Most Difficult Concept

[tyndale1946]

TO ANSWER THE OP...

The hardest concept for me to grasp is God's omniscience & omnipresence, able to hear millions of prayers at once, & being everywhere at once, from here on earth to the farthest reaches of the universe, at the same time.

The hardest concept for me to image, being the mortal man I am... THAT HE SAVED AN UNDERSERVING SINNER LIKE ME!... Brother Glen

Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Btw... The Salvation I believe, is 100% Jesus Christ, not what I did for him but what he did for me!

 

[Alcott]

Hardest to understand?
The damnation in the Lake of Fire / infinite punishment for finite crimes bit. Especially with the clear indications that is the fate of the large majority of humankind.
Not too far behind, though certainly related, is the love and hate, as in "Jacob I [God] loved; Esau I [God] hated."

 

[JonC]

I guess I should ammend mine.

"In the beginning God" is something I accept, but being finite something I do not think I can fully comprehend.

 

[canadyjd]

Yes. No doubt we disagree. In no way do I believe He intended for us to allow ourselves to be run over by His or our enemies.

You are wrong.

Paul said everyone who desires to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Jesus said they persecuted Him and they will persecute all who follow Him.

Take no revenge, bless don’t curse, love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.

Peace to you

 

[kyredneck]

You are wrong.

Paul said

You are wrong. Paul also said:

18 If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. Ro 12

Well, 'it ain't in me' to ignore a threat to me or my family or anyone in my orbit that I care about to stand by and not try to stop the threat. I will defend myself and those I love, period.

Has nothing to do with 'revenge'.

 

[agedman]

1). There is no “free will” for God has placed boundaries and consequences upon the “will” of humanity. I may desire to breath air, but God has provided the correct mixture of gas that I do not breath pure oxygen but enjoy a mostly nitrogen mix.

2) if there is a hard practice, it is living in the light of 1 Corinthians 13. Families and churches would do well to dwell in that Scripture as a guiding principle to,practice!

3) possibly the most difficult concept at this time of my life is to remember. I encourage believers to learn the principles of the Scripture, for there may be a day you may not be able to find that verse you can almost quote, but the principle you allowed to burrow into your core from that passage doesn’t easily diminish.

 

[JonC]

You are wrong.

Paul said everyone who desires to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Jesus said they persecuted Him and they will persecute all who follow Him.

Take no revenge, bless don’t curse, love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.

Peace to you

As I get older I have come to agree with you. This is why I can no longer support the death penalty. I am retired Army, but I do not know where I now stand with Christians seving in combat roles.

 

[kyredneck]

The hardest concept for me to image, being the mortal man I am... THAT HE SAVED AN UNDERSERVING SINNER LIKE ME!... Brother Glen

Wretched man that I am!

 

[1689Dave]

As I get older I have come to agree with you. This is why I can no longer support the death penalty. I am retired Army, but I do not know where I now stand with Christians seving in combat roles.

An easy argument against Believers in the Military is Paul's admonition not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Another is walking after the flesh of the unregenerate when we cannot walk after our own flesh.

 

[Silverhair]

What do you believe to be the most difficult theological concept to understand?

I think for me, the hardest is God being love. This is easily seen in practice (Christ giving Himself) but it is difficult for me to work through.

If I have to choose one concept that I have the hardest time with it would have to be "WHY". Why would God be willing to come and die for man that has done everything we can to show Him we want nothing to do with Him. I know He is love and I know He is long suffering but, WHY?

 

[canadyjd]

As I get older I have come to agree with you. This is why I can no longer support the death penalty. I am retired Army, but I do not know where I now stand with Christians seving in combat roles.

The issue of Christians serving in the military has been around since the first century. Very difficult indeed.

peace to you

 

[canadyjd]

Peace to you

 

[1689Dave]

The issue of Christians serving in the military has been around since the first century. Very difficult indeed.

peace to you

Anyone who lives the Sermon on the Mount will be in big trouble in the military.

 

[JonC]

Anyone who lives the Sermon on the Mount will be in big trouble in the military.

I think it depends on one's role in the military. Desmond Doss is a good example (Hacksaw Ridge was about Doss).

I can understand how most military occupations would not violate the Sermon on the Mount. But there are areas where it, IMHO, would.

 

[1689Dave]

I think it depends on one's role in the military. Desmond Doss is a good example (Hacksaw Ridge was about Doss).

I can understand how most military occupations would not violate the Sermon on the Mount. But there are areas where it, IMHO, would.

Desmond was still helping to kill his enemies instead of loving them. If he did as Christ commanded, he would give aid to the enemy.

 

[agedman]

Desmond was still helping to kill his enemies instead of loving them. If he did as Christ commanded, he would give aid to the enemy.

He did. He lowered an unknown number of enemy combatants, but they did not survive from Desmond lowering them and them making it to the aid station. Along that journey others apparently made a decision they alone would remember.

 

[1689Dave]

He did. He lowered an unknown number of enemy combatants, but they did not survive from Desmond lowering them and them making it to the aid station. Along that journey others apparently made a decision they alone would remember.

That's swell. He was still aiding and abetting a killing machine against Christ's teachings for any wanting to follow Him.

 

[agedman]

That's swell. He was still aiding and abetting a killing machine against Christ's teachings for any wanting to follow Him.

Recall the Roman nobleman?

And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.​

 

[JonC]

Desmond was still helping to kill his enemies instead of loving them. If he did as Christ commanded, he would give aid to the enemy.

It gets more complicated. Christ did not, for example, condemn the Roman soldier. And by virtue of citizenship we actually fund the military. (Doss did, BTW, aid the enemy in real life....not sure about the movie but he provided care for the enemy soldiers).

I look at as "being in the World but not of the World". It is less about where you are but about what you do.

 

[1689Dave]

Recall the Roman nobleman?

And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.​

This does not apply to swearing to kill or help kill the States enemies contrary to the teachings of Christ.