HoHum:
God is like Bayer Aspirin- Expect Him to do wonders. God is like Coke- He’s the real thing. God is like Hallmark Cards- He cared enough to send His very best.
WBTU:
Beginning a series on God today.
There are some who say that there is no God. Even the most primitive of cultures have a concept of God. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20, NIV.
Thankfully we have something beyond the creation and that is the special revelation of the Bible. Our main textbook for the study of God is the Bible. We believe that the Bible is inspired, inerrant, trustworthy and authoritative. God reveals himself in His Word.
There are some who say that because we are finite we cannot really know God. It is true that we cannot know everything there is to know about God. If we were able to know everything there is to know about God, we would be God. Think about the original 3 subjects of school: reading, writing and arithmetic. Even if we spend a lifetime on these subjects we will never know everything about them so does that mean that we should not study them?
The study of God is an essential aspect of human development. We cannot be satisfied with a simple general awareness of God, but must deliberately study Him. We must seek more and more knowledge and truth about Him. “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3, NIV.
Thesis: Is it necessary that we study God?
For instances:
To combat the secularization of our society
Our society generally denies God and the supernatural. Much of our current Western society has given up the idea of God and has affirmed that the natural universe is all that exists. Need to get God out of every aspect of life and out of the public arena. God can be in church but no where else (Like that is possible)
Mankind’s general neglect of God
We are not talking about a denial of God nor are we talking about general ignorance of God. Talking about ignoring God. “In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” Psalms 10:4, NIV.
Many have simply forgotten God, are not concerned with God, push Him out of their daily lives and thoughts. “there is no-one who understands, no-one who seeks God.” Romans 3:11.
The abundance of false gods that are being popularized
The idea of religious pluralism (We are a pluralistic society).
There has been a considerable increase of anti Christian cults and religions in the US.
Our universities are full of highly persuasive people who are advocating ideas about God that are contrary to the Bible. Many believe in a Supreme Being who is far different from the True God. Our culture abounds with false gods, whether created by religion, science, or philosophy. The need for the True God to be studied has never been stronger.
“(as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),” 1 Corinthians 8:5, NIV.
The inadequate knowledge of the true nature of God within the Christian community itself.
Failure to give any serious thought to this subject.
Some have false ideas about God or false conceptions of God. “Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God--I say this to your shame.” 1 Corinthians 15:34, NIV.
We all need to expand our concept of God. Your God is too small- J.B. Phillips.
J.B. Phillips gives some inadequate or incorrect concepts of God in the Christian community:
1. The Heavenly Policeman:
We all have a conscience but this view says that God is our conscience.
Since we have a conscience and a sense of right and wrong this points us to something beyond ourselves. “since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.” Romans 2:15, NIV.
A conscience can be overly developed in some, and easily ignored by others.
A conscience can also be perverted. Take for instance a child who is brought up by strick vegetarian parents. When he gets older and eats meat...?
2. The Heavenly Parent
Many children’s basic idea of God is founded upon the child’s idea of his father. Need to go beyond this to a more mature concept of God as our Father.
Wait a minute, didn’t Christ teach us to regard God as Our Father! We must remember that this is an analogy. When Christ taught us to regard God as Our Father in heaven He did not mean that our idea of God must be based upon our ideas of our own fathers. Some have fathers who were unjust, tyrannical, conceited, or aloof. It is the relationship that Christ is stressing. The basic concept of a father caring for his child is what is meant.
Many have to grow beyond just the understanding of a father to a child because it is inadequate especially for them. Our God is too small!
3. The Grand Old Man
In many children’s minds God is an old person. To a child every adult is old, and therefore God must be the “oldest” of all.
True the Bible does call God “The Ancient of Days” but no where does it say that He is old fashioned or out dated. “The Grand Old Man was a great power in His day, but who could possibly expect such an Old Being as keeping pace with modern times!”
Friend, God is the living God, not the old fashioned or dead God. He is for the living!
4. Meek and Mild God
Gentle Jesus, meek and mild. Now Jesus (and God) can rightly be described as meek, but mild is not true. Jesus did not hesitate to challenge and expose the hypocrisies of His day; a man who had such “personality” that He walked through a murderous crowd; a man who was regarded as so revolutionary that they wanted to kill him; a man who could be moved to anger and vehement action in the temple; a man of such courage that He walked to what He knew would mean death.
God is love. Yes, but God is light, God is faithful, God is just, God is a consuming fire.
5. Absolute Perfection God
Now God is perfection but from that springs this false application.
The idea here is that God demands absolute perfection from his creatures. After all, Jesus did say: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48, NIV.
Without getting into this verse, is this reasonable? Can anyone be saved under such a concept of God! This leads some to nervous breakdowns, others to leave God and His church.
Christianity is not based on performance. If so we would all be condemned. Not saved by works. However, Christianity is a way of living. God is Perfection, but He is no perfectionist
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14, NIV.
6. Great Escape God
Critics of the Christian faith have contended that our faith is a form of “escapism.” Escape to God and not face the realities and possibilities of life.
There is a time to go to God who is our refuge for comfort. However, we must not stay there. “Out of the ivory palaces, into a world of woe”
Look at the lives of the heroes of the faith in the Bible and we do not find any who were monks or hermits. They did escape to God but when they came out they found strength to face life and faced it with a gusto that others did not have. “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.” Hebrews 11:32-35, NIV.
7. The Great Disappointment
“I trusted God and He left me down”
These people have determined in their minds what God should and should not do, and when He does not act in their way, they feel a sense of grievance. God will disappoint the person who is attempting to use Him as a means for their own plans. ““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8, NIV.
Some are wanting a world in which good is rewarded and evil is punished. Nothing wrong with this sense of justice. When this life and world are over, justice will be done but not here.
What about now? “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28, NIV.
