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Does God Make the Sun Rise?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Aaron, Dec 2, 2015.

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  1. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    Mat 5:45 For [God] maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
    ​
    You have to say yes, God causes His sun to rise, to avoid overtly calling Christ a liar. These acts are held up to us as a model for our behavior as Christians upon the earth. They are purposeful and intentional continuous acts of God.

    So when He speaks of mundane astronomical and meteorological events as the intentional and purposeful acts of God, can we assume that God intentionally and purposefully sent the Chelyabinsk meteor? The earth actually rang like a bell for days after that explosion.

    What of the Tunguska Explosion in 1908?

    What of the impact that created the Chicxulub Crater?

    Were these intentional and purposeful?

    Why or why not?
     
    #1 Aaron, Dec 2, 2015
  2. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    Anyone?
     
    #2 Aaron, Dec 3, 2015
  3. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    God established the natural laws of the universe. So, yes, in that regard God made the sun to rise.
     
    #3 Crabtownboy, Dec 3, 2015
  4. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    You are putting too much emphasis on the rising of the sun and the rain. Jesus wasn't giving an astronomical or meteorological treatise in the Sermon on the Mount. In that section, he was undoing the false teachings that the people had been given.

    He gave a picture of God sending sunshine and rain (both are needed) on the just and unjust. Likewise, we are to give what is needed (love) to our friends, family, and enemies.

    God does keep his universe and all that's in it in order. The sun only "rises" from the point of view of a rotating earth.

    And, no, I do not believe that God is consciously physically and literally spinning the earth around in 24-hour increments each and every hour - having to think about every single hour. He set all that in motion in the beginning. He watches over his creation, but he doesn't direct every single atom and molecule every single nanosecond to move to his liking.

    God is much more powerful than that and much more awesome.
     
    #4 Scarlett O., Dec 3, 2015
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  5. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    I dunno. Sounds active to me. So God's acts of benevolence are passive? And that is how our acts are to be?

    I must say, I prefer that interpretation.

    So, does God think every moment about Scarlett O. ?
     
    #5 Aaron, Dec 3, 2015
  6. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    I think you are thinking too small.

    It's not that he thinks every moment about me or you or the sun or the ring-tailed lemur, it's that God's thoughts are not confined to "moments". His thoughts are not measurable or incremental. In fact, in Psalm 139, the bible says God's thoughts cannot be numbered.

    That does not make him passive.
     
    #6 Scarlett O., Dec 3, 2015
  7. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    So there is a moment that God is not thoughtful of of Scarlett O.

    Good thing you don't need Him every hour.

    The sun is rising today. Is that on purpose? Is it part of His plan? Somewhere it's raining. Did God send it? Is that rain part of his purpose and plan?
     
    #7 Aaron, Dec 4, 2015
  8. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    I can't respond to a misrepresentation of what I said.
     
    #8 Scarlett O., Dec 4, 2015
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