We finished yesterday’s discussion by talking about how we perceive God and how that must be guided by how He has chosen to reveal Himself. A dear old lady was teaching some children in Kid’s church. On this particular day her lesson was about the building of Solomon’s temple and how when it was finished it was filled with the presence of the Lord. One little boy with his eyes filled with excitement imagined this huge building filled with presents from God and put up his hand and asked, “please miss, who got the presents, the adults or the children?” Perception (as discussed yesterday) acts as a filter, because 80% of life happens between our ears and we interpret everything according to how we perceive it.

So, what is God actually like? The statement ‘I believe in God,” is perhaps one of the most meaningless statements of our day. The word “God” is like a canvas upon which we are free to paint our own portrait of God with our own specifications: He can be ‘psychic energy’, an inner power that leads to a deeper consciousness. This new theology has no reference point. He can be a force, like in Star Wars. He can be a cosmic therapist, the god of my sexual preferences approving my sexual lifestyle. He can be a celestial vending machine and when I say the right incantations, I get the desired result. This is actually sorcery! This can be the health and wealth name and claim it type of God who is full of promises that I can claim for my own manipulative outcomes. He can be the God of my experiences and feelings which is proof that I am correct (Mormonism and some Pentecostalism has this problem). This means I don’t need to look for authoritative sources for “the truth about God.” He is the God of transmigration and reincarnation. He can be the God of near-death experiences that saves everyone. The idea of the afterlife that is implied in the near-death experience of those who have been clinically dead and revived, makes the biblical hope of the resurrection unnecessary and completely irrelevant because it excludes the need for God Himself. (what a satanic lie that is.) If humans are naturally immortal what is the point of the resurrection? The truth of the biblical hope is at stake in all these lies. He is the God of non-judgment. According to all of the above, all paths lead to God. Contemporary spirituality defines God as an equal opportunity employer, a universal source of energy waiting to be tapped.

It would therefore be to no one’s surprise that this God is exactly everything you want Him to be. This God would not define sin, He would offer no reproof, tender no judgment, and not distinguish between right and wrong. Our modern God has been thoroughly domesticated. Just like we keep cows for milk, sheep for wool and God for continual affirmation and acceptance. We seek God’s endorsement for everything we are craving. The Old testament God is old fashioned and out of date.

I met a man in the street many years ago. We had engaged in some previous interactions about the Bible. Amidst out discussion he stated, “I don’t need all this doctrinal stuff, I just want to follow the teachings of Jesus.” From that interaction I went away and produced a brochure titled: “What did Jesus believe and teach.” It was distributed throughout the region. I don’t know if he ever saw it.