We Don’t Believe God

Religion,

Honestly, I am so sorry that my posts aren’t generally the happy topics that make you smile, or laugh. I love reading those posts too. Believe me, I am a pretty happy person. But the topics I write about are because they are what stirs me, saddens me, compels me to let it out, or give my two cents; hence, my blog.

I believe that most of us who profess to be Christians, and/or church goers don’t believe God. The majority would say that they believe in God; but, that God is far away. He’s not quite real to them, which is why I have concluded that we don’t believe God.

This is somewhat alarming because most of us claim that we are Christian but our deeds, our behaviors don’t match our profession. We pretty much do what the culture around us does, which is another reason that we have lost our influence.

Recently I learned of an American pastor who had been caught in adultery with one of his members at her and her husband’s home. The pastor later goes before the church he pastors and says some of the right things, like they shouldn’t defend sin, and asking them to forgive him. But he also says, that he won’t stop preaching, stop doing what God called him to do because to stop would presuppose he was qualified in the first place. He says that God is pushing them forward. Huh? I say we don’t believe God.

Funny aside; well not funny, but just last Sunday during our evening service one of our pastors preached that the first thing one should seek in a pastor/elder is not their giftedness to speak, preach, but their character. That is exactly what the Apostle Paul tells Titus in the first chapter. They must be a man of good character, which requires a period of observation, looking at their family which is inside look at who they really are.

Five years ago, an American pastor was enthroned as king. This proclaimed Jewish Rabbi had the pastor sit in this armed chair, and had four men “representing the four corners of the earth,” says the proclaimed Rabbi, lift him up and walk him around as king, no longer a commoner. All of this happened before a crowd of professing Christians loudly applauding what they were watching. What? Unbelievable? This really happened. Again I say, we don’t believe God.

Don’t we read the Bible? Do we think because God remains silent, or is not immediate in his judgment that he’s okay with our sin, or is it that we just don’t believe God?

We don’t believe God. There are so many instances in the Bible where God has shown his power and might. His wisdom is unattainable. There is none like him. He in Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. He knows our thoughts. Nothing is hidden from him. He sees all! He knows what we will say before we speak. His silence does not represent complicity, nor a condoning.

“But to the wicked God says: What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? 17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. 18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers. 19 You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. 20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. 21 These things you have done, and I have been silent; and you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you. 22 ‘Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!’ Psalm 50:16-22 ESV

The New Testament states it in a way in which most are familiar:

“Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7 KJV

Yet, we live like we don’t believe God, like his judgment is so far away that our sin won’t matter; or worse still, like there is no God at all. For if we believed God, we would keep his commandments. Actually, that’s what Jesus said.(John 14:15)  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Mediator, summed up the Ten Commandments into just two commandments, which makes it easier to remember.

“Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Matthew 22:37-39 KJV

Yes we are commanded to love God. That is our response to his love for us. We know that we are no longer our own, we belong to him. (See I Corinthians 6:19-20).

Do we believe God? Do we hesitate and count the cost before we sin? Do we take the escape route so as to not yield to sin? When we do fail and sin, is there immediate guilt and repentance? Even for a little white lie? Is there an overwhelming sorrow that we have grieved him? Do we see ourselves becoming more like Christ? Is there incriminating evidence that we are true believers?

True believers follow Christ. They sorrow when they sin because they live to serve him. They live to please him. They live to glorify him. They recognize that he sees all and knows all, so they readily bare every secret thought or sin, and confess it before him, seeking deliverance and forgiveness.

Sadly, most of us don’t live to please God, because we don’t believe God.

 

 

24 thoughts on “We Don’t Believe God”

    1. I believe that if we really believed God, we would indeed fear him for we would know too that he is not just a God of love, but a jealous God, and a God of wrath. We may believe in a god of our imagination, but not Creator God. Just my two cents.

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  3. Excellent piece. I agree, most people do not believe God nor do they fear Him. It takes time and continued seeking to really know the Lord. Verbal assent isn’t enough, it’s a lifelong process.

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    1. Weren’t you scared for him? I was, and so terribly sad for the people who thought it was a good thing. We don’t read the Word. Keep sharing the Word. It needs to be heard, read, and shared in every means available. By the way, are you aware of Faith and Family Bloggers. It’s a place for Christian based blogs by another blogger named James. I find myself mainly reading those blogs, and have to make myself go to my Reader. Although, alot of those I follow are also on it. Check it out.

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  6. These stores are incredible! I think you are absolutely right. We don’t believe God. And, that is dangerous. I think these stories are an example of the way of the world today. People are incredibly nervy.

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    1. Unfortunately as incredible as they are, they are none the less true. The pastor being crowned king is on YouTube. He was a mega-pastor in the Atlanta area. He passed away last month. This same pastor was accused by some young men for inappropriate relationships too. We need to fear God. To fear him, we must believe him.

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  7. I believe the lines of truth have become blurred. We are living in a time when the reality of truth is what we choose to believe. Perhaps, “alternative truths.” Therefore, we negate God’s word as truth. Truth is what is satisfying and pleasing to the flesh, nowadays. Of course, we who are believers do know this is not true. God’s word is truth. We are not to walk in the flesh but the spirit. The word does say His sheep knows His voice, so perhaps some have or are following wolves in sheep clothing.

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  8. I might be your number one fan! There are funny sites, cute sites and ” religious lite” sites that provide the temporary bliss of what we think we should be seeking. I will take on some issues on my blog such as the harm the preaching of the prosperity gospel has done and continues to do. The “Christian community” has much to be concerned about regarding how it functions, where the money goes, sexual abuse and how In our hurting world “we” as Chrisrians are perceived. Do not be discouraged from tackling the tough topics…..on those days when you feel like maybe you shouldn’t, the enemy is the background hoping you don’t. Honest writing and reception of that word can only strengthen the church. The reason you are able to write at this level is because you study and draw near to God who above all else wants His Word to be understood and clear. I appreciate you so much and will continue to lift you up in prayer as one of our faith leaders. Thank you ! I am so grateful to be on your walk of faith!

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  9. Character matters more than competency for those in ministry. Competency can be taught and attained, but a lack of character before beginning in ministry usually leads to disaster. That instance you mentioned about the pastor enthroned and paraded around and his Jewish Rabbi friend, I remember that. It turned my stomach.

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So, what do you think?