Originally posted by apathist
I think a real god really rising from the dead would be obvious. You have been fooled by tricks. Stories of tricks, not even the tricks themselves!
I do wonder where you get 500 from. Zero saw it happen, a few followers advocated, and the rest of the entire world just carried on. It is like your god is incredibly weak.
I think a real god really rising from the dead would be obvious. You have been fooled by tricks. Stories of tricks, not even the tricks themselves!
I do wonder where you get 500 from. Zero saw it happen, a few followers advocated, and the rest of the entire world just carried on. It is like your god is incredibly weak.
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This complaint doesn't do much for me, perhaps because I do read the Bible.
I recall the story of God coming down on Mt. Sinai for a very dramatic manifestation of His supernatural presence and power. In spite of this grandstanding appearance in
Exodus it didn't take long for the impact to wear off.
The witnesses of this appearing of God in about forty days made idols for themselves and demanded that Aaron take them
BACK to the place from which Yahweh had so dramatically and miraculoulsy liberated them - plagues, pillar of fire, Red Sea parting and all.
Now there is something about that story that reminds me of me. It reminds me of a lot of real people. The ho-hum-ness of the idea of God actually can return and the sinner say "Well, back to business as usual."
There is a certain amount of space given to dramatic manifestation of God. But that place is not unlimited. It has its place but it has divinely imposed limits because God wants not just our objective nod. He wants our inner being. And He wants it without coercing it.
A certain amount of public witness accompanied the miracle of Christ rising from the dead. But the matter is not without all limits. My style may have been to write it in the stars "Here I am! I'm God you know. I was Jesus who rose from the dead. Here it is written out across the universe so you cannot possibly miss it."
Like Mt. Sinai's manifestation, I think the nature of our rebellion and revolt would eventually even possibly become bored with even this display. And it would be our our sinful lives as usual we would continue giving and occasional nod that, yes objectively, God is out there somewhere. Now umm - On with the show.
The physical resurrection manifestation had a sphere of importance. We should also consider the words of the One who rose, to Thomas, the last holdout of the twelve.
" Jesus said to him, Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." (John 20:29)
No apathist. You and I did not witness this miracle. But we can have our lives changed by believing and receiving the available Spirit of Jesus Christ trusting that He is living, unusual for certain, but living. He is God-man you know ?