Could there be a Greatest or Ultimate Truth for God?

[Eric h]

Could God love each and everyone of us as he loves himself?

The following is just a collection of words to challenge the mind to think. If you choose to read further, then search for something greater.

Here is a childlike and yet profound way to test the power of the greatest commandments; when looking for a purpose for the creation of the universe and life.

Before the creation of the universe began, imagine God the Father, Son and Holy spirit looking out into the vast empty void of space. They are thinking, we have the power to create anything we want, what is the greatest good thing that we can create?

God could create all the stars and planets and be the supreme builder. He could create plants; and be the unsurpassed gardener. God could create the animal kingdom; and be the best farmer. God could create children in his own image and be the greatest father. Can God create anything greater than children in his own likeness, nature and image?

God could love each and everyone of his children as he loves himself. Could God love us more than he loves himself?

We cannot love God as we love ourselves, because that would bring God down to our level, so we have the greatest commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. If God loves everyone as he loves himself, we are given the second greatest commandment to do likewise.

Could there be any greater purpose for God to create the universe and life?

Did the greatest commandments have a greatest meaning for God first, before he gave them to us?

Just some questions to ponder on.

 

[Bradley D]

God loving self? Are you saying God is selfish?

HELPS Word-studies
5367 phílautos (an adjective, derived from 5384 /phílos, "lover" and 846 /autós, "of self") – properly, a lover of self, describing someone preoccupied with their own selfish desires (self-interests). It is only used in 2 Tim 3:2.

 

[Eric h]

God loving self? Are you saying God is selfish?

Could God love us as he loves himself?

This is the same language Jesus used when he gave us the greatest commandments. The second greatest commandment is to love our neighbours as we love ourselves. Are we being selfish by following the greatest commandments?

 

[Bradley D]

The two great commandments tell us to love God and Neighbor. It says nothing about God loving self.

 

[Eric h]

The two great commandments tell us to love God and Neighbor. It says nothing about God loving self.

When Jesus spent his time on Earth, would he have lived by the greatest commandments?

He said these commandments are greatest for us, and I can't imagine that Jesus would give them to us. if they did not have a meaning for him.

 

[Bradley D]

When Jesus spent his time on Earth, would he have lived by the greatest commandments?

He said these commandments are greatest for us, and I can't imagine that Jesus would give them to us. if they did not have a meaning for him.

Jesus loved His Father and of course neighbor whom He came to die for on the cross.

 

[Eric h]

Jesus loved His Father and of course neighbor whom He came to die for on the cross.

Jesus loved the Father, the first and greatest commandment, the second was to love all his neighbours as he loves himself. When Jesus spent his time on earth he was a man like us, so the second commandment should also apply.

As Jesus was both man and God; the greatest commandments seem to take on a profound meaning.

 

[Derf]

God could create all the stars and planets and be the supreme builder. He could create plants; and be the unsurpassed gardener. God could create the animal kingdom; and be the best farmer.

He would be the supreme builder and the lowest builder, the unsurpassed gardner because there is no one to surpass Him, the best and the worst farmer.

God could create children in his own image and be the greatest father.

Now He can be the best of everything! But the best father teaches his children to be like himself--they start out in his image, and become more like him. But watch out for shortcuts (like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil)!

Can God create anything greater than children in his own likeness, nature and image?

I don't know about creating anything in His nature, especially if part of His nature is pre-existence. But the other two? The answer is yes, but it's a lot more risky. If God was able to choose what great things He was going to make, then those made in His image would also have to be able to choose what great things they would do. So God the farmer, wanting His children to farm greatly, would be saddened to see His children farmers grow great briars or thistles, yet wouldn't He have to let them do so, else they wouldn't be "in His image" in that respect? And if they did grow great briars and thistles, would they not also cease to be of His image?

So there's another thing God can create that's greater than children in His image, and that's children who stay in His image forever. He's currently still working on that.

 

[Eric h]

So there's another thing God can create that's greater than children in His image, and that's children who stay in His image forever. He's currently still working on that.

I guess God could have created fully mature adults in his own image and likeness and then we would be programmed to be as God is. But God calls us his children, and children are born with very little knowledge but we have the gift of learning for ourselves.

Now He can be the best of everything! But the best father teaches his children to be like himself--they start out in his image, and become more like him. But watch out for shortcuts (like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil)!

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil still applies today. My father may have had influence over me until I was maybe 10, but as I reached 20, 40, 70, I have become very much my own person. I have had some influence on my children and grandchildren, but they have still gone on their own journeys.

So God the farmer, wanting His children to farm greatly, would be saddened to see His children farmers grow great briars or thistles,

God is love and kindness, he must be deeply saddened when he looks at all the war and conflict. This road leads to the tricky question of free will, but could we ignore this for the moment and come back to it later please.

He would be the supreme builder and the lowest builder, the unsurpassed gardner because there is no one to surpass Him, the best and the worst farmer.

Point taken. But what greatest thing do you think God could create? Would it be the stars and planets, plants, animals, children or there is anything else greater?

 

[Clete]

Could God love each and everyone of us as he loves himself?

The question answers itself.

The following is just a collection of words to challenge the mind to think. If you choose to read further, then search for something greater.

Oh brother! Here we go!

It would have been nice had you done some thinking before putting this particular collection of words together.

Here is a childlike and yet profound way to test the power of the greatest commandments; when looking for a purpose for the creation of the universe and life.

Before the creation of the universe began, imagine God the Father, Son and Holy spirit looking out into the vast empty void of space.

There was no vast empty void of space until God created it. Just sayin'..

They are thinking, we have the power to create anything we want, what is the greatest good thing that we can create?

God could create all the stars and planets and be the supreme builder. He could create plants; and be the unsurpassed gardener. God could create the animal kingdom; and be the best farmer. God could create children in his own image and be the greatest father. Can God create anything greater than children in his own likeness, nature and image?

God could love each and everyone of his children as he loves himself. Could God love us more than he loves himself?

NO! God COULD NOT love us more than He loves Himself. That is not only self-contradictory stupidity, it is blasphemy. God is the very aspect of Love and so there isn't even any theoretical sense in which God could love us more than He does Himself. And there most assuradely is no sense, none whatsoever, where we could in any way or for any reason be MORE lovable than the God who is Love itself. If it were true, we would become God! The very idea is blasphemy of the highest order.

We cannot love God as we love ourselves, because that would bring God down to our level,

And so your solution is to bring God below our level. Brilliant!

so we have the greatest commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. If God loves everyone as he loves himself, we are given the second greatest commandment to do likewise.

How is it possible to fill a sentence so full of contradictions without noticing that you're doing it? Do you spend any time at all thinking through the things that pop into your head?

The two commandments come together! You cannot do one without the other. Jesus Himself, after stating the first commandment, explicitly stated that "the second is like unto it". In other words, there isn't some different sort of love that you express toward God and a totally different kind of love that you express toward your neighbor and yourself. Love is love.

Could there be any greater purpose for God to create the universe and life?

Did the greatest commandments have a greatest meaning for God first, before he gave them to us?

Just some questions to ponder on.

Look, Eric, it seems like you probably mean well but these questions are just so much nonsense.

They do, however, cause a question to come to my mind...

What does it mean to love someone, Eric?
I know the answer to that question, do you? I'd love for you to tell me what you think love is.

Clete

 

[Derf]

But what greatest thing do you think God could create? Would it be the stars and planets, plants, animals, children or there is anything else greater?

I don't know. Do you? Maybe God has greater things to create in the future.

 

[Bradley D]

I guess God could have created fully mature adults in his own image and likeness and then we would be programmed to be as God is. But God calls us his children, and children are born with very little knowledge but we have the gift of learning for ourselves.

I believe children are more eager to learn and listen. As we get older we seem to be less open to learning, believing we already know the answer.

 

[Right Divider]

I believe children are more eager to learn and listen. As we get older we seem to be less open to learning, believing we already know the answer.

That's a good observation. I've also noticed that about you.

 

[Eric h]

What does it mean to love someone, Eric?
I know the answer to that question, do you? I'd love for you to tell me what you think love is.

When Jesus spent his time on Earth, he would have lived by the greatest commandments. But how did Jesus hold out his hands on the cross and love the man with the hammer and nails, as he loves himself?

We know Jesus prayed on the cross forgive them Father for they know not what they do. I know I am as responsible as the hammer man for the death of our Lord. The extreme love that Jesus shows not only for his friends but his enemies also, is profound and tests our understanding of forgiveness and love.

 

[Clete]

When Jesus spent his time on Earth, he would have lived by the greatest commandments. But how did Jesus hold out his hands on the cross and love the man with the hammer and nails, as he loves himself?

What is hard for you is not so hard for God.

We know Jesus prayed on the cross forgive them Father for they know not what they do.

Exactly! So why do you answer your own question?

I know I am as responsible as the hammer man for the death of our Lord. The extreme love that Jesus shows not only for his friends but his enemies also, is profound and tests our understanding of forgiveness and love.

Not really. I'm mean, sure, its completely amazing and worthwhile to ponder and stand in awe of but is it really that hard to comprehend that a God who is Love itself is capable of such an act?

Answer my question from my previous post. What does it mean to love someone?

 

[Idolater]

I believe children are more eager to learn and listen. As we get older we seem to be less open to learning, believing we already know the answer.

I think it's just a stubborn, humble thing, rather than a children, adult thing. We choose whether to be humble or stubborn, it's not foisted upon us, it's our choice, and kids can choose to be humble just as well as adults can.

 

[Eric h]

Not really. I'm mean, sure, its completely amazing and worthwhile to ponder and stand in awe of but is it really that hard to comprehend that a God who is Love itself is capable of such an act?

Our Lord set us an example of what we should be prepared to do.

John 3.16
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Answer my question from my previous post. What does it mean to love someone?

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one’s friends.

Jesus laid down his life for me and you and everyone else. Does that make everyone a friend of Jesus despite our sins? Is this like the parable of the Good Samaritan when the lawyer asked, who is my neighbour? I know there are many understandings and levels of what love is; from simple acts of kindness up to the ultimate sacrifice of our life. If you want to add anything further, I would be interested to hear.

 

[Eric h]

I don't know. Do you? Maybe God has greater things to create in the future.

We cannot know the mind of God, but the only thing that comes to mind is a greater good life after death with our Lord, when everything will be put right.

 

[Clete]

Our Lord set us an example of what we should be prepared to do.

John 3.16
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.



John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one’s friends.

Jesus laid down his life for me and you and everyone else. Does that make everyone a friend of Jesus despite our sins? Is this like the parable of the Good Samaritan when the lawyer asked, who is my neighbour? I know there are many understandings and levels of what love is; from simple acts of kindness up to the ultimate sacrifice of our life. If you want to add anything further, I would be interested to hear.

In a single sentence...

Love is wisely acting in the best interest of others.

Whether it is a simply act of kindness or the forfeiture of your physical life, it is the fact that the action was taken in the best interest of another person that makes it an act of love. However, I say "wisely" because such a statement could be taken to an extreme that is anything but wise. For one thing, just because you feel like something is in someone else's best interest doesn't mean that it actually is. Giving a beggar on the street corner money, even though it feels like a kindness, might actually be the worst possible thing you could do. Also, acting in someone else's best interest when it means disaster for yourself isn't usually a wise thing to do. That's why Jesus said to love others as you love yourself. Notice in that directive that loving others is predicated on loving yourself and therefore, acting in someone else's best interest is not necessarily in conflict with your own interests. Indeed, most often, there is no real conflict of interest between righteous men.


Clete

 

[Derf]

We cannot know the mind of God, but the only thing that comes to mind is a greater good life after death with our Lord, when everything will be put right.

That's a way of looking at it. But it shows that we most often look at it from how it affects us, which is the kind of thinking that got us in trouble in the first place. That's the kind of thinking that imho is going to be eliminated in order for "everything to be put right."

If we are completely united with God in purpose, perhaps the best and greatest creation will be new things that are better and better all the time, as God's infinite creativity reveals itself.