How Do You View God?

Posted on July 30, 2023

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1 Kings 3:5-12

Psalm 119:129-136

Romans 8:26-39

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

I have found that in being a pastor, often in conversation the topic of God and religion may come up. I also find it interesting to hear the views of some people on how they view God. Some claim not to believe at all. Some will just respectfully listen to you about your history and why you believe what you believe but will not divulge too much about themselves though. Then there are those who may believe in God but also have their own opinions of his character and who he is. There are even different denominations or cults that have their own views about God. Different religions or faiths that have their own views of how God should be worshipped. Some even have views about what day or days of the week that God should be worshipped. Many also have a different understanding or view about God’s relationship with humanity. Many unfortunately will be proven to be wrong. I say that because there can only be one truth about who God is and how he relates to his creation. Just because one feels that God should be or is a certain way does not mean that he really is. The same goes for how we perceive people. Just because we may feel that someone may or may not be a good person does not mean that they are or not. The proof is in the pudding if you will.

So, if there are so many different views and feeling about God then how do we sift through the garbage ones and get to the truth? The truth is found only in his Word. The Word cannot be tampered with nor the truth be manipulated though many try to do just that by taking his Word out of context and meaning. However, I have found many a time that I felt one way or had a certain view only to be enlightened to the real truth later through the reading of scripture. The Holy Scriptures will always keep you honest when you are treading off the path. I cannot deny its truth therefore if I am wrong about something I just have to accept that I am wrong because God on the other hand is always right.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 13 a description of heaven and how God works by the use of parables. Jesus gives us several different descriptions for us to compare the kingdom of heaven and how God will treat and judge his people. The first is the parable of the mustard seed. The tiniest of seeds contains all of the information needed to grow into a large tree or bush that is large enough to even shelter birds. The next parable is very similar to the mustard seed where as a small amount of yeast is mixed in with flour and worked in with a dough mixture to the point that the entire mixture is transformed into a leavened bread dough mixture. In this instance of describing heaven, Jesus is talking about himself. This comparison is exactly what he, one man does for us. For he is the God man who gives of himself for all and his one single act in history spreads in growth to encompass all of creation an provide shelter to all. He is like the yeast worked in the flour that transforms it entirely. Jesus’ love is just like that yeast in that it works itself through the entire body and spirit and transforms us into a new creation.

Now verses 44-46 talk about the treasure in the field and the pearl. Jesus compares heaven like that of a hidden treasure or a merchant seeking a precious pearl. In both instances everything is given up for that precious treasure or pearl of value. There is more value in this treasure or this pearl than all of one’s possessions and it is worth it to these people to give up everything they have for the value of this treasure and this pearl. Heaven is like this in that God is like the man who found the treasure or the merchant that found the pearl. God gave up everything for this treasure of value. What then does God find to be a treasure of value? He sees us, his creation to be of so much value that he is willing to sacrifice everything for us. In thinking about this, what is it about you and I really that he would find so valuable with all of our imperfections. Yet this is how he sees us. This is the character of God with his creation.

The next parable is a bit more difficult to hear. It is the harsh truth about humanity before a righteous and Holy God. This is a comparison of a fisherman casting out his net. When he pulls his net back in, he then must separate the good fish from the bad fish. Most people in the world who hear about these parables have no problem hearing about the mustard seed or the treasure or the pearl. This is everything that one could hope for in the character of God and who he is or what heaven is like. However, the parable of the net is different. This one points out the fact that there is such a thing as good fish and bad fish, or good people and bad people. We all know that this is the case in the world. We can see all over the place good and bad people and we have no problem with this when we ourselves are the ones judging who is good and who is bad. However, when it is someone else judging, when it is God judging, then we don’t care for that so much. What if God judges us as one of the bad fish or one of our loved ones and friends as the bad fish. No, we don’t like to think about that. Therefore, it is for this reason that does not make us feel good that many will ignore this truth and decide for themselves that this part must be wrong we feel that God should actually just accept everyone regardless of what they believe or how they live. However, just because we feel that things should be a certain way does not change the reality of how things really are. There will be some who will be thrown out because they are bad and choose to stay bad, and then there are those who will be saved because though they are bad, they choose to be good and choose to allow the yeast to be worked through them to make them into something good.

What is required of us is to seek to please God rather than ourselves. God gave Solomon an opportunity like none other. God chose Solomon out of all of David’s children, the one born from the woman whom David sinned with and whose husband he had murdered. Yet he was chosen to lead Israel after David’s death. God gave Solomon the opportunity to ask for whatever he desired and it would be given to him. Solomon could have asked for anything, riches, women, immortality, anything he desired. However, Solomon chose to ask what would please God rather than what would please himself. I think Solomon felt the weight of his new responsibility and had no idea how he, one man, was to lead an entire nation of people. Therefore, Solomon asks for wisdom to be able to lead the people whom he has now been made responsible over. This request pleased God and Solomon’s request was granted and he also granted Solomon everything that he did not but could have asked for. All of this because he sought to please the Lord over pleasing himself.

What if we all sought for what Solomon sought after? Rather than seeking to satisfy our own feelings of who God should be, if we sought to accept God for the truth of who he is. So, I ask this morning, how do you view God? Do you view him from how you would like to view him or how you wish he would be, or do you view him as how he is and how scripture reveals him to be? There is only one absolute truth of who God is and that is found only in what is revealed in his Word. Will you accept his Word for as it is and be like the fish that is kept or will you follow your own feelings of how you think he should be and be like the fish that is thrown away into the fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth? The choice is yours to make.