The challenge of thinking about God is found in the fact we likely determine Gods nature before we consult Gods revelation of Himself in scripture. A typical result is that we decide how God would act and what God would or would not do before we even consult Gods revelation of Himself.
The problems: deciding (a) Gods character, or (b) Gods nature, or (c) what God would do, or (d) what God would not do, or (e) a combination of any of these before considering all scripture says about God. As a person spiritually matures, the person acquires more knowledge and perspective. As a result, the persons perspective changes. That is commonly the impact on a person all forms of maturity have.
An understanding of God is among the most complex considerations a spiritual person considers. Just as it was necessary to allow you to grow and develop, allow others to grow and develop. Beware of being dogmatic and demandingwith time, knowledge, and insight you may find it necessary to change again in order to remain a spiritual person who is honest about what he (or she) understands.
Consider a specific example. If you are a conservative Christian in the American culture, if you are asked, Is there anything God cannot do? you have been taught and conditioned to say, No!
Our culture and our background powerfully influence what we see, what we do not see, and what we consider impossible. To think and understand beyond those influences take extraordinary courage because it is so easy to be misunderstood.
Yet, the writers of the New Testament state there are things God cannot do. He cannot lie (Titus 1:2; 2 Timothy 2:13; Hebrews 6:18). That is the basis on which people are called upon to trust Gods promises when trust calls for confidence in the face of the unusual. God cannot be tempted, and He does not tempt humans (James 1:13). Therefore, when humans are confronted with the enticement to commit sin or rebel against God, the efforts to justify ones behavior by blaming God for his (or her) choices is false.
Even God is true to His own character and nature. When we deal with what I am, at some point it ceases to be a matter of choice and becomes a matter of character. Because certain characteristics are a part of Gods nature, He cannot defy His nature.
God cannot lie. God is above sin. He cannot deny His character. He cannot violate His nature. Sin and rebellion against what is right is a human problem, not a divine problem. The issue does not center in power considerations (too often for humans, power, by definition, involves the right to do whatever the human wishes to doa failure to act is commonly a limitation of power). Nor do the majority of humans realize there is a sphere of being that is beyond sin and rebellion. Humans are so conditioned by living in a sphere of sin and rebellion that that they cannot imagine an existence where there is no sin or rebellion.
It is important for people who would be spiritual to struggle with the understanding that there is an area of existence in which sin and rebellion against absolute right do not exist. Since we, as humans, always have lived in an area wherein sin/rebellion against good struggle against righteous/compliance with good, it is extremely difficult to imagine the area wherein there is no sin and no rebellion against good/righteousness. We have extreme difficulty imagining what it would be like for me to live in that area.
A common result of defining God by human realities is check-list religion. First, a person forms a list of things he (or she) must do. Second, the person checks off the correct things (according to the list) that the person has done. Third, by doing the correct things on the list, the person obligates God. (The obligation often has little or nothing to do with the persons faith in God, but the persons performancethus salvation is not God centered, but becomes human act centered). Fourth, the person is saved because the person has done the right things, not because one places faith in God at the core of the persons being.
People need a sound understanding of check-list religion in contrast to faith centered spirituality. 1 John 1:5-10 can provide an accurate contrast through its stress (a) on the need for forgiveness, (b) God supplying that need on a continuous basis, and (c) on the fact that forgiveness does not justify continuing in sin.
Does this declare that there are no righteous responsibilities a godly person assumes? No! It declares that human acts are insufficient! Salvation involves a combination of both faith in God and an acceptance of godly responsibilities. The godly responsibilities are assumed because the person is expressing/demonstrating faith in God. Human acts do not obligate God, yet the person acts because he has confidence in God Who keeps His promises because God does what He says He will do.
Christians need a sound awareness that both faith in God and responsible righteous behavior combine to produce salvation in Jesus Christ.
Faith in Gods trustworthiness lies at the core of human obedience. Obedience is never a human effort to obligate or manipulate God. God is beyond obligation or manipulation. Obedience is always a human effort to express or demonstrate confidence in God and His revelation of Himself.
It is extremely easy for people to use a salvation focus for selfish purposes. Often we think it is in Gods best interest to solve a particular personal problem or a specific situation in a definite way (usually the way we specify). Yet, it is the persons best interest and not Gods eternal purposes that we seek. We have grave difficulty understanding that what we want and Gods eternal purposes are not always the same thing. It is easy for a person or a group to decide that a specific divine response to a particular physical situation or need is the only declaration of divine caring or love possible.
As an example, consider Jesus prayer in Matthew 26:36-44. Note these things: (a) Jesus clearly did not wish to die, (b) as the only truly righteous person who lived, Jesus prayed not to die yet he died, and (c) Gods eternal purpose necessitated that Jesus die his sacrificial death. Jesus did not consider it in his physical best interest to be cruelly executed, but God considered Jesus execution to be necessary to His eternal purpose. Jesus physical wish and Gods eternal purpose were not the same. However, Jesus faith in God (thankfully!) grasped the fact that Gods eternal purpose was bigger than his physical desire.
It is not wrong to have physical desires and seek Gods help in those physical desires as long as those desires do not supercede or distort Gods eternal purposes. Never forget that the first century church was, at times, built on the blood of Christian martyrs. Such people did not experience the immediate unfolding of Gods use of their deaths in His eternal purposes (consider Revelation 6:9-11). Sometimes they could not see Gods eternal purpose in their suffering and sacrifice.
God never owes us no matter what we do. Would you please again read Luke 17:5-10 again? If an apostle did only what he was supposed to do when obeying, how should you look upon your acts of obedience?
No human by any act can place God in debt to him. God has regard for us for two reasons: (a) He made us in His own image. (b) He is filled with grace.
God did something with us He did with any other form of life when He made us in His image. Even though we sin (even as Christians), we still receive and live in Gods goodness. Even when we are deceived by evil, God interacts with us on the basis of His goodness.
God does not owe us because of anything we do. We owe God for what He did and does for us in Jesus Christ. Our debt is so enormous that all we can do is to learn to express obedient appreciation.
We always will be in debt to God (a) for what He did for us in Jesus death and (b) for what continues to do for us in our salvation when we place obedient faith in Jesus.
This quarter will attempt to challenge you to accept two facts. (a) Understand God is not predictable. (b) Understand the objective of acceptable obedience is never a human attempt to obligate or manipulate God.
When we regard God as predictable, we often consider God as being human/physical. Remember Isaiah 55:8, 9. God is not a super human. Do not limit God to human understandability.
For Thought and Discussion
1. Explain the common challenge a person confronts when he (or she) thinks about God.
The explanation should include the view that we decide Gods nature and actions before we consult Gods revelation of Himself in scripture.
2. In the American society, what is the proper answer to, Is there anything God cannot do?
The proper answer in our society is, No!
3. State three things the New Testament says God cannot do.
(a) He cannot lie.
(b) He cannot be tempted.
(c) He does not tempt.
4. What is an important part of the human concept of power?
An important human concept of power is doing whatever you wish to do regardless of the impact of your actions on others.
5. Humans are so conditioned by living in a sphere of sin and rebellion that (most of them) cannot do what?
We cannot imagine an existence where there is no sin and rebellion.
6. State four parts of the common concept of check-list religion.
First, list what must be done. Second, check of the correct things you have done. Third, obligate God by doing human acts that are correct. Fourth, the person is saved by correct human acts, not by faith in the actions of God.
7. Discuss the fact that there are righteous responsibilities.
The discussion should include salvation is the result of both faith in God and responsible righteous behavior.
8. What lies at the core of human obedience?
Faith in Gods trustworthiness is the core of human obedience.
9. Why does God never owe us? Include Luke 17:5-10 in your answer.
God never owes us because of what He did and continues to do for us in Jesus.
10. Why will we always owe God?
We owe God because of what He did and continues to do for us in Jesus.
11. What two things will this quarter challenge you to consider?
Understand God is not predictable. Understand human obedience is never an attempt to obligate or manipulate God.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 1