God: Distortion and Truth I. Introduction A. A most basic topic, yet one that demands exploration today B. Who is God? C. Exercise 1. As we begin, take a couple of minutes and write down your answer to the following 2. When you think of God, what comes to mind? 3. What picture comes to mind when you think about God? 4. How would you try to describe your view of God? D. Understanding who God is a matter of fundamental importance! 1. However accurate or inaccurate our picture might be, it is the basis around which we understand everything and anything else about God 2. If our view of God is not based in His own revelation, but is a distortion based on what society or culture or false religion has taught, then we will not make the best sense of what God has said 3. If our view of God is properly rooted (cf. Colossians 2:1-10), everything else can properly fall into place E. Therefore, we must press further: who is God? What can be known about Him? What are the distortions that people accept about God? II. Distortions of God A. People believing in distorted views of God is nothing new (cf. Romans 1:21-23) B. Such views come out of many sources C. Some distortions come from people's experiences 1. Unfortunately many people who have experienced abuse or pain at the hands of various authorities project such onto God 2. Images of God as Father (cf. Hebrews 12:5-10): those with bad relationships with their earthly fathers have challenges relating to God as a father 3. Those who suffer at the hands of perceived religious authorities also may project such things upon God 4. Many have perhaps heard lessons at times full of condemnation and not as much love and have come away with a view of God as harsh and overbearing D. Many distortions come from philosophical perspectives promoted by culture and society 1. There has been a movement for over 200 years to view God, if He even exists, as a remote entity 2. The Deism of the Enlightenment: a god who creates and then leaves everything to fend on its own 3. Such a view of God has become very popular; in fact, it is probably the most common view of God today! 4. What is the standard societal conception of God? a. Almost always pictured as some kind of old man b. He lives in a heaven conceived of as a remote and distant location c. He is seeking opportunities to smite people: the implacable critic of humanity! 5. Such a picture is really revolting: it is no wonder that few want to believe in or serve such a god! E. It is often easy to over-emphasize certain attributes mentioned in Scripture over others, leading to distortion 1. God's love vs. God's justice 2. God's judgment vs. God's mercy 3. God's "otherness" vs. God's Incarnation in Christ F. There are likely many other ways that our view of God can be distorted G. Nevertheless, what can we know about who God is? III. Who God Is A. God is spirit (John 4:24) 1. We must be careful when we talk about God as "spirit" 2. "Spirit" often evokes the idea of all kinds of impersonal concepts: smoke, wind, vapor, breeze, energy, etc. 3. We in the physical realm do not have a good handle on the ontology of the spiritual realm 4. Since man is made in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27), we share in that "spiritual" identity, but even then, understanding is fraught with challenges B. Where is God? 1. Many presentations of God picture Him somewhere beyond the earth in the heavens (cf. 2 Chronicles 20:7, Nehemiah 1:5, Psalm 14:2, 80:14, Ecclesiastes 5:2, Mark 16:19, John 6:33, Acts 7:55, 11:9, Romans 1:18, 2 Corinthians 12:2, etc.) 2. Yet, as Solomon says, there is no physical location that can contain God (1 Kings 8:27)! 3. Consider Acts 17:27-28: in Him we live and move and have our being 4. How can God be all around us and yet "in Heaven"? 5. Perhaps "heaven" or the "spiritual realm" is less a distant geographical location and more of an immanent, present reality beyond our perception; another dimension? 6. 2 Kings 6:12-17: reality did not change for the servant, but his ability to perceive not just what was physical but what was also spiritually present did! 7. The Scriptures do not paint a portrait of God as distant and remote; far from it! 8. Instead we are to understand that God is very much active in His creation, that He is very near, and it is through Him that this universe is sustained (cf. John 1:4, Colossians 1:17) C. God's Characteristics Perceived in Jesus 1. John insists that no man has ever seen God (John 1:18, 1 John 4:12) 2. John expects us to understand, however, that we see God through Jesus (John 1:18, 14:6-11) 3. Paul testifies to this also (cf. Colossians 2:6-10), as does the Hebrew author (Hebrews 1:1-3) 4. Therefore, to understand who God is, we need not go any further than to see who Jesus is! 5. God is love, demonstrated through the reconciliation He offers through Jesus (Romans 5:5-11, 1 John 4:7-21) 6. God is patient; He has given us opportunity for repentance through Christ (2 Peter 3:9) 7. God wants to give us all things, since He was willing to give of His Son (Romans 8:31-32) 8. Far from the normal picture, God is no tyrant, but seeks to save all men (1 Timothy 2:4), seeking to love and justify rather than condemn through His Son (Romans 8:33-39) 9. God remains holy (Leviticus 11:44, 1 Peter 1:16) and just (Psalm 33:5), and we see this reflected in Jesus: never compromising with sin (cf. John 8:1-11), or justifying iniquity (cf. Matthew 23) 10. But this holiness and justice is not sanctimony or self-righteous; Jesus invited people to repentance, seeking to save the lost, as God does to this day (cf. Matthew 9:10-13, Luke 19:9) 11. Jesus invites us to understand God as His Father, also as the Father of the prodigal (cf. Luke 15): He does discipline (Hebrews 12:5-10), but only for our good 12. God is not harsh but kind (Romans 2:4); if He were despotic, would He have given us all blessings of physical life and spiritual life, let alone free will? D. Much else could be said about the nature and existence of God, but such should suffice to provide the general contours of His portrait 1. It is interesting that while many people are repulsed by their views of God, Jesus of Nazareth and His character are attractive to them 2. In reality, the very things that make Jesus and His character attractive to people are the attributes of the One True God! 3. Love, compassion, mercy: these are not just about Jesus, but define God Himself! 4. We may not understand the ontology of God, and have many questions about the nature of the spiritual realm and God's presence within it and our physical world, but we should not be in doubt about the qualities that constitute God's character IV. Conclusion A. Who is God? 1. Let us return again to our exercise at the beginning 2. How well does the picture we have of God reflect the realities of God seen in Scripture? B. We must cast off all distortions and understand who God is according to His revelation! 1. We must not accept the view of God as a remote, unfeeling, or tyrannical 2. Whatever our experiences have been we must remember that God is not a mere projection of what we have felt in our lives 3. Instead we must perceive God through Jesus, and not try to fit God and Jesus into the mold of our view of God! C. Let us be rooted in Christ and understand who God truly is, and discard all false impressions! D. Invitation/songbook