Dearest Proplog2... may you have peace!
May I submit that my Father indeed has a body... albiet a spirit one... and thus His mind IS 'embodied'... as is ours? And that while I cannot say I completely 'know' Him... I can say that I have been granted the 'gift' of the 'mind of Christ'? And that I do not say this to 'toot' some horn, for I am indeed 'hornless' (shut up, COMF), that I am only speaking truth?
1 Corinthians 15:44
1 Corinthians 2:11-16
May I also say that simply because one does not COMPREHEND something does not mean it does not exist? For example, simply because one does not comprehend the possibility of the earth being round, or man being able to fly or walk on the moon... does not mean it is not possible. And simply because one has not see with one's own eyes the creatures that lie at the depth of the deepest abyss in the ocean (a mere 10-11 miles below the surface), or comprehend such creatures' existence, does not mean such creatures do not exist?
May I also say that your statement of my Father having "knowledge of all eternity" is a bit... um, 'off'. You see, what most folks don't understand is that my Father doesn't know the 'finale' of a matter because He forSEES it. He knows it because... what is HERE... is merely a REFLECTION of what is there.
What do I mean? That there is truly nothing here... that has not already occurred there. Let me explain:
You are a parent who grew up in the 60's or 70's. During that time, you maybe 'toked' a little bit of ganja (smoked pot, for those of you who don't know). Or you didn't, but knew folks who did. And so, you knew that whenever you saw one of your 'homies' with red, squinchy eyes... raidin' the refrigerator and giggling at the tiniest little thing... they were pretty much 'blasted'. Yes? Okay, so your 17-year-old comes home with red, squinchy eyes... heads for the refrigerator... and as he/she's stuffin' his/her face, he/she laughs at the STUPIDEST little stuff. Given the 'evidence', then, YOU would... or SHOULD... know that your kid has been tokin' a little 'sumpin'-sumpin'. Yes?
Don't get me wrong: I am absolutely AMAZED that there are folks who would answer this by saying, "No, I wouldn't know and why should I..." but it would seem to ME... that even if you DIDN'T toke... or know someone who did... you would WANT to find out what the 'signs' were so that IF you ever had kids and THEY did... you wouldn't be the last to know. But, well, some folks like sand in their hair...
I digress...
Anyway, we're not doing anything in this realm that is so surprising. Really, we aren't. It is NOT that hard to figure out the 'outcome' of a whole lot of stuff we do. Heck, a little common sense would reveal the results of MOST of it, long before we had to experience it first hand. And some of us possess such common sense and avoid a whole PLETHORA of stuff others of us don't... and HAVE to experience. But because WE'RE naive and blind and unknowing and unaware... are we to assume that EVERYONE is? Including God? Would that not fall under the guise of arrogance?
As a parent, I know MOST of the 'signs' of my children's various age groups. Why? Because:
(1) I've 'been there' myself;
(2) If I haven't, I know folks... or know OF folks... who have;
(3) I pay/paid attention (which was no great kudos for me because first, I LOVE information, and second, I had parents who DIDN'T and so thought that might have been part of the 'problem')
Do I/we know everything? Of course, I/WE don't. For none of US have seen or heard everything... no matter HOW much we like to use the phrase 'now I've seen/heard everything.' We have not. There is ALWAYS something new to see... and learn. But... no matter what WE'VE just seen that is new to US... there is someone out there who saw it first. I promise you. Most of the things we've seen on EARTH... someone before us saw. And of those things we are permitted to see that are NOT of this earth... someone before us also saw. We're the 'newbies', Prop, not God.
That is why the 'congregator' said: "Does ANYTHING exist of which one may say: 'See this; it is new'? It has already HAD existence for time indefinite; what has come INTO existence is from time... PRIOR TO US." Ecc. 1:10
There are those who would argue, hey, there weren't spaceships to the moon and CT scans and automobiles. To that I would say, true. BUT... while the TECHNOLOGY may not have existed... the KNOWLEDGE has always been there. I promise you that, too. We tend to think of God, however, as 'primitive'. Why? Because we base our knowledge of Him on what was written... 2,000 years ago and beyond! But what was written THEN... was written in the manner and times... and comprehension ABILITY... of the people OF those times.
If when trying to 'see' God, however, and comprehend that which is 'spiritual, we rely simply on the PHYSICAL descriptions given us in the Bible... we will never 'see' God. For GOD... IS A SPIRIT. And it is with SPIRIT that you must 'worship' Him... indeed see and HEAR Him. And with Truth (John 14:6).
Once again, I say to you... that 'earthling' man is in for a GREAT surprise. For what had NOT been recounted to them... they will actually see... and to what they had NOT heard.. they must turn their consideration. (Isaiah 52:15)
Dear one, if you continue to 'walk', yes, and attempt to comprehend and KNOW God... by SIGHT... you will never 'see'... the kingdom of God. I would submit to you, then, to take the advice of the 'congregator'... and not 'lean'... upon your OWN understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
I bid you peace, sincerely, to time indefinite.
A slave of Christ,
SJ
