America’s Four Gods

This is the consistent message of the apostles once they understood that the gospel was for all people. I know that there are Christians who believe that Jesus is for Christians, Yahweh is for Jews, Allah is for Muslims and others can find some other way to God. Let’s be clear - that’s not what Jesus taught. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Let’s also be clear that the apostles did not preach or believe that there are many ways to God. Peter’s preaching in Jerusalem as given to us in Acts chapter 4 is representative of the apostolic message. About Jesus, Peter proclaimed, “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (v. 12).

There are so many religious choices, it can be more daunting than a grocery store. There’s no question that America has more than four Gods. Still, the work of Froese and Bader is helpful. To what extent does God interact with the world? As biblical Christians we believe that God is extremely active in our world. Attentive Christians can see the hand of God at work every day. Attentive Christians sense the work of God in their souls and in the world at large.

In our second lesson, the Apostle Peter explains that Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him” (Acts 10:38). Jesus gave this same ministry to the 12 apostles and later to 72 of His followers. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was given to all Christians so that they could continue to do the works of Christ.

Jesus preached “the good news of peace” and He delivered it: peace with God, peace with others, shalom- the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. As His people today are filled with His Spirit He gives to us His peace and also His power for salvation - salvation from sin, salvation from illness, salvation from the world, the flesh and the devil.

Does this mean that we are delivered from all sin? Yes it does. Does this mean that we will never sin again, that we will never be sick, that we will never face temptation? Of course not. God’s gift to us of the good news of peace means that through Jesus Christ we have God’s forgiveness for our sins and as His Spirit grows in us we are being delivered from all sin and evil.

In Christ, God has come near to us. By the Holy Spirit, God has entered every faithful Christian. God is still active in our world.

To what extent does God judge the world? God will judge all sin and evil. Near the end of chapter 10 of Acts, Peter declares that Jesus is “the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead” (v. 42). We say the same thing when we recite the Nicene Creed. In that ancient creed of the church we proclaim that Jesus “will come again to judge the living and the dead.” Our God is just and He will administer justice.

Our God is God #1 of America’s four Gods. He is authoritative and He is both judge and engaged in our world. Our God is benevolent and engaged like God #2, but He isn’t Santa Claus or the loving grandfather God. Our God is critical of sin and evil, but He is not disengaged like America’s God #3. Like God #4, the God revealed in the Bible is distant in His transcendence, yet unlike God #4 He loves us very much. He loves us so much that He sent His Son to be near us and He sent His Spirit to live in all those who believe in His Son.