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Some things we will not be able to fully understand or explain. What we do know is that Adam and Eve fell, sinned against God, in the Garden of Eden. This fall brought about a change in their relationship with God that affected them and all future human beings. We start off lost and without hope. We deserve nothing from God, "Yet while we were still sinners Christ died for us." God has shown humanity grace and gives an opportunity for people to repent of their sins, yet most given the opportunity will choose their sin over God. We see this in John 3:19-21 and also seen in the Book of Revelation.
Why God chose eternal damnation instead of annihilation is beyond our comprehension. We could speculate, but in the end of the day it would be speculation.
There is another way to approach this. If we embrace that we are sinful and deserve noting then we can truly appreciate the grace of God that has been poured out and extended to those who repent of their sin and call upon His name. The positive is that there is hope for those who receive Him, for the Book of John in chapter 1 verse 12 says "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his nae, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural decent, nor human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." You cannot control the outcome of others, but you can be sure about your own destination.
Lord Bless,
LT
By curse you mean judgement. God judged humanity because of their guilt before God. Due to our sin we deserve death, but the gift of God is eternal life. God did not just toss ou a curse, man earned it and the judgment was his (our) wage. The sacrifice was necessary because sin cannot go unpunished, it had to be paid for. Jesus went to the cross as the sacrificial Lamb in the plac of all who will come to Him for forgiveness and receive eternal life, life in His presence. Those who do not receive Him remain in the state they already were in, lost and separated from God needing a Savior, needing forgiveness.
When we understand that the offer of God is a gift we can also understand that the gift must be accepted to be ours. Someone could offer you a brand new car (orsome other gift), but it does not become your possession until you take it. A better example is the lottery (not that I advocate it the lottery, but it will make a good point). You can buy a ticket and the ticket can be the winning ticket, but unles yo redeem the ticket you are not the possessor of the money. The money remains in the hands of the state. Of course in that illustration you had to buy something and salvation is a free gift, but the reality is that Jesus, our Redeemer, purchased us with His blood. We have to receive the gift, the gift that we do not deserve or earn. Thus, if it is a gift that we do not deserve and one we cannot earn what reasons are available to explain why the gift is offered? Among several we could choose are love, grace and mercy. When we look at the word of God we learn that in fact these three are the very reasons God reveals that He died for us.
Point reitterated: The curse was judgment earned, the gift was love, grace and mersy in action.
It is a terrible place to be, that is when one realizes that God is who He says He is and that eternal damnation awaits those who do not receive forgiveness knowing how one can be saved, but choosing their sin over the gift because they don't want the God of the universe to be their God. This is described in the Book of Revelation several times ... they cursed God and repented not.
Lord Bless,
LT
So you reject God because He does not live up to your expectations. What kind of God is molded by men? You blame God for being born when you could be praising God for being "Born-again." You may not like His system and you can call Him names (He is big enough to take it). You have a choice that is before you, but the offer comes on His terms, not yours. You can choose to reject Him and hate Him and nothing changes ... you will stil see Him face to face one day, but you will not be able to speak. You will only be spoken to and will separated from Him for all eternity. Yet, Jeus knows your anger and apparent hatred towards Him and He still reaches out to you offering forgiveness. He offers eternal life ... on His terms, not yours.
Regarding God speaking ... He has spoken to us through His Son, the Word of God, creation and through the children of God to name a few ways. The Bible also has an interesting account regarding your question of Him speaking or appearing to you:
Luk 16:19-31 NIV84 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. (20) At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores (21) and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. (22) "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. (23) In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. (24) So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' (25) "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. (26) And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' (27) "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, (28) for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' (29) "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' (30) "'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' (31) "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"
You are right. He is held to a high standard and He meets that standard, not because you hold him to it, but because it is who He is. He is holy, just and righteous. mankind is sinful, lost and separated from God because of sin. Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, but we will either be judged for our personal sin or saved by Christ redeeming us because He died in our place paying the price for our redemption. Thus, the difference is that through Christ we can experience His holiness, righteous, etc.
The path to salvation includes coming to understand our sinfulness and "need" for a Savior.
How would Him speaking to you change anything? Why would you believe in Him, love Him, accept His ways and ask for forgiveness because He spoke to you audibly?
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