Martin Luther once
said that our thoughts of God are too human (cf. Num 23:19; 1 Sam 15:29; Isa 40:25; 46:5; 55:9; Mal
3:6). This humanizing of God happens whenever we ascribe
to God our human characteristics or moral qualities (anthropomorphic). When we
denigrate God to our level of understanding strongly suggests that the only
truth is truth perceived or experienced transcending the Word of God. There is
always a real and present danger when any believer gives way to reason over
revelation.
As never before in our
American culture, exposition and exegesis of Scripture are being replaced by existentialism
– the truth is what we make of it. This idea is nothing new, and it is clearly seen during
the time of the Judges in Israel (Jdg 21:25). The Israelites did not have a man
king to keep them in check, but they had the Law of Moses which they
disregarded for what was right in their own understanding (reason over
revelation).
Herein is an
observable truth. A low view of Scripture will invariably result in a low view
of God; conversely, a high view of Scripture will inevitably result in a high
view of God. Consider Tozer’s statement in his book, Knowledge of the Holy,
“Man’s spiritual
history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than
its idea of God.”
If we take that
statement to a more personal level it would be this; a believer’s life will positively demonstrate that no spiritual testimony
has ever been greater than his or her idea of God. Where do our
ideas of God come from anyway? They come from general revelation (creation) and
special revelation (the Word of God).
It is, therefore, of paramount
importance and incumbent upon every believer to form his or her idea of God
from the only safe and reliable source given to man, the Scriptures (2 Tim
3:15, 16, 17), and not from imagination, feeling, or through the five senses
of experience that may run in another direction.
Any theologies or humanistic philosophies that reduce God to the creation level,
animate or inanimate, challenge God’s existence, or extol and elevate man
over God are to be rejected. Our ideas about God should never be based on reason
over revelation without running a real risk of the chastening hand of God and
the loss of His blessings upon our lives.
Our manner of life will reflect our view of God whether it
is of the Word or of the world. Even though we may claim to have a high view of Scripture and a
right view of God, such acknowledgment does not produce a life that is pleasing to God unless we personally submit to the authority of the Scriptures in the matter of salvation (Mt
7:13; Jn 14:6) and in the matters of faith and practice as a rule of life.
Christ-likeness can never be achieved by a fractured view of God that comes from reason contrary to Scripture and cafeteria-styled obedience to what to regard and what to reject. Only from the Scriptures is the revelation of God in Jesus Christ revealed and His values learned for a life that is pleasing to God.
Christ-likeness can never be achieved by a fractured view of God that comes from reason contrary to Scripture and cafeteria-styled obedience to what to regard and what to reject. Only from the Scriptures is the revelation of God in Jesus Christ revealed and His values learned for a life that is pleasing to God.
Our belief and behavior
are to be of equal weight before the Lord (Col 1:10). If our thoughts of God
are too human, it is because we have turned from the truth of Scripture by trading
revelation for reason, which might explain the imbalance in our lives, the lack of peace, and the absence of spiritual blessings that follow when our lives are governed by reason rather than revelation, the Word of God. <><
Excerpt from Lucottos,
http://lucottos.blogspot.com/2009/10/102509-varied-texts-what-is-god-like_25.html
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