Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning
(James 1:16,17)
The perception we hold of God ultimately determines how we relate with Him. Those who see God as a wicked, inconsiderate judge also determine to stay clear of Him. Those who see Him as a sovereign Lord who chooses to do whatever He wants with His people at anytime and has not their interest at heart do not trust Him. Those who think He does not care do not pray to Him. Those who think He wants them to suffer remain in their sufferings. On the other hand, those who believe He loves them have a loving relationship with Him. Those who believe He has their best interest at heart commit their lives totally to Him. Those who believe He is caring pray to Him. But can God be everything everyone believes Him to be? Certainly not. God doesn’t change; we must understand that it is the way we see Him that may either be accurate or inaccurate.
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These perceptions arise as a result of inaccurate ideas or erroneous religious doctrines that are either implanted in our subconscious or conscious mind. However, they constantly influence how we relate to God- our life’s source. Therefore, the life of a Christian, which in truth is a manifestation of the divine life, is heavily dependent on the way He sees God. To know God and His Son is life.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent (John 17:3 ).
Unquestionably, anyone who has come into Christ has known the Father and His Son. And as a result has been ushered into life. However, this knowledge, as we infer from Scripture, is only the beginning of knowing Him. After this comes the progressive revelation of the Father to the believer through the Son. In the Bible, Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus to have the accurate knowledge of God:
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him (Eph. 1:17 ).
He prayed for the spirit of wisdom and revelation for them so that they could know God. In other words, so they could have accurate revelation of the Father. Paul himself confessed, “That I may know Him...” (Phil 3:10). Knowing the Lord is most crucial because it is in this knowledge that we know ourselves and live thereby. As children of God our identity is always in relation to the Father and His Son. We have no identity elsewhere. For this reason, to cultivate a wrong perception of the Father and His Son is to misconceive our identity and eventually live unbefittingly.
For example, as children of God, if we think God wants us poor so we can serve Him best, we cannot also fully accept that God is love, especially when we are hungry and suffering. Consequently the relation between God and ourselves becomes that of a slave master and his slaves. This mindset affects the way we pray. We are not able to claim our rights in Christ because at the back of our minds we are slaves without rights. The very mention of rights is unacceptable to us. This has been one of the main problems of the Church since the Dark Ages: wrong ideas of God.
For example, frequently when we are praising God in church, the leader would tell us to thank God because we are alive. He goes on to urge the church to consider how many went to bed with us but are dead, and how many were knocked down by a vehicle, and how others went to the hospital but did not return. Then he says, “It is only by the grace of God that we are alive. So let us bless His Holy name.” Although this statement might sound harmless to the untrained ear, it reveals a gross misapprehension of God and His dealings with us.
It reveals that the people of God have no understanding of their rights and as a result
think they live in a world of chance- where anything can happen to them. I hear people say, “Give thanks to God because you could have died in that situation.” Some claim, “It is not automatic that when you sleep you should wake up, so thank God when you do.” Others will tell you, “You are not different from those who were affected, it is just by grace that you were not,” and so on and so forth.
But as a beloved child of God, am I subject to the randomness that is in the world? No!
When I sleep I will definitely wake up. Why? No one can just take my life; including God.
When my time is up, God will tell me and I will go to be with Him. As far as the child of
God is concerned, departing to be with the Lord is not a random activity. I use departing for the reason that not all may die. So to be told to thank God because He did not take my life abruptly is unacceptable to my righteous soul. God will not do that. That is not the God I know. How? I cannot see things that way especially when I read about Paul concerning how he treated death. He spoke about it as someone having a choice in the matter:
For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith (Phil. 1;23-25 );
I cannot just fall sick and die. I cannot die like natural men because I am a god on this earth (cf. John 10:34). I cannot just be knocked down by a car because He who watches over me neither slumbers nor sleeps; and His angels continually bear me in their hands that I may not dash my foot against a stone. I cannot just pick up a deadly disease because no plague shall come near my dwelling. You see, these are perceptions I have gathered concerning God and by them I relate with Him.
I am not against thanking God for what He does for us. That is most excellent and
commendable. However, my thanksgiving should not be without revelation, as though He
would rather not have done it or may not do it again. I should thank Him knowing He
fulfilled something which is my right in Christ. To consider that what has happened to others could have happened to me is wrong, even if they were Christians. Because I am not privy to how they related with God and His word.
Ours is not a random life. It is a predetermined life. The courses of our lives have been
determined by our Father and they are glorious. To talk and behave as though any random
thing could happen to us is unbelief in the power of God to bring what he has determined
to pass. Unbelief will prevent it from coming to pass. There are no uncertainties in God.
Nothing can just happen to you. How you see God determines how you relate with Him.
And how you relate with Him is your faith. Your faith determines what happens to you.
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