They Don't Have a Relationship With God!?
Have you ever heard the phrase from a Christian, “I don’t think so and so has a relationship with God.”? This is typically seen in all areas of pop-culture. Whether we are talking about, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Madonna….shall I go on? You hear some Christians say, “they don’t have a relationship with God.” Perhaps you hear this same conversation within your family or friends regarding other family and friends. After wrapping up my message for this Sunday, God really got my wheels spinning as I sat in my office late at night for an hour in the dark (12am-1am). Yes…my favorite scripture on prayer is “be still and know that I am God.” It is during those times in the dark in my office that I feel God really speaks to me. I have come to realize that this statement “he/she doesn’t have a relationship with God” does in fact annoy me and comes off quite judgemental. Let me explain…whether someone knows it or not everyone has a relationship with God…EVERYONE!! We (Christians) are so quick to put on pictures, mugs, shirts, etc. the verse in Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you……” Does this verse not indicate that God does have a relationship with everyone? What about the woman at the well in the Bible? Before that scenario even played out I am quite confident that God had a relationship with her. What about the drug addict coming off an all night binge crying out to God? God still has a relationship with him/her and whether they know it or not…they have one with him. How about the gay person completely cut off from family, friends, and church where people are now saying “they don’t have a relationship with Christ anymore” and now they are crying out to God? Yep…God still has a relationship with them and whether they know it or not…they still have a relationship with God.
Perhaps some of these relationships are fractured or completely destroyed but the good news is that it can be repaired. If in fact God made us (which I think we would all agree)…then why would we make an ignorant comment like, “That person does not have a relationship with God.” When at any point in a person’s existence does God cut us off from a relationship with him? If my son, James grew up and completely disliked me and wanted nothing to do with me…we would still have a relationship. It might be fractured but always repairable. It might be distant but when he/me is ready to reconcile…we are there.
This blog does not mean I am Universalist. I believe in Salvation and the need for it which I will talk about more this Sunday at church. However, when I am at a traditional church service and the speaker says, “Friend (typical way to begin altar calls) God desires a relationship with you.” I will now want to tell that speaker…he already does. This guy might be the same one who tells people “I am taking God to Africa this summer on a mission’s trip.” Guess what? God is already there…you may help in providing a message but there is also a good chance you will botch things up.
I am so glad I am passionately pursued by a God who never breaks relationship with us. That I love a God that is always ready to love me know matter what I have done or will do. I am so glad those who may not know God that well still have a relationship with him. It doesn't matter when they call out….God loves us because he created us and not only desires but has a relationship with us.
Great Post!
ReplyDeleteI am also glad that God passionately pursued me, and still does and never gives up. I am btw a Christian Universalist, yet I still believe in ministering to reach those who God leads me to. This is a broken world and we all have our own personal assignments and people we are to change/effect with the Love of Christ in us.
A lot of times Christians are to busy looking at the outward man and never understand that God sees the heart. We assume what a person knows or does not know based strictly on the outer appearance.
It is wonderful to know that God does not judge the way man does, and he is truly with us all.
God bless you!
Bob, I agree with you to an extent. I see the comparison you use with the relationship you have with your son (in that context I couldnt agree with you more). But in the context of being Gods son/daughter we would need to be adopted into His family first(ie having Jesus as your Lord and Savior, having the Holy Spirit living in you). God knows 'all' of His creations and is ready to have a personal relationship with them at any given time, but until they do that that personal relationship isnt there. And without His spirit living in them they do not see Him as who He really is and His ways are foolish to them.
ReplyDeleteI think alot Christians take the idea of a relationship with God out of context (ie judging them of having or not having a relationship with God based on their looks..etc), but to say that we all have a relationship with Him based on His Omnipresent and that He is all knowing is stretching it in my opinion. We have to decided to have a relationship with Him. That relationship is not automatic based on the fact that He knows us. Just my two cents worth.
His Blessings,
Jack Mortifi-Cation
I like this post and agree.
ReplyDeleteIn reply to "Jack". All children at some stage of there lives have had and do have a relationship with God, If this were not so any child that died without recieving their salvation by faith would go to hell as the sinful environment that they were born into would keep them from any hope of relating to God .
Romans 7:9
I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
People are greatly influenced by their environment and upbringing and because of this many of those relationships have been from a distance and unrecognised by the ones in question. I call these people "Gods stolen children" It is not a question of Relationship, It is one of Fellowship!
I am not a Universalist as there is a judgment and a hell, Jesus spoke very strongly about these things and some people WILL go there but they will go against Gods plan and desire.
Jesus is the Savior of all mankind Esspecialy those that believe and wants all men to receive his free gift, not holding their sins againts them.
We have a relationship with Him, we have to Decide to have Fellowship with Him.
Doubt,Greed,pride,gluttony,lazyness,religion,rebelion,
lawlessness and selfcentredness ETC, are what will send people to the Lake of fire,Gehenna at the end of the age after they have been judged by our Just Rightious and Holy God acording to their works.
These are the sins of Sodom.
Ezekiel 16:49
Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
Jack, There's a difference between all people having a relationship with God and being a "Christian". I knew God long before I ever knew what a Christian even was. I wasn't born a Christian, I was born a human who had a desire to know the Creator.. it was later that I learned about Jesus and all about his life and ministry of reconciliation. When I learned about Jesus it was new to my head.. but in my heart I always seemed to already know him. Paul had a relationship with God, even while killing Christians. When he heard the voice he KNEW it was Jesus, he called him Lord. But the relationship was always there. However, when people begin to really participate in that relationship they see a big difference. But I don't think that means they didn't have the relationship to begin with. Bob brought up an excellent point, He knew us when we were in our mothers wombs. or did he not know us in our mothers wombs? We were created in Christ before the foundation of the world.. or weren't we? God created man in his own image... or didn't he? I think it's quite naive to think God doesn't have a relationship with people just because they didn't perform some Christian XYZ prayer or get baptized.
ReplyDeleteThis is FANTASTIC. I JUST started reading your blog, and it is EXACTLY how I feel about church and modern Christianity. So glad to know that a pastor feels the same way- I've had to fight some of this stuff myself.
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