IS THERE A RIGHT WAY TO THINK ABOUT GOD?

I recently received a forward containing a clip of Oprah Winfrey questioning a Biblical attribute of God. She accepted the fact that God is a loving God, but did not believe God to be a jealous God. She said that it did not feel right in her spirit to think of God in that way. When discussing what God is like, many treat his attributes like food in a cafeteria. They receive the likable attributes and leave those they dislike.

The Bible teaches that God’s attributes are not determined by ones feelings. Sigmund Freud, the father of contemporary psychoanalysis, suggested otherwise. He taught that the God of the Bible is an invention of the human mind in response to three common fears—nature, relationships and death. In response to this conclusion, author John MacArthur asserted, “This is contrary to what Scripture says about man’s nature. Humanity has consistently sought to escape accountability to God’s standards (cf. Gen. 3:8). Men and women would prefer that the biblical God not exist.”

If God began with man's thoughts concerning Him then it makes sense that one could believe whatever he or she wanted about God's attributes. However, one truth the Bible teaches from the very beginning is that everything has been created by God. The first sentence in the Bible says, “In the beginning God created…” (Genesis 1:1). This verse indicates that God is eternal, self-existent and is not dependant upon anyone or anything. All of creation, however, is dependent upon the eternal God who created all that is. Therefore, it does not make since that we determine what God, who has always existed, is like. The Bible affirms that because He has always existed and is unchanging, he is to be understood in a certain way. According to MacArthur, “We must turn to God’s Word to understand what it affirms about God’s nature.”

There are some attributes of God that are difficult to ascribe to Him and are unpopular in a fallen world. As believers, however, we must understand that the problem is with us and not with God’s Word. This should cause us to see how far our thinking is out of line with the mind of God and should force us to allow ourselves to be shaped by Scripture rather than attempting the opposite.

MacArthur, John. Nothing but the Truth. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, pp. 49-51.

"Quote" of the Week

"Mercy never began to be, but from eternity was; so it will never cease to be. It will never be more since it is itself infinite; and it will never be less because the infinite cannot suffer diminution. Nothing that has occurred or will occur in heaven or earth or hell can change the tender mercies of our God. Forever His mercy stands, a boundless, overwhelming immensity of divine pity and compassion." -A.W. Tozer on the mercy of God

CHRISTIAN FREEDOM DEFINED

Many personally define freedom as, “Being able to do whatever one wants to do.” Believers must refrain from this definition when describing what it means to be "free in Christ." Last night, our youth talked about how there is nothing a believer can do to make God love them less. We also discussed how reflecting upon God’s unconditional love should increase ones love toward him and toward others and not cause a person to adopt the belief that believers are not bound by established moral laws.

Some misinterpret the Apostle Paul’s teaching in Romans 5:20, which states, “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” A number of people take this verse to mean that Christians can live the way they want without consequences. Many who misinterpret this verse fail to see that this claim leads to a question Paul asks in Romans 6:1, which he answers in 6:2. He affirms, “What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? He continues by stating, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin" (Romans 6:6). When commenting on these verses R.C. Sproul asserts, “(Paul) makes the point that to continue in sin would involve a contradiction of the Christian’s new identity in Christ.”

Freedom for a believer in Christ means that one is free from the rule of sin and its consequences. Paul states, "Anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him" (Romans 6:7-9). Not only is the rule of sin eliminated, but the sting of death is removed because everyone who is trusting in Christ for their salvation will overcome the second death, which is the penalty for sin (Romans 6:23), and will be raised from this life to spend eternity in the presence of the Lord.

Since believers have been freed from the rule of sin, it does not make since to Paul that one would allow sin to regain control. He asserts, "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:12-14). According to Sproul, "In view of this new identity (v.11), Christians are to refuse to allow sin to usurp authority in their lives, and instead are to yield the whole of life to God (vv. 12, 13) in the assurance that since they are under grace, not law, as the means of their salvation, sin is no longer their master."

Romans. The Reformation Study Bible. Edited by R.C. Sproul, pp. 1621-1622.

"Quote" of the Week

"As a result of God's righteousness, it is necessary that he treat people according to what they deserve. Thus, it is necessary that God punish sin, for it does not deserve reward; it is wrong and deserves punishment."
-Wayne Grudem on the Justice of God

THE WHOLE TRUTH

When being sworn in, during a court case, a person is always asked the customary question, “Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?” However, after taking the stand, many witnesses have been known to tell half-truths fearing that any additional information might damage the case of the prosecution or defense. Half-truths often mislead the hearer, which results in him or her believing something that is fictitious.

Believers must refrain from half-truths when teaching others about God and His Gospel. Last night, our youth talked about the importance of learning what Scripture teaches about God and the Gospel and the dangers of focusing on one attribute and element while omitting others. A.W. Tozer warns against magnifying one to the exclusion of another. He says, "The Bible teaches that God is love; some have interpreted this in such a way as virtually to deny that He is just, which the Bible also teaches. Others press the Biblical doctrine of God’s goodness so far that it is made to contradict His holiness. Or they make His compassion cancel out His truth. Still others understand the sovereignty of God in a way that destroys or at least greatly diminishes His goodness and love."

During youth, we watched a DVD of a well known author who claims that God loves everyone as they are. He explained in James 2 that God does not show partiality. He used this passage to try and prove his point that God loves people no matter who they are, what they have done and/or what they believe. The major problem is that he takes this passage out of context. James is addressing external not internal attributes. He is talking about a person’s social status not heart condition. Scripture teaches that God does not love us as we are, but in spite of who we are. Paul explains, "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

The author in the DVD also explains the incident of the woman who was caught in the act of adultery in John 8. He argues that because Jesus does not condemn the woman, neither should we condemn the actions of others. He, however, fails to mention the last statement made by Christ to the woman. Jesus tells her, “Go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11). Jesus does not excuse her sin, but calls for her to repent and forgives her of her sins.

A result of half-truths is an absence of truth. According to Tozer, "Almost every heresy that has afflicted the church through the years has arisen from believing about God things that are not true, or from overemphasizing certain true things so as to obscure other things equally truth." Although believers need to teach that God loves the world (John 3:16), they must also teach that he hates sin (Psalm 5:5) and that sinners are enemies of God (James 4:4). If people do not have knowledge of God's holiness and their sinfulness, then they will fail to see their need of Him making salvation impossible.

Tozer, A.W. The Knowledge of the Holy. San Francisco: Harper Collins Publishers, 79.

"Quote" of the Week

"Divine goodness, as one of God's attributes, is self-caused, infinite, perfect, and eternal. Since God is immutable He never varies in the intensity of His loving-kindness. He has never been kinder than He now is, nor will He ever be less kind. He is no respecter of persons but makes His sun to shine on the evil as well as on the good, and sends His rain on the just and on the unjust. The cause of His goodness is in Himself; the recipients of His goodness are all His beneficiaries without merit and without recompense." -A.W. Tozer on the goodness of God.