A flawed God

Sat Jan 27, 2007 6:17 pm

Dear Uncle Mxxx:

Thanks for once again bringing up such interesting but fundamental philosophical inquiries: That of the nature of God.

It is certainly not a small (and, as I see it, growing) number of people in modern times who questions the intention if not ability of God. It is strangely paradoxical that as the standard of living as well as the compassionate perspective of morality rose over the last couple of centuries, the dissatisfaction and anger at God increased in similar proportion.

Instead of appreciating God for the abundance and blessings he receives, modern man progressively assigns more and more credit for the innovations that brought about such plenitude upon himself; and concurrently relegates more blame for his expanding perception of suffering and inequity to God lest it contaminates the perfect self-vision of a supremely intelligent, sentient and compassionate being.

I suppose it was an inevitable progression that as man walked out of the darkness of cognitive instinction to self-awareness and examination, he relied at first on the mystic interpretation of theology to explain the powers beyond his control, and to make sense of his life under that construct. Once man moved beyond survival and tending to his basic needs, his ability to conquer the physical realm and mold it to his service empowered him, which allowed him to pursue the pure intellect and brought about the idea that "God" is no longer a useful commodity because it restricted man's own ideas on spirituality and morality.

At least among the pure intellectuals, the proclamation that "God is dead" was not lamented but embraced joyously. It swept through the affected an initial euphoria of self-actualization but, in time, left them empty and longing. The "Utopia" many thought was in their grasp as they attempted to build (often through destruction) failed time and time again. The "ego" that supplanted "God" enabled justification of means with impunity, which plunged large swaths of humanity and geography into darkness no better than when man was mere "God's puppet."

Now man is at a conundrum of outgrowing the spiritual cradle where he felt comforted unwittingly by his cognitive limitations as well as wittingly the clear directives of God's word. He is presently neither in trust of his inner spiritual compass, nor is he respectful of the God tossed so long ago into the moral garbage bin. Still yet he will not take up the cross for which the state of suffering and trespasses engendered under his watch, but looking towards the heavens with accusation.

The question of free will is indifferent to a rock, tree, animal or even an unaware man. Yet to make sense the concept of -- and more importantly to believe in -- God in its functional element, one cannot escape the necessity of a perfect supreme being, His unequivocal commands and the free will to follow. A "flawed" Creator is an oxymoron, the recognition of which renders pointless the moral discussion of God. It is essentially the creative potency of God residing in the limited (flawed) material realm, and pregnant with the seed of evil (a very apt descriptive of man), that we are the very offspring of this "demiurge," very much god-like but in an imperfect way.

The God that is perfect has a divine purpose, of which is made known to us in tangible teachings as well as intangible inner voices. It is not a matter of boundary that is problematic (without such we are just free, not free-willed), but ultimately the decision we make to stay or cross...the ability of which is a gift of love, and the trial from which that love may be returned. 

Jim

Not understanding grace

Hi Yxxx,

When you first responded to this email I sent, I also received another one from a sister. She simply added, "and, humble obedience."

I believe this is a similar sentiment as your statement, "God's law serves as the checkup or boundary for us not to be deceived by the Satan.  So you may not boast of having(or believe you have) obedient heart, but break God's law at the same time."

It seems you and others hold the opinion that, without the law (I believe apart from what Jesus commanded about love, because boundary was not defined, and only the written law -- ten commandment and other behavior-related terms -- is the clearest definition of what is right or wrong) as checkup, one is prone to self-interpretation on good and devil even in grace. And a step beyond that is the pride that is apparent for disregarding the written law.

Implied in the response was that the heart remains in the dark even after salvation and the indwelling of the holy spirit. Of course, if one is self-deceived about how grace works in his life, such may be the case. And we can very well determine that even one who professes acceptance of grace but whose actions run counter to law, and is unrepentant and unashamed about it, or even unaware of obvious transgressions, this believer does not understand grace in its full glory, and is obviously unmoved by the spirit.

But the solution to the disconnect is not using more law to make sure of conformance, which is only an exterior-driven behavior that moves not the heart. If by knowledge and commandment we come to obedience, it is empty of heart; yet if we appeal to the heart, the spirit living inside wills to learn of such knowledge without commandment.

And the only narrow doorway to such work of the spirit is by grace. When we have full revelation of grace, it is no longer our own heart that governs but the heart of Christ. The Bible is clear that we now have a new heart, a soft heart with God's law written in it. What is faith then but to believe God's word and trust that we are no longer masters of our hearts but God Himself. This is true obedience in humility, and no more worrying about being boastful.

In grace we have nothing to boast about; but in law we do for it is our performance that is measured. And if we view grace as licensing sin and irresponsibility, then no wonder some are quick to warn to be careful not to be blinded and flaunt it with abandon, and that grace must be weighted with the clarity and instruction of law. But this is pure human reasoning that is not substantiated by the scripture where Paul emphatically warns about the danger of law and not grace!

We must let grace shine, and be patient with it even if it works slowly in the heart than law with the mind. True obedience is to have no boundary demanded, but an unwillingness to stray from the will of God who gives us the spiritual wisdom to walk in light and not stumble into darkness. Amen!

James

Answer to "Law is our boundary."

Dear Yxxx，

Thank you for putting so much thought into this. I hope to come to a closer understanding of God's will in grace.

If by practical life everyday you meant the ceremonial law, then no question they don't apply anymore because the significance of those laws found substance in the person of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. But the spirit of the ten commandment (law written in stone) certainly are not done away with because it represents the righteousness of God in our everyday living. I agree that law is not destroyed but fulfilled by Jesus Christ; but in Him we are no longer bound by the law of doing but on a higher plane of being.

If your emphasis is finding out the boundary of God's law in detail description, you will spend the rest of you life searching for a definitive line and not find it. Can you say with confidence that you have discovered it, or come close? Or more so than those who live not to know the law by by the spirit of grace? And even if you find it and are able to define it, what then? Our problem is not in knowing right or wrong, but abiding in the right and not the wrong. The mistake of the pharisees were not that they didn't know the law clearly enough! They were blinded by their knowledge of law in not being able to see grace even when He was right in front of them. The same mistake can be made -- and is being made -- by believers today, trying to know the law in order to obey the law so as to live righteously when the only true righteousness is found abiding in grace. Paul clearly stated in Galatian 5:4 that such is fallen away from grace. In order to live by grace we must have the confidence in grace to guide us by the spirit. Law consciousness is the veil that blinds us from full revelation of grace! It keeps us in judgment. Look at the church in its present state.

And the spirit of law is not that difficult to know and understand: Love God and love one another. There, is your boundary, but more than that -- it is a law without boundary, for to have boundary is to do just enough where love overflows what is minimally required. Law is not separate from grace, and grace contains all that law can be and much more. Otherwise you have to say that grace is not enough and we still need law, which is saying Jesus is not enough, or grace is not the entire truth. For grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. The spirit of law is in grace, but the requirement of law is not. Jesus fulfilled the requirement of law on the cross for us already. What are we doing keep on trying to meet that requirement ourselves? It is a sign of unbelief or at least nonacceptance of His redemption.

As always, I uphold the law as perfect and holy. But it's purpose is not for us to obey, for we can never do it to a standard God requires. Otherwise Jesus didn't have to come to die for us. And if you want to keep the law you are consigning to the consequence of any failure on your part. For as you said, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. How confident are you about keeping perfectly the requirement, and staying within the boundary of God's law -- even if you know it? Is trying your best good enough for God? And if you stand on both grace and law it is mixture that frustrates grace. No, only grace can give us rest that we are righteous even in our sinful state, and that the holy spirit will sanctify us to become truly holy, and knows and needs no boundary nor constraint. Jesus doesn't need to know the boundary of law -- and we can as well when we surrender completely to Him. Trying to keep the law is not complete surrender.

It is true that for a new believer, many of what they do they view not as sin. And as they grow in knowledge of Christ more of their imperfection is realized. As such, if one is not standing on firm ground of his righteous in Christ, such growth of one's sin awareness becomes even more of a bondage instead of the freedom Christ's blood was intended to bring us. We don't stop growing just because we are in grace. But let's grow in grace to know the heart of God and not grow in our knowledge to be acceptable to God. For if one is sincere in the search of law it never fails that one becomes even more under its condemnation in not being good enough. No, we don't need to know how sinful we truly are when we are in grace, because faith in grace is already acceptance of that fact, and the blood of Jesus cleansed us of all of it. God's goodness leads us to repentance, and His forgiveness empowers us to love.

And when we have His love flowing out of us like rivers of living water, law has already done it's job and should depart like Moses did on the mount of Transfiguration, and not to follow the people of grace into the land of rest. In keeping law it is not of love; and love above all is the heart of God.

James