What do you use to teach abstract ideas of God (from Bible)?

[Guest Xapis10]

Yesterday my DS asked if God is something like a robot.

What do you like for explaining abstract things like how God is a Spirit?

[Entropymama]

What a great question. I'd have to say for specific questions like that I kind of shoot from the hip. I can't think of any verses that talk about robots. :) We read through a chapter or two every day, in order. We started with Genesis two years ago and are in Luke now. Because of that we can discuss things as they come up in scripture, including descriptions of God that are abstract. I think that helps them get a handle on what God is like, but it comes slowly. Heck, I'm still figuring it out. :)

[Candid]

I think one of the wonderful things about the Bible is that many things are given to us in images. And that often you can answer questions using those same images. The trick is finding them. Don't be afraid to tell a child that you'll get back to them on something.

 

In this case, I think I would find several sections where God is described. Usually we hear more about his personality (faithful, lovingkind, so forth). So I would use some of those and if needed talk about the meanings of the terms. But I would also probably talk about the passages in Genesis where God walks in the garden with Adam and Eve and the Moses stories where God's glory is so bright and Moses can see God's back (and Solomon's temple filled with His glory).

 

Not totally on target but I might also pull the section of questions God ask's Job that tells about all the things He has done and is doing. There are similar passages in the Psalms (God owns the cattle on a 1000 hills).

[Guest Xapis10]

Thanks for the input! I'll accept more! :bigear:

[Onceuponatime]

One of my favorite concepts of God is found in Acts 17:28. "In Him we live and move and have our being."

 

I believe this is in Paul's sermon on Mars Hill where he explains God to the Athenians. He tells them that God does not live in temples made by hands, etc.