Bad theology, throughout history, has created images of God in the minds of people that has caused them to look for God or a place of/in God that really does not exist. Let’s look at a few examples quickly that we will discuss in depth later.
Not long after the Israelites left Egypt, Moses went to the mountain to talk to God. The Children of Israel grew tired of waiting for Moses and created their own “god” (golden calf) and called it God. They even said this is God, who delivered us from Egypt. That incorrect image of God was created by the incorrect theology (belief system) learned in Egypt. The image of God in our mind is very important when seeking Him and His Kingdom. What we must watch closely is creating an object of worship within our religious system and calling it God, when in fact it is man-made, and God has nothing to do with it. We will never find Him or His kingdom if we are creating other gods (objects of worship) or looking for something that doesn’t exist.
Maybe that is what happened when the Children of Israel were looking at the Promised Land and decided that they would not go. Maybe they were expecting a land in which they could just walk right in without a fight. Maybe they were not expecting giants. Maybe the image that they had in their mind was nothing like what they saw with their eyes. They did not have the faith that God would give them this land. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. For our faith to be effective, we must have the right substance to hope for and the correct evidence in our mind. The images that we develop from our religious teachings have a great influence on our faith. Those images are the substance and the evidence needed to have faith to enter the place that God has promised.
These two patterns repeat themselves throughout history. People create and worship gods that don’t exist. Then, they understand through scripture, God has a place prepared and promised to them, but when they are face to face with it they don’t recognize it. If you don’t recognize this pattern, it is called RELIGION.
God has always wanted a relationship with His people. He wanted a kingdom of priests, not clergy and the rest of us. When Jesus appeared on the scene, religion (Judaism) had created a special class of people that heard from God and delivered the message to people. This resulted in religion becoming big business. Worship became the buying and selling of animals, so you could have the right sacrifice. Relationship with God became keeping all the rules, so God would be happy. Finally, the Jewish religious leaders were teaching about a king/savior that would come and physically remove them from the rule of the Roman Empire. The Jews would be a free people again. Sadly, they didn’t recognize God or His kingdom when it was right in front of them.
Does any of this sound familiar to us today? What are we really worshiping when we attend church today? Are we just checking off the boxes of the rules that have been created by our religious leaders? Is our relationship with God just a way of making Him happy with us so that we can physically escape this place one day? Maybe God and His kingdom is right in front of us and we don’t recognize either one, because the images (substance and evidence) that have been burned in our mind for so many years, have created a faith for the wrong kingdom and a wrong God.
That could explain why being a Christian doesn’t affect the way many people live every-day life and why Christians struggle with divorce, drugs, alcohol, fear, and anxiety at the same rate as non-Christians. In many ways, Christianity has become religion just like Judaism, in the time of Jesus.
That’s why, in this journey of life…..
We must know our destination to recognize it when we arrive. We must have the correct image of God and His kingdom to have the faith to cross and inherit our promises when we stand at the very edge.
WE MUST TALK ABOUT HEAVEN, HELL, AND THE RAPTURE!
Bill
Please join me in this discussion – FROM EGYPT TO THE PROMISED LAND, A journey from religion to life. Make sure that you never miss a post. Sign up to have my my free blog delivered directly to your email.