Why does God promise something that satisfies our greed for longevity?
score:0
God does indeed promise eternal life. John 3:16 is pretty obvious of that and such plain and simple verses probably explains why there are so few (probably not any) Christian traditions that deny eternal life is part of God's promise.
Generically, God promises restoration continually in the Bible (e.g Acts 3:19-21; Revelation 21:1-5; 1 Peter 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17 1). The very large majority of Christians believe that Eternal life was apparently part of our original state. Even the non-literalists, like Theistic Evolutionists, believe The Fall was something and that the story highlights that we were once in perfect communion with God. The Gospel is the promise of that restoration, the restoration of perfect communion with God and we get to be in communion forever.
Most Christians believe that the wicked will also live forever, if you can call eternal hellfire "living". This further completes the answer for those who believe in an eternal, indestructible soul. The promise is actually restoration of communion with God, not that you get to live forever, per se. However, this leaves Annihilationists with some further explaining to make and I'm not sure how that would make it.
So, I personally do not think the typical Christian sees the promise of eternal life as pandering to our "greed for life", but rather as part of the promise of restoration, leading to a belief that death is unnatural (at least for the Creationist, non-evolutionist variety), or more like "naturally undesirable". I recall reflecting on it many times saying "Death just seems wrong, like it shouldn't be part of our lives." A more naturalist approach, as I suspect you are more familiar with, would likely view death differently, and perhaps as even serving a greater purpose. Cynics have throughout the years, especially since the Enlightenment era, simply agreed. A promise of eternal life is pandering to human fear of death, but even if Christians agree, it doesn't change the fact that the promise is more accurately restoration which includes everlasting life.
- Old Testament restoration verses are also plentiful, but seemingly focus on immediate restoration, not lasting restoration. This highlights the Gospel message, rather than diminishes it, showing that with God (literally Emmanuel, God was with us) we have our eyes opened to see how great and powerful God truly is. He can not only restore us for today, but for all eternity.
More post
- π Why did the pope say gender is a property of essence?
- π What were the three miracles that St. Stephen performed to be canonized?
- π What is the meaning of peoples being divided up "according to the number of the gods" in Deuteronomy 32?
- π Bloodletting and Protestantism?
- π Did the kith and kin of Jesus anticipate a security threat for themselves?
- π Does the Chicago Statement meaningfully support a doctrine of Biblical inerrancy?
- π On what basis does the Catholic Church teach that women cannot be ordained?
- π Biblical View on Temporary vs Permanent Contraception
- π Foreordination - based on choices in premortal or in mortal life?
- π What does R. C. Sproul mean by the 'essence' of God?
- π The Dead Sea Scrolls and Protestant canon
- π Are there different Trinitarian foundations?
- π In reference to humans becoming Angels?
- π What is the process for starting a new Christian denomination?
- π Who, exactly, are James son of Alphaeus and Judas the Son [Brother] of James?
- π What is stopping Christians from having just one doctrine/interpretation?
- π According to Catholicism, does saying "God loves everyone equally" mean that God *likes* everyone equally?
- π Who found whom? After Jesus FINDS Philip, why does Philip tell Nathanael "We have FOUND the One..."?
- π Why should contraceptives not be cheap and widely available?
- π Did F. B. Meyer publish a book about the Second Epistle of Peter?
- π Did Jesus command His Disciples to Worship Him?
- π Does Pope Francis want Catholics to pray both new prayers at the end of the Rosary or just one or the other?
- π How did the Crusades affect the Pope's power and authority?
- π Does God Answer Every Prayer Asked In Jesus' Name?
- π Why do churches often have altars?
- π How should we address a person from Israel such as a Christian or other non-Jewish individual?
- π What does Lutheranism teaches in regard the eastern orthodox doctrine of theosis?
- π What is the Protestant view of communal living?
- π What's the Difference Between a Guardian and a Saviour?
- π Ignorance of Adam and Eve
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- π Why does God promise something that satisfies our greed for longevity?
- π Why does God promise descendants for Hagar?
- π Why does God punish us for our will?
- π Is it possible for God to allow or tolerate something that he never originally intended? If yes, does that still make him omnipotent?
- π Why does Justin Martyr say that those who are unworthy of seeing God will become imprisoned in animal bodies?
- π Did most of the people that Jesus heal believe he was God? If so, why does the Bible not record them asking for salvation?
- π From the Baptist perspective: Does Leviticus 20:13 prove that God is advocating for the murder of h*m*sexuals?
- π Does the Catholic Church teach that God requires our consent to work miracles on us?
- π Why does God say we shouldn't eat Crab & Pork but Jesus says that doesn't really matter
- π Why does God punish us for sin
- π For Those who deny the deity of Jesus Christ why does He at Revelation 1:8 identify Himself as the Lord God Almighty?
- π What's the biblical basis for the belief that God truly judges our hearts behind our actions and not the actions themselves?
- π Why did God create us so that it is in our nature to sin?
- π What is the biblical basis for the idea that God stores our prayers?
- π According to Catholicism, if we can thank God for our fortunes why can we not blame him for our misfortunes?
- π Why did God allow for the original Bible to be lost to history? And how to reconcile that with Matthew 24:35
- π Why does it appear that judeo-christian sects avoid referring to the god they worship by his name?
- π Why does God not love Satan if He tell us to love our enemies to be as His Children (Luke 6:35-36)?
- π Why has God punished every human for one person's sin?
- π According to Roman Catholic doctrine, why does Mary refer to God as her Savior if she was born without sin?
- π Why was God so upset with Moses for striking the rock the second time in the desert?
- π If God controls our decisions, does this mean we don't have free will?
- π Why did God kill a man for picking up sticks on the Sabbath?
- π Are there theological explanations for why God allowed ambiguity to exist in Scripture?
- π Does God need our praise and glory?
- π Since God provided for the forgiveness of sins in the Old Testament, why do we need Jesus?
- π Why does God command the Israelites not to boil a goat in its mother's milk?
- π According to Calvinism, why does God give mercy to some and not to others?
- π Why does God have a chosen people?
- π Why did God make garments of skin for Adam and Eve when they had already made clothing for themselves?