Category: God

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Why does Genesis describe the plurality of God?

Pastor Chris,

GENESIS cHAPTER ONE; VERSE 26- pLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS. AND GOD SAID, “LET uS MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE”. “TO OUR LIKENESS”. I THINK YOU KNOW WHERE I AM GOING WITH THIS. I GREW UP A CATHOLIC. I READ THE CATHOLIC BIBLE FROM COVER TO COVER. ONLY RECENTLY DID I NOTICE THE “us” (THE U IN CAPS) AND THE “OUR”. WHAT IS THE BIBLE TRYING TO TELL US? I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST GOD BACK THEN, BUT I MAY BE WRONG. IF I AM, WHY THE PLULARITY? I HAVE NEVER HEARD THIS DISCUSSED BEFORE, IN CATHOLIC CHURCH OR ANY OTHER DENOMONATION. I WOULD LIKE YOUR INTERPRETATION OF THIS SIMPLE YET HUGE PART (AT LEAST TO ME) OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE,

~ KURK

Answer

Kurk,

The plurality reference to God that you identify in Genesis is the first mention of what theologians term the Godhead. The Godhead is further revealed in Scripture as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We often use the term Trinity to refer to the Godhead. All three persons within the Godhead are co-eternal and co-equal. God the Father is God. God the Son is God. And God the Holy Spirit is God.

You mention that you are a Catholic. You might consider reading the book titled The Trinity: An Introduction to Catholic Doctrine on the Triune God (Thomistic Ressourcement). Another resource (one that I highly recommend) is Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine.

Pastor Chris

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Does God love some people more than others?

Pastor Chris,

 

Does God love some people more than others? It does not say in the bible that he loves everyone the same. I really have been feeling hopeless lately because I feel he does not love me as much as many others – especially my little sister. It’s been tearing me up inside. It just hurts so bad.

 

~ Nichole

 

ANSWER

 

Nichole,

 

God bless you! Yes, He loves you! You will remember John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV). The Bible also says that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). It is God’s very nature to love.

 

The problem is with us. We sometimes question God when difficult circumstances invade our lives. Why would He allow us to hurt? Or have problems? Why do others seem to have God’s blessing?

 

Our emotions can lie to us. The enemy, the devil, knows this and will try to get us to live our lives based on feelings. Feelings are strong and very real, but that does not mean they always speak truth.

 

It is important that we saturate our minds with truth. Philippians 4:8 tells us to think about the true things, the noble things, the right things, the pure things, the lovely things, the admirable things, the excellent things, and the praiseworthy things. When we do this we find that our emotions become positive and we feel good.

 

Resist the temptation to compare yourself and your life experiences to others. This is a trap. You cannot know what inner struggles others have, the temptations they face, or what will happen to them in the future. Jesus told Peter not to worry about what He had planned for John (see John 21:21-23).

 

God has a plan. That plan includes you. He doesn’t make mistakes. When we arrive in heaven and experience the glories of our Savior face-to-face along with the joys of eternal life, all of our deepest desires will be fulfilled. Keep following Jesus. You can trust Him.

~ Pastor Chris

 

(For further study see Disappointment with God.)

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Why does everybody seem to get it and I don't?

Pastor Chris, 

I hate to admit this, but I’m so lost in my life right now and I’ve been struggling with God for about five months now and I don’t understand; all though I try so hard too. I want to believe so bad I get so angry with myself, because the Bible seems so important, but I’m struggling with the fact on How God can see us and know what each one of us are doing. I pray all the time about this, constantly, but I know it’s my own minds problem. I know the Bible states that God is everywhere, but it’s really really hard for me to grasp. Why does everybody seem to get it and I don’t?

~ Jennifer

 

ANSWER

 

Jennifer,

 

Everyone has questions about God. You are not alone.

 

It helps me to read Genesis 1 which describes God as the Creator of everything. I also find my heart renewed in my experience of His majesty when I consider the stars and galaxies of outer-space. The vastness and the complexity of the universe (macrocosm and microcosm) goes beyond the imagination. One of my favorite books on this subject is Powers of Ten: About the Relative Size of Things in the Universe by Phillip Morrison and Phylis Morrison. This book is filled with fascinating photographs of the inner universe and the outer universe that are breath-taking.

 

We are created beings and cannot know everything or even understand everything. Sometimes I think that if God explained everything that even then I would not understand. An imperfect analogy would be a professor of mathematics trying to explain calculus to an infant. The baby is not going to understand. We are infants in these matters.

 

You might consider reading the Bible in a contemporary translation like The Message or The Living Bible. Passages like Genesis 1; Psalm 8; Psalm 148; Revelation 21-22 reveal the majesty of our God and will help you trust Him with the unknowable. The bottom line is this: Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). If you want to know what God is like, study the life of His Son.

 

~ Pastor Chris

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What is Gods way of conquering debt?

Pastor Chris,


What is Gods way of conquering debt? Thank you.– Anonymous

 

Answer

 

Dear Friend,

 

The best resource I know of regarding conquering debt is from Bruce Ammons. Click below to view it on Amazon. It is chock full of helpful information and resources.

— Pastor Chris