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To: Forest Keeper; MarkBsnr; Kolokotronis; stfassisi; HarleyD; Dr. Eckleburg; blue-duncan; wmfights
I know some things about Him, but I also know Him on a personal basis BECAUSE He is a personal God.

First, the only aspect of God we can call "personal" is Jesus, and that is based solely on His human nature and solely on a blind belief that He is indeed God as well as Man.

We relate to Him through our human nature and senses (i.e. pain, suffering, fear, crying, death, etc.), but not His divine nature.

Second, what is the nature of your "personal relationship" with God/Jesus? Does He appear to you? And then, how would you know it really is Jesus?

3,348 posted on 02/29/2008 1:57:06 PM PST by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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To: kosta50; MarkBsnr; Kolokotronis; stfassisi; HarleyD; Dr. Eckleburg; blue-duncan; wmfights; ...
First, the only aspect of God we can call "personal" is Jesus, and that is based solely on His human nature and solely on a blind belief that He is indeed God as well as Man.

God is both personal and infinite. It is true that we do not relate to Him on an infinite level, but we do relate to Him on a personal level, as God. On an infinite level, we are simply part of His creation, like rocks and trees. But on a personal level we are separated from the rest of His creation. We can actually have a personal relationship with Him. Rocks and trees cannot.

Second, what is the nature of your "personal relationship" with God/Jesus? Does He appear to you? And then, how would you know it really is Jesus?

The nature of the personal relationship begins with being created in God's image. Before there was a creation there was the Trinity. Within that Trinity was love. God is personal. When He created us in His image He created us as personal beings, capable of love for Him. Therefore, we can relate to Him. We see the love in the Trinity (think side to side) and we see His love for us and our love for Him (top-down). That allows a personal relationship.

The alternative would be an impersonal God, whom we would experience as unknowable, irrational, and subject to chance. No personal relationship would be possible and man would be left unfulfilled. There would be no unified field of knowledge (i.e. man would be unable to make any sense of the universe and his place in it). Without a personal God we would just be rats wandering randomly through a maze. Fortunately, the life of the Christian is much more than that! :)

And no, God does not "appear" to me in physical form. He lives within Christians in the form of the Holy Spirit. While we are always taught to be discerning, we also trust in His promises that He will lead us for our good. He leads us to obey Him and He promises good gifts. We belong to Him and no one can snatch us out of His hands.

3,542 posted on 03/06/2008 10:59:06 AM PST by Forest Keeper (It is a joy to me to know that God had my number, before He created numbers.)
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