I asked this at my own BLOG but I’m interested in the take of those who troll here. Give me your answer with some reasoning behind it please.
Is everybody in a relationship with God? Why or Why Not?
Thanks?
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18 Comments(+Add)
No, because God does not save everybody.
This is a difficult question to answer for a couple of reasons.
1) “Relationship” is subjective term. I have a relationship with my wife (deep, intimate, personal) I also have a relationship with my neighbor (can I borrow a rake). Now if your term “relationship” is Christian speak for “Saved”. Then I would say not everyone has relationship with God.
2) On the other hand; scripture indicates that God desires that no one should be seperated from him. John 3:16-17. So does that indicate that he also intervenes or interacts with all people? I would say yes.
No.
One group has a standing as a lost creation before their Creator.
The other has a relationship as a son with their Father.
No. The rain may fall on the both the wicked and the righteous alike, but we shouldn’t confuse God’s grace and mercy with the relationship God wants with all of us, for which we were originally created.
God desires that none should perish but that all would come to repentance. That’s consistently God’s stated position. Now what do we do with that? The decision is up to us. No repentance, no relationship. At least, not the relationship God wants with us.
Compare Revelation 20:6 with 20:12-15. In the end, God does not compromise Himself. Ultimately, God will only have fellowship with that which is consistent with Himself and His Kingdom.
I’d say “no”, unless a very, very loose definition of “relationship” is being used.
Maybe a definition of “relationship” would be good. But I’d say no, that not everyone is in a relationship. I suppose if you asked the question in a way that made it seem like “everyone is somewhere in relation to God” the answer would be “yes” since some are close and some are far and some are moving towards and some running away. But is that a “relationship” or just how we “relate”?
I’d go with “no.”
Yes,
Everyone has a relationship with God as Creator.
Everyone has a relationship with God as Sovereign.
Everyone has a relationship with God as Judge.
Only the redeemed have a relationship with God as Father.
HJ – probably just semantics but I would say standing because a dead man cannot have a relationship with anyone which by definitions assume a two way street.
HJ – I would say you are using the term “relationship” as I mentioned, i.e. where are we in relation to God (the second part of my comment), or how does God relate to us.
I’m taking Joe to mean “relationship” as something more personal.
A definition of the word “relationship” would be very helpful here.
Relationship would indicate an interaction with both parties active.
So…
…is the creation actively interacting by being created, even if they don’t acknowledge the Creator? Is the one being judged having an active interaction with the judge by the mere act of being judged?
This is actually an intriguing question.
If we assume that God can hear (and maybe even answer) the prayers of an uncoverted person, then the answer could be yes.
Okay, supposing God can hear and maybe even answer the prayers of an unconverted person, does that mean that person will hear “Well done…enter” or “Depart from me…I never knew you” should they die a minute later?
As a Wesleyan (with strong Calvinist tendencies when it comes to the sovereignty of God, however), I have to say yes. Whether or not people are even aware of the relationship, it exists, because God’s prevenient grace is at work in everyone’s life.
Sandman
No – just because God may answer a prayer has no bearing on anything else (except of course that the scripture you are quoting is based on what people did for the homeless, naked and prisoners so how many of us would get in according to that!).
Ian, that was my point exactly when I wrote earlier that grace and mercy does not equal the relationship that God wants with us. I just think it’s best to examine that question from what God is looking for in a relationship and not how we might define the term. It can save some disappointment.
There are many people who have no relationship with Christ, are quite well off and comfortable and think they have a relationship with God by virtue of their good fortune, or that they “know about that God and Jesus stuff” and are fine just the way they are. That’s nothing Satan can’t do for a person.
Julie,
You are correct in that it depends if “relationship” is defined as “kinship” or “association”. If defined as “association” then I would stand by my first response.
AS CREATOR – Col 1:16 – For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him.
AS SOVEREIGN – Hebrews 4:13 – And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
AS JUDGE – 1 Peter 4:5 – but they [the lost] will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (Also Rom 14:12, etc.)
If “relationship” is defined as “kinship” then I would say that only the born again have a “relationship” with God.
Rick,
I am surprised about your statement regarding the “corpse”. How Calvinistic of you
. Actually I think the analogy of the corpse as used by the Calvinist is one of their weakest arguments. True, a corpse cannot respond to any stimuli, but a corpse cannot be held accountable for anything either. (Bad corpse! Bad!) I think this is a very flawed analogy. Spiritual death is never associated with oblivian or annilalation (The Rich Man lifted up his head in hades, saw, perceived, thirsted, etc.,) but is defined as a separation from the life of God.
Then again, to the point at hand, I can certainly have a relationship with a corpse, i.e., that corpse was my father, that corpse was my friend, co-worker, etc. True, the relationship is a little one sided at this point.
I would say everyone has a relationship with God, just some as the runaway kids that have run back to their Father, and others as runaways who still choose to ignore their Father.
So in that sense yes. and I would also say so in the sense that nobody and no place is Godforsaken. Nobody is in a place in life figuratively or literally where God isn’t hard and work in their lives waiting for them to come back to Him.