This is to say He was there at the beginning of time and will continue to exist forever. Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” In fact, he is more explicit than that in Luke 11:20: “If it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” This is not the same for everyone. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Amen” (2 Nephi 31:21). Lewis commented that such a statement was similar to "Hamlet looking for Shakespeare in the attic of Elsinore Castle". God can be approached in a number of ways and a devoted person can relate to God as a majestic king, as a parent figure, as a friend, as a child, as a … Mormons believe in three gods, as Joseph Smith taught: “I wish to declare I have always and in all congregations where I have preached on the subject of deity, it has [been on] the plurality of Gods.” According to the Articles of Faith, these three gods are the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Mormons believe in three gods, as Joseph Smith taught: “I wish to declare I have always and in all congregations where I have preached on the subject of deity, it has [been on] the plurality of Gods.”. The Kingdom of God is the realm where God reigns supreme, and Jesus Christ is King. Sikhs believe that God: Cannot be described and isn't male or female Is eternal, and… The Euthyphro dilemma takes its name from Plato’s Euthyphro. Sponsored link. He knows everything – or, at least, everything it is possible to know. Omnibenevolence 4. From my memories, there is a well defined definition / concept / name for the following: A scientist chose to believe in the Christian God because of the following logic: If God does exist, then you may have a chance to go to heaven; If God does not exist, then you just believed in something that do not exist. —Psalm 104:30; 139:7. Answer (1 of 1): In Africa we have a number of religions & tribes, incl the mainstream: Muslim; Christian; Hindu; Buddhist, then there is Ancestor/ Christian. I have no doubt that God is much more than "one in essence, three in Person," but since I can't even understand those simple phrases, I don't worry at all about what else might be true about God. Although the Son might be referred to as the “Father”, in reality the Father and the Son are distinct beings. Presents the first comprehensive view of Hegel’s contribution to the God-question. for the concept of God is that the passage in Proverbs that most strongly depends on Amenemope does not add anything specific to our conception of God in Proverbs. For example, it is argued that God doesn’t know what we humans are going to do in the future – because we have free will. Bruce Nichols 5,270 views. A level philosophy looks at 3 problems with this concept of God. My concept of God is as a creator, a self-sustaining supreme being, and as a watchful Father. (Mark 7:13) “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” Tradition Taught Us: Many churches instill in their members a non-biblical or “ created concept ” called “ incarnation ”. He was a big deal. The Son and the Father appear to be the same: “Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father? This is when Jesus is in charge. The concept of God in Hinduism varies in its diverse traditions. If what is good is whatever God says is good, then ‘God is good’ is a tautology. Human problems. If God is omnipotent (all powerful), can He create a stone so heavy He can’t lift it? Dr. Daniel P. Matthews Rector, Trinity Church, Wall Street New York, New York. Eternal/everlasting However, there are a number of arguments which claim that these characteristics are logically inconsistent. Change ). The Moral Life . Human beings can also learn to be gods themselves. Father God is the Supreme creator and being worthy of prayer and worship. Most definitely. "The Concept of God is an excellent treatment of an increasingly critical issue in philosophical theology. The kingdom of God is not going to appear immediately, and yet repeatedly, Jesus says, “The kingdom is at hand. The specific concept of God as Father What is decisively new in the Christian, New Testament faith in God lies in the fact that this faith is so closely bound up with the person, teaching, and work of Jesus Christ that it is difficult to draw boundaries between theology (doctrines of God) and Christology (doctrines of Christ). C.S. He has aspirations to teach Religious Studies and World Religion. They argue that before a debate about the existence of God can begin, one needs to understand what properties such a God would have to possess. Animism. Question: "How should I understand the concept of the Father God?" A possible reply to this is that free will makes it impossible to know the future. Sikhs believe that the Creator is the only truth, that all creation is illusory and the route to enlightenment is the realization that all creation is One. WuDangChen Recommended for you. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three separate gods although they are united in purpose. The reason for this is that God’s power would be limited by morality. Experiences can be internal and effable, such as a vision, or internal and ineffable, as is claimed by some mystics. Fertility religions: And, as discussed in omnipotence, it’s not necessarily a limitation on God’s power to say He can’t do what’s logically impossible. God, take our minds and think through them. We are “already” in the kingdom, but we do “not yet” see it in its glory. The concept of God in A level philosophy is the concept of God as understood by the three main monotheistic religions – Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Sponsored link. However, it can be adapted to the modern concept of God. Experiences can be occasioned by something external and universally available, such as the starry sky, or by something external and private, such as a burning bush. A monistic concept of God will inevitably disregard sin and evil, affirming all natural desires, whereas the Christian understanding of God views God alone as good, desiring to manifest His character of goodness in His creation in place of the fallen, natural, evil tendencies of man’s desires. DEFINITION OF GOD CONCEPT When the primitive man had not developed the skill of spoken or written words, God was recognized by the unvocal, the undefined and the unscripted silence, even creation of universe emanated from the womb of silence, as there was no speech or writing, to hear th e unheard, or describe the unseen. God still has a plan for planet Earth. ‘God is good’ would say nothing meaningful about God – it would be like saying ‘good is good’, or ‘red is red’, both of which are trivially true. Revelation can be link… Brigham Young (1801-1877), the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, taught that “The Lord created you and me for the purpose of becoming Gods like Himself…We are created… to become Gods like unto our Father in Heaven” [3]. For example, God can’t make “triangles have 4 sides” true, because it is a logical contradiction. Simply put "governance" means: the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not Philosophers specialize in unpacking hidden complexities, and the concept of the good life is one of those that needs quite a bit of unpacking. In many religions God is also conceived as perfect, all-powerful and all-knowing, and the source and ultimate ground of morality. Mormons thus believe that God was once a man who evolved into godhood. My concept of God is like I have one personal Mind I have one Personal God. God is not powerful enough to make ‘torturing babies is good’ true. And that is what we are! anything to Him, He knows each and everything about me, when I … The concept of a Kingdom of God is not primarily one of space, territory, or politics, as in a national kingdom, but rather one of kingly rule, reign, and sovereign control. In other words, God could say ‘torturing babies is good’, or whatever He wanted, and it would be true. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. n.d. Indeed, most Hindus would attest to this, by professing belief in multiple Gods. If everything depends on God, then God depends on nothing. In Scientology, the concept of God is expressed as the Eighth Dynamic—the urge toward existence as infinity. Through Christ our Lord, Amen. The Rev. What is the Mormon Concept of God? The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him” (1 John 3:1). wrong for me,He wont be happy to see me sad or worried . Existence of God, in religion, the proposition that there is a supreme being that is the creator or sustainer or ruler of the universe and all things in it, including human beings. Someone like Ramses II was hailed as the very “image of god”. In addition, Michael Lacewing's Routledge resources are here. Click on the links to pull content down. C. The Trinity teaches us that God is beyond all human comprehension. Bishop's Encyclopedia of Religion, Society and Philosophy, Follow Bishop's Encyclopedia of Religion, Society and Philosophy on WordPress.com. Applied to the moral judgement ‘torturing babies is wrong’, we can ask: If the second option is the case – in other words morality is independent of God – then it’s a challenge to God’s omnipotence. Reported experiences of God are remarkably varied and have produced equally varied concepts of the divine being. Th… If we are to define God as the object of worship, we must be clear about the nature of worship. He was one of the longest reigning kings of Egyptian history, a famed military commander and prolific builder. This is also identified as the Supreme Being. My concept of God is as a creator, a self-sustaining supreme being, and as a watchful Father. These characteristics can be described as the ‘divine attributes’. The concept of the “image of God” goes right back to Egyptian times. In Scientology, the concept of God is expressed as the Eighth Dynamic—the urge toward existence as infinity. ( Log Out /  As the Eighth Dynamic, the Scientology concept of God rests at the very apex of universal survival. Philosophy of mind has occupied a significant place in the debates. The best explanation or concept of GOD. My concept of God stems from analyzing the scriptures in … CONCEPT OF GOD IN OLD TESTAMENT: 1. What is Your Concept of God? James Bishop, South Africa, graduate Multimedia, Brand Marketing (CBC), Theology, Psychology, TESOL. If God’s omniscience is understood as the claim that God knows everything it is possible to know, then He is still omniscient. The principle of responsibility. He was one of the longest reigning kings of Egyptian history, a famed military commander and prolific builder. The Concept of God in Daoism - Duration: 32:13. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. People who believe that god is something intangible, e.g universal love, do not have the right to term what they believe in as "god". After all, if we could explain God, he wouldn't be God. Take my lips and speak through them. Accordingto classical theism, God is always everywhere, always present to creatures. Emotional or loving devotion to a primary god such as avatars of Vishnu, Shiva and Devi emerged in the early medieval period, and is now known … Over time, as I’ve continue to walk the path of my spiritual journey, I’ve learned that my concept of God continues to evolve as I grow in my knowledge of who God really is. CONCEPT OF GOD The Most Concise Definition of God Surah Ikhlas - the touchstone of theology What does Islam say about ‘god-men’? This could be interpreted in a few ways. Jesus equated being saved with entering the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24-25). I began to listen to what God might want to say back. The concept of “the common good” is one which is spoken of so often and defined so rarely that one wonders if most who use it have any conception of what they are referring to. Smith taught that if we were to see God “today, you would see Him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man.” In other words, God was not a God from all eternity, but once a man just like any other. Some verses from the Book of Mormon, however, seem to say that the three gods are one God, “Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be a restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is cone Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil” (Alma 11:44). Typically, these religions agree that God has the following 4 divine attributes: 1. He has no beginning or end – as these concepts only make sense within time. It is a Hebrew quotation which means: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord" [The Bible, Deuteronomy 6:4] 2. He has the most magnificent names and sublime perfect attributes. The Holy Ghost is given to those who repent and convert. As such, it demands total surrender and promises totalfulfillment. The "concept" of God is usually defined by a lack of a definition. However broad or imaginative our concept of God may be, it will always necessarily be circumscribed by the limitations of the human mind. 4 I CONCEPTS OF GOD theists, God is not everywhere by being physically located in all places. Omnipotence is thus best understood as the claim that God can do anything that’s logically possible. Peace Pilgrim Speaking to a College Class #2 - Duration: 58:16. For more information, see free will vs. omniscience. Various religions believe that "God" created the universe, and created all living things, and that God is the almighty ruler, and once you pass on you are transferred to Heaven or Hell. If God exists outside of time, then He is eternal. (Micah 3:8; Luke 1: 35) God sends out his spirit by projecting his energy to any place to accomplish his will. Muslims are strictly monotheistic and fiercely reject any attempt to make God visible or human. The … In English, we often refer to a person's reputation as his "good name." Aspirations to teach Religion Studies, World Religion, Philosophy of Religion. The Son is identified as “the very Eternal Father of heaven and earth” (Alma 11:39). The classical concept of God does not refer to a being alongside other beings in the universe. For something to be logically impossible is for it to contain a contradiction. Joseph Smith learned that the Son and the Father were separate beings when he had his First Revelation [1]. And if I don’t have a choice to either drink or not drink the beer, then I don’t have free will. Sources of western concepts of the divine have been threefold: experience, revelation, and reason. In this kingdom, God’s authority is recognized, and his will is obeyed. Hinduism spans a wide range of beliefs such as henotheism, monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, pandeism, monism, atheism and nontheism. “That which we imagine, is not the Reality of God; He, the Unknowable, the Unthinkable, is far beyond the highest conception of man.” 2 Evil-skeptics believe the concept of evil is particularly problematic and should be abandoned while other moral concepts, such as right, wrong, good, and bad, are worth keeping. Common Concept of God in Hinduism: Hinduism is commonly perceived as a polytheistic religion. Slowly, I began to share with God my heart. -Michael L. Peterson, Ph. But if the first option is true – and so God created morality – then it means that what is good and bad is arbitrary. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us” (130:22). An ethic – a set of moral principles or values – based on goodness applied to concerns about choices between courses of action will ask questions about the anticipated or hoped-for benefits of one course of action as opposed to another. Nothing really belongs to us. Omnipotence 2. In explaining responsibility, Peel writes, Although God gives us “all things richly to enjoy,” nothing is ours. With characteristic clarity and forthrightness, Dr. Nash judiciously evaluates competing conceptions of deity, and in the end recommends an understanding of God that is both theologically sound and philosophically acceptable." I call him " Parampita" the Ultimate Father. Good comes by working for it and ignoring the temptations that the devil uses to lure us from God. The Hebrew concept of a name is very similar to these ideas. About God Part 1: How concepts of God have developed: Origins. So when we say someone is living well or that they have lived a good life… I am less sure that the part, ".., Its Meaning for the Church" is as well done. No one shares His divinity, nor His attributes. James Bishop is from South Africa. See also an earlier essay about concepts of God, involving human origins a nd problems and Animism. Ken and John begin this episode by establishing the motivation for a show dedicated to the “Concept of God”. He will rule and reign here, and as believers, we will rule and reign with Him. A god unable to hear prayers and sympathize with the worshiper, or incapable of love is hardly an appropriate participant in worship. This article tries to explain, as simply as possible, what "governance" and "good governance" means. St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) argued that this isn’t a real limitation on God’s power. The apostle Paul warns that in the last days, men would be “lovers of self…rather that lovers of God” (2 Tim. The Holy Bible indicates that God has always existed in a spirit realm, namely Heaven, and had no beginning, and will see no end (Job 36:26), (Isaiah 57:15). When you ignore these temptations, you become more holy and closer to God- goodness. Asking what it means to be human may be as old as humankind itself.1 Many conflicting views of human nature are on offer. Indeed, most Hindus would attest to this, by professing belief in multiple Gods. The concept of God in Sikhism is symbolized by Ik Onkar(Which Means one Creator), in Sikh philosophy. ( Log Out /  For more information, see the problem of the stone. The claim is still that God knows everything it’s possible to know – but that it is not possible to know the future. James obtained his BTh with cum laude, and is currently pursuing his postgraduate in Religious Studies. This is also identified as the Supreme Being. And this, among otherthings, means that God cannot, strictly speaking, intervene in his created order. When a company is sold, one thing that may be sold is the company's "good will," that is, the right to use the company's name. Take our hearts and set them on fire with love for Thee. The concept of God in A level philosophy is the concept of God as understood by the three main monotheistic religions – Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of the Lord who empowers miracles, prophecy, and spiritual enlightenment. Through the sacrament of penance, through your reconciliation to God, you receive sanctifying grace. When you first have children! [1] Tillich's claim is not self-evident. Forms of theism find mention in the Bhagavad Gita. According to the Christian religion God is divine and is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscience and that man was made in his image. View all posts by James Bishop. Pharaohs ruled on behalf of the gods, like a son represents a father. Buthe is everywhere as causing the existence of all places. But this doesn’t mean God can do literally anything. Our sin has separated us from God, and the consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). James is currently researching alternative and emergent religions in South Africa. Islam is based on the concept of Tawhid, or Unity of God. This is not as strange or unfamiliar a concept as it may seem at first glance. The Holy Bible indicates that God has always existed in a spirit realm, namely Heaven, and had no beginning, and will see no end (Job 36:26), (Isaiah 57:15). The Kingdom of God would seem to entail all of His creation, properly understood. Paul Tillich believed that the essence of religious attitudes is“ultimate concern.” Ultimate concern is“total.” Its object is experienced as numinous or holy,distinct from all profane and ordinary realities. He is the true God, and every other deity is false. A difficult but fundamental concept within Christianity, the Trinity is the belief that God is three separate persons but is still a single God. CONCEPT OF GOD IN HINDUISM by Dr. Zakir Naik: 1. Omnibenevolence literally translates as all loving. Sometimes the Son, Jesus, is understood to be or called the Father: the Son could be understood as the Father of creation because he made it; the Son is the Father of all those who accept his atoning sacrifice; or the Son is commissioned to speak and act for the Father. George Mavrodes replies to the problem of the stone by arguing that ‘a stone an omnipotent being can’t lift’ is not a possible thing – it’s a contradiction. Why, then, does He say some things are bad and not others? God is conceived of as eternal, omnipotent, omniscient and as the creator of the universe. What are we saved from? It grew into a real experience of relationship. I'm not saying that people shouldn't believe whatever they want, I'm saying that the people who hold those views are inherently wrong… About God Part 2: How concepts of God have developed: Fertililty religions, monotheism, polytheism, etc. Concept of God First let’s look the idea of God. The traditional concept of worship has been that worship is glorifying God. Answer: The theological concept of “already but not yet” holds that believers are actively taking part in the kingdom of God, although the kingdom will not reach its full expression until sometime in the future. Unity of God in the Book of Isaiah The whole concept of 'God' is something I could not care any less about and neither would God existing affect my life in any way so I remain staunchly neutral. Obtained BTh with cum laude, currently doing Masters (Religion Studies). It's because of this concept; worship belongs to God … God is further held to have the properties of holiness, … So that is in the future. 3:2, 4). CONCEPT OF GOD IN HINDUISM by Dr. Zakir Naik: 1. When we speak of Brahman, we are referring neither to the "old man in the sky" concept nor to the idea of the Absolute as even capable of being vengeful, fearful or engaging in choosing a favorite people from among His creatures. Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. In the Christian doctrine of salvation, we are saved from “wrath,” that is, from God’s judgment of sin (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). God is One : The following verse from the book of Deuteronomy contains an exhortation from Moses (pbuh): "Shama Israelu Adonai Ila Hayno Adna Ikhad". Humankind will always want to know more, I suppose. Later Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, taught that God is an exalted man, who was once mortal like us before he became God. God always does what’s morally good – He never does anything bad or evil. Some people will argue that God is infinite and can’t be grasped by the human mind, which is probably true, but nevertheless if you are going to be meditating or contemplating “ God ” you need to have some vision to channel your energies towards. Must read. Is it like the concept of patriotism, freedom, and rights? These are: God, as commonly understood, has a number of key characteristics. My concept of God stems from analyzing the scriptures in … Grandma’s house. The Concept of God. “And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the away; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth, and all things which in them are; he is the beginning and the end, the first and the last;” (Alma 11:39). Governance The concept of "governance" is not new. He is a graduate in Creative Brand Communication and Marketing (CBC), and in Theology (majoring in psychology). By what name do we call God? It is as old as human civilization. He was a big deal. "God" is not a concept at all because it subsumes no particulars. The holy spirit is God’s power in action, his active force. A god unable to hear prayers and sympathize with the worshiper, or incapable of love is hardly an appropriate participant in worship. In our day the concept of self image, self esteem and self love … Tawhid - The Unity of God . Introduction Every age has its own special characteristics and our age is no different. This is the case because Brahman does not refer to the anthropomorphic concept of God of the Abrahamic religions. 2. God. When the Russian cosmonauts stated that they "didn't see God out there" they were making a fundamental error. As the Eighth Dynamic, the Scientology concept of God rests at the very apex of universal survival. ( Log Out /  Whether God is eternal or everlasting depends on the nature of God. The basic concept(s) of Judaism involve man’s relationship to God, and man’s relationship to each other. God, who is … It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did” [2]. He was the crowning objective of all dynamic development in the cosmos … This presents a challenge to God’s omnibenevolence. If God exists within time, then He is everlasting. Either way, there is something God cannot do – which means he’s not omnipotent. These are: 1. One basic way we use the word “good” is to express moral approval. 2020 let’s just start the healing process; 8 things to remember; Respecting yourself and living with dignity makes us independent. #COVID19 Aged 19 year’s! Copyright © Christian Feest | christian@feest.io. Not who is God or what is God, but what is the concept of God. This might not seem like much of a challenge to the concept of God, but it undermines a key teaching of religion: that God is good. The divine attributes are as follows: Omnipotence literally translates as all powerful. This means if one were to take all the prayers from the beginning of humanity to the end of time, it wouldn't increase or decrease God's dominion. And as Doctrine and Covenants teaches, although the Father and the Son has “a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s”, the Holy Ghost is immaterial for he “has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. The concept of the “image of God” goes right back to Egyptian times. The Euthyphro dilemma looks at whether morality is created by, or independent of, God. 32:13. Pharaohs ruled on behalf of the gods, like a son represents a father. Omniscience 3. ( Log Out /  A level philosophy looks at 3 problems with this concept of God. So called "alternative" views of god, are pure stupidity. In other words, I don’t have a choice. Aristotle’s Concept of God Stanley Sfekas, Ph.D. Aristotle conceived of God as outside of the world, as the final cause of all motion in Nature, as Prime Mover and Unmoved Mover of the universe.