Holding To An Inaccurate View Of God Could Endanger Our Faith

We may have been faithful Christians for decades, but what and how much do we know of God? For instance, the Godhead of Historic Christianity is a Trinitarian Godhead, one God who eternally exists as three distinct persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We know this fact. We do believe in the Trinity.

However, the extent of our knowledge of the blessed Trinity would determine the clarity with which we can explain this rather complicated concept to a friend who is honestly seeking God.

Knowing God is a fundamental, yet the most significant pursuit of a Christian. Charles Spurgeon in his commentary of Malachi said, "...the proper study of a Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father. There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a contemplation of the Divinity. It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity. Other subjects we can compass and grapple with; in them we feel a kind of self-content, and go our way with the thought, "Behold I am wise." But when we come to this master-science, finding that our plumb-line cannot sound its depth, and that our eagle eye cannot see its height, we turn away with the thought, that vain man would be wise, but he is like a wild ass's colt; and with the solemn exclamation, "I am but of yesterday, and know nothing." No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than thoughts of God. We shall be obliged to feel—"Great God, how infinite art thou,

What worthless worms are we!"

But while the subject humbles the mind it also expands it. He who often thinks of God, will have a larger mind than the man who simply plods around this narrow globe."1

A proper study of the Godhead is essential to the holistic wellness of a sincere Christian.

Each and every Christian is called to answer questions about our faith in God (cf. 1 Peter 3: 15). (No, this is not a demand that all Christians be Christian apologists.)

Very minimally, we will have to teach our children about our faith. If we teach with clarity, our children would comprehend clearly. In order to teach with clarity, a good knowledge of the subject is mandatory.

Knowing God properly is to possess a correct view of God. This benefits our lives.

Such a Christian life is largely peaceful. "There is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with full assurance that they have known God, and God has known them, and that this relationship guarantees God's favor to them in life, through death and on for ever," said J.I Packer in Knowing God.

On the other hand, possessing an incorrect view of God could be detrimental to our Christian life.

Is it possible to hold to an incorrect view of God? Yes, many Christians hold to an incorrect view of God.

For instance, Open Theists or Neotheists are one such Christian group.

Norman Geisler exposes Open Theism, "There is a new "kid" on the world view block called "neotheism." While claiming to be in the camp of theism, proponents of this view make several significant changes in the nature of the theistic God in the direction of process theology or panentheism. They claim, among other things, that God can change His mind and that He does not have an infallible knowledge of the future. Since a number of noted evangelical thinkers espouse neotheism, it poses a significant threat to the orthodox understanding of God. For example, if God does not know for sure what will happen in the future, then predictions in the Bible can be wrong."2

Geisler notes the points of convergence and divergence between neotheism and classical theism, "Neotheism, like classical theism, affirms many of the essential attributes of God, including infinity, necessity, ontological independence, transcendence, omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. Likewise, it shares with traditional theism the belief in ex nihilo creation and direct divine supernatural intervention in the world... On the other hand, since significant differences exist between the new theism and classical theism, neither does neotheism fit comfortably in the latter category. For example, neotheism denies God's foreknowledge of future free acts and, as a consequence, God's complete sovereignty over human events...One proponent, Clark Pinnock, correctly positioned neotheism in titling his chapter in Process Theology "Between Classical and Process Theism." Whatever it is called, this view is a serious challenge to classical theism and a serious threat to many important doctrines and practices built on that view."3

Geisler lists the following as the theological consequences of neotheism:4

Predictive Prophecy Would Be Fallible It Undermines the Test for False Prophecy It Undermines the Infallibility of the Bible It Logically Leads to Universalism God Cannot Guarantee Ultimate Victory over Evil It Is Contrary to God's Unconditional Promises It Undermines Confidence in God's Promises It Hinders Belief in God's Ability to Answer Prayer It Implies That God Would Not Know Who the Elect Are

It's quite possible that you may belong to a denomination that subscribes to Open Theism or Neotheism. Christian denominations that subscribe to Open Theism are: (1) Assemblies of God (2) Nazarenes (3) Mennonites (4) Free Will Baptists (5) Salvation Army (6) Anglicans (7) Quakers (8) Grace Believers (9) Some Baptists (10) Some independents (11) United Methodist Church (12) United Church of Christ (13) Free Methodists (14) Church of God (15) Evangelical Covenant Church.5

(Although you may belong to one of these denominations, it is not necessary for you to have an incorrect view of God. Moreover, the controversial doctrines of Open Theism cannot be termed as heretical.)

Open theism or Neotheism is a classic example that portrays the negative effects of having an incorrect view of God. If we hold to an incorrect view of God, our belief in the Bible may be severely diluted or handicapped. Our prayers could either suspect God or we may not pray at all.

It is difficult for such Christians to live a true and a successful Christian life.

The inability to live a true Christian life could jeopardize our peace. A Christian life without the peace of God could be overwhelmed with doubts about God.

Such a Christian life is pathetic, says J.I Packer in Knowing God, "Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul."

The Bible insists that a Christian should know his God, "This is what the Lord says: "Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me..." (Jeremiah 9: 23-24, NIV).

Do you know the Triune God? Is your view of the Triune God correct or incorrect?

Let's pray that we learn more about God this year and in the years to come.

Endnotes:1https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/the-immutability-of-god#flipbook/

2http://normangeisler.com/category/open-theism/neo-theism/

3Ibid.

4Ibid.

5https://godisopen.com/2015/04/03/questions-answered-what-denominations-accept-open-theism/

Websites last accessed on 29th January 2020.