Month: April 2020

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The Love Series: Accountability and God’s Plan

Last week, we talked about how unconditional love overcome sin. Love is the greatest commandment. It is through God’s love for us that we are justified and we are sanctified through our love of God and our love for each other, because love is the fulfillment of the law. 

This week, we’ll be talking about personal and communal accountability in the context of understanding God’s plan.

God has a unique, individualized plan for each of us, and it is not “one-size-fits-all.”

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:13-16

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,not a result of works, so that no one may boast.For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10

Growth begins with personal accountability stemming from a personal, direct relationship with God. 

“Judge not, that you be not judged.For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. . . And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:6, 9-11

“Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
    bind them around your neck;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.

So you will find favor and good success
    in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.

Be not wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

It will be healing to your flesh
    and refreshment to your bones.”  Proverbs 3:3-8

Communal accountability is an invitation, not a presumptive right, and even with an invitation, it does not involve “judging” behaviors/appearances without context and “counseling” absent divine inspiration/direction.

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,and since we have a great priest over the house of God,let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:19-25

Keep 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 in context (Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!). 

“Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:3-11

“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline

    or be weary of his reproof,

for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,

    as a father the son in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:11-12

“About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?”The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it.Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well?Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” John 7:14-24

1 Samuel 16:7

“Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.” —Blaise Pascal

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The Love Series: Unconditional Love Overcomes Sin

Last week, we talked about why God created humanity and how that impacts the way we conceptualize sin. I’m going to skip over dealing with being saved vs. being lost for now, just because one, I believe trying to be “saved” is a selfish and ultimately sinful pursuit, and two, I think it’s more productive to focus on how people can live a life that’s pleasing to God rather than approaching things from the perspective of avoiding being lost. 

I often ask this question, and I think it’s relevant to ask it today: without the reward of heaven, and without the threat of hell, would you still choose God? How you answer this question is a good way to determine whether you’re motivated by selfishness, fear, or true love. If being saved is your motivation, you’ve got a problem, because according to Luke 17:33, “whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it.” If you’re afraid of being lost, you’ve still got a problem, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7. But if loving God is your only goal and it would still be your goal even if this world and this life were all there is, your heart is in the right place….and that is where I’d like to begin. 

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark 12:28-34

Loving God and loving each other are the two greatest commandments, and to understand how adhering to those commandments helps us overcome sin, we first have to have a “big picture” understanding of what sin actually is. 

What is “sin”?

“Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” 1 John 3:4 (other translations refer to sin as “transgression of the law”)

“I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” Romans 14:14-19

“The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. . . . For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” Romans 14:22, 23

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” Galatians 5:1-6

I think it’s really important to have a big picture understanding of what sin is because it helps to keep a more detailed understanding in context. It’s easy to get caught up in the “do’s and don’ts” if you don’t understand that sin stems from the heart—from our motives and intentions—not from the act itself. Paul specifically says in Romans 14:14 that he was persuaded that nothing is a sin unto itself. I believe that means that nothing is inherently “sinful”. The reasons why we do something are what makes it “good” or “evil”, and I think that’s an important distinction to make. 

For example, I mentioned earlier that I believe trying to be “saved” is a selfish and ultimately sinful pursuit. That might sound crazy to some people, because wanting to be saved is a “good” thing, right? But if you understand that “sinfulness” is defined by what’s in your heart as opposed to the act itself, it’s easier to see how working for or trying to earn salvation doesn’t proceed from faith, and according to the Bible, anything that does not proceed from faith is sin. 

I believe that if you have a big picture understanding of sin, the focus shifts from avoiding individual acts of “sinfulness” to building a relationship with Christ and allowing His character to manifest itself within you. Another way to think if it is like an oil leak in an ocean. Focusing on avoiding “sinful behavior” is like cleaning the oil from the surface of the ocean. No matter how much you clean the surface, the leak is still there and it will continue to pollute the ocean and everything in it. However, if you fix the leak, the pollution stops.

I believe many of us have been conditioned to clean the “surface” of our lives and to encourage others to do the same (i.e “upholding the standard”) rather than focusing on the heart problems that limit our ability to allow God to have full access to us and enable us to be who He created us to be. I believe one of the most fatal flaws within traditional religious communities is “accountability” that focuses on outward appearances rather than on empowering people to be transparent with what’s going on internally and supporting them in taking all of that to God without fear of judgment/rejection/condemnation. And in the coming weeks, I’m going to get into the pitfall that is presuming to know what God’s plan is for someone and telling them how to live their lives based on YOUR convictions rather than directing them to the source and giving them room to take that journey without getting in the way. It’s so easy to forget that “man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.” Only God knows the plans that He has for any of us and GOD has ordered the steps we need to take to fulfill that plan. And that is ultimately why I believe that true, Biblical love overcomes sin. Godly love is transformative in a way that nothing else is. Godly love addresses the leak, which stops the pollution, which transforms the surface into HIS image, not anyone or anything else’s. And the only way to recognize that is to experience it for yourself. Full intimacy with and reliance on God is the only way to love Him and love each other the way we’ve been commanded to.

So how do we love God? 

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. . . . If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.” John 14:15, 23-24

“For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.” 1 John 3:11-24

What are the commandments and how do we keep them? 

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:8-10

What is love?

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

How should we love each other?

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:12-14



I think Scripture kind of speaks for itself here, and I believe that the message overwhelmingly points back to love. Not the selfish pursuit of mere sinlessness, because remember, that is what the Pharisees were after, and Jesus told His disciples that “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20. Not self-loathing and depreciation. Not pointing the finger at each other and condemning one another or trying to push people to live their lives based on someone else’s convictions. Sin is an issue of the heart that only God can heal and the best way to “fix the leak” is to continuously point people back to the source. 

I wholeheartedly believe that community and fellowship are meant to uplift and encourage and to give people a safe place to be human and authentically pursue a personal, intimate relationship with the Creator. It’s not my job to be God for anyone else. My job is to love God as He convicts me within the context of MY relationship with Him and to be a living example of that love to others so that they, in turn, will seek it from God for themselves.

This week, I challenge you to ask God to reveal to you the truth about the condition of your heart. I challenge you to shift your focus from trying to live “right” to BEING “right”….like David, asking God to create in you a clean heart and renew a “right” spirit from WITHIN. And if you see someone doing something or promoting something that you believe is wrong, instead of condemning the action or trying to make them see the “error of their ways”, I challenge you to point them back to God and to encourage them to draw close to Him and seek Him and His will for themselves. I challenge you to pray for them and to ask God to open their hearts and minds to whatever HE would have them see and to ask Him to enable you to be for others whatever it is that HE would have you be. I challenge you to be intentional about asking rather than assuming. I challenge you to let God be God and to allow Him to define the part He would have you play. 

Next week, we’ll be talking about how God effectuates His plan in our lives and how that impacts how we should view accountability. 

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The Love Series: Why Are We Here?

Why Are We Here? 

Last week, we finished setting the foundation for our ideological frameworks by establishing that not only is God’s essence unconditional love, but God is also all-knowing and all-powerful. 

That foundation is crucial because this week, we’ll be talking about the purpose of humanity’s existence and how that impacts how we conceptualize sin. 

Why did God create humanity?

I believe the answer to this question is layered. 

First, we have to think about who God is. God is love. Everything God does is born of that love. God is all-knowing, meaning that God knows everything that will happen before it happens. God is all-powerful, meaning that nothing is impossible for God. 

Second, we have to think about what God did. God created beings and gave them the ability to make decisions for themselves. Let’s dwell on that for a second. 

What is a choice? A choice is “an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities.” The important takeaway from that definition is that a choice cannot exist without the existence of at least two possibilities. What does that mean on a practical level? Simply this: the CHOICE to do good cannot exist without the CHOICE to do evil. And we see that demonstrated by the existence of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden: 

“And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. . . . And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’” Genesis 2:8-9, 16-17

Is it possible to “create” something like “good” or “evil”? I don’t know. Some people believe that God “created” evil, but I don’t know if that’s true. If God has no end and no beginning and God is love, it’s reasonable to conclude that love has no end and no beginning. And if God and love have always just….existed….the antithesis of love didn’t necessarily need to be created.

I like to use light and darkness to illustrate this point. Light does things. It illuminates. It makes things visible. Darkness doesn’t do anything and can’t do anything on its own because it can only exist in the absence of light. If light exists, the possibility of darkness also exists, but darkness only becomes “real” if the light goes out. If love is “good”…if love is “light”….then darkness is the exact opposite: selfishness. Evil. Sin. Destruction. The possibility was always there, but it didn’t become “real” until Adam and Eve chose it. 

This is where God’s foreknowledge and God being all-powerful come into play. If God is all-powerful, then God had the power to decide whether to give created beings the ability to CHOOSE good by allowing the possibility for us to choose evil. To be clear, God didn’t HAVE to give us a choice. God didn’t HAVE to do anything. A Garden of Eden without the Tree of Knowledge is perfection, and it’s perfection that can’t even possibly be ruined. God could have given “free will” in the sense that He could have allowed Adam and Eve to make decisions about what to eat or what tasks to complete during the day. The only difference would have been that there wouldn’t have been any possibility of them making “bad” or “wrong” choices. Everything they did would have been inherently good and they would have loved God completely without ever even being aware that rejecting God was a thing that could be done. 

But God didn’t do that. 

And if God has foreknowledge, then God knew what the consequences of giving created beings the ability to choose to do good or choose to do evil would be. God knew that Adam and Eve would ultimately eat the fruit. God knew that they would be kicked out of the Garden and that their decision would cause separation between humanity and the divine. God knew that the only way to make things right would be to sacrifice God’s Son as atonement for sin. Revelation 13:8 calls Jesus “the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.” (NLT) God knew what HIS decisions would cost HIM. 

And He made them anyway. 

So the question is….why? Why allow all of this? Why create us knowing the baggage that would come with living in a world dominated by sin? 

I believe that this quote by Ellen G. White sums the answer up nicely: 

“God’s love for the fallen race is a peculiar manifestation of love—a love born of mercy; for human beings are all undeserving. Mercy implies the imperfection of the object toward which it is shown. It was because of sin that mercy was brought into active exercise.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 7

The word “unconditional” means “not [being] subject to any conditions.” “Mercy” is “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.” It is easy to say that my love for someone is not subject to any conditions when that person has never done anything that would justify me putting conditions on my love. It’s much more meaningful to say “I love you unconditionally” to someone who is undeserving.

I believe that God gave created beings the ability to choose to do evil, knowing that we WOULD choose to do evil, because it gave Him the ability to demonstrate the true depth of His love for us. It wasn’t enough to just say that His love was unconditional. He had to show it. And He did. 

How should we conceptualize sin?

That said, if you understand why God created humanity in light of who God is, it flips the traditional narrative surrounding sin on its head. Sin was not the result of God’s plan gone wrong. Sin was not an unanticipated consequence of giving us the ability to choose. Jesus’ death was not a favor God did for us to save our lives and cause us to be indebted to Him for all eternity. Jesus died to pay the penalty for sin itself (1 John 4:7-12) and God planned for it to be the ultimate revelation of His love before “let there be light” was even said (Revelation 13:8). I believe that the ability to choose or reject God’s love is still as voluntary as it was in the beginning. The legal term for the alternative is “duress”, i.e. “compulsion by threat or force; coercion.” Choosing God because you believe your options are to love and “obey” Him, otherwise you’ll burn in Hell for all eternity, isn’t a voluntary decision. It’s duress. Someone saying “love me because I love you or I’ll kill you” is duress….not to mention psychopathic. That flies directly in the face of everything God is supposed to be. And there’s more to be said about the implication that Jesus only died for the sins of those who would ultimately accept God and those who reject God must bear the weight of their own sins and be punished for them, but that’s a conversation for another day. 

Sin was (and still is) an opportunity for God….and it’s an opportunity for us. It’s an opportunity for the true depth of God’s love for us to be revealed to us on a personal level every single day, and it’s an opportunity for us to put that love into practice by showering it on each other, despite our differences and despite our flaws. THAT is how God’s character can be manifested in us. 

This is so, so important to understand because if you believe that sin is the result of God’s plan gone wrong, then you might believe that sinlessness is God’s ultimate goal and desire for us. If you believe that God is hung up on sin and His top priority is to eradicate it rather than using it as an opportunity to reveal a deeper understanding of Himself, then you might believe that God’s love for you somehow coexists in equal measure with the hate he feels toward the things in you that are imperfect. If you try to understand the concept of unconditional love in the context of sin rather than understanding the concept of sin in the context of unconditional love, you might see love and mercy as exceptions to God’s “justice” rather than love being the highest moral imperative, through which sin is ultimately overcome. 

This week, I challenge you to really examine how you conceptualize sin and why you believe we’re here. If love is the exception to you rather than the rule, think about where that stems from and evaluate what you believe about God’s thoughts towards you and His purpose for your life. Ask God to reveal Himself and His love to you in a truly personal and meaningful way, and ask Him to prepare your heart and your mind to receive whatever it is that He has to show you.

Next week, we’ll be taking a look at how and why love is the highest moral imperative through which sin is overcome. 

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The Love Series: God is All-Knowing and All-Powerful

Last week, we talked about the importance of establishing a sound foundation for our ideological frameworks and we established what it means when we say that God is love. God’s love for us isn’t limited to God having the “warm and fuzzies” when we obey a long list of do’s and don’ts. God’s love for us is the very essence of who He is and everything He does is rooted in that love.

This week, we’re going to go over what I believe to be the other two most important aspects of who God is: His omniscience and His omnipotence.

Omniscience

“The Bible teaches that God is all-knowing or omniscient. The word “omniscient” comes from two Latin words omnis signifying all, and scientia signifying knowledge. When we say that God is omniscient it means that He has perfect knowledge of all things. He does not have to learn anything and He has not forgotten anything. God does not have to reason things out, find out things, or learn them gradually. He knows everything that has happened and everything that will happen. God also knows every potential thing that might happen. God even knows those things that humankind has yet to discover. This knowledge is absolute and unacquired. The omniscience of God means that He has perfect knowledge, perfect understanding, and perfect wisdom as to how to apply the knowledge.”

Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed (1 Samuel 2:3)

O LORD, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O LORD, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it (Psalm 139:1-6).

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; his understanding is infinite (Psalm 147:5).

Known to God from eternity are all his works (Acts 15:18).

Omnipotence

“When we speak of God being omnipotent or all-powerful we must understand exactly what that means. It means that God is able to do anything that is consistent with His holy character. He is not able to lie, do anything sinful, or do anything that is logically impossible. This does not limit His power. He can do everything that is holy and wise.”

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
    the Almighty reigns. Revelation 19:6

Come and see the works of God; he is awesome in his doing toward the sons of men. He turned the sea into dry land; they went through the river on foot . . . he rules by his power forever; his eyes observe the nations; do not let the rebellious exalt themselves (Psalm 66:5-7).

But Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me? (Jeremiah 32:27).

“Omnipotence does not mean God cannot exercise self-limitation. God cannot contradict His nature or the nature of things as they are. It is not possible for God to either lie or to die. Neither can He make two plus two equal five.

The biblical God has limited Himself only to acts that are consistent with His righteous, loving character. Therefore, God’s power is self-restrained. He cannot do evil and He cannot do anything irrational. He cannot go back upon His word. He is all-powerful when it comes to doing things that are right, but He has no power to do things wrong.”

The Big Picture

You’re probably wondering why all of that is so important. Personally, I wholeheartedly believe that God is unconditional love, that He is all-knowing, including having foreknowledge, and that God is all-powerful. The overwhelming majority of what I disagree with regarding traditional Christianity conflicts with either God being love, God being all-knowing, and/or God being all-powerful. Too much of what is generally accepted, from how we view the cross to how we view sin and salvation, can’t truly be reconciled with who God is supposed to be. Before we get into debunking some of the flaws in the reasoning those things are based on, there has to be a consensus on who God is, and if anything should inflexible, it’s that. If God is x, then y must be true. And if God is NOT x, then y CANNOT be true. No exceptions. No excuses. 

So there you have it: the foundation, and I actually don’t think any of those concepts are especially controversial in theory. The problems arise when we try to apply them practically to established doctrine and what’s already been accepted as true. In my opinion, the biggest hurdle to accepting these traits at face value is how we conceptualize sin. 

I think a lot of people view God’s response to sin as being reactionary, i.e. God had a plan, humans messed up the plan, and God had to send His Son to die and save us from ourselves. But I don’t worship a reactionary God. I worship a God of power, love, foreknowledge and intention. And if God is not reactionary, if God had the power to prevent sin from ever existing, if God created humanity despite knowing what the consequences of creating humanity would be….the question is….why?

Tune in next week to find out!