Why did God tempt Abraham?  |
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 Although I no longer believe those stories contained in Genesis, I realize that a great many do and I like to ask questions. Since most people agree that God knows our thoughts, he had to have known that Abraham would sacrifice his son if asked. In that case why did he have to put him through all of this since he already knew what Abraham would do? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this.
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 Pose123 (5671) | 4 months ago | Hi glords, Thank you for your thoughts and it is an interesting concept but a little difficult to accept in my opinion. Blessings. | |
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| 2. fruitcakeliz (846) | 4 months ago |  Because one of the greatest things that it is beleived that God gave us is freedom of choice. People may beleive that god knows their thoughts at the moment, but he doesn't know what you will choose to do tomorrow. It was an ultimate test of Abraham's faith. Abraham could have chosen to defy god and not sacrifice his son, but instead he placed his faith in God, that God knew what was best and folled his command.
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| Pose123 (5671) | 4 months ago | Hi fruitcakeliz, Thank you for your comment, but it still seems to me that God would know. Blessings. | |
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3.  Rozie37 (7142) | 4 months ago |  God did not tempt Abraham, he tested him. He does not do this because he does not know what we are going to do, he does it to show us what is in us. I am sorry that you no longer believe what the book of Genesis says. I have always felt that either it is all true or known of it is true. I don't pick, choose, and refuse what to believe, I take God at his word.
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| Pose123 (5671) | 4 months ago | Hi Rozie, Genesis 22: verse 1 says,"it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham" (KJV). If you find that you can accept the Bible literally and it helps you, that's fine for you but I feel differently. Thank you for commenting. Blessings. | |
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| arcticwolf (17) | 4 months ago |  Hi
I agree with rozie37..Either you take all the Bible as the Word of God, or none of it.
Who are we as a man to decide what is and isnt true? That is placing yourself on a pedastel(sp) above God and saying I know what is true and not.
My dad feels as you do and we went around and around when i was in college.Finally I said; Dad..we are both Irish,(stubborn), we will both never agree with the other..so why do we not agree to disagree and not waste time with this anymore!
God tested Abraham and I believe too, it was to show Abraham,Isaac and the people of that time what was in Abraham's heart for obedience and trust.
You bring up another whole discussion tho when you throw in "since God knows what will happen anyways why do it" questions. That is a theology question which can drive you crazy to think about.That brings up pre-destination or not, it brings up free-will or no free-will, and to me as I have thought about everything,in depth, it boils down to; DO you TRUST God? DO you take Him at His Word? DO you acknowledge there is intelligence far beyond our ability to reason or understand? If so, then you walk by faith..if not, then you probably do not really believe in a personal relationship with Christ, or that God is REALLY who He says He is!!
**
By the way if you have studied any history you would know that Abraham,Moses,King David and others ARE mentioned in the time periods in History that they lived in. This is off topic but as i home-schooled we used many resources for studying Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and other areas that actually show HOW the Bible lines up with history, or rather History with the Bible! My kids were amazed to find out the Pharaohs, Kings etc of Moses,Davids times were real and lined up with what the Bible was saying.
This was long but you did not ask a simple question!
Peace and blessings to you!!
rosemarie
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| Pose123 (5671) | 3 months ago | Hi articwolf, I guess we will have to agree to disagree on most of this, I could never believe in the God of the Old Testament but I could never be an atheist either. Blessings. | |
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4.  aslanlight (1572) | 4 months ago |  Perhaps it was the lesson that whether we live or die is irrelevent because our spirits always live? And that being one with God is the ultimate in importance. Abraham would have simply been passing his son into God's care. Perhaps this is what the author was getting at.
St Francis taught me a good lesson about this. In a biography I read that at the end of his life he was suffering and in pain but he said 'I no longer care whether I live or die' because he was so full of light and one with God.
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| Pose123 (5671) | 4 months ago | Hi aslanlight. That is a very good thought and one that I had not considered, but is clearly a possibility. Thanks for this. Blessings. | |
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| aslanlight (1572) | 4 months ago | I only thought of it for the reply! I suppose it's a bit like God saying 'Do you really believe in eternal life and trust me with your son?'
If Abraham didn't have enough faith and belief in those things he couldn't have gone ahead with it. | |
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| 5. Mirita (1573) | 4 months ago |  Probably he wanted to test him to find out how much he
loved him. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only
son for God.
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| Pose123 (5671) | 4 months ago | Hi Mirita, I know that is the standard response but wouldn't an all knowing God already know his thoughts and commitment? Thanks for commenting. Blessings. | |
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| Mirita (1573) | 4 months ago | Yes,but God has given us free will,and is really
up to us to decide at the end. We are not programmed
,so even God doesn't know what our decision is going
to be at the end. We are not robuts,but human beings. | |
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| 6. 4mymak (1426) | 4 months ago |  In my opinion, Abraham was set as an example - eventhough he is one of God's chosen ones - he was still 'tested' and tempted,.. to show us that God will put EVERYONE through any test - a test, choice, hardship which would seemed too difficult and unbearable to us, but which God knows we could actually overcome, provided we always believe in Him, that He will never abandon us if we always go back to Him (pray to Him) for help and guidance...
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| Pose123 (5671) | 4 months ago | Hi 4mymak, Thank you for your comment. I was thinking that the God who knows our every thought would know of Abraham's faith without having to test him. Blessings. | |
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| 7. suluchewy (28) | 4 months ago | 
God knows our thoughts as is beleived. Therefore God wanted to see what Abraham would do.
You could also ask why was Jesus Christ tempted by Lucifer?
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| Pose123 (5671) | 4 months ago | Hi suluchewy, If God knows everything about us, wouldn't he already know what Abraham would do? Thanks for you comment. Blessings. | |
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| suluchewy (28) | 4 months ago | This is where freedom of choice comes in. As any parent who knows their child knows what type of behaviour to expect but in order to try/test the individual to see their strength/faithfulness. you send your child on an errand knowing that this child will stop and play on the way or this child will do as told, but you send them by doing this you have given them a choice do as i am told or do as i please. Abraham beleived/trusted/loved God to be willing to go the extra mile and sacrifice his son if necesssary, but he went on this journey knowing that God would not take his son from him and God knew that he knew this waited to see if doubt would creep in. Hope i did not repeat myself. | |
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| 8. overcomer_phoebe (54) | 3 months ago | God never tempts anyone. The one who is tempting man and the one who is the tempter is Satan, God's enemy. God only TEST our faith like Abraham. God puts us in a situation to test us whether we absolutely follow Him, trust in Him, depend on Him or not. | |
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| Pose123 (5671) | 3 months ago | Hi overcomer_phoebe, Thank you for commenting. Please read Genesis Chapter 22, verse 1 in the King James Version of the Bible. Blessings. | |
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