Feeling the Love of God

[RickD]

Nessa,

EssentialSacrifice is talking about God's impassibility, and immutability.

It's a little long, but this explains it in pretty good detail:
http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/articles/impassib.htm

[Nessa]

From a strict theological perspective, God is incapable of emotion. One reason for that is because emotions are changeable. If God could change, then either he would not yet have something or he will lose something—and that is incompatible with the state of being perfect. If he is not perfect, he cannot be divine. His divinity means that he has all perfections. In order for God to weep over the death of a friend, God the Son first had to become man (cf. John 11:32–35).

They are saying that God is incapable of emotion... no matter which way you look at it.. that statement is false... and for God to weep.. jesus had to weep first?. Not so.

[RickD]

From a strict theological perspective, God is incapable of emotion. One reason for that is because emotions are changeable. If God could change, then either he would not yet have something or he will lose something—and that is incompatible with the state of being perfect. If he is not perfect, he cannot be divine. His divinity means that he has all perfections. In order for God to weep over the death of a friend, God the Son first had to become man (cf. John 11:32–35).

They are saying that God is incapable of emotion... no matter which way you look at it.. that statement is false... and for God to weep.. jesus had to weep first?. Not so.

Anthropomorphism.

[Nessa]

I mean are you implying God doesn't 'feel'... how wonderful.. being in a relationship with someone who doesn't feel love for you only chooses to love you.

[Nessa]

is that the good news? God doesn't feel any love towards you but he will choose to love you anyway?

[RickD]

I mean are you implying God doesn't 'feel'... how wonderful.. being in a relationship with someone who doesn't feel love for you only chooses to love you.

The reeeeeeely long article I posted, explains this.

To cite just one example, consider that God's love never wavers and never wanes. That alone makes it utterly unlike any human love we have ever experienced. If we consider how the Bible defines love rather than how we experience the passions associated with it, we can see that human love and divine love both have all the same characteristics, which are spelled out in detail in 1 Corinthians 13. But notice that not one characteristic in the biblical definition of love has anything whatsoever to do with passion. Real love, we discover, is nothing at all like the emotion most people refer to when they mention "love."

Does that help at all?

[neo-x]

What Rick said above, also, these are things we say, because we can't comprehend or put it into words any other way.

[melanie]

I agree with you Davidstones. It is rendering a whole lot of scripture meaningless. I think God is immutable but I just don't think that that means he is unfeeling, or incapable of emotion. I just don't think we understand fully how God can both be unchanging and able to experience emotion because the only thing we have to compare the experience of 'feeling' is through a human lens. I think scripture makes it clear. Theology and/or philosophy no matter how ticking to the ears it may be does not trump the Word of God. To use anthrophormisms to explain it away just doesn't cut it for me. It is flawed reasoning. Even from a literary standpoint.
That's just my opinion. Many disagree. Have had this discussion on here previously.

[RickD]

I agree with you Davidstones. It is rendering a whole lot of scripture meaningless. I think God is immutable but I just don't think that that means he is unfeeling, or incapable of emotion. I just don't think we understand fully how God can both be unchanging and able to experience emotion because the only thing we have to compare the experience of 'feeling' is through a human lens. I think scripture makes it clear. Theology and/or philosophy no matter how ticking to the ears it may be does not trump the Word of God. To use anthrophormisms to explain it away just doesn't cut it for me. It is flawed reasoning. Even from a literary standpoint.
That's just my opinion. Many disagree. Have had this discussion on here previously.

Yes Mel,

I remember how wrong you were in that discussion.

We tend to think of emotion in human terms. God's "emotions" don't change.

That certainly doesn't mean God doesn't love. He is love.

[Nessa]

Thanks melanie

The article didnt really help.. just confused me BUT i am blonde.. i will admit that may have a little something to do with it.

I'm afraid if the God i believe in doesn't 'feel' then I'll be spending eternity doing this to him....

[melanie]

I agree with you Davidstones. It is rendering a whole lot of scripture meaningless. I think God is immutable but I just don't think that that means he is unfeeling, or incapable of emotion. I just don't think we understand fully how God can both be unchanging and able to experience emotion because the only thing we have to compare the experience of 'feeling' is through a human lens. I think scripture makes it clear. Theology and/or philosophy no matter how ticking to the ears it may be does not trump the Word of God. To use anthrophormisms to explain it away just doesn't cut it for me. It is flawed reasoning. Even from a literary standpoint.
That's just my opinion. Many disagree. Have had this discussion on here previously.

Yes Mel,

I remember how wrong you were in that discussion.

We tend to think of emotion in human terms. God's "emotions" don't change.

That certainly doesn't mean God doesn't love. He is love.

Ohh Rick. Subjectively wrong to you, but objectively right in the big picture. Haven't you leant anything from the discussions on subjectivness with Kenny?

[RickD]

I agree with you Davidstones. It is rendering a whole lot of scripture meaningless. I think God is immutable but I just don't think that that means he is unfeeling, or incapable of emotion. I just don't think we understand fully how God can both be unchanging and able to experience emotion because the only thing we have to compare the experience of 'feeling' is through a human lens. I think scripture makes it clear. Theology and/or philosophy no matter how ticking to the ears it may be does not trump the Word of God. To use anthrophormisms to explain it away just doesn't cut it for me. It is flawed reasoning. Even from a literary standpoint.
That's just my opinion. Many disagree. Have had this discussion on here previously.

Yes Mel,

I remember how wrong you were in that discussion.

We tend to think of emotion in human terms. God's "emotions" don't change.

That certainly doesn't mean God doesn't love. He is love.

Ohh Rick. Subjectively wrong to you, but objectively right in the big picture. Haven't you leant anything from the discussions on subjectivness with Kenny?

Kenny who?

[melanie]

Thanks melanie

The article didnt really help.. just confused me BUT i am blonde.. i will admit that may have a little something to do with it.

I'm afraid if the God i believe in doesn't 'feel' then I'll be spending eternity doing this to him....

Don't be ridiculous, I'm blonde and it just adds to my impeccable intelligence. I'm just waiting for others to catch up

I have read up on this a lot and don't worry. He 'feels'. When we get to heaven we can at all the doubters

[RickD]

I'm done. There's nothing more futile than debating with two blonde females!

[Kurieuo]

My daughter's blonde. At age 7, that's enough blonde.
Just kidding, all my others are boys with dark hair.
My daughter is such a pleasure. My little princess.
The others are definitely not princesses.