What a great post by Dr. C. Baxter Kruger on his latest blog post at www.baxterkruger.blogspot.com concerning "two Gods." These two are the god created in the mind of St. Augustine ( 'Father of the RCC' ) and the true God of the Bible. Let's look at the differences.
Augustine's god, which most all of Western Christian philosophical theology embraces says the following:
God is Separated from us and distant "up" there somewhere.
He is angry at us.
We live under His wrath and anger against us personally
HE is Judgemental
He is condemning
He is retributive
He punishes
We are not his until we accept him and believe
Sin cuts us off from God
He is legalistic
He deals in rewards and punishment
He has a torturing hell fire for those who won't love him back and believe.
Man is not adopted, accepted and included in the life of God.
Man could never do enough to please this god.
There is more, but you get the picture.
Now for the true Great Triune God of the Bible.
He is LOVE
He is all FORGIVING
He is MERCIFUL AND FULL OF GRACE FOR ALL
He , in Jesus, ADOPTED US AND INCLUDED US ALL IN HIS LIFE BEFORE CREATION
He is NOT LEGALISTIC
He is NOT RETRIBUTIVE
He does NOT PUNISH US FOR OUR MISTAKES AND SINS---HE FORGIVES
He ACCEPTS US ALL IN JESUS, REGARDLESS OF OUR SINS AND IMPERFECTIONS
He LOVES US AND LIKES US
He WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER WITH US IN HIS LIFE
He ALREADY HAS BLESSED MAN WITH EVERY HEAVENLY BLESSING IN JESUS CHRIST
He is NOT DISTANT AND SEPARATED FROM US BUT LIVES IN ALL HUMANS ( Jn.14:20)
Sin does NOT CUT US OFF FROM THE FATHER, HE FORGIVES SIN AND LOVES US STILL
He is GOOD
He is PATIENT
He is KIND
He is GENTLE
He is MEEK
He loves us all so much that He declares EVERYTHING JESUS IS...TO US ALL !!!
Two Gods. One false. One True. Which one do you like? Which one do you wish to be with forever? This is a NO-BRAINER.
It is a wonder that the Church in the West has been able to exist as long as it has under the wrong philosophy of Augustine. The Good News ISN'T. Religion is suffocating. May the true God of the Bible emerge in the thinking of all in the days to come.
Paul Kurts
www.newlifewcg.org
Madison, ALabama
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5 comments:
Baxters blog was right on target. I still have questions. However, what you have written is so true. I take personal responsibility for everything I say - even if I don't like it. WELL - I try to! My point being - there are moments in my life (moments during any given day) wherein I feel like the guy that said, ""Not even God himself could sink this ship." - Employee of the White Star Line. He and I are/were both wrong in our thinking, actions and words that were eventually uttered aloud. I will try and keep myself more honest (with myself) - knowing full well that God loves me far more than my pettness of thought, action or ill will of others.
Blessed by you, Bill
Thanks, Bill. Our perception of ourselves is NOT what we see, but what God sees.!!! Our view is clouded by old paradigms and Augustinian thinking which allows Satan all kinds of opportunity to accuse and condemn us in his thinking which in sumperimposed on us. the Truth is , We are all children of God, loved, forgiven, adopted, and included in the life of God forever. Jesus said so,and made it happen. The End.
Paul
I am just a bit concerned that this is the Holywood movie, feel good version of God. I don't think Baxter is getting rid of hell and divine dissaproval quite. Rather he is emphasizing the positive. Yes God's love is universal and unmerited but I think you have reduced the depth and pain and Passion of God's love by a refusal to look at the price of love, the discordancy of the love of Christ. Life is no romantic movie picture.
Actually timothya3, what I see transpiring here and in other Trinitarian, Incarnational, Christ-centered blogs and websites, is to make some serious overhauls in our thinking toward God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For too long, the omnigod has stunted our growth as chidren of God - we have been in need of some serious spirtual nutrition, some spiritual megavitamins, if you will! I don't discount evil or sin or the wrath of God, but I see them more clearly now for where they stand in His revelation. Jesus has introduced us to his Father! And a father has wrath for those things that destroy His children - and rightly so! But it the wrath of the Father for our good, not the wrath of the omnigod for our destruction.
I think it's interesting that "Paul" and "Timothy" can't agree on much here or at Baxter Kruger's blog. I love Kruger's books -- they make so much sense to me. "Paul" I actually quoted you (a comment you made in Baxter's blog) in a sermon I did recently. But when I read your blog here on the Two Gods, I am left a little confused, but in about 90% agreement. You fail to address hell at all -- and that concerns me. Where does hell fit in your theology?
What I have said in sermons is that God sends no one to hell -- people send themselves to hell -- they choose hell -- they "eternalize separation from God" (to quote Greg Boyd) in their own lives and thus are removed from the life of God. So, what do you think? Thanks for a reply.
Mike Lawrence, Lead Pastor
North Eugene Faith Center
Eugene, Oregon
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