Do you ever wonder? (Bible Study)

Cliff here. Like you, I have many wonders about God, including questions in theory that I am not 100% sure about. This study will not only keep me busy and focused, but the education through research feeds my spirit, through the Holy Spirit. Amen and amen.

In mainstream Christian theology, God is considered impassible, meaning He is not subject to suffering or emotional pain caused by creatures. While Satan's rebellion and the introduction of sin cause suffering in the world, God is sovereign and allows it, rather than being forced into pain by Satan, whom He limits. And what about God’s compassion? What about God’s strength? God want’s us to learn but does he really love us and why, if he is all knowing would he create Satan, knowing that sorrow would be in the future? Stay tuned as I research the feeling of my heart. Do you have any questions? Cliff

Key perspectives on this theological concept include:

  • Satan as a Tool, Not Equal Power: Satan is not an independent power equal to God. Even when Satan causes suffering (e.g., in the story of Job), he must obtain permission from God.

  • Does God feel pain since we are created in his image? AI Overview

    Yes, according to the Bible, God experiences emotional pain, grief, and empathy, and through Jesus Christ, physical suffering. While traditional theology often views God as "impassible" (incapable of being affected by creation), Scripture frequently portrays God as grieving over human sin, feeling "brokenhearted", and empathizing with human affliction. 

    Biblical Evidence of God's Pain

    • Grief and Sorrow: God is described as being "grieved in his heart" (Genesis 6:6) and feeling pain over the rebellion of His people (Psalm 78:40).

    • Heartfelt Emotion: In Hosea 11:8, God expresses profound anguish, saying, "My heart recoils within me; my compassions are kindled together" regarding Israel's judgment.

    • Jesus’ Compassion and Suffering: Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41) and at Lazarus’ tomb (John 11:35). The book of Hebrews highlights that Jesus is a high priest who can "sympathize with our weaknesses".

    • The Cross: Through the incarnation, God in Christ experienced direct physical, emotional, and spiritual agony. 

    Theological Perspectives

    • Passibility (God Suffers): Many modern theologians argue that because God is love, He voluntarily chooses to share in the suffering of His creation, feeling our pain with us.

    • Impassibility (God Does Not Suffer): A historically strong view is that God, by nature, is not subject to uncontrollable emotional changes or pain caused by external forces, which protects the idea of His immutable strength.

    • Synthesis: Many Christians reconcile this by believing that while God is impassible in his divine essence, He is passible in the person of Jesus Christ, and his "emotions" are not forced upon him but are an expression of his unchanging character. 

    Ultimately, the Bible presents a God who is intimately involved with human suffering, not one who is distant or unfeeling. As one commentator notes, God chooses to love, and in doing so, he chooses to suffer.

  • The Cross: The crucifixion of Jesus is seen as God's personal involvement in suffering to overcome sin. Satan was defeated by the only begotten son, Jesus Christ.

  • Theoretical Questions:

    1. God has repented as we study his repentance, including human emotions. Has God learned from sorrow? And, if God knew all along that Satan would betray him, why would he create that agony of, or, in freewill?

    2. Does God learn from his own sovereignty, and the cost of freewill?

    3. How are God’s emotions different from Jesus Christ’s emotions, as Jesus Christ came into the world as a man? Is Jesus Christ learning to be omniscient?