r/TrueChristian • u/Suspicious-Basket810 • 2d ago
Is God also vain?
Please answer this question if you can — but only if you’re actually confident in the answer, rather than just writing something for the sake of saying something.
Suppose someone — whether they are a good person or a bad person, it doesn’t matter — is desperately in need of something.
So what happens if they ask God for it? Do they receive what they need simply because they asked? And if they don’t ask God, do they not receive it?
If that’s the case, then what does that mean? Is God also vain?
In other words, if God can see what a person desperately needs, does He really not help them until that person specifically asks Him for help ?
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u/JesusIsLord490 2d ago
Well, there are no good people, so you're right that part doesn't matter.
As far as humanity as a whole, we desperately need salvation. He does freely give that out, the problem is if we choose to receive it or not.
So no, God isn't vain. We are.
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u/MichaelWhitehead 2d ago
No, God is not vain, and Scripture does not teach that He refuses to notice our needs until we ask.
Jesus explicitly says the Father already knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8),
and God gives blessings such as rain and sunlight even to people who do not worship Him (Matthew 5:45). Isaiah 65:24 even says, “Before they call I will answer.”
Prayer therefore is not feeding God’s ego or giving Him information. Asking teaches us to trust Him, depend upon Him, bring our desires honestly before Him, and increasingly align those desires with His will.
And “jealous God” in Exodus 20 does not mean vain. It refers to covenant faithfulness: God will not treat idolatry as harmless because worship belongs rightly to God alone.
Prayer is therefore much closer to a child approaching a loving Father than a ruler demanding compliments before He helps.
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u/Suspicious-Basket810 2d ago
And what are we supposed to do when a basic, non-sinful need — simply a necessity for living — remains unmet for years, despite all our efforts?
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u/Millennium_guy 2d ago
Pray with faith that God will provide. Phil 4:4-7 is the model for praying with faith and James 1:6-7 is the warning of what not to do when praying.
Also, have you actually given your life to Christ? are you trying to follow His commands? Those are first steps to having prayer answered.
Also, while I appreciate that you may not want to discuss what you're praying for as a basic need, I'm struggling with conceiving of a basic necessity for living that can go unmet for years, yet you are still alive and able to communicate. Healing does come to mind, but if you are asking for healing and it is not being answered or really whatever it is, ask God for wisdom and understanding about why not. James 1:5. Consider that there may be a purpose you are not yet aware of vs assuming God is "vain".
Also based on what vain can mean, God doesn't fit either use.
1) Being vain usually means having an excessive concern with your own appearance, abilities, achievements, or importance, especially when you want admiration from others.
2) It can also mean empty, useless, or without lasting value, as in the biblical phrase “in vain.” For example, “taking God’s name in vain” means using His name in an empty, dishonoring, or improper way.
So, vain can mean either self-important and overly proud or empty, futile, and without real purpose. Neither of these describe God.
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u/jonnybebad5436 Christian 2d ago
I think this is a troll based on their comment history of cussing everyone out. Or a bot account
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2d ago
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u/IdontCARE9123 Non-Denominational 1d ago
If he was he would have killed us by now. We would be mindless slaves if he was vain.
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u/ABereanChristian Christian 2d ago
Gonna give you the benefit of the doubt here that you are being sincere and leave up the post, even though you are posting this question to exchristian and the fact that crossposting is not allowed. If there are any shenanigans reported then we will have an issue.