Does God want us to be happy?

lauraclay · 03-30-2007, 02:12 PM

I think there are places in the Bible that give opposite answers to this question. Even different sects of Christianity have different opinions. Look at how most non-Catholics view Catholics. To quote Dogma, "I have issues with anyone who treats faith as a burden instead of a blessing. You people don't celebrate your faith; you mourn it." But does God want people to be happy? Or does he want them to obey and sacrifice until heaven?

Faith · 03-30-2007, 05:58 PM

That is what heaven is, eternal happiness. That is why people regard it as a fantasy because being happy forever just sounds too good to be true I guess you could say. How long do we live on earth? Maybe 80 90 years, if your "lucky" 100, but either way its not very long.

Some people when you bring up the subject about hell say "this is hell". But no its not, because even on earth we still have moments of happiness and rest. In hell, you burn in a lake of fire being eaten by worms that do not die. Very horrible indeed, and people say how could God send people there. It was never meant for human's. It was meant for Satan and his followers, but now that there is sin in the world, some men and women have become his followers. Therefore, if you stand by him while you live, you will stand by him where he goes.

Ezekiel 28:11-19

Again the word of the Lord came to me saying, "Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord God, "You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the ruby, the topaz, and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise, and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you. By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence, and you sinned; therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, that they may see you. By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade, you profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; it has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you. All who know you among the peoples are appaled at you; You have become terrified, and you will be no more."

Isaiah 14:12-19

"How have you fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will rasie my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit. Those who see you will gaze at you, they will ponder over you, saying, 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a wilderness and overthrew its cities, who did not allow his prisoners to go home?' All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb. But you have been cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch, clothed with th slain who are pierced with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a trampled corpse."

lauraclay · 03-30-2007, 07:44 PM

But does that apply all men who sin, or just those he was addressing?
Also, I meant on Earth. Obviously God wants you to go to heaven, and be happy there. But what about on Earth.

Faith · 03-30-2007, 10:07 PM

God wants you to be just as happy on earth as anywhere else. But God said that we should expect difficult times and hard trials many times throughout the bible. Look what happened to Job. He was the most faithful man in all the world and always obeyed God, but had everything he owned taken away and all his livestock killed. The best man on earth, suffered the worst calamities. Satan had claimed that people like Job love God only because of the good things He provides. Remove those good things, Satan challenged, and Job's faith would melt away along with his riches and health.

Sooner or later we all find ourselves in a position somewhat like Job's. Our world seems to crumble. Nothing makes sence anymore. God seems distant and silent. At such moments of great crisis, each one of us is put on trial. Figuratively speaking, in a sense we become like actors in a contest like the one Job went through. This book records every step in that process with unflinching honesty. Job's life stands as an example to every person who must go through great suffering.

At some point in our lives, our faith is tested by God in some way. Job struggled to do what seemed impossible: to keep on believing in a loving, fair God even though all the evidence pointed against such a God. Job passed the test, and after he did, he became twice as wealthy as he was before.

God does love us, and He always wants us to be happy. Just remember if you feel like you are in Job's situation, do what Job did. Don't let Satan be right about you. As I said before, Satan had claimed that people like Job love God only because of the good things He provides. Remove those good things, Satan challenged, and Job's faith would melt away along with his riches and health. If you take those things away Satan said, "He will surely curse you to your face!" The bible records at least one other instance where Satan specifically asked permission to attack an individual: Luke 22:31-32.

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

Journeyman · 03-30-2007, 10:35 PM

Interstingly, the Israelites didn't believe in an embodied everlasting life until the Maccabean era. Preceding that time they believed that one's eternity was lived through one's children. His children were his route to eternal existence. When so many young Hebrews began to be killed in battle during the 150BCE revolt the Israelites began to develope a system that would console the families of the young men because they had no children to live on...no everlasting life. Therefore, eternal embodied life. From that point it developed into what we know now.

By the way, twenty-five miles away from the Jewish worship communities of God is Caesarea Philippi. There is a large cliff there with a cave at its base that, at the time of Jesus, flowed with water from a spring. This cliff became the center of worship for a Greek god named Pan. And the followers of Pan built shrines and temples into this cliff to honor and worship him.

Those who worshiped Pan believed that the gods dwelled in the water under the earth during the winter and returned to the surface by way of the water in this cave during the spring. They believed that this opening (spring) was the (Pu li Ha doo) gate of the unseen, translated as "gates of Hades" (hah-dace) or "gates of hell" in English. The worship of Pan included sexual acts with prostitutes and between humans and goats, which they believed would entice the gods to enter through the mouth of the spring and fulfill the desires of the worshipers.

It is here at this gate of pagan gods, where worshipers are committing unthinkable sins, that Jesus tells Peter in the presence of the other disciples, "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it" (Matthew 16:18). In essence Jesus is saying “My church will be built on the foundation of the lost, bringing them into the Kingdom. Even these Pan worshipers can be saved; even those who most people would not even dare look at can enter the kingdom of heaven.”
The other idea of Hades comes from a Trash dump where fires constantly burned and dogs would fight over scraps(nashing of teeth). This was a literal place and used as a visual aid to teach lessons of living a useless life.

Satan was a lso a development through the years...

Faith, if you are interested I can give you the names of some good books to read. I personally am not a "Believer" anymore due to too much thought and reading, but if you are frightened of that I still have read other books that will give you a better and more appropriate understanding of scripture.

Faith · 03-30-2007, 10:42 PM

No thanks, all I need is the Holy Spirit to explain the scripture to me. Call me what you like, but I trust in God alone to teach me the message of the cross.

jaej · 03-30-2007, 11:04 PM

You don't think a more complete understanding of the culture in which the bible was written would make your knowledge more complete and bring you closer to the truth? How ignorant.

Oh. Right. You don't need to understand the culture, because you think the bible is timeless.

Are the women allowed to speak in your church?

Faith · 03-31-2007, 12:53 AM

The bible already explains the culture and history. And I'm trying to learn about God, not how to question Him. Not like questioning Him would do much good anyways, considering you would look like a fool after He was done showing you how little you know. When I say you, I mean everyone. Job had alot of questions he was planning on asking God, but God ended up being the one asking the questions, and Job didn't look or feel so smart anymore.

lauraclay · 03-31-2007, 06:21 PM

The Bible does not completely describe all aspects of the culture. A little background knowledge always helps. Doesn't mean you have to question God, just learn about Jesus' time.

luvcntsaveyou · 04-01-2007, 09:36 PM

the way i look at it is if he wanted me to be happy i would already be