What is God like? Should we care? How would knowing about God make a difference in the life of someone living in the 21st Century? Last time, we discovered that concepts about God can be grouped together fairly conveniently. We thought about the “God in the distance Box” and the “Caricature Box.” We’ll begin today by looking at ideas that fit into could be called the "Human-Centred God Box." Somehow, perhaps because of our natural tendency to be self-centred, we assume the place of "centre of the universe." We may only apply that within our own circle of acquaintance, but even in that limited sphere, we conclude that everyone we know exists for our benefit. Next thing we know, we've broadened the circle to include God and we begin to view Him as existing for us.
Personally, I am convinced that this is the reason some people seem to have such difficulty making sense of God. They simply have a reversed vision of the way things are. Think of all the confusion which occurred when scientists first started talking about the sun being the centre of the solar system and not the earth. For years, it was understood that the sun rotated around the earth, but with that premise there were some things that just didn't add up. Only when people understood that in fact the earth rotates around the sun did some of those difficult questions get cleared up satisfactorily. The same is true on the spiritual level. As long as we see everything and everyone rotating around us, doing our will, seeking our best interests, making us happy, there are going to be some things that just don't make sense. Once we understand that God is the centre of our life and that we should understand ourselves in relation to Him, some of the big mysteries of life suddenly make sense.
It is true that humanity is very important to God. He made us and values us, but that shouldn't give us the impression that we are the reason everything else exists. In the Bible, we find clear statements and examples of God blessing people - granting them their desires, making them happy, and so on. However, God's purposes sometimes allow for withholding things we long for, for allowing us to suffer, and other things which from our perspective seem very negative. Let's get rid of the concept box that holds all of those ideas about God which suggest He is there for our benefit. That's just not true. God's word clearly indicates that God is God-centred not human-centred. In Isaiah 46 we read these stunning words: "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." That passage alone should clear up any question about who is here for whose benefit. God clearly stated He is doing all that pleases Him. This is true, not only in the inanimate material universe, but also in his human creation. This is particularly true of those who accept God as God. In his letter to the Christians in Philippi, Paul wrote: "My beloved, as you have always obeyed, not in my presence only, but even in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which works in you both to will and to do his good pleasure. [Philippians 2:12]
Similar to the "Human-centred God Box," but worthy of separate consideration is one we might call the "Deified Man God Box." The ideas contained here also come out of what we might call the anthropomorphic view of the universe - that is that humanity is the culmination of the evolutionary process making human beings the reason for the universe existing in the first place.
In the Bible, we read that God made humanity in His image. Some of our friends today have turned that around and created God in our image. That is, they take human characteristics, qualities, intellect, emotion, and so on to what we sometimes call the 'nth' degree to the maximum to perfection even and create God as a deified human.
This certainly makes God understandable to us. After all, we know how humans think, feel, react and so on. Having a god modelled on us makes him accessible. It also makes him sympathetic to us in our weaknesses in a way that the traditional views of God do not. It also opens the way for each of us to morph him to be just what we need at any given moment. Come to think of it. This is sort of like the gods of the Greek or Roman pantheon. Once again, this is all terribly convenient for us, but it is far from the truth that God reveals about Himself.
Here are a few passages from the Bible to consider: From Isaiah 55 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." From 1 Corinthians 1 "The base things of the world, and things which are despised, God has chosen, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence." From Numbers 23 "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: has he said, and shall he not do it? or has he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"
These passages and others demonstrate clearly that God does not think or act as a man (especially a fallen man). Having a God who so clearly transcends our human predicament may not seem too comforting, but we must not forget that in the person of Jesus, God experienced our world as we do. Apart from sin, He lived a completely human life. Let's not be tempted to create a comforting God who is just like us and that we can relate to at our own level. God is not just a deified human concept. He is other. He is distinct. God is God.
We'll take time for one more specific box of ideas about God which sits alongside the ones we've been just thinking about. Both the "Human-centred God Box" and the "Deified Man God Box" are relatively comfortable for us philosophically because their ideas keep God well within our grasp. The next one I want to consider is a little different but much the same. I'm calling it the "God of Precedence Box." The cornerstone of this box is biblical. It is based on the understanding that God does not change. After all in Malachi 3:6 we find these words "I am the LORD, I change not." And in the New Testament, in James 1:17 we read: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
This idea of God never changing is clearly founded on the Bible and is very comforting for some of us. It means that all we have to do is look at precedence - that is to observe what God did in the past - and we will know what God will do in the future. It effectively tames God. Pushing the box analogy a little, this box has a lock and key. It confines God. If God doesn't change, then He can never surprise us - never do anything new. Some of us like that a lot. And as I've said twice already and will say again now, we can depend on God not changing. His character is fixed. He will never become unholy, impure, unmerciful, unjust, and so on.
Here's the point that some people overlook. Though God is personally immutable - that is He does not change He does do "new" things. Think about the physical creation. In Genesis 1:1 we read: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." There's an example - somewhere back in what the theologians sometimes call “eternity past,” the physical universe did not exist. Then God spoke and it suddenly did.
Here's another example, this one regarding Korah a man who led a rebellion against God. In Numbers 16 we read: "If the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit; then you shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD." God gave a sign. If this thing that had never happened before did suddenly happen, Moses and the rest of the nation would know that judgment had fallen on Korah and his followers.
Here are some other verses which clearly indicate that God does new and surprising things from time to time. Keep in mind that these do not undermine God's unchanging character. Indeed they express it. I just want to point out that we can't put God into the box of precedence and feel that we know what He will always do. Let's look at some specific verses:
These are just a few examples of how God does new things. Let's not think that we have God all figured out and pinned down. God will always be true to His character, but He is quite capable of acting in ways that will surprise us.
The biggest surprise of all time was that God, Himself, entered human history as a man. Just read the gospels. The literature is littered with surprises and not of the kind most of us are familiar with. I'm talking huge mind-bending, paradigm-busting surprises. Miracles in all shapes and sizes from feeding thousands with one boy's lunch healing the congenitally blind, from turning water into wine to rising from the dead. How can we sit still in dignified complacency living in a world where these things have happened?
One more big surprise God is personally interested in you, knows you, loves you, and wants you to get to know Him. Not to pick and choose ideas out of some of the boxes we've been talking about, but to really know Him as a vital intense very real personality.
God went to surprising lengths to ensure that this was possible. In the person of his Son, Jesus Christ, He took all of the offense that separated you from God on Himself, judged Himself, was executed Himself all so you could live. I'm not talking about just the life you live now, your physical existence. I mean really live. Nothing else can give you that sense of being alive like a relationship with God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can. Turn away from your old unsatisfying life with all of its attendant misery and accept God's gift of eternal life today.
Getting to know God really involves two aspects. One is learning about Him, the other is becoming personally acquainted with Him. We must be careful that we don't confuse the two. Learning facts about God, even the right facts, even a large number of right facts really won't make much of a positive difference in your life. What I'm encouraging you to do is to keep working on learning about God, but take some active steps in the process of becoming personally acquainted with Him. The great thing is that God, Himself, has already taken the first step in your developing a relationship with Him. By providing the way for your offence against Him to be dealt with at His own cost, He has opened the door for you to receive his gift of life. Real life. You can begin to experience that today by actively receiving the forgiveness God offers you through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ron Hughes
© January 2005