Get A Grip!

August 18, 2002

There are so many false religions in the world. By far, the reason for such a phenomenon is the human problem of ignoring God’s owner’s manual -- The Bible. Without the Bible we don’t know how God views us, and we don’t know truth about how we are to view God.

It is important to know the truth about God and the way He feels about us. Let’s explore getting a grip on who God is, and what He is like.

A False View Of God Leads To Faulty Living

What is a false view of God?

James describes the false view of God

3If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness 1 Timothy 6.3

A false view of God is any teaching that does not agree with scripture. The Bible interprets the Bible. False teachers tend to promote their cultural preference over Christian principles.

This is like defending slavery on the basis that Paul didn’t attempt to put an end to it in the incident with Philemon and the runaway slave, Onesimus. If you recall, Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon to resume his position as slave.

A false teacher would point that out, and the fact that the world has always had slaves, but he would bypass all the teachings in the New Testament that point to the freedom Christ came to bring.

What does a false view of God produce?

A. Wise Fools

4He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 1 Timothy 6:4

False teaching comes from conceit and ignorance of God’s Word. James calls them false prophets, empty clouds. They promise much, but deliver nothing. In our day we say, the lights are on, but nobody’s home.

A false view of God produces wise fools and...

B. Warped Fellowship

5Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 1 Timothy 6.5

A false view of God will produce wise fools that warp the fellowship. This is the faulty living that comes from an inadequate theology.

Notice the characteristics:

There is envy and strife. Friction always develops when people are grounded more in cultural preferences rather than Christian principles.

There is malicious talk and suspicious talk. Some folks seem called to discuss every negative thing, in every negative way, with every other negative person they can get to lend an ear. This is part of the faulty living that is promulgated by false teaching, brought on by a false view of God.

Where you find people who are glad to talk about positive things, virtuous things, dwelling on praiseworthy things, (Philippians 4.8) then you will find people who have a correct view of God. The difference is generally whether the talk is about God (praiseworthy) or about people (gossip worthy).

It appears in our day that we have more warped than winsome fellowship. Churches are losing members, declining in ministry and closing doors every day. Still other churches are experiencing the greatest advances in the history of Christendom.

What is the difference? Why do some churches disintegrate and disappear from the Christian scene?

It is self-destruction, brought on by warped fellowship, soaked to the skin in faulty living, saturated by false teaching, spawned by a false view of God. It is the unhealthy picture of the sheep of God infecting each other with the mange of gossip, envy, strife, malicious and suspicious talking, chafing one against the other until the whole herd wants to do nothing but scatter.

Is there no antidote? A genuine view of God overcomes the false view of God…

What is a genuine view of God?

A genuine view of God is first and foremost a Biblical view. Jesus said

You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, John 5:39 (NIV).

How do you know you have a Biblical view? It is safe to say that a Biblical view is one that makes you love Jesus, and one that makes you soft on people, but hard on sin in your own life. If that doesn’t touch all the meaning and explanation of a genuine, Biblical view of God, it is an exceptionally fine place to begin.

What does a genuine view of God produce?

A Genuine View Of God Leads To Godly Living

6But godliness with contentment is great gain.

1 Timothy 6.6

A. Godliness is a great respect for God.

There is precious little in common life today that smacks of respect for the Lord. Movies are profane. People use His name in absolute disrespect and casualness. The government won’t even mention Him. A Godly person is one who will use the name of God reverently, respectfully and powerfully.