Category Archives: Thoughts About God

Family in the Kingdom

Many of us have a perception of God that is quite different from who he actually is. Even though I grew up in a churched culture the way I thought about God was not the way I now understand He has revealed himself through Scripture.

Society has carved out an image of God in which he is perceived as harsh, vindictive, self-centred and angry.  Ironically, though, the society which has created that image also exhibits the habits and lifestyle patterns of a spiritually fatherless generation.

God has always been about family.  From the outset his intention was that mankind would be fruitful and multiply – and maintain their relationship with him. After mankind turned away (Gen 3) God did not give up.  His promise to Abraham was to, through him, establish a nation and that meant Abraham having an heir (Gen 12.2-3; 15.4).  Throughout Old Testament history, God spoke of ‘his people’ (Ex 19.4-6) his dwelling with them (1 Chron 22.10), caring for those without families (Ps 67.5-6) and his desire for his people to bless all nations (Is 61.1-11).

The most clear example we have of God is through the life of Jesus who was the perfect representation of God (Hb 1.3) and all who saw or heard Jesus had seen the Father (Jn 5.19,14.9).

Jesus spoke of God as Father (Jn 15.1, 9; Mk 1.36).  He explained that we become a child of God (Mt 6.32, 7.11) through the relationship we have with him (Mt 28.20; Jn 16.13).  Jesus also spoke of the house that God the Father is preparing for us (Jn 14.2).  The New Testament authors reinforced the concept of family (1 Tim 3.5) and the household of God (1 Pt 4.17).

I Do Not Give As the World Gives

I do not give as the world gives. (John 14.27)

While he was explaining the role of Holy Spirit after his resurrection, Jesus interjected a statement about giving the disciples His peace – “My peace I give you”.  Then he followed by telling them, “I do not give as the world gives.”

So, even though Jesus wasn’t discussing the differences between his Kingdom and the world’s system it was a point he felt needed to be restated.

I do not give as the world gives.

This is one of those statements that I’ve glossed over so many times without stopping to think about what Jesus was actually saying; “I do not give as the world gives“.

I’m now faced with a lot of questions: How does “the world” give?  What is the world able to give?  How do I receive when the world gives?  How am I changed, improved when I receive from the world?

This is one of those statements that provide insight into what Jesus meant when he said in a later conversation, “I have more to say to you but you cannot bear it now” (Jn 16.12).  I’m sure he had a lot more he wanted to say, a lot more information he wanted to impart to his followers but, for whatever reason, they were unable to handle the ‘more’ he had for them.

I do not give as the world gives.

The pregnancy of this statement spurs my mind to race along with my spirit in a whirlwind of faith-filled hope that I might possibly grasp a portion of what he means. “I do not give as the world gives.”

Imagine what that could mean….

… When I give there are no refunds or exchanges because my gifts are perfectly suited to the one who receives them.

… When I give, I do so simply because I love and because my Father first loved you.

… When I give, I only give what is good – because I am all loving and always good. I and my Father only give good gifts.

… When I give, what is given actually increases in size, scope and magnitude.

… When I give, I can do it in such a way that the thing given is received in seed form. To receive and grow in what I’ve given all you need to do is incline your heart toward me, even ever-so-slightly, and Holy Spirit will cause that seed to spring to life within you.

… When I give, I keep things interesting for you. There are some things I will give more quickly because I know that you need them (Mt 6.32) but there are some things that I will conceal in order for you to search and discover them on your own (Pr 25.2).

… I do not give as the world gives but neither will I give you everything all at once or at the first request.  Some things you will be surprised that I’ve given them to you.  Some things you need to prepare your heart in order to receive them.  Some things you need to be hungry enough to be prepared to receive that for which you ask.

 

Jesus & God in Healing (part 2)

Back to those inconsistencies I grew up with. I remember thinking that somehow Jesus & God had different roles to play. I could read the Bible and see what Jesus did, but somehow that was separate from what God did.

When someone we knew was diagnosed with a disease or suffered a debilitating condition, I remember hearing older people say things like, “that’s the way life goes” or “God works in mysterious ways” or “I don’t understand it now, but there’s a reason for the sickness”. I did not grow up in a belief system that held out hope and faith that God is good and doesn’t want people to be sick. As a result, the belief system that developed in me was more the opposite: that God intentionally gives people diseases or, if he’s not giving them directly, he’s not able or willing to change the condition.

So much of Jesus’ life and activity was spent healing those who were sick, lame, blind or deaf. The gospels give several summary statements about Jesus ministry and how he healed the multitudes (Mt 4.23f, 9.35; Lk 6.18). He healed because he had compassion (Mk 1.40-42 ), he healed to demonstrate he had authority to forgive sin (Lk 5.18-25), he healed to release people from the bondage of sickness (Lk 13.11-13 ;Jn 5.6), he healed simply because people requested it (Mt 9.19; Mk 10.51), he healed to demonstrate the present reality of his Kingdom (Mt 8.5-13, 12.28; Lk 6.22-23) and Jesus healed because he and Father are one and the same (Jn 14.11).

I was always happy with the first few reasons – because this was Jesus and healing is just a part of what he did. But I remember the first time I heard the idea that God is good and doesn’t want people to be sick – I recall getting defensive, even argumentative. I could agree that God is good but I didn’t know what to do with the idea he doesn’t want people sick. Hadn’t I learned all along that people get sick, suffer with disease and people in the church simply put it down to God’s purposes? Wasn’t it commonly understood that all things happen for a purpose and if someone gets a diagnosis it will work out for their good?

These are the conclusion I had come to. But I was now being presented with a conflicting idea and the more I investigated Jesus’ life and what the Bible reveals, I realised that my conclusions were very far away from what I was discovering in the Bible.

It all boiled down to this question: If Jesus healed the sick, how could God be the one making people sick? Jesus said that one of the reasons for healing was to reveal the nature and heart of God (Jn 10.38), then how could God be the one who is making people sick? If Jesus is the exact representation of God (Hb 1.3) then it doesn’t make sense that Jesus would go around healing if God is the one making people sick.

If Jesus only did what he saw the Father do and only said what he heard the Father say (Jn 5.19), then that meant Jesus ‘saw’ that the heart of God was to heal the sick. Jesus even said on a few occasions that he healed so people would know God sent him (Jn 11.42). Never once did Jesus tell someone that he wouldn’t be able to heal them because the particular condition had been given to them by the Father. Jesus and God are not playing out a ‘good-cop, bad-cop’ routine. They are completely united and in total agreement. They are genuinely good.

Jesus & God in Healing (part 1)

Another image of God that I picked up somewhere along the way is the idea that people get sick either because God gives it to them or, at the very least, he allows it in order for them to learn something to make them better people. But, if the author of Hebrews is correct, Jesus is the perfect representation of God and no matter how hard I looked, I simply could not find anywhere in the life of Jesus where he told people that the sickness they had would make them better people. Again, I see the opposite.

Jesus actually healed everyone who asked him for healing. Everyone who asked. Not once did Jesus tell somebody that the disease they were suffering with was sent to them by God in order to build their character, help them be a better person, teach them patience, bring their family closer or to die with dignity. Yet, for so much of my life, I’ve heard Christians give reasons like these to explain why people get sick.

When we talk about healing from a Christian perspective I think its essential that we talk about it from the example and teaching of Jesus. Too often healing is discussed from our point of view – and that isn’t always the most biblical. It is important that we stop to consider from where we form our beliefs. Where do your beliefs about healing come from? Have you arrived at those beliefs through studying the Scriptures? Or are your beliefs about healing arrived at through your personal experience?

I’m not saying I have all the answers. In no way do I have it all figured out. But I am sure about one thing: Jesus healed everyone who came to him requesting healing – he even went to heal people who didn’t ask him for healing! Not once did Jesus turn someone away. Never did he tell someone to get their act together before he would heal them. Never did he tell someone to get used to the disease because it was the ‘cross they were to carry’ or that it would make them a better person. His only response to disease and physical ailments was to get rid of them by healing the person who was sick.

Jesus and God (Part 2)

The more I learn about Jesus and his relationship with God I am surprised that I ever had an idea that they were so different.

Jesus was with God in the very beginning and through him all things were created. But Jesus was humble enough to willingly set aside his divinity in order to be born as a man. In his human-ness he was able to live and identify all the aspects of the human condition, yet he remained without sin. How was he able to live without sinning? He maintained a relationship with God. As a young man he grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with both people and with God.

Jesus matured into manhood living a life of perfect relationship with God. His relationship with God was so close that he repeatedly told people “If you have seen me you have seen the Father” and ” I and the Father are one”. But this didn’t just come from Jesus. On three different occasions God spoke in a voice that others could hear, telling people that he was proud of his son, Jesus (Mt 3.17, 17.5; Jn 12.28).

Jesus wanted so much to retain his relationship with God that he would often spend long blocks of time away from other people so he could pray and spend time alone with his Father. Through that close-knit bond between them, Jesus knew the heart of God and wanted only to please him. He said that his ‘food’ is to do the will of the one who sent him (Jn 4.34). As a result God honoured Jesus and “was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (Col 1.19; 2.9).

So, when we talk about Jesus being the exact representation of God, it is because Jesus – as a man – was more interested in living to please God than to please himself. His desire to please God and to mirror the heart of God to people, meant that he only did what he saw the Father do, and said what he heard the Father say (Jn 5.19). This perfect obedience in a relationship of love is what made it possible for him to exactly (link to post) and precisely reflect and represent the heart, nature and character of God.

Jesus and God (Part 1)

I grew up in a church culture. My parents took me to church but we weren’t a radical family by any standards. The extent of our Christian experience was on developing biblical values and morals. Like many people, even though I went to church and ‘Sunday School’ somewhere along the line I learned to believe that Jesus and God were two different people with two different roles. God, was the bearded old man with a cranky demeanour, impatiently putting up with people and flinging lightning bolts to zap anyone who stepped out of line. But Jesus was the nice guy who seemed to care about people.

I can’t remember ever being told anything like the above, but somehow, in child-like perceptions I developed that understanding between Jesus and God.

Possibly the most important step in my understanding of the relationship between Jesus and God I discovered in Hebrews 1:3 which says, “…Jesus is the exact representation of God.” Another   translation replaces the word exact with perfect. Jesus is the perfect representation of God.

…exact….perfect… these words indicate a precise completeness; a sameness; more than a mirror image or a carbon copy – but actually the same in essence and personhood.

Understood in this way, this means that when I look at the person of Jesus I’m actually seeing an exact representation of the person of God. Jesus’ life gives me an insight and perspective on the very character and nature of God. So, the recurring image I have in my head of God as a Zeus-like old man with a lightning rod ready to zap people for doing something wrong – where did that come from? I certainly don’t see that represented in the life of Jesus. In fact, I see the opposite.

Jesus had time for people – all people, and he seemed to be genuinely liked by the crowds. The non-religious wanted to hang out with him. In fact, he was accused of spending too much time with those deemed less-than-suitable but Jesus ignored those religious rules & traditions. He demonstrated compassion and he healed the sick and oppressed. He lived a humble life modelling what he taught and invited people to follow him in his Kingdom lifestyle.

The representation of God exemplified in the life of Jesus is not the characterisation of God I grew up with. When it becomes clear that my thoughts about God are different to what the Bible reveals, I have a choice to make: do I continue on with this incorrect assumption about the nature and character of God or do I study what the Scriptures teach about God in order to change my understanding of who God is?

God is Good

God really is good.  The misconceptions our society has about God have come from so many ways in which he has been misrepresented through the ages.  Many people in positions of authority have taught directly, or indirectly through the example of their lifestyle, that God is something other than good, loving, generous, gracious or kind.  As a result, most people, even in the Church, have a level of discomfort or confusion about the idea that God is good.

If we say, “God is love”,  most people would accept this and agree to it without much thought. Why is this so?  Because we have been taught the theological principle that God is love.  A somewhat unsettling thought is that we could actually be stating our agreement merely because we have grown up hearing this theological principle so often we’ve accepted it as fact without actually growing to believe it.

Love and goodness are connected.  If someone loves you, they will be good to you.  They will look after your well-being, they will be concerned for your safety, they will want good things for you.  So, in this discussion about God’s goodness, how is it that we can have a distinction between his love (which most people generally accept) and his goodness?  If God is Love then he also is Good.

Could it be that we have not experienced God for who he really is?  Is it possible that we have based our understanding of God on what other people have told us or demonstrated to us, rather than on our own search into his character and nature?  Perhaps it’s time to look into it for ourselves.