Thank you for your close attention to my words. If my usage would imply belief that God is not real, then it was a poor choice of words.
My little desk dictionary defines the most common definition of concept as "mental impression of an object" second most common usage as "general idea".
But for every thing that is real, don't we each (according to our understanding) have our own "general idea" or "mental image" which we refer to when we discuss the real person or thing?
Thanks to Jesus, I am saved from mistakes that would send me to hell.
Your suggestion that I say, instead, "It sounds like your God is quite different from mine". Is an ok choice of words, however it wouldn't work either, because those words, from my point of view, would imply that I am of the opinion that James is referring to a different god than the one and only God to which I'm referring (and of whom I'm thinking).
I'll try another choice of words and see if it is acceptable to you and anyone else critiqueing my limited vocabulary. Here goes: "It sounds like the qualities you believe God has are quite a bit different from the qualities or attributes I believe God has."
I was trying to convey: (1) Surprise (!) that he or anyone would believe God can or did make a mistake . (2) That, though the way he understands (however imperfectly) the character of God and the way I (likewise however imperfectly) understand God's character, we are nonetheless each attempting to communicate concerning one and the same God.
John |
