Wilgrea7:


Several issues here. Let's assume the Christian god does exist, and chooses to speak with people.

First issue is that the claim that god doesn't speak clearly because the consequences for disobedience are higher simply doesn't make sense.

According to the bible, the punishment for sinners is supposed to be an eternity in hell.. a place of fire, brimstone, torment, etc. You get the picture.

Given this seems to be the default destination for all those who "disobey" him, then by your logic, he should be speaking really, really clearly.. because as far as punishments go, it doesn't get much worse than that

It's quite funny when a post is specifically made For Christians but non-christians try to come in and explain our God better to us.
It's even funnier when people bring in pre-conceived ideas that they think I believe in, in order to use it and argue against whatever I'm saying...

Who said that punishment for sin is eternity in hell (in the way you understand it), me?
Who said God's punishments start after death (in hell), me?

Kobojunkie:
I did hint at this when I mentioned earlier that Cain, and also, Balaam were not recorded to have been sinners at the time God spoke to each of them. The standard given by God is holiness... only those who attain holiness are able to go on to be approved righteous by God. There is no on a whim to His approval of any man.

The story says the god spoke to Cain AFTER he killed his brother so I dunno what you mean by he was not a sinner.

LordReed:
■ The story says the god spoke to Cain AFTER he killed his brother so I dunno what you mean by he was not a sinner.

Ok.

For anyone else interested in knowing what really took place in Scripture, God did speak to Cain BEFORE Cain went on to murder his brother Abel.

1. Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten[a] a man with the help of the Lord.”
2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground.
3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground,
4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,
5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?
7 If you do well, will you not be accepted?[b] And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to[c] you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother.[d] And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?”
10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.
11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. - Genesis 4 vs 1 - 11

Cain wasn't on God's bad side at all before he allowed sin to overtake him.