Posted by Yong TM (202.156.2.219) on February 02, 2003 at 12:23:45:
In Reply to: Is He the only One? How sure are we?.. posted by Khew Chee Keong on January 29, 2003 at 21:53:23:
Your answers are generally correct. I do have some points to add:
1)why we are sure there is only one god and where he comes from?
The very concept of God being one is Judeo-Christian in nature. The three major faith in the world are mono-theistic: Judaism, Islam and Christianity, and that should not be taken for granted, because other faith are poly-theistic - Taoism (or the local version of it), Hindhuism for example. To know God as one is a result of His own revelation. No human mind would have conceived that fact, because all mythology points to many gods, many spirits. Now that we have received the revelation, many people propose that God must be the ultimate, the final, the last stop, so He is one; and consider that as a logical conclusion. But without His revelation, it is unlikely that logic itself would arrive at that conclusion. The idea of God being who He is, without beginning and end, is also a result of revelation. So while logic does play a part, it is not the primary reason to conclude that He is one, and He has no beginning. We know all these because He revealed it to us.
2)why he wants to create earth???
In the shorter catechism of the Westminster Confession of Faith, the very first question deals with the main purpose of man. The purpose of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. By extension therefore, the reason why God created the world is to share His goodness with His creatures. It was an extension of His love towards us. This answer would not be satisfactory to all, because it is impossible to know the mind of God completely. But there is a similarity between God creating man, and man having offsprings. Although I would not say for certain that God created man, like man wanting children, I do believe there are similarities. We have children so that we can love them, and have them enjoy our love. Is this logical? I don't think so, but it is something we simply do.
3)are we sinful to kill ants, insects?
In reformed understanding, all creatures are subjected to man, and man have dominion over all things (Genesis 1:28). Therefore, we have no concept of the ants, etc being part of a recycled life, and so killing them per say is not sinful. Clearly Jesus Christ was NOT a vegetarian, and He ate fish with the fishermen and His disciples; and if you know fishermen, they are not exactly merciful to fishes. What is sinful is the abuse of that responsibility to manage the earth, e.g. abuse of animals, abuse of the environment, mismanagement of what God has given to us in this world.
4)i believe in Jesus and other beliefs too..but not so supersitious...
Your answers were right. Obviously your friend does not know what it means to believe in Jesus Christ. To believe that He existed in history, is completely different from putting faith in Him for salvation. There is absolutely no escape from believing that He is the only way, the only truth, and the only life (John 14:6). Anyone who does not understand that does not understand the teachings of Christ (and there are many out there, including so-called Christians).