Passion Defined

One of the sad trends that I have noticed in the progression of Christian materials, attitudes and beliefs of today is an almost continual decline in the way that God is either portrayed or implied to be. Let me explain. We have so many resources and such a wealth of information available to us that it's almost ridiculous, but much of it falls short in a very vital thing: an appropriate view of God. Somehow, we have lost the importance of making God the prominent focus of what we do and even in what we believe. Our "Christianity" has become so focused on us and how we can "have it all together" that we have essentially robbed God of His deserved recognition and glory by failing to point everything back to Christ and the cross. What good does it do us if we have some wonderful book on God's righteous standard of living if it fails to recognize the righteous God who gave it? Not all things are like that (there is still much that does indeed make Christ the true focus) but mainstream Christianity shows a disturbing decline in the way that God is presented and understood. We must return to making God prominent in the resources we use, in the way we think, and in how we act, but first we must address what has led to this compromised, devalued view of God.

Certainly no Christian will say that he has a "low" or "devalued view" of God, yet there continues to be a pervasive problem in the ways people believe about God. So where is the inconsistency? Why is it that Christianity has come so far from making God the focus? The reason is because we have in many ways made man the focal point and as a result, we have lost the Christocentric (Christ-centered) perspective that the Bible gives. I believe that often it's not the necessarily the level at which people profess to view God that causes difficulty, but it's the level to which we have elevated man. Current beliefs in regard to man hold to a perspective in which many Christians see the spiritual state and abilities of man as much more flattering than a Biblical understanding of his true condition. We profess a high view of God as Lord and Master, but often our inner beliefs place man on a high pedestal, creating conflict between the knows sovereignty of God and the supposed sovereignty of man. My next post will deal specifically with an appropriate, Biblical view of man, but for now we will focus on what it means to have a high view of God and what we must do to return to a high view of God.

It is difficult to "define" a high view of God and I believe the main reason why it is challenging is because we are the finite trying to describe the Infinite. Even our best terminology, descriptions, and expositions couldn't even begin to effectively create a picture of the greatness of God It would probably take years upon years and book after book in an attempt to encompass and communicate the magnitude and fullness of God. God is so vast and indescribable from the amount that we DO know about Him that it would be impossible for us to even come close to successfully describing His grandeur. Realizing that God is immeasurable and we are finite is the key, I believe, to having an understanding of the highness of God. Here is my best attempt to define a high view of God: A high view of God is a deeply established conviction, founded in Scripture, that holds to the undeniable evidence that the infinite God is 1) in total control of all things; 2) that His will cannot be thwarted; and 3) that His deeds, works, ways and plans are prepared for His own glory (1st Chronicles 29:11-12; Isaiah 14:24-27; Isaiah 48:11) There is probably much more that could be incorporated into this simple definition of a high view of God, but from my meager understanding this will have to suffice. I believe that it incorporates the essentials for our purposes though, because the essence of a high view of God is realizing that He is sovereign and that He does all things for His glory. We will be specifically discussing sovereignty as it relates to salvation further down the road, but for now I want us to see that God is great, He is high, and He is in control. This is what I mean when I refer to having a high view of God.

Now that we have looked at what it means to have a high view of God, we will now look at what it requires to have a high view of God. To have a high view of God, we must keep two things in mind. First, we must be willing to accept what God's Word says, even if we can't fully comprehend it. Second, we must be willing to release and reform our conceptions of God if our previous understandings are wrong, and here is what I mean by that: If there are truths we find in Scripture that add to our understanding, we must reform our beliefs to incorporate a more developed view of God; if there is something that we believe that doesn't line up with Scripture, we must be willing to release that and accept what the Bible says. Isaiah 55:8 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." Being wiling to change our beliefs about God isn't a change to be viewed negatively, it is a thing of joy! When we see something we have never seen before or part of God's character comes alive to us in a way that we've never realized it is a thing of rich fulfillment. I pray that as we search the Scriptures through this series that we would look for ways to learn more about God and that we would strive to conform our ideas to the most Biblical understanding of God that we possibly can, realizing that Gods ways are not our ways and that we may not be able to understand them with our finite minds.

Now we can talk all we want about what we need to do to have a high view of God, but I think we would all agree that it is much easier said than done! Having a high view of God doesn't mean that we can simply try and understand Him by our human reasoning. To try and make an infinite God fit into a finite mind just won't work. Trust me, I've tried it! If you don't know what I'm talking about, try logically wrapping your mind around the concept that God has always existed, He had no beginning, and He will never have an end. Because we are stuck with finite minds in a world trapped by time, we simply cannot comprehend what it must mean for anything, let alone God, to not have had a beginning. In this physical world, all things have an origin. My point is this: If we simply rely on our human abilities to understand God, we will fail, and fail miserably. A high view of God doesn't come from anything we, in and of ourselves, can understand. Some aspects of God's nature are easier to comprehend than others, but there are some things that we simply can't understand fully and we will just have to accept by faith.

Before we go further, please let me assure you that I'm not here to tell everyone that they have a low view of God! Not at all! I know there are probably areas in my own life in which my view of God isn't strong or high enough and as I seek Him and study His Word, He reveals much to me that I need to change to conform to the image of His Son. My prayer is that each of us would examine our hearts to see if the way we view God doesn't line up with the Scriptures and then change it accordingly for a better understanding of the God we serve.

At this point you may be wondering, "Why in the world is he saying all this about having a high view of God? I thought this post had to do with salvation." Well, it does! Earlier I mentioned the progressive absence of an appropriate view of God in "modern" Christians materials and ideas. Well let me assure you right now that I have in every way attempted to ensure that this post/series will not follow that trend. All things start with God and end with God; He is the Alpha, the Omega, the Beginning and the End. What He begins, He finishes (Philippians 1:6). This is why I have included this part in the series. This series will start with a high view of God and it is from this foundation that the rest of the series will be built. The following are the underlying principles that will be used as the fundamental pillars for this series:

God is all-powerful. If there were one minuscule particle outside of the power and might of God, He would not be the omnipotent God He claims to be. All things are under the complete power, control and rule of God. 1st Chronicles 29:11-12 says, "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for ALL that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you , and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. " (emphasis mine) Psalms 66:5-7, "Come and see what God has done: He is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man. He turned the sea into dry land; theypassed through the rive foot. There did we rejoice in him, who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations - let not the rebellious exalt themselves." These are only two passages that describe the awesome and complete power and control of God. The Scriptures are full of verses that tell of the omnipotence of the God of all, and the book of Job also attests to undeniable evidence that God truly is the Almighty.

God is all-knowing. Just as all things are under the power and rule of God, all knowledge and wisdom is held within His hand. There is nothing (past, present or future) that Gd does not know. Psalm 139:2 says, "You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar." Isaiah 46:9-10 says, "I am God and there is no other, I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning." 1st John 3:20 also testifies to the fact that he knows everything, as well as Matthew 10:29-30 which says, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all numbered." There is absolutely nothing that God does not know. He even knows the number of hairs on our heads!

There are many other attributes that I wish I could take the time to further expound upon, but for now I will simply list the others that also seem foundational to this discussion.

God is faithful.
God is loving.
God is merciful.
God is gracious.
God is just.
God is holy.
God is patient.

It is from this understanding and this position on the highness of God that the following parts of the series will be built upon. God has all the power, all the knowledge, all the love, grace, faithfulness, and so on. Our view of Him and His ways must reflect the Words of Scripture, not the words or ideals of man. We must constantly be evaluating the way we view God to make sure that what we think doesn't contradict His Word. It's not what we know about God that is the final authority; it's what the Scripture says about God. We know that because of our finite minds we will never grasp the fullness of God's greatness, but we are told to strive for perfection and to know as much as we can about Him and make Him known. Let us plumb the depths of God's greatness and seek to see Him as the truly amazing, powerful God that He is!

In a way, this is still laying the groundwork for this series. I'm "defining my terms" so to speak. My goal is to create a Christ-centered paradigm so that the following principles are consistent with God's Word. The next post will also be foundational in a sense. As Part One has given a foundation for a high view of God, Part Two will give a foundation for an appropriate view of man. We will look at Scripture to see exactly what it says about what man is capable of and what his true nature is like. But until then, may the Lord bless and keep you and may His face shine upon you!

To an audience of One,

Joshua