WE CAN ONLY TRUST GOD IF WE KNOW WHO HE IS

To trust God is also to know Him. The reason that I can trust God is because I know who He is. I know what to expect. Without this knowledge, trust would not be able to answer the question, “Trust what?” What if God was only righteous 364 days a year, but on the other day, He’d let down His hair to act maliciously. I couldn’t trust such a God. On that one day, He might decide to destroy me.

Instead, I need to know that God is completely righteous and loving, as Scripture insists:

·       This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5; ESV)

·       Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. (1 John 4:8-9)

However, there are many verses that seem to contradict that He is completely loving and righteousness. These have to be resolved if we are going to have a confident trust in God.

I’ll just deal with one extensive set of these verses – those that claim that God hardens the heart of the non-elect so that they cannot believe and come to Him.

Oddly, Jesus praised the Father for doing this:

·       At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” (Matthew 11:25-26, 11-15; Isaiah 6:9; John 12:40; Acts 28:26)

Gracious will? Instead, the fact that God had hidden the truth from the “wise and understanding” is troubling. How can this be loving and righteous? Besides, what basis does God have for condemning if they had been blinded them?

Paul gives the same teaching:

·       For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. (Romans 9:17-18; Exodus 9:16)

How can we trust that God is righteous and loving if He “hardens whomever he wills?” Let’s look at one more troubling passage which teaches that God even deludes:

·       The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; 1 Kings 22:22; Ezekiel 14:9; Revelation 17:17)

It seems, at first glance, that God is working in tandem with the Devil to deceive, but is He? Paul answers our perplexity if we look carefully enough. Why does God send them “a strong delusion?” Because they want it! Why? They have already rejected the truth and were taking “pleasure in unrighteousness.” In light of this, God was merely granting them what they wanted. They had wanted darkness, an excuse for their evil, and God gave it to them.

How about Pharaoh? He too had freely rejected the truth and had chosen the darkness, hardening his own heart (Exodus 8:13, 32). It wasn’t as if God had hardened an innocent man to reject the light. Pharaoh already hated the light by refusing to see the light of truth (John 3:19-21).

Elsewhere, Paul explains the process. First, God has revealed the truth to humanity in such a comprehensive and undeniable way as to leave them “without excuse” (Romans 1:18-20). He also has written His laws upon our hearts (Romans 2:14-15). Second, because of our stubbornness, He abandons us to our own desires:

·       Therefore God GAVE THEM UP in the lusts of THEIR hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God GAVE THEM UP to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God GAVE THEM UP TO A DEBASED MIND to do what ought not to be done. (Romans 1:24-28)

Humanity has freely turned to the darkness of the lie. Is God unjust for allowing them to choose what they wanted? Certainly not! Is He unjust for then rescuing certain individuals among those who have rejected Him? Certainly not! He is free to be merciful to whomever. Salvation is not an entitlement program.

Is this troubling? Perhaps, but it’s also humbling and deprives us of any reason for boasting. We are no more worthy of God than anyone else. But why is Jesus thankful that the Father has “hidden these things from the wise and understanding?”

These are people who are “wise and understanding” in their own conceited estimation, people who have already hardened their hearts against God. Jesus, therefore, is merely reveling in the justice, mercy, and wisdom of God.

Why aren’t we similarly reveling? Simply because we don’t understand the Father and His righteousness as He does!

Do I now have perfect understanding of the ways of God? Not really. However, I understand Him enough to confidently and gladly allow Him to remain at the helm of my ship.

Can we trust in God without His Word and His promises, as some claim? Well, which God? Ultimately, without Scripture, this will inevitably lead to a god of our own creation.

Experiencing God or Knowing God: Examining Mysticism

Interest in mysticism – the connecting to or “experiencing” of God through various techniques and practices – has become rampant, especially among younger Christians in search of church alternatives.

Suggested practices are numerous – meditation (not on Scripture), silencing the mind, visualizations, rituals, imaginations, and dream analysis. Others, like the deceased Catholic priest, Henry Nouwen, have promoted the mindless repetition of words:

• The quiet repetition of a single word can help us to descend with the mind into the heart…This way of simple prayer…opens us to God’s active presence.

Is the expectation that we can connect to “Gods active presence” biblical? For one thing, the Bible never promotes mindless, understanding-less repetitions. The Apostle Paul had warned that even the supernatural speaking of foreign languages – tongues - was useless unless accompanied by understanding:

• Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? (1 Cor. 14:6)

This principle does not just apply to the experience of speaking in tongues but also to mystical experience. Whatever we do, we must proceed in the light of understanding.

This certainly shouldn’t be an argument against experience, but against the pursuit of experience for its own sake. Of course, the Spirit is always working in our lives, providing learning experiences even when we are not aware of them. It has become a great joy for me to meditate on what God has done for me – forgiving my sins and promising that I will be with Him, in a place of bliss, for all eternity.

Similarly, the Bible emphasizes seeking understanding, not experience. Moses had arguably the greatest mountaintop experience. His appearance was even transformed. However, when he returned to the Israelites, he told them nothing about the experience and everything about the words God had given him (Exodus 34:29-34).

Jesus’ disciples also had a great mountaintop experience on the Mount of Transfiguration. However, God’s heavenly voice had nothing to do with learning techniques about experiencing Him but everything to do with a doctrinal revelation of the Person of Jesus:

• “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)

There is absolutely no Scriptural evidence that we can experience God by repeating a set of words. In fact, there is evidence against such a hope and practice:

• “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” (Matthew 6:7)

In addition to this, God regards mindless rituals as an abomination:

• The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with evil intent! (Proverbs 21:27; 15:8; 28:9)

Even when prescribed rituals are performed without “evil intent,” they are “detestable,” because the offerer is not right relationship with the Lord. This raises a great concern about mysticism, which presents an unbiblical God – a God who cares more about technique and mystical methodology than about what God values – faith, confession, repentance, sin and obedience. Mysticism implicitly communicates that having a relationship with God and experiencing “God’s active presence” are about practicing techniques and not about what the Bible teaches.

Meanwhile, the Bible claims that it is totally adequate in itself, through the Spirit, to produce in us what God desires:

• All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

However, the teachings of the mystics implicitly deny this truth, claiming that we need their techniques in order to achieve the blessings of God.

What do mystics experience when they claim that they are experiencing God or union with God? Although the Spirit works within us, producing His fruit in our lives, Scripture mentions nothing about experiencing God in a mystical manner. In fact, those Israelites who did experience the Presence of God were terrified and not enraptured by joy!

The Israelites were gathered around Mt. Sinai to experience the Presence of God. However, they found that this Presence was the last thing in the world that they ever wanted to experience again. Instead, they cried to Moses:

• “Speak to us yourself [Moses] and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” (Exodus 20:19)

Their experience was typical, even for prophets, like Isaiah, who actually saw the Lord Jesus:

• “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5)

In fact, Israel’s temple communicated that only the High Priest could approach the Lord without being struck dead. Even in the NT, contact with the Divine was a frightening thing. The three disciples were terrified on the Mt. of Transfiguration (Mat. 17:6). John was even terrified by the presence of a mere angel (Rev. 1:17).

So what is it that the mystics are experiencing? Do they know? Is it possible to coerce God into intimate contact through a set of extra-biblical practices? They claim that if we imagine that we are in contact with God, then we will be. In Celebration of Disciple, mystic Richard Foster insists that:

• As with meditation, the imagination is a powerful tool in the work of prayer. We may be reticent to pray with the imagination, feeling that it is slightly beneath us. Children have no such reticence. (172)

• Since we know that Jesus is always with us, let’s imagine that he is sitting over in the chair across from us. He is waiting patiently for us to centre our attention on him. When we see him, we start thinking more about His love than how sick Julie is. He smiles, gets up, and comes over to us. Then, let’s put both our hands on Julie and when we do, Jesus will put His hands on top of ours. We’ll watch the light from Jesus flow into your little sister and make her well. (173)

However, Scripture does not give us the freedom to use imagination in worship, as Jeremiah warned:

• This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They keep saying to those who despise me, 'The Lord says: You will have peace.' And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts [“walketh after the imagination of his own heart;” KJV] they say, 'No harm will come to you.'” (Jeremiah 23:16-17; Ezek 13:2; Luke 1:51)

Instead, God requires us to worship Him according to who He is, in spirit and in truth (John 4:22-24), contrary to the assertion of the mystics, who want to bypass considerations of truth and doctrine.

So what are the mystics experiencing? Their own imaginations, but perhaps something even worse! Paul warned that demons can disguise themselves as entities of the light (2 Cor. 11:14) and that when we worship in an unbiblical manner, we might be opening ourselves to demonic fellowship:

• The sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. (1 Cor. 10:20)

How can the mystics be sure that they are not participating with demons? Even Foster admits this possibility, according to writer Roger Oakland:

• Richard Foster claims that practitioners must use caution. He admits that in contemplative prayer “we are entering deeply into the spiritual realm” and that sometimes it is not the realm of God even though it is “supernatural.” He admits there are spiritual beings and that a prayer of protection should be said beforehand – something to the effect of “All dark and evil spirits must now leave.” (Faith Undone, 99)

Will the demons obey Foster? How can Foster know that these evil spirits have left and that he now communes with God? By departing from the teachings of Scripture, he cannot know!

Why are vast numbers of young educated people embracing mysticism? I think that there are many possible reasons for this:

1. They have never known the Savior.
2. They have rejected God’s Word.
3. Experiencing spirituality has become far more socially acceptable than believing in a set of truths.
4. Experiencing, instead of accepting a demanding set of doctrines, does not interfere with one’s lifestyle or politics.

In any event, mystical pursuit represents a costly rejection of God and His Word – an attempt to set up our own spiritual workshop and play-station.

Having the Peace of God, Knowing He Reigns

The Apostle Paul has assured us that when we come to a correct understanding of God and His ways, we will have the riches of assured understanding (Col. 2:1-4). When we don’t get our theology right, we will reap confusion, and confusion will produce anxiety, instability and insecurity.

Our understanding of the workings of the Spirit provides a good example. While we believe that God’s children are led by the Spirit (Romans 8:9; Psalm 23:1-3) and can know His will (Rom. 12:2), we remain confused about this process. Consequently, we second guess ourselves, wondering whether we have correctly discerned the Spirit’s leading in our lives.

We correctly understand that we can discern His will in Scripture as we put it into practice:

·        Anyone who lives on milk [of the Scriptures alone], being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:13-14)

However, even if we are exercised in the meat of the Scriptures, we are still dazed by many decisions:

1.      Who should I marry?

2.      What job should I pursue?

3.      How much money should I give?

4.      How much should spend on myself?

These decisions can be maddening, and even once we make them, we continue to torment ourselves about whether we’ve made the right decision.

In our distress, we might even resort to trying to interpret our dreams, experiences, or even the facial expressions of others to determine God’s will.

However, much of our anxiety is the result of not bringing the character of God into our equation. God reigns over our lives and our smallest, most petty decisions. Jesus explained:

·        Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:28-30)

It is not simply that God knows the number of hairs on our heads; He’s actually determined them! He’s in control of our lives – our words, works, and decisions:

·        For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephes. 2:10)

Consequently, Paul confessed that he couldn’t even take credit for his hard work:

·        But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (1 Cor. 15:10)

Our Lord gets all the credit, because all good things come from Him (James 1:17), even our efforts and decisions. Therefore, “I am what I am” because of God. This means that He is capable of guiding me even when I fail to discern His guiding hand:

·        Proverbs 20:24 A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?

·        Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

The Bible is overflowing with accounts of God directing unsuspecting kings to do exactly what He had wanted and when He had wanted. If He can do this with rebellious kings, He can certainly do this with His anxious children!

God is sovereign, and it’s essential to know this. When we fail to understand that He has a glorious plan for our lives (Psalm 139:16), we obsess on ourselves and our decisions. However, when we know that He is in control and that He loves us, we can settle into His protective arms, even as we suffer, even when we know we’ve made a bad decision.

I’ve made some foolish decisions and have been humbled as a result, but I’m now assured that He works even these together for my ultimate good (Rom. 8:28). What a blessing it is to know Him!