It is in fact tragic, terrible, and disheartening how so many people are deceived by exchanging God’s truth for a lie. The following are just some of the distorted and twisted views of God that have invaded our world.
First of the ten commandments states “I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other idols before me.” (Ex 20:2,3) God had said to Israel, “Be careful or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you and He will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you.” (Deut 11:16,17)
To truly experience supreme satisfaction in God and a deliverance from frustration, emptiness and sin – this can only happen when we put to death the flawed and contorted notions of God and worship Him in both spirit and truth. (John 4:24)
Twisted notions…
god always gives success
There is an ever growing number of people who believe in a god who, by their efforts, is shaped according to a vision of prosperity. Many are teaching and portraying God as one who consistently gives us prosperity when we live by faith. Look at Job who had to totally rethink his understanding of God when he wrote, “Lord, now I know you can do all things and no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:1-6) Job had to truly learn that God is in fact sovereign and He can and will take away anything to teach us the lessons we genuinely need to learn to be complete in understanding His right to do whatever He pleases – despite whether it involves loss, adversity and delayed blessings. God allows adversity to calibrate us in hitting the reset button and realigning to His sovereignty.
god who plays favorites
There are people who view God as partial toward only the religiously devout. In turn, many suppose that they have to work toward a special mystical connection with God in order to see Him work for them. The principles of Romans 8:28,29 are ever working for those of us who do love the Lord and are called according to His purposes. God is completely impartial and can send rain on the righteous and unrighteous. Samuel wrote, “Now may the fear of the Lord be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.” (2 Ch 19:7) Praise God that He knows how to evaluate all people according to His Word without bias or playing favorites.
god who is oblivious to suffering
Many people say, “If God is so loving why does He allow so much suffering in the world?” They seem to doubt God’s superintendence and rule of His creation. These people deny the power and wisdom of God because in their minds they think that the pain and suffering of this world are not in His control. However, being frank much of this world’s suffering is a direct consequence of sin. God subjected the whole of creation to frustration. Natural calamities do happen, but the sovereign plan of mighty God is being carried out. (Deut 29:29) War and sin are the fruits of rebellion against God. Do not be surprised when you see evil affecting people around the world.
god is a god of all world’s religions
In our new age oriented world many people think that all roads lead to heaven. The repeated call of the media is for tolerance. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.” (John 14:6,7) There is no equivocation (no other options) when it comes to the world’s (everyone’s) need for forgiveness through Christ…alone…period…as their substitutionary payment for their sin. In this particular age of tolerance it is en vogue to depict God as one who is good with any and all religious points of view. It is becoming increasingly common to hear people say, “I find God in my own way.” Remember what Peter said, “Neither is their salvation in any one else. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
god is a harsh dictator
Some cultures and religions teach God rules with an iron fist. They see Him as a “hanging judge” ready to just carry out the sentencing as quickly as possible without due process of a judicial process. Consequently they try to rely on societal laws and restrictions to protect them from what they perceive as subjective whims of an authority they can’t make sense of. When they do approach Him it is only to satisfy his anger but not to have a personal, intimate and loving relationship. And still the Bible says, “I know the plans that I have for you (Personally and lovingly and graciously). Plans for welfare and not for evil to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer 29:11)
god is a [unsympathetic] high priest
Some people have a perception that God is a mystical high priest who is far above and beyond the ability to feel each individual’s pain. “For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was tempted in all points as we are yet without sin. Let us therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace that we may find mercy and help in our time of need.” (Heb 4:15,16) God is not so high and lofty that He is unwilling or unable to enter the most minor details of our life. God sympathizes, empathizes, and comforts us in all trouble. He sent the Spirit to be our help. To come alongside us in order to counsel and encourage by His enabling power.
god is more defensive than offensive
A good number of conservatives seek to keep a hold on what they have. This can come from a mentality that lives more by fear than anything else. Many individuals, churches and organizations see The Lord as having a fortress mentality. These people who understand God as a fortress keeper often are more defensive rather than offensive in their efforts to advance the kingdom in to areas of the unreached. These defensive Christians can spend an inordinate amount of time talking about what needs to be done and defended. By emphasizing defense and forgetting offense, too many believers put much of their money on investments in local building projects (huge sanctuaries) and give little to the great commission around the world. Sadly, many of these Christians erect emotional, mental, social, cultural and spiritual barriers so they are not open to growing in their maturity. Jesus said, “Even the Son of man came to seek and save those who are lost.” (Luke 19:10)
god is a god of monism
Some people believe there is no separation between spirit, soul and body. Their life’s goal is to become one with the One. They see God as an impersonal force. This is the foundation of Buddhism and Hinduism and Eastern Mysticism and New Age Thinking. “Christ is the image of the invisible God the firstborn of all creation. For by Him are all things created that are in the heaven and on the earth, visible and invisible whether thrones and dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things and in Him all things consist. So that He might have preeminence.” (Col 1:15-18)
god is a god of animism
Many people in the developing world believe that all life is produced by some spirit force separate from matter. Having worked with people who have lived and ministered as a missionaries around the world they constantly encounter people that are continuously subject to the fear of spirits. Many world religions are based on animism which operate as occults. They hold to a belief that natural phenomena, sickness, wealth and weather events, are all caused by spirits. Nothing in life can operate without the spirits influence. If a person gets sick it is because an enemy placed a curse on them. Rocks, trees, everything is subject to the spirit’s forces. Consequently people fall into the trap of manipulation and trickery in order to coerce them (the spirits) to work for their favor and benefit and provide protection from others. Christ rebuked the demons and they went in to the pigs and He said to the sea, Hush be still and the sea became calm. Christ has power over all. Greater is He who is in you than He who is in the world. (1John 4:4)
god is seen in polytheism
This is a false belief in many gods. Every religion in the world, except for Christianity, Judaism and Islam is polytheistic. There is one God and one mediator between God and man. The man Christ Jesus who gave Himself as a ransom for us all.
god is understood through pantheism
The false belief that God lives in trees, nature and organisms, even animals. Many people mistakenly elevate the creation to the level of The Creator. Paul wrote, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even His eternal power so that they are without excuse… They exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-legged animals and creeping things.. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the creator. who is blessed forever. Amen.” (Rom 1:18-25)
GBU – Deuteronomy 6:4,5
