Posted on 07/28/2015 6:25:09 AM PDT by metmom
I grew up religious and always felt that, if I could ever believe the religious stuff, I would somehow find meaning, reality and joy. Then, years later, after much agonizing doubt, I came to believe the truth that God had revealed. I finally knew the truth and believed all of it. Then I waited for the promised meaning, reality and joy—and, for a very long while, I thought I had it.
Sometimes, during those days, I had the feeling that God was saying that it was nice that I now knew the truth and even tried to live it. But I came to suspect that belief in, defense of and the promulgation of the truth to as many people as possible weren't even the point.
Are you sometimes confused about God?
Let me tell you a secret. I’m confused about God too.
The difference between you and me is that I’m not supposed to be confused. In fact, if I ever start sounding confused, people will stop listening to me and reading my books. If that happens, I could lose my job. Nevertheless, I'm confused about God and I’m confused a lot (but if you say I said that, I’ll say you lied).
I know. I don’t sound confused. I have this deep voice and, even when I’m scared, I sound like I’m not. Not only that, I know a lot more than most people about the Bible, about theology, about the church and about God. So, if you put my deep voice with my lifetime of knowledge, even if I don’t know what I’m talking about, I sound like I do. That is, I suppose, a blessing of sorts.
Don’t worry. I’m not going to become a Buddhist or anything. I’m not confused about the verities of the faith. I still believe that the Bible is true…all of it. I know Christ and I trust him alone for my salvation. I believe in the virgin birth, the physical resurrection of Christ and that he is coming back…really. I support the mission enterprise of the church and I’m still big on evangelism. I believe there are a heaven and a hell. I can repeat The Westminster Confession of Faith backwards, believing and accepting it as my standard of faith. I'm still confused.
But it doesn't matter that I'm confused. In fact, my confusion is the natural state of a real Christian. Paul put the point in the form of a rhetorical question: "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?" (Romans 11:34). The obvious answer is "Nobody…absolutely, nobody!" Isaiah said that God said, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways, My ways…For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Correct doctrine and correct theology (as important as they are) have only one purpose. The purpose is to point to him and, insofar as we can proclaim truth to others, to enable them come to him too. He is not a doctrine. The relationship between doctrine and God is the same relationship of Gray's Anatomy to the human body. It is a description of a reality. It is not the reality itself.
The Psalmist understood that when he wrote: "O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too profound for me. I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother" (Psalm 131:1-2). Are you confused about God?
Good. If you aren’t confused, then you are probably worshiping an idol. Be careful—be very careful—of those who seem to have God in their back pockets, have answers to every question and who are sure that they are right about everything. Frankly, God isn’t in anybody’s back pocket, we don’t even know the right questions much less have the answers, and nobody is right all the time.
But doesn’t the Bible say somewhere that God isn’t a God of confusion? Yes, it does in 1 Corinthians 14:33. “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace.”
But Paul was talking about worship and the confusion that was taking place in the Corinthian church. And that’s not what I’m talking…uh…well, maybe I am. Now that I think about it, that’s exactly what I’m talking about—worshiping a God who isn’t confused, even if you are. Standing before a God who really is God and knowing that you aren’t.
God ought to be very angry…but he’s not. God should have destroyed the fallen and rebellious world…but he hasn’t. God should not have come to us…but he did. God’s love should not be unconditional…but it is. God should have washed his hands of us a long time ago…but he hasn’t. Knowing your secrets and my secrets, God should have turned away…but he didn’t. The last thing God should do is to give us forgiveness, eternal life, and joy…but that’s exactly what he does.
That confuses me, but it’s a good confusion. It’s the kind of confusion that tells me that I don’t have to be right, or acceptable, or perfect, or wise, or knowledgeable, or religious, or smart, or beautiful, or great, or famous, or spiritual, or good. It’s the kind of confusion that allows me to go to him.
I don’t have to explain it or even understand it. It’s enough. Time to Draw Away
Read Romans 11:33-36 & Isaiah 55
Are you confused about God? In what ways does he confuse you? You really can trust God in the midst of your questions, confusion, uncertainty and doubt. In fact, confusion can be a good thing. It points out that God is God and we’re not. And frankly, that is a relief. We can now rest in his arms.
I so want to post this over on the rapture thread!
standing right next to you mm!
ping
You were wise not to ... voices of confusion and denial are taking over the thread, looking for a fire fight.
God is a mystery revealed a little at a time by the Holy Spirit as we eek Him out.
If we truly understood He would not be God We will discover new things about Him through all eternity He cannot be comprehended by the human mind! How great is our God
Steve is so right.
Those who arrogantly think they have God all figured out are probably worshiping their own concept of God, and have thus attempted to “put Him in a box”.
Steve isn’t talking about doctrine or (small”o”) orthodoxy here.
The supposedly non-confused arrogance Steve describes goes across the board, in all Christian groups, both traditional and non-traditional.
Our Faith demands that we love justice, show mercy, and walk humbly before Our God, not to “figure Him out, question His motives, come up with His formula, and order Him around”.
This is, of course, my humble opinion, but I agree with Steve on this one!
(He is right about his low voice though. When I need to speak with authority, I lower my voice, and people listen. Steve’s voice is the deepest bass-baritone I have ever heard! LOL!)
When I feel confused, I try to focus on Gods unchanging attributes as revealed in scripture.
He is God He does not change nor is He man that He should lie.
Amen.
He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
The confusion is our own, not God’s.
I’m confused by this article. Jesus IS the way, He IS the Truth, He IS the everlasting Life. Truth is a Person, and knowing Him, abiding in Him, having relationship with Him secures and achors me, giving no room for confusion. I am in awe of Him, but am not confused by Him. To carry around a doctrine or a theology guarantees confusion because it is rooted in human reason and opinion.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. —John 15:4
I’m curious where you imagined that comment to be cogent? Born from above is the most amazing source of Joy, from God, that we want it for everyone.
Perhaps you did not notice the caucus label.
Your posting history indicates you are a Catholic.
Is that correct?
Anyone is free to read, of course, but it’s not a matter of *not posting as a Catholic* that counts. It’s the posting if you are a Catholic.
If you are a Catholic, posting is violating the RF guidelines, and after reading your posting history, it’s apparent that you are Catholic.
Are you Catholic or not?
FWIW, if I let you on as a Catholic, then I would have no reason to not allow others on, thus negating the whole purpose of the caucus label. I could then be accused of *making it personal* by allowing some and not allowing others.
That’s not going to happen or work.
FWIW, that would work well for *ecumenical threads*.
Not according to the religion forum rules you cannot. But unlike some in the other caucus I’m not going to run to the RM or Jim and cry about it.
I am confused about God too, in so far as, I don’t know why He loved us and sent Jesus to die for us, knowing that we don’t deserve the time of day, but I am glad He did.
You have this and other threads as Protestant/Evangelical Causes. I understand the FR caucus system and why Catholics aren’t allowed to post.
I do not consider myself a Protestant.
I am a Christian. A disciple of Jesus, the Christ of God.
Can I post on these threads?
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