Why is communication with God one way?

[marco]

Communication with the Christian deity seems one directional. If we try many times to contact someone and get no answer what should we assume?
The person is annoyed with us? The person has gone or is dead? Our method of contact is faulty - maybe a wrong number?

In the case of God what is the explanation for communication being only one way?

[Tcg]

This can be taken to mean among other things, that such two-way commincation with an unseen God is not open nor can it be grasped by those God has chosen to ignore.

God doesn't create confusion by not communicated with those he ignores. The problem arises when he makes the mistake of communicating to his favorites. When he attempts that, confusion arises as he gives conflicting messages to his various favorites.

The result is worse than if he remained silent. Silence would at least be a consistent message and one easily understood.


Tcg

[EarthScienceguy]

Communication with the Christian deity seems one directional. If we try many times to contact someone and get no answer what should we assume?

Communication depends on speaking to someone that is alive.

Eph. 2

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.


How could God speak to someone who is not alive?

Romans 8

For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!� The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.…

God communicates with our spirit. Unless God quickens a mans spirit then communication with God is not possible. So only Christians can communicate with God. Those that are not christians are dead in their transgressions.

[Tart]

Communication with the Christian deity seems one directional. If we try many times to contact someone and get no answer what should we assume?
The person is annoyed with us? The person has gone or is dead? Our method of contact is faulty - maybe a wrong number?

In the case of God what is the explanation for communication being only one way?

Im not sure about this. Sometimes a random verse of the day pops up on my phone as if it is the perfect reflection (that is sometimes convicting) of my experiences of that day. But something It pops up as if it is a joke.... Other times i go to church, and a preacher talks about something that seems to be enlightening me about the nature of God, other times it seems to be totally loathing and self serving...

Or what about people who are prophets? ever think of them? What you dont believe they exist?? They could... It's possible... Just throwing it out there... Im not going to say i know for sure. because maybe prophets are just lunatics? Who guess things right every now and then. Or see things right every now and then (or something, idk)? But its possible

[marco]

In my experience when God does communicate he leaves those in a relationship with him in absolutely no doubt about his thoughts direction and sentiments. Fellow worshippers have often testified (and I have experienced it myself) the often startling speed in which Jehovah answers the sincere prayers of prayers his people. Communication between God and those he loves is touching and very much two way.

As one who has spent many years struggling to prove what at first sight seems obvious, and slowly learning to appreciate mathematical niceties of verification, it astonishes me that people can say: "I just know in myself...." There are people who hear voices and are utterly persuaded that they are real, for the human brain plays tricks rather convincingly.


If a group of people get together and persuade each other that angels communicate in a special way, and they "experience" some form of sensitivity to this supernatural link, then this is understandable in terms of what human imagination can do. This does not sound "foolish"; I suppose there is no harm in extracting comfort in whatever form comfort displays itself. For many, passing rosary beads through the fingers is an ethereal experience. If we dearly wish to have access to another dimension without agonising hours of study, just hope, then good luck. I believe an African tribe can make a leopard appear from nowhere, using imagination alone. The beast is as real as they are. It must be a powerful experience.

Instead of poring over abstruse theorems, one can consult Scripture and read of the few who are chosen, and deduce one belongs to that fortunate set. There is no proof needed: I believe faith does it all. It would be impressive if the result of ethereal communication was that the communicant became suddenly possessed of knowledge that years of hard study could not acquire. I suspect that any change is such that it could happen through the random passage of time: a murderer finds faith, a suicidal person has a purpose. I cannot say this would be bad, and if God is given the credit, I don't suppose a false attribution matters if the results are nice.

[1213]

...
In the case of God what is the explanation for communication being only one way?

I don’t have enough information to answer to that. To answer, I would need to know, what was asked and what has happened.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 14 by marco]

Thank you for response and above all for choosing not to respond with the scathing sarcasm and demeaning mockery that others less open to that which is not quantifiable may well have chosen.

Maybe its not the small mind but the open one that accepts that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

Horatio.

[marco]

...
In the case of God what is the explanation for communication being only one way?

I don’t have enough information to answer to that. To answer, I would need to know, what was asked and what has happened.

It would be presumptuous, 1213, if someone supplied you with the contents of their prayer and you then explained God's reasoning.

The state of affairs seems to be that people send messages but there are never any replies. You seem to be saying that some replies are answered, some are not, and it really depends on the way the letter, email, request or prayer is written. Does God act in such a way that somebody somewhere has to explain things for him?

[marco]

[Replying to post 14 by marco]

Thank you for response and above all for choosing not to respond with the scathing sarcasm and demeaning mockery that others less open to that which is not quantifiable may well have chosen.

Maybe its not the small mind but the open one that accepts that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

Horatio

Thank you, Horatio; Hamlet is impressed. I believe that one of the luxuries of faith is that scathing attacks and biting sarcasm are rendered dewdrops, serving but to replenish rather than destroy. If one is right, it matters little what the world says. When attacked by a host of scientists and asked for comment, Einstein observed that one would have sufficed, had he been wrong.

I was once not Horatio, but Horatius on the bridge, defending beliefs I thought were iron-plated, keen to show the Etruscans they were wrong. I suppose it is given only to Christ to wander the wilderness and return invigorated. My mother may not have or appreciate my cynicism, but to all intents and purposes, God is by her fireside. Long may it be so. Best wishes.

[marco]

Communication depends on speaking to someone that is alive.

Exactly! Perhaps God is not alive. Living humans are trying to communicate with an absent God or a dead Christ.
.

How could God speak to someone who is not alive?

In metaphor we are free to sing any song. Paul gives you an answer: those who were "dead in their sins" were rendered alive by the grace of God. God speaks to the sinful and resurrects them. At least that is the theory in some theologies.


But in the world of noise and accidents, tragedies and funeral costs, metaphors have no place; they belittle someone's pain. If a father is asked for bread, apparently he will not offer a stone, but he may remain silent …. every time.

God communicates with our spirit. Unless God quickens a mans spirit then communication with God is not possible. So only Christians can communicate with God. Those that are not christians are dead in their transgressions.

This seems a Pharisaic way of seeing heaven. I am sure that there are saints in hearts that are not Christian. I wonder what the code is for determining that God has replied.

[Avoice]

[Replying to post 6 by William]

If he spoke directly to me or you then the element of faith would be gone thats for sure. To have faith requires some amount of doubt. Christians only believe in God because of Jesus (physical being) had they ACTUALLY belived in God himself Jesus wouldn't have been necessary for them. Their holy book would be the Hebrew Scriptures. But it isnt. Not really.

Why it even says " by him [Jesus] do believe in God. Christians have faith in Jesus. They dont have the faith of Abraham though the Christian testament tries to say it does

"CURSED IS THE MAN THAT MAKETH FLESH HIS ARM AND WHOSE HEART DEPARTETH FROM THE LORD"