and wise investment of time in light of the significance of the subject matter. Today my questions are not so much directed at God, but moreso to why it is that we should believe that the God as described in any religious writing is actual God at all.

I think you have put that so well - thank you.

Questioning God in prayer has achieved nothing for me so I have stopped doing it.

Questioning those who preach or write is all that is left to me. The trouble is that whenever I ask a 'difficult' question, people regard it as an attack instead of my continuing quest for answers. My problem is that I cannot close the eye of reason (Who said that? Benjamin Franklin?).

 

[WIP]

The trouble is that whenever I ask a 'difficult' question, people regard it as an attack instead of my continuing quest for answers.

I've heard you use this phrase quite a bit through your posts. Is it possible that it is you who has taken on a defensive position rather than everyone else being offensive? Maybe you've erected such an impenetrable wall around you that you're not letting yourself be open to the Holy Spirit. Don't answer me, just food for thought.

 

[classie787]

I was told, I believe by my pastor, that it is normal to have doubts in the existence of God. That itself is not a terrible thing.

I don't know if I am getting off-topic, but whenever I read the Bible I often end up more depressed or frustrated than I was before. I'm told we are loved by our creator, but there is so much talk about God denying us if we don't choose Him. It makes me feel that if I "check out a girl" then I should rip my eye out, for it is better to lose an eye than to lose my soul to eternal Hell. I've done way worse than look at a girl, yet I've never ripped off any body part. You may argue that it might just be some sort of metaphor, but if the Bible is supposed to be our User Manual for Human Life, and if it was written by God, shouldn't it have been absolutely free of any ambiguities?

I feel like the Cleveland Browns...officially eliminated from the post-season (Heaven) and the season (my life) has many more games to be played. What's the point?

 

[WIP]

I was told, I believe by my pastor, that it is normal to have doubts in the existence of God. That itself is not a terrible thing.

<O:p</O:p
We all have doubts. What if Jesus himself was your best friend and you witnessed his miracles first-hand? Suppose you saw him turn water into wine, feed thousands from a lunchbox, heal the sick and cure the lame by the thousands, and even raise people back to life after being dead for days. Would you doubt then? Jesus disciples, who he referred to as his friends, witnessed these things first-hand and even they had doubts. Peter, the one who identified Jesus as the Christ, was walking on water with Jesus and still doubted. Jesus foretold his crucifixion and resurrection and yet Thomas doubted. We are to put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and in Him alone but it’s not easy. <O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p

I don't know if I am getting off-topic, but whenever I read the Bible I often end up more depressed or frustrated than I was before. I'm told we are loved by our creator, but there is so much talk about God denying us if we don't choose Him. It makes me feel that if I "check out a girl" then I should rip my eye out, for it is better to lose an eye than to lose my soul to eternal Hell. I've done way worse than look at a girl, yet I've never ripped off any body part. You may argue that it might just be some sort of metaphor, but if the Bible is supposed to be our User Manual for Human Life, and if it was written by God, shouldn't it have been absolutely free of any ambiguities?

I feel like the Cleveland Browns...officially eliminated from the post-season (Heaven) and the season (my life) has many more games to be played. What's the point?

<O:p</O:p
I think you might be getting it backwards. This is how I see it. God is not denying us, we are denying God. When God created mankind we had it made. There was nothing we wanted or needed. It was all delivered to us on a silver platter but then we made the choice to disobey Him and we haven’t stopped. I don’t know if you do but suppose you have children. If you gave them everything they wanted or needed do you think they would trust your judgment completely and never doubt you? Do you think they would never disobey you? Do you think they would never question you? If the answer is yes then I would propose you do not have children. <O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
God doesn’t condemn us; we condemn ourselves by our disobedience like a headstrong child that runs away from home. God won’t force us to go where we don’t want to go.
We can choose to remain on our present path or listen and respond as God calls us to choose life. He made the way possible through the atoning sacrifice of the Lamb of God. All we have to do is put our trust in Jesus Christ, open our hearts and minds to the Holy Spirit, and let Him lead us to the path of righteousness.
<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:pTo use your metaphor, I feel like the Minnesota Vikings…totally dominating their opponents during the first half of games (life in the garden) but falling apart during the second half (giving in to sin). Throughout the season (over the eons) they’ve beat themselves with turnovers and poor execution (continued bad choices). Even if they do their best and win every game from now to the end of the season, they will not work themselves into the post-season (Heaven). Now the only way they can possibly get into the post season is by a miracle (death and resurrection of Jesus Christ) and a gift (God’s grace). Of course in the NFL the rules won’t allow this to happen so the metaphor collapses but not in life because with God all things are possible.<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
When we repent and put our trust completely in Jesus it is no longer necessary to pluck our eye. He has lifted the veil of sin and fulfilled the law. I don’t see this as depressing but uplifting. Rejoice that we don’t have to pluck out our eyes because He has done it for us! <O:p</O:p

 

[Ace1234]

Those that haven't questioned God usually haven't faced the hard conditions that makes one question God. When life becomes cruel, most will question God, we simply want an understanding of why such and such happened. Remember even Christ cried out.

"My God My God, why has thou forsaken me". However, we know Christ had a purpose to fulfill, knew exactly what is was.

However, for most of us when things go bad we don't know the answer or the reason and no mattter how much we try to find one, we often can't. We are often left to a seemingly terrible fate that serves no purpose. Sadly, when bad things happen many will tell the person God has a plan, but often it seems the plan is to accept the fate and just say "thy will be done" no matter how bad it gets, even until death.

Take my friend I mentioned, a good christian that owns the gasmart up the road, teaches Sunday School, 3 young children..wonderful man, an ex-employee came in and shot him 3 times, once in the head, after much care he is now brain dead.
A family left broken and searching for answers, but none will be found, they will be forced to accept it and move on.

It seems clear that a natural order of fate is at work in this often cruel world, being a Christian doesn't give you a pass from it, at best it gives you tools to deal with it.

 

[TRUTH over TRADITION]

Wouldn't tearing a new one into the Bible and the religions that spawned from TRYING to put it into practice actually be a good thing in God's eyes considering the fact that it is the Bible and its religious offspring that give God an identity that is contradictory, egomaniacal, unjust, cruel, discriminatory, and at times inept?

Wouldn't it be sensible to have it be proven that a book that is claimed to be the Word of the universe's almighty creator that must be followed in order to avoid the creator's wrath and gain eternal blessings is in fact what it is claimed to be? In other words, is there proof (not subjectively biased personal or institutional rationalizations) out there that reveals to us beyond a reasonable doubt that the Bible is in fact the Word of God? And if so, please share it with us all so that we can put an end to disbelief?

 

[Aardverk]

Wouldn't tearing a new one into the Bible and the religions that spawned from TRYING to put it into practice actually be a good thing in God's eyes considering the fact that it is the Bible and its religious offspring that give God an identity that is contradictory, egomaniacal, unjust, cruel, discriminatory, and at times inept?

Wouldn't it be sensible to have it be proven that a book that is claimed to be the Word of the universe's almighty creator that must be followed in order to avoid the creator's wrath and gain eternal blessings is in fact what it is claimed to be? In other words, is there proof (not subjectively biased personal or institutional rationalizations) out there that reveals to us beyond a reasonable doubt that the Bible is in fact the Word of God? And if so, please share it with us all so that we can put an end to disbelief?

Bravely put sir but, 'Only in the absence of proof can there be faith' and, 'Proof would cause the demise of all religions'. Lastly,'The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason.'- Benjamin Franklin

 

[Living Word Labels]

I believe it is fine to ask God any type of question we like...

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting...(James 1:5ff).

...so long as we do not imply by our question that He is doing something wrong

Elihu said to Job "Why do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words" (Job 33:13).

Jeremiah was bothered by wicked people doing so well so he asked God why this was so and he got an answer. But he started off by saying "Righteous are you, O Lord, when I plead with you, yet let me talk with you about your judgements. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? ..." (Jeremiah 12:1). He made it clear he wasn't questioning God's judgement, but he still wanted to know the answer.

I notice though when I get answers that:
1. there can be quite a wait before I get my answer and I need to continue to trust God to give me one
2. my questions are rarely, if ever, fully answered, so I still need to trust Him even when I have heard from Him
3. although I still do not understand fully, I can be satisfied with my answer

 

[Davies]

When it comes to knowing if God exists, we have been given three things to help us: the natural world, conscience, and the Bible (specific revelation). Viewing the world should bring us to the conclusion, something brought this into being. Nothing doesn't create something. Our conscience tells us when we do something right or wrong. Even if our consciences are warped, the man found outside of civilization has some form of concept of right and wrong.

The Bible does tell who God is. But many people have read the Bible and yet don't believe it. I think God has to personally help us. Having said that, when trials, tribulations, and tragedies visit us, it is interesting that our instinct is to question God to the point of even questioning his existence when have clear evidence to the contrary. As a Christian, I think it's important to hold on to what we can understand in the Bible especially when life throws us a left hook, and there are plenty of anwsers in the Bible to many of our questions.

- Davies