I understand what you are saying to me. Truly. But I truly do not think you understand what I am saying to you. Permit me to try again. You said:
"A greater good, (1) external to us, existing, (2) like us in space and time, a distinct entity with a name, hating and destroying (3) for us what is bad that we may live in love and peace. The prime ingredients of most all legends and religions. Hard not to like.
(1) God is not external to us; we are external to Him. Ordinarily, He dwells IN us. He, however, did not leave us, does not leave us. It is we who separate ourselves from HIM. By becoming unclean INSIDE… and thus preventing His spirit from dwelling in its “natural” place. That is why my Lord is recorded to have admonished “cleanse the INSIDE of the cup (vessel).” Because a pure (i.e., clean) spirit CANNOT dwell in an “’unclean’ house.”
(2) God does not exist “in space and time” like we do. No spirit being does. We... you and I… currently exist in space and time because currently we are physical. Terrestrial. Of and a part of the physical realm (which includes Earth and the other planets in our solar system, as well as the solar system, physical universe, ga-jillion stars, light years away, etc., etc.). Flesh… with its blood. Physical blood. Hemoglobin. And we exist… in the physical realm… which is a LIMITED realm. As a result, we who exist in it are also enslaved by it. We must eat/drink, sleep, cough, pee, poop... age… die. We MUST. Regardless of whether we WANT to nor not, our flesh will demand these things at the very least (i.e., most folks’ flesh demand even more, but ALL demand these).
There is NO such limitation in the spirit realm, however. It is only the flesh that we currently inhabit that is subject to these things (and yes, that goes for the animals of the physical realm as well). Spirits, though, are... for the most part... FREE (excluding those who have been limited BY God, the reason(s) and methods another subject entirely): they are NOT limited by space and time because space and time does not exist in their realm. They are celestial (please note, the Greek word that translates into “heavenly bodies” means SPIRIT bodies, and not planets, etc., such as you may have been taught).
In THIS realm, the PHYSICAL realm, no two particles of matter, regardless how small, can occupy the same space. That is because their substance (i.e., essence, essential nature, fundamental or characteristic part) which is physical (terrestrial), won’t allow it. That is NOT the case in the spirit realm, however, because the essence (i.e., the most significant element, quality, or aspect of a thing or person) of the substance there has no such restrictions. It is not of the same “kind” as ours. Therefore, there, two beings (or two anything), can, in fact, occupy the very same space at the very same time.
The problem is that many of us in the physical world have such a difficult time comprehending that which cannot be experienced empirically; with our flesh. So that, like here, when I speak to you of something that is similar but also very DIFFERENT you are unable to comprehend it. You can’t EXPLAIN it, so it must not BE. But that is not the truth, dear JT. He IS… but He is NOT like us at all! Nor has He ever tried to be. It is WE who should strive to be like Him… and because we CAN’T comprehend who or what He is, He sent His Son, my Lord, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH. Because we lacked the FAITH it takes to see Him… so, He sent One for us TO see. As a physical man AND as a spirit being!
The first was done with the physical eyes by many long ago. Today, one has to TRANSCEND the vessel that is the physical flesh, transcend its means for seeing, hearing, etc., and utilize the SPIRIT that exists INSIDE that vessel… to see and hear that which is NOT physical, but spirit! And anyone can transcend the flesh; that is not the hard part and many religions teach some method for doing so (i.e., prayer, meditation, etc.). However, to transcend so far as to actually ENTER that realm is another task altogether (and another subject).
(3) God does not hate and destroy “for us” what is bad. If that were the case, our Adversary would have been destroyed long before now. Like many, however, you seem to miss a very important point, and I believe that that is because contrary to what you indicate here, you tend to believe some of what was written in the “Old” Testament (and probably the rest of “the Bible,” too!), particularly that stuff about God getting angry and annihilating folks for no rhyme or reason, being exacting and vindictive. But again, I say to you that my Lord said that one of the reasons he was sent was to “bear witness to the TRUTH.” The truth about what? The truth… about the Most Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies. Permit me to elaborate:
My Lord is recorded to have said, “You heard it was said… but I say…” The reason he said this is because the people had been lied to, misled. By whom? The “scribes,” who my Lord also derided along with the Pharisees (“Woe, to you, scribes and Pharisees..”). Why were the scribes included? Because for MILLENIUM they had copied and written FALSEHOOD… about the Most Holy One of Israel:
“How do ye say, We [are] wise, and the law of the LORD [is] with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he [it]; the pen of the scribes [is] in vain. The wise [men] are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom [is] in them?” – Jer. 8:8,9
People read this… and read it… and read over it… but never get the SENSE of it: the scribes WROTE what we have today. And it is FALSE, most of it. Why? Because they rejected the Word, Christ, and rather than listening to him and writing what HE told them to write, they wrote what they wanted to or were commissioned to. That is why I DON’T put my faith in “the Bible” because what is written there is NOT the complete truth. Indeed, my Lord said to me, “All that I say to you is written; however, not all that is WRITTEN… is what I will say to you.”
What I have learned IS TRUE is that God is MERCIFUL, SLOW to anger and ABUNDANT in loving kindness! The scribes, false prophets, false priests and self-appointed religious leaders (i.e., Pharisees, Sadducees and the like), all of which exist down to this day, have painted Him mean and vicious. Again, however, my Lord is recorded to have said that HE was sent to bear witness to the TRUTH! I ask you: Who or what did HE hate and destroy for us? When did he teach US to be so? He did none of these things.
Instead, what he taught us… and is still teaching today among those he is “subduing”… is to conquer hate and hypocrisy OURSELVES. THIS... is the POINT! He taught and still teaches that we are NOT to be hateful, and we are NOT to seek revenge, but we are to LOVE… even our enemies.
Now, if my Lord said that what he teaches is NOT his own… but what he received FROM GOD… how can you reconcile the two (i.e., God hating and destroying for us, while Christ is teaching us to conquer hate and the desire for destruction of our enemies for ourselves)? You can’t, for they are in opposition to one another, aren’t they? Which causes you and many others a problem when it comes to believing… and putting faith… in God. There is too much of a dichotomy.
BUT… again, my Lord gave a witness to the TRUTH about God… in the very manner that he lived and the things he taught and still teaches! And he condemned the teaching of the “blind guides,” those who did NOT know God and as a result was misleading others.
God will not conquer evil for me, dear James Thomas. Rather, He loved me SO much that He sent His Son to teach me how to conquer it for myself. Starting with me. And to make up my deficiency when I am unable to do so (for I would be lying to you if I said all evil has been eradicated from within me – like I said, if you could hear what I am thinking sometimes {{shaking head}}). But I recognize that such is IN me, and try to work on it so that God can continually dwell IN me… in a “clean” vessel (as clean as I can get it, which isn’t much on my own, but with my Lord’s help and direction, gets me a bit further each day).
I realize that I will not reach full “cleanliness” so long as I am in this vessel. Why? Because, again, it has its own demands, which I often cannot conquer. But this vessel, the flesh, is of no use at all, anyway. It is only when it is put off that I will be able to conquer completely. Does that mean I want to die? Of course, not! I want to live… forever. Like everyone else. I just know that doing it in the spirit body will be LOT easier than doing it in the flesh. In the meantime, I am content to remain as I am… and enjoy THIS life to the fullest potential I can. While loving even my enemies (which gets easier and easier every day, praise JAH!)
Bottom line: contrary to the false teaching of the WTBTS of Yada-Yada, JAH’s sovereignty has not been challenged by the Adversary. Indeed, the Adversary is well aware who is the Sovereign of the Universe. He couldn’t challenge that if he wanted to. The CHALLENGE was made to you, I, and all of earthling man: “Skin in behalf of skin and all that a man has he WILL give on behalf of his soul.” Meaning? So long as God is taking care of you, helping you out, giving you stuff, protecting, etc., etc., etc., you will love, honor and praise Him. But as soon as He removes the “hedge” and allows you to be tested, you WILL curse Him. THAT is the accusation made by our Adversary (i.e., “the Accuser of our brothers”).
Me? I don’t need God to do “good” things for me to love Him. I love Him… simply because He IS love... and because He loved ME… enough to send His Son to show me how to conquer hate and hypocrisy. Not only to conquer, but to make up for my deficiency when I am unable to do so. That in and of itself is worth my life. But beyond that, He gave His Son as a sacrifice for me, so that by means of the blood of that One, MY sins (which are many!) may be blotted out before God. Because unless blood is poured out, there is no forgiveness of sins. Why? Because each life is PRECIOUS before God and ANY life that I may have “killed”… technically OR literally… great or small… must be atoned for! If God does not want ANY to die, then how can I? But at one time I did; indeed, like many here (and many still out there), my "wish" was for my enemies to be destroyed, dashed on the rocks, annihilated at Armageddon, etc. etc. Where is GOD in that? Were is LOVE in that? But... I wanted it. Wished for it (I have to admit, though, it never "felt" right!)
And who knows how many I "killed" with that kind of thinking, that wish? Yet, while I may be guilty of the blood of another, however, I am not burdened with guilt. Indeed, I now live a life of great JOY – because God loved ME enough to provide a ransom. He loved you enough, too, dear JamesT. I understand that you do not believe you have need of a ransom, and that is totally your prerogative. I know, however, what I am… a foremost sinner. Not a dejected, saddened, low-self-esteemed reject from life. Not an “unworthy” worm that should curl up and die. Simply a sinner, who has sinned against my fellow man at one time or another, both intentionally and unintentionally, who cannot make it up to all of such ones. But there is no need: since all life belongs to God, I will simply make my atonement with Him. And because I know that God IS love… because I know CHRIST… I have no doubt that my “offering” is acceptable to Him (for he would tell me if it weren’t), and so I am just fine.
May the undeserved kindness and mercy of my dear God and Father, the loving and merciful JAH, of Armies… and the peace and joy of His Son and Christ, my dear Lord and Master, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH, One who comes in the name of JAH… be upon you… if you so wish it.
I remain your servant, and a slave of Christ to time indefinite,
SJ