THE CHRISTIAN CONCEPT OF GOD Essay -- essays research papers

THE CHRISTIAN CONCEPT OF GODChristians claim that their notion of idol is found in the Bible. Known as classical theism, this visual sense of god has long been considered the orthodox theistic position of the Western world. though there be numerous divine attributes that we could examine, for our present purposes it is sufficient to secern that the God of classical theism is at least (1) own(prenominal) and incorporeal (without bodily parts), (2) the Creator and maintainer of everything else that exists, (3) omnipotent (all-powerful), (4) omniscient (all-knowing), (5) omnipresent (everywhere present), (6) immutable (unchanging) and eternal, and (7) needed and the only God.Let us now briefly look at each of these attributes.1. Personal and Incorporeal. According to Christian theism, God is a psycheal beingness who has all the attributes that we may expect from a perfect person self-consciousness, the ability to reason, know, love, communicate, and so forth. This is clearl y how God is described in the Scriptures (e.g., Gen. 1711 Exod. 314 Jer. 2911).God is as well as incorporeal. different homos, God is not uniquely associated with one physical entity (i.e., a body). This is why the Bible refers to God as Spirit (John 424).2. The Creator and Sustainer of Everything Else that Exists. In classical theism, all reality is contingent on God that is, all reality has come into foundation and continues to exist because of Him. Unlike a god who forms the humankind out of preexistent matter, the God of classical theism created the universe ex nihilo (out of nothing). Consequently, it is on God alone that everything in the universe depends for its existence (see Acts 1725 Col. 116, 17 Rom. 1136 Heb. 113 2 Cor. 46 Rev. 411).3. Omnipotent. God is also said to be omnipotent or all-powerful. This should be understood to stiff that God can do anything that is (1) logically possible (see below), and (2) consistent with being a personal, incorporeal, omniscient , omnipresent, immutable, wholly perfect, and necessary Creator.Concerning the latter, these attributes are not limitations of Gods power, but perfections. They are attributes at their infinitely highest level, which are essential to Gods nature. For example, intrudece God is perfect, He cannot sin because He is personal, He is incapable of making Himself impersonal because He is omniscient, He cannot forget. All th... ...o right action. Natural evilness confers no additional benefits that deterrent example evil cannot accomplish to the same degree and extent, and in fact internal evil is not even adequate to foster interpersonal virtuous virtues, such as forgiveness and tolerance. A benevolent God would countenance no more evil than is absolutely necessary to achieve his ends. Because inherent evil is gratuitous, its existence is incompatible with the existence of God. God, if he existed, could conceivably deviate the laws of nature so that evil would only result when trig gered by human action. However, manifest internal evil independent of human will, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tornadoes, and disease, undeniably exists. Since the existence of God and the existence of natural evil are incompatible and natural evil exists, the following revised line of descent from evil is both valid and sound, entailing a true conclusion 1) If God exists, then there exists a being who is omniscient, omnipotent, and perfectly good.2) If there existed a being who were omniscient, omnipotent, and perfectly good, then there would be no natural evil.3) But there is natural evil.C) God does not exist.http//hem.passagen.se/nicb/evil.htm