March 31st, 2011
Why does Christian theology claim that no sin can exist in the presence of God?
Question by Manjushri: Why does Christian theology claim that no sin can exist in the presence of God?
When Jesus freely chose to associate with sinners, prostitues and tax collectors?
The above argument, by the way, is the usual explanation for why there has to be a hell.
Best answer:
Answer by metroactus
sounds like a typical old school, pre- ecumenical patristic rambling full of inane discourse and attempting to go WAY beyond any written scripture…matter of fact, sounds like augustine.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Tags: Christian, claim, exist, Presence, Theology
Filed under: Christian Theology
Maybe it has to do with the place – Heaven.
Maybe God made it a “no-sin” zone.
God was in Christ reconciling sinners unto himself.
Furthermore, this claim is in direct contradiction to the claim that god is omnipresent.
If he’s everywhere, and sin exists, then that necessarily means that there is sin is his presence.
Why did He associate with such people? He was not approving of their lives and choices – He was giving Himself to them. He was extending His life toward them, as they were shunned by the religious hypocrites of the day. The people Israel were supposed to be a light to the Gentiles, but instead, over time, began to consider Gentiles and sinners as “unclean”, and therefore would not even associate with them. Jesus not only associated with these “unclean” folks, but was a friend to them.
As for sin not being allowed in the presence of God, I believe that has to do with the direct Presence of God in His glory in Heaven.
God cannot look WITH FAVOR upon sin and evil, but He can certainly be in the presence of sinners. This is proven by God’s omnipresence (as you noted), the incarnation of God the Son, and even God’s continued (if temporary) interaction with some of the fallen angels (including Satan – e.g. Job 1-2, etc.).
The limitation is not on God. Sometimes we have this image of God as needing to back off from sin and evil because He can’t allow Himself to be in its presence (rather like Superman avoiding Kryptonite because it weakens him?!). But we would suggest it’s more like the reaction of mold in the presence of bleach, or of anything combustible in the presence of fire: God’s holiness is so consuming and so purifying that unless He restrains Himself, (and that only for a time) nothing impure and unholy can remain in HIS presence. It affects the creature, not God.
The Holiness of God
By nature, definition, God is absolutely pure, not a hint of evil in Him
By definition, there can be no evil, sin, or impurity in His presence
The two cannot be together
Habakkuk 1:13 (NIV)
13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;
you cannot tolerate wrong.
Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?
Why are you silent while the wicked
swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
Psalm 5:4-6 (NIV)
4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.
5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.
6 You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the LORD abhors.
God cannot act contrary to His nature. Sin and God contradict one another. They repel.
That is not what it says. It says that God will not hear the prayers of a sinner.
John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
1 John 3:8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Sin cannot exist in the presence of God . As a matter of fact,
no man can see God and live.
Were it not for the sinless sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who’s blood covers and removes all sin, heaven would be empty (of humans)
Your confusion comes from an incomplete understanding of Jesus Christ, Fully God and Fully Man. His ministry on the earth, to bring all sinners to repentance.
Jesus is Gods Son and He came for the sinner not for the righteous . When He was crucified and cried out ‘ My God my God why hast Thou forsaken Me” it was because God could not look upon the sin that Jesus took upon Himself in our behalf. Jesus took every sin in the world so that we could be forgiven except the one unpardonable sin which is Blasphemy of the Holy Ghost.