I remember reading Marcus Borg some years ago and particularly his book God at 2000. When I first read Marcus Borg I was concerned about much of his theology and yet I could not deny the spirit of God that flowed through his life, works, and profession. Having read at least a dozen of his books or edited works over the years, I’ve come to no longer be uneasy; in fact, I’m quite at ease with him.
Most people change as they mature: some a lot more than others. And unfortunately, some develop an opinion or judgment of a person (and God) and that’s how it is for their entire life. We create images of people, places, and God and those images then determine our life. My God at 2009 is greatly different than my God was January 2, 2008. It’s amazing how different God is today to me, not because God changed, but because of the God that I had created Jan. 2, 2008.
Every year, particularly over the last 3-5 years, my view (my creation of God) of the Creator has become more benevolent, more loving, more merciful and compassionate. At this rate, the God that I’ll wind up with at transition (physical death) will be beyond words and thoughts. Why of course. It’s my view that Christianity needs to align it’s behavior and teaching more to the phrase “GOOD NEWS”.
That means we can’t be afraid to admit that we’ve created the God we worship. And going forward we need to be more serious and reverent about who and what it is that we are in fact creating. Michelle O’Donnell’s book, “The God That We’ve Created” should be a must read for 2009- for those who realize and will admit that we need some “adjustments” to the images that we’ve created. This whole concept does fall under the principle of “taking the name of the Lord in vain”.
Saying God is NOT who He IS, violates those first Commandments big time!
II Samuel 22 affirms the God at 2009 (and every phase of life) paradigm wherein we’re reminded that to those who see God as love, God is loving. To those who see God as judgmental, God judges. To those who see God as a taskmaster, God demands. Etc.! God appears differently to different people because of what Scriptures they choose to embrace. One verse says that Jesus didn’t come to judge: another says he came to judge. One verse speaks of eternal life while another speaks of eternal hell.
Which God are you embracing in 2009? Whichever one you choose that’s who he will be to YOU.
For me and my house, I’m going with the GOOD GOD whom Jesus brought the GOOD NEWS about and manifested such in his life.
Let’s embrace the truth in all of scripture to get as accurate a view of God as possible. I Peter 1:20,21 declares, “no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” It’s exciting to see the threads of God’s identity running from Genesis (as Creator of Adam, Savior of Noah) to Revelation (Holy God, Righteous Judge).
I would say that we must at this time choose to judge scripture based on how it fits into the example given to us by Jesus. I am more and more amazed at how intelligent, educated people continue to ignore the polarity of views we witness in scripture. If any confusion arises I choose to follow the Lord Jesus Christ as the ultimate example of the personality of God.
I believe that the most simple example is in our own lives. If you want to know how transformed my life has been as the result of the work of the Spirit in me you sshould ask my children. They live with me, they have known me for years and have witnessed the progression or regression. How others see me is not as enlightened as those who spend so much time in my presence. Jesus knows His Father intimately and I want that intimacy as well. This house has witnessed the unconditional love of God and his provision in such a phenominal way, that I think I can speak for them when I say we will continue to expect God’s goodness to overwhelmingly overflow into ourlives this year. We will be the example to the world of the goodness of God. Do not listen to what I say, but look at my life and see the charactor of God. If more Christians would allow this to happen we might find that more of the world would agree with the reality of God. I am reminded of a bumper sticker I saw on a car. It said, “Your God! Your Hell! You Go To It!” The words pierced my heart because I know that we created that attitude. Fear of Hell will never draw men to God. It is the LOVE of God that draws men to repentance. I believe that scripture is true.