The God We Worship

As I have said from the beginning in these posts, that we worship the God of our understanding. The idea is that we can only worship the God that we know. Most times the God that we know comes from an incomplete understanding of who He is based upon a faulty understanding of those who would pass on to us those short comings which they themselves possess. Their short comings founded in traditions, and prejudices etc. come from their teachers, and so on down the line.

Consider a pastor who has gone to a particular Bible College. The classes that he attends; the things that he is taught; the learning that goes through are specifically designed by whatever belief system that school puts forth in its curriculum. That makes sense of course, but consider this... a mathematics teacher from one school teaches the same mathematics as any other teacher in any other school. 2+2=4 is the same no matter who teaches it. However, a Biblical professor from a Baptist school will teach a different theology than a professor in a Catholic school, or a Pentecostal, or any of the others.

Each teacher passes on what they themselves have come to believe as truth about God. Saying so, betrays the fact that I also, in the cyber pages of this blog do the same. These things I write are that which I have come to believe with full conviction of their truth. And of course the reader him or herself, will also have to come to a conviction of what they believe to be true as well.

The one saving grace in all of this is that it is indeed the will and purpose of God who gives unto each of us the measure of faith that we possess, and what ever measure of revelation He has deemed to be good in His eyes. Line upon line. Precept upon precept. Here a little. There a little. Each revelation of  truth compounding on the revelation preceding it. One thing for certain is that God will let us believe what He wants us to believe in order to bring us to the place where He desires to bring us. Ultimately it is to Himself so that He will be All in All. But in the mean time, there is no limit to the creative ways and means He uses to accomplish His objective.

What I did not consider in all of this detail until earlier this evening is what about those who claim to NOT  believe in God?  Of course they are mistaken. But not just about the reality of God's existence; most, I think do believe in a God of their understanding, yet they do not recognize that truth. What do I mean by that? Simply put, many who say they do not believe in God, or who deny the saving power of Jesus Christ are not so much rejecting God nor Jesus, but rather they are rejecting the distorted image that is presented to them!!  This distorted image of God does not coincide with what ever measure of truth that is within them, and they are rejecting the distorted image, still looking for that which is true.

This is something that we must consider when we "witness" to others. Are they rejecting Jesus, or just your message about Jesus? Is what you are telling them biblical truth, or just church doctrine? Does what you share about their relationship with Jesus reflect His unconditional love, or is it conditional based on something they have to do in order to reap the benefits? Oh, it doesn't have to be much, things like: go to church; read your bible every day; pray a sinner's prayer; pay tithes; quit smoking; no swearing..... the list goes on and on. And while all of these things are good, none of them are necessary for salvation!

The fact is that as Paul the Apostle says, we are saved by Grace THROUGH FAITH and THAT not of ourselves, NOT of works lest anyone should boast. Now, most Christians would whole heartily agree with that, and even quote it, yet how many times would they think it was THEIR own decision to follow Jesus that saved them? Don't you see, that it would be boasting in your choice if it were so that saved you? Don't you see that it is even FAITH that is a gift of God!

Okay, then if God is responsible for even giving the faith needed to believe before someone could be saved, then what about the people who God did NOT give saving faith to? Ah, good question. I am glad you asked.

There are two schools of thought about this. No actually three! The fact is that I have even gone through the process of the first two in order to arrive at the third. I will explain in more detail in another post, but I will say this... One thought is that we make the choice to believe or reject God, and if we reject God then we are lost for eternity. Another thought is that God created some "elected" to be saved aside from any choice on their part, and the rest He purposed to be lost for eternity. The third option, and the one I whole heartily support with great conviction, is that there will NOT be one single person created that has ever lived, nor will ever live that will ever be lost for eternity!!

The first two doctrines get it wrong because they believe in error that God's love for mankind; God's commitment to salvation; God's dealing with His creation all ends with mortal death. Meaning that once we have breathed our last, then in whatever spiritual condition we find our self in at that moment is the way we will remain for eternity, and if we are saved, then we go to some place called heaven, and if we are not believers, then we go to a place of eternal fiery torment!

The third choice, and the one that I have believed since about 1993 when I first learned of it, is that God is not finished dealing with us during this mortal life time! God will lose NONE of His creation! EVERY knee in heaven, and on earth, and beneath the earth, shall bow and every tongue shall joyfully proclaim that He is Lord! That does not leave anyone out. And it is simply not true, nor is it reasonable to suggest that once some knees have bowed, that God will reject them, and say that it was not soon enough!

Our understanding of who God is comes from the degree of revelation He has purposed to give to us. The degree of revelation He has purposed to give to us is determined by His own design and plan for our lives. The fact that the revelation we have is incomplete, does not mean that He will not also give us more understanding, and at each stage of the process we continue; to the measure that we are given; that we would worship the God we understand, and more so to understand The God We Worship!