Pope: Everyone, Even Atheists, Want to See the Face of God

Asia News ^ | 1/16/13

[marshmallow]

General audience, Benedict XVI defines the Incarnation as "something unimaginable, the face of God can be seen, the process that began with Abraham is fulfilled." The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, he asks "for the great gift" to "proclaim together that Jesus is the Savior of the world."

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "The desire to know the face of God is in every man, even the atheists," but this desire is only realized by following Christ, in whom, in the Incarnation, "something unimaginable took place, the journey that began with Abraham is fulfilled. He is the Son, the fullness of all Revelation; the mediator who shows us the face of God. "

And "to proclaim together that Jesus is the Saviour of the world" Benedict XVI asked for incessant prayers for "the great gift" of Christian unity in the forthcoming week, which begins on the 18th of this month.

Previously, in his catechesis, he again reflected on the meaning of Christmas, in a commentary on John's Gospel in which the apostle Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father. The answer of Jesus, "introduces us to the heart of the Church's Christological faith; For the Lord says: "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (Jn 14:9).This expression summarizes the novelty of the New Testament, the novelty that appeared in the cave of Bethlehem: God can be seen, he showed his face is visible in Jesus Christ".

The theme of "seeking the face of God" is present throughout the Old Testament, so much so that the Hebrew term "face", occurs no less than 400 times, 100 of which refer to God." The of Jewish religion which the religion forbids all images, "for God can not be depicted," and "can not be reduced to an object," tells us that "God...

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so very much for that beautiful passage, dear brother in Christ!

[Alamo-Girl]

I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. - Romans 16:17

Thank you so very much for yet another beautiful passage, dear brother in Christ!

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all [men], apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. - 2 Timothy 2:24-26

I know I have a tendency to strive when trying to make a vital point. But twice is enough for even a heretic:

A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. - Titus 3:10-11

"Keep away from them" indeed.

God's Name is I AM.

[presently no screen name]

And knowing now that PNSN is a repeat offender with the RM, that makes a difference.

Explain WHY you say that I am a repeat offender. I want to hear it and other do, also, especially coming from you and about the RM.

[presently no screen name]

Where did you get any word that I was on the bad side of any moderator? It isn’t true. You hitting the abuse button to suit your agenda to either stop Truth and/or the thread locked or pulled is a tactic and it is you that should be pulled or locked out.

You are putting FR in a very very bad light. Just like former posters have done and continue to spread lies about FR and what goes on here. Did you have so little loyalty to Jim that ‘your agenda’ is more important to you? Jim and John’s hard work and devotion to God, family, country means nothing to you?

Now refrain from making posts about me and the RM for your agenda. And using FR for your agenda. It’s time to grow up and stick with the topic.

[Cronos]

Just what is it that you are so angry about? -- one has wondered that about the poster for a long time

[HarleyD]

I'm going to leave this thread but don't anyone think it's the last they've heard from me on this! :O)

Please consider the following:

Chapter 9 - Free Will

1. God has given man a will, which by nature is free, i.e., it is not forced or necessarily inclined toward good or evil.1

1. Mt 17.12, Jas 1.14, Dt 30.19, Jn 5.40, 7.17, Rv 22.17, Acts 7.51, Jas 4.7.

2. In his state of innocence man had complete freedom and the natural ability to will and to do what is good and pleasing to God. 2 God also made man so that he could lose that freedom.3

2. Eccl 7.29, Gn 1.26, see under figure 1 above, Col 3.10. 3. Gn 2.16-17, 3.6.

3. Man fell into a state of sin by his disobedience and so completely lost his ability to will any spiritual good involving salvation.4 Consequently fallen man is by nature completely opposed to spiritual good,5 is dead in sin,6 and is unable by his own strength either to convert himself or to prepare himself for conversion.7
4. Rom 5.6, 8.7, Jn 15.5.

5. Rom 3.9-10, 12, 23, 8.7.

6. Eph 2.1,5, Col 2.13.

7. Jn 6.44,65, 1 Cor 2.14, Eph 2.2-5, Ti 3.3-5, Rom 8.8.

4. When God converts a sinner and brings him into a state of grace, he frees him from his natural enslavement to sin. By God’s grace alone, freely given, sinful man is enabled to will and to do what is spiritually good.8 However, since the old sinful nature also remains, the believer cannot consistently or perfectly will to do what is good but also wills evil.9
8. Col 1.13, Jn 8.34,36, Phil 2.13, Rom 6.18,22.

9. Gal 5.17, Rom 7.15,18-19,21-23, 1 Jn 1.8,10.

5. The will of man is perfectly free and permanently inclined to good alone only in the state of glory.10
10. Eph 4.13, Heb 12.23, 1 Jn 3.2, Jude 24, Rv 22.3-4, 2 Chr 6.36, 1 Jn 1.8-10, 2.1-6, Ps 17.15.

[Cronos]

Where do Lutherans fall in that? They aren’t quite monergistic. So, technically, there would be 3 views :)

[Cronos]

Eastern Orthodox, Catholics and evangelicals, they might trade barbs with one another but at the end of the day you'll see them in some sort of ecumenical agreement. Reformers are simply crazy, evil and down right nasty people

sorry, but indicating that the members of one group are nasty or crazy or evil, hence they must be right is not logical.

[Cronos]

PM: "How many souls do you suspect are destined to Hell because they believe the Universalist teachings of the Unitarian church?" -- good point.

[Cronos]

referntial ping to post 724: We now have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit so that sort of trumps men especially those who follow someone like Calvin.

[Cronos]

I suppose we should all consult you on the soundness of all doctrines.

that would seem to be the aim....

[Cronos]

CynicalBear: "The universal church that all true believers belong to." -- ok

[Cronos]

you can refer to groups that believe in the “gap theory”, that God created the earth twice once in Gen 1:1 and then in Gen 1:2 — with created man in the first and the second. The same groups that believe that there were two women created, one with Adam as an equal (Lilith) and then the other out of Adam’s rib (Ewa)

[Gene Eric]

Gotta get some face time with God....

What percentage of our thoughts do not involve mental imagery?

[Cronos]

metmom: Did you know that the word translated in the Bible as *church* in the Greek is the word *assembly*?

xzins: That is not accurate. The word used for church is "ecclesia", ek-out, clesia (from caleo, calein) - called.

It means in Greek, "The called out ones"

[xzins]

The called out ones. Precisely ek+kalein

[xzins]

)))))First, there’s the most recent one:(((((

To: presently no screen name; P-Marlowe; xzins; metmom; CynicalBear; All

This thread has been taken off-track far too many times, arguing against the messenger instead of the message.
It’s time to stop that altogether and return to the issues, there’s a lot of good information here for the lurkers - don’t ruin it for them by making the thread “about” yourself or someone else.

Discuss the issues all you want, but do NOT make it personal.

1,153 posted on Tuesday, February 5, 2013 11:07:49 PM by Religion Moderator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1106 | View Replies | Report Abuse]
Found at: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2978710/posts?page=1153#1153

)))))Then there’s this one:((((

Pope: Everyone, Even Atheists, Want to See the Face of God
Friday, February 1, 2013 11:46:24 PM • 676 of 1,216
presently no screen name to Religion Moderator

***Ah gee, it didn’t take long for ‘making it personal’. But then it is night time and I’m posting to one who is disagreeing with God’s Word. It’s OK - I’m done with ‘those kind’ and God is a personal God.
Good night.***
Post Reply | Private Reply | To 672 | View Replies http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2978710/posts?page=676#676

To: presently no screen name
***But since you aren’t familiar with God’s Word, you assumed logic. ***

Reading the mind of another Freeper is a form of “making it personal.”
Discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal.

672 posted on Friday, February 1, 2013 11:08:52 PM by Religion Moderator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 670 | View Replies | Report Abuse]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2978710/posts?page=672#672

))))))Then, of course, there is your famous attack on humblegunner here where you call him a POS and insinuate that he is a homosexual willing to do it with Barack Obama:(((((

Monday, January 28, 2013 6:48:14 PM · 237 of 238
presently no screen name to humblegunner

****Go cry, Emo snake handler. You don’t TELL anyone squat. Not here, and not anywhere.****

I am TELLING YOU, pissant, go back to your bottle, you wasted POS!

You and BHO hate the same thing. Take a bath with him, you low life. He will give you want you need.

Found here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/gop/2982228/posts?page=237#237

[xzins]

Deuteronomy 6:2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

[CynicalBear]

>>They are blinded. And, yes, these are very fine Christians.<<

So they are Christians which I would surmise you mean saved. But have fallen into error which again I would surmise you mean they are at risk of loosing their salvation? If that is true were they elect and saved or were they not elect and just going through the motions? That’s not a gotcha question. It’s a legitimate observation of the duplicity of statements as I see it.

If they are one of the elect they are “once saved always saved”. Yet those who hold to the concept of predestination would renounce those who hold to once saved always saved.

In Revelation we are cautioned about being blotted out of the book of life.

Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Revelation 22:19 - And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.

Psalm 69:28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

Exodus 32:33 But the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book.

How can we be blotted out of the “book of life” if we weren’t once in it?

We also know that there are those who’s names were not written in the Lambs Book of Life.

And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 17:8)

So it can’t be that all people are written in the Lambs book of life but if they die without turning to Jesus are taken out of the Lambs book of life. It’s only those who believe that are written in the lambs book of life.

Were those people who were once in the “book of life” predestined for a period of time but later not? Where they predestined and “written in the book of life” but later un-predestined and “blotted out” of the book of life?

[xzins]

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9.Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;