Random Thoughts on a...What Day is it?

God and Sinners

I think one of the greatest mental wrestling matches is over the issue of "what God thinks of us." Regardless of one's status as "in" or "out" in religion, I think people are concerned with how a "higher power" views them. I wish Christians had the philosophical fix to offer all people, but I can't help but wonder if Christians have confounded the idea more than we've cleaned it up.

I've often taught that the perfect, glorious God could not be present in the same place as an imperfect being. That imperfect would lose that fight and cease to live. I've cited the OT for this, pointing to the moment when a priest attempted to prevent the Ark from falling to the ground by bracing it with his hand...and he was burned instantly. Then, of course, there is the issue of the high priest entering the Holy of Holies annually, having to ensure, painstakingly, that he was purified.

But then I think of certain other instances. Adam and Eve after they had their moment of teenage impetuousness. Sure, they hid from God as He took a stroll through His creation. But they had a fairly long conversation. Then He clothed Adam in Calvin Klein underwear, 7 Jeans, Toms, and Ray Bans. And He made Eve "Eve's Secret" lingerie and some fancy designer dress. (I know, that's not in there. But God made the clothes. What have we ever made that can compare to something He Himself designed. Also, there was no one named Victoria. So only Eve had a secret.) I would wager that at some point during this talking and clothing part, they were up close and personal. Yet, they lived.

Mosed, of course, saw the back of God. God had protected him from being killed as He passed, placing His Hand over Moses. Then, Moses didn't need a torch for the rest of his days. He wore a veil so he wouldn't freak out his followers. But...back side or not, He was near God. He hadn't gone through any crazy purification rituals (they didn't exist yet.) but God had allowed him to continue drawing breath.

I'm skipping all over, but Jacob wrestled God, and simply received the first recorded case of hip dysplasia. No death there.

The greatest example. Jesus, who is God, was around all kinds of sin...eventually got covered by sin...and not only was He not incinerated, He came back for round 2. I can't entirely tell you what "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" meant...mostly because I'm not attempting to tackle 2 main ideas today. So table that. (And be careful. All kinds of implications with how you handle it.)

I really only needed 1 example to create doubt, and I've given several. So onto another thought.

Is it Truth that God and a sinful being cannot encounter one another, or do I simply want it to be? Or both? Why do I want it to be Truth?

I'm sure if any who believes in God, whether you claim to follow Him or not, examines his/her life, he/she must admit that, at some point(s), he/she has been guilty of "making God into his/her own image." What I mean by that is that we understand God in a way that is easier or more functional than what may really be true.

The whole Trinitarian idea would be made much simpler if we could say that Father, Son, and Spirit are separate individuals. Many have tried to push that view over 2000 years. The problem is that it isn't scripturally supported and it diminishes God to a more human-like state. Makes Him functional and acceptable.

I wonder if we have done something like this with "sin."

For instance, the idea of God and a flawed thing being mutually exclusive is great accountability. If I'm terrified that, should I enter the presence of God anytime soon, I will be destroyed, unless I'm flawless...then I'm more likely to avoid those things I know I should avoid. (Maybe.) The problem with this fear is that Jesus took care of that issue of "flaw."

In addition to making God "acceptable," I think sometimes, we really assume He thinks or works like we do.

A short scenario: Someone encounters God and Jesus, devotes his life to Jesus, beings to learn about Jesus and God from the Bible. Over time, what was originally about being set free becomes about being perfect or pure. Holy. This pursuit of holiness develops into an aversion of sin. (Which isn't necessarily good or bad, given our sometimes liberal use of the word "sin.") Given that this someone both consumed alcohol and smoked cigarettes regularly before he joined the club, he now sees those as absolute sin. He begins to tell his friends about their sinfulness. He tells them about Jesus. Some change, some don't. He begins to reject the ones who don't. Perhaps as a desire to stay away from the things that tempt him. Not only that, he now avoids places that have large doses of people who do those "sinful" things. All of this driven by the thought process that "God would want him to avoid sin."

The real problem with this (And I've seen it a billion times. Probably you, reader who is shaking your head at me.) is that was once about avoiding sin is now about avoiding people. This person has decided that God must think like him. i.e. a person's sin and the person are the same thing. Labels matter. Smoker, drinker, adulterer, etc. Those are the identities that individuals have chosen. God, who is holy, doesn't like sin, and those people have sinful labels, therefore He must not want me around them.

Not only does God not like sin, God hates sin. He is angry at sin. Therefore He must be angry at those people. etc etc etc. And that's how Westboro Baptist Church started.

But I think God hates the hurt and destruction that sin wreaks upon Creation more than anything. I think He was/is heartbroken by sin, corruption, and rejection.

More importantly than what I think, scripture seems to point to a God who was willing to do whatever it took to wake us up from our own spirals into death. He clothed Adam and Eve, He covered Moses with His hand, He sent His son to live, die, and then live again.

I'm not sure the word hate need remain in our vocabularies. I've heard people preach "hate sin." And I understand that. I think it's helpful for some. Except that hate is a powerful thing. It is the opposite of love. Not indifference. Hate is powerful and difficult to oppose.

I can't help but wonder if some people have begun to worship the hatred of sin instead of the One who ended the effects of sin. Avoidance of the imperfect has overpowered the realization that perfection came into the midst of the dirtiness and embraced it.

All this to say that God and this sinner grow ever tighter. Because He doesn't hate me. He never did. I hope and pray that I worship the God who Is, rather than making Him into something that fits what I need right now.

P.S. I welcome all thoughts and perspectives. This was written through an ADHD haze. So I'm sure it doesn't flow logically. I don't care. Have a nice day.