It’s no surprise that the world is filled with misconceptions about God. Some believe He manifests as an animal, others believe He’s cosmic energy, and others believe He doesn’t exist at all. Even in the Church where God’s nature would seem very plain, Christians are confused about His character.
There is, however, a way to clarify this confusion by reading the Bible. God’s nature becomes clear when individuals read God’s eternal Word very closely. Let’s compare the Bible with several lies people commonly believe about God.
Lie #1: “I’m not loved by God, especially for what I’ve done.”
This lie couldn’t be further from the truth! God loves everyone in the whole world down to each individual regardless of any evil committed. That’s why He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross in the first place – to sacrifice Him as a substitute for our eternal punishment. God purchased salvation for the entire world, yet He would do the same if only one person was alive.
God’s very nature is to love because the Bible reveals that God is love. He loves everyone from pastors and families to swindlers and murderers, eager to have a relationship with the humans He created. It may be tempting for people to feel guilty about their past, but God has taken care of that more than 2,000 years ago. Receive Him with open arms today!
Lie #2: “God is about religion, right?”
Believe it or not, God has nothing to do with denominations or religion. Those systems were created by men in an attempt to become holy and get closer to God. The only true ‘religion’ for any individual is to believe that Jesus Christ died for their sins and receive Him as Lord of their life. One becomes holy by receiving Christ into their life and being born again by His Spirit. Obedience to His Word and living right naturally follows when we do this out of love for Him.
Lie #3: “Women aren’t favored by God.”
This clever lie goes back to the Garden of Eden. Many people assume the fall of man was Eve’s doing, but a careful study of the Scriptures reveals Adam was standing next to her when she was deceived. Several places in Scripture credit humanity’s downfall to Adam, who was responsible for covering his wife.
The truth is, both man and woman sinned. Women are loved by God just as men are. He chose the woman to deliver Jesus to earth, and many women in the Bible became heroes of faith. All these accounts show God’s favor toward women as well as men. God created men and women equally to work together with their different abilities.
Christianity appears to champion the male gender at face value, but the truth is very different when Western traditions are removed. The words for “man” and “mankind” in English Bible translations represent both genders in the original Hebrew texts. While many Hebrew attributes of God are masculine, some are feminine such as Shakinah and Elohim in Genesis 1:26-27. It makes sense, then, for Wisdom to be a “she” in the Book of Proverbs since Jesus is the Personification of Wisdom.
Lie #4: “God supports my agenda.”
It’s tempting to think God supports political parties and sports teams, but those physical things are no way in God’s focus. Scriptures reveal the only ‘party’ He’s interested in is His Kingdom, in which the Body of Christ plays a key role. For centuries people have fancied God supporting their man-made causes, but they only deceive themselves into justifying their pride. How can Christians determine which groups to support? By comparing their values to Scripture and supporting those that agree with it.
Lie #5: “God does not exist.”
The idea of atheism seems preposterous, but it’s logical for an individual believing clever lies like those above. How can a higher being who hates people, plays favorites, and supports contradictions make any sense? The conclusion leads to no such being existing and a world appearing the way it is through ‘natural selection.’
But there’s much more to this world than the physical senses or intellect can comprehend. Take a good look around, and the natural response deep down is that something must have made everything for a purpose. Once the light is shed over the dark lies by reading the Word, one knows why – and will get to know the Maker’s true nature.
~ Christian Patriot Daily
