Why the Right Perspective of God Matters
Have you ever heard a story about a person that ended up changing the way you perceived that person from the moment you heard the story?
Someone might say, “Oh, this person is an introvert”, and you instantly begin to perceive them as an introvert. Maybe someone says, “I don’t trust him/her“, and you begin to unconsciously look at that person from a perspective of mistrust.
How we treat people many times depends on how we perceive them. And, how we perceive God will definitely determine how we relate to Him.
Know God for Yourself: He Wants a Genuine Relationship With Us
God wants a real relationship with us where we get to know Him for who He is. But, many have preconceived notions about God that are not true.
Has someone told you about a bad experience in church that left a bad taste in your mouth for God? Did someone tell you that God isn’t real, or that He doesn’t answer prayer? As a result, it can be hard for you to understand God or to know God as a Father and Friend.
There are those who believe or have been taught that God is harsh and He expects you to be perfect – this idea of God is false!
God showed His deep love for us even without us asking Him to, all while we were yet sinners and imperfect (Romans 5:8). You don’t have to be perfect to have an intimate relationship with the Father. He accepts us when we come to Him, and through His Son’s death on the cross, God works with us to bring out the best in us.
Honor God With Boldness, Not Fear
There are also those who are of the perspective that God is sovereign and He can do whatever He wants and so they have an unhealthy fear of God. Don’t get me wrong – God requires reverence – but He doesn’t want us to fear Him, but to give Him the honor that He deserves.
When you fear someone, it is difficult to be close to them or have an intimate relationship with them. God does not want us to be afraid of Him. His nature is love and He wants the best for us.
1 Corinthians 13:7 declares that love is not self-seeking. God is love. He takes pleasure in your prosperity and giving us good gifts. If you are afraid of God, it means that you have not been perfected in His love because perfect love casts out fear.
God is sovereign, yes, but He doesn’t control everything. For example, if a person rejects Christ, God will not force them to accept Him. You have free will. The Bible says in Psalms 115:16, “The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to mankind.”
So, what’s the play call?
Let’s get the right perspective of God through personal study of the Word of God. The Word describes who God is, how He sees us, and how He wants us to have a relationship with Him.
There is no greater authority on God than His Word – “…in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Let us allow the Holy Spirit to reveal who God is to us because The Holy Spirit reveals all truth (John 16:13).
