God’s Perfecting Relationship | Bible Study Notes

I. In my last lesson I discussed several warped views of God

A. Some see God as the Father who is never satisfied.

Displeased no matter how hard we try or how much we want to please Him.
They see God as someone who is constantly disappointed that we have not lived up to what He wanted us to be and though He may save us, He’ll constantly remind us that we could have done much better if only we’d tried a little harder.

B. Some see God as the vengeful judge who is just waiting for us to mess up so He can hold it against us in judgment.

His main purpose is to accumulate a list of sins for judgment.
When they serve Him, it is out of fear of punishment.
They would rather indulge in sin but fear that such blatant disregard of His will would bring His wrath upon them.
Therefore, they sneak around like rebellious teenagers and hope that they will get a reprimand rather than His full wrath.
They have no relationship with God, only an awareness of His overreaching rule.

C. Some see God as a family or national God who doesn’t make demands on them, wishes they would live better but won’t hold their sins against them eternally, and is only involved in their lives on special occasions.

D. As we demonstrated then, these are all warped and idolatrous views of God.

Our God is a loving father who knows that we are not perfect, but wants to perfect us so that we may be more like His Son Jesus
Our God portrays Himself as a judge but a righteous one who is merciful when we repent and even gave His Son as a sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sin so we can be free.
He does not want us to consider Him a distant family or national God who we call upon during celebrations or emergency but the daily center of our lives.
God is a very personal being who wants us to be holy and like Jesus because that is when we are at our best, how we glorify Him and honor our life, and achieve what we were created to be.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 – “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
- Ephesians 2:4-10 – God delights in us as His workmanship created for glory
- Titus 2:11-14 – Summary of the Christian life

II. Resisting God’s Commands

A. As Ephesians and Titus explained, and the thought is throughout the New Testament, the Christian is in a relationship with God where He is perfecting us because He loves us.

Some rebel against God’s restrictions but they are given to direct, protect, and develop our character and being.
- Proverbs 5:7-14

The chapter begins with a warning to a young man to avoid the unstable and lustful woman who seems charming but relations with her will end in physical and spiritual ruin.

He ends the chapter with a strong admonition to be faithful to one’s wife and to develop a strong bond with her for a joyful and contented life and being right in God’s sight.

But in this reading, he warns the young man that he fought against this teaching and came to the brink, or edge, of ruin because of his lust and stubbornness against God’s wisdom. READ

Proverbs 20:1; 23:19-21, 29-35

These verses accurately and vividly describe the foolishness of drinking and drunkenness and the shameful behavior and poor judgment associated with the lifestyle.

Yet Christians may rebel against God’s warnings when these warning are given to save us and our loved ones a lot of heartache and allow us to escape sad consequences from foolish decisions.

We could go on but there are many commands God gives to direct, protect, and develop our lives in a good way and prevent unnecessary heartache and pain.

B. We need to change our perspective

If we consider God to be an unsatisfied Father or vengeful judge we will resist or rebel against His commands because we have no relationship with Him but will distance ourselves because we fear His displeasure or judgment.
But if view God as a loving Father and a merciful judge, we should want to do all that He commands knowing He wants us to be our best, give us a live with joy and purpose, and want to show gratitude for the mercy in judgment through the sacrifice of His Son.

C. As I said a few moments ago, one theme of the New Testament is the Christian is in a relationship with God where He is perfecting us because He loves us.

When we think about this relationship in parallel with close loving relationships on earth, it helps us to understand this transcending relationship.
- God portrays His relationship to His people in such close relationships:

Husband and wife: Ephesians 5:22-32 – Really about Christ/church

Father and child: 1 John 3:1-3

Think of your closest relationships that bring out the best in you: loving parents you admire and respect for their lives and care for you; a spouse, a best friend…
Now think of having the same relationship with God on a deeper level: extremely personal, personally vulnerable, and complete trust that He truly loves you, proved by sacrificing Jesus, will never turn His back on you, and will be there for all time.

D. When we develop this deep and intimate personal relationship with God, our attitude towards commands that demand we change our behavior are seen in a different perspective.

The author J.I. Packer (” Knowing God”) describes the process of knowing God as that of knowing any person with their complexity. We only truly know them as they allow themselves to be known. We can be friendly, open, and attentive but they can keep much from us. When we realize how much God has opened Himself to us it is humbling and inviting. He describe the process of being acquainted with God through the testimony of others and early exposure to God’s word.
As we study more deeply we realize God is speaking to us directly and wants to bring us into His association. Then we realize that God talks to us about our sin, guilt, weakness, blindness, and foolishness such that we realize how helpless and hopeless we are and cry for forgiveness. What is profound about this though is that we often think about it from the perspective of a holy God who is chiding and scolding us because of our failings and frailties and is warning us to change or be punished.
However, another perspective worthy of considering is that of a spouse who desires a closer, more intimate, relationship with their mate and calls out habits and behaviors that inhibit that from developing. The spouse wants what is best for their mate and sees how these failings will be something the mate regrets in the future, will cause unnecessary heartache, and will inhibit them from enjoying their personal and relational potential and the joys, peace, and satisfaction that can come from it. In a healthy and non-manipulative relationship, the spouse does not reveal the shortcomings to shame their mate but to expose them so the mate can overcome them for the good of the mate, spouse, and family.
Many fathers and mothers have developed a deep, strong, and meaningful relationship with their children because a loving spouse pointed out behaviors that were dispiriting, discouraging, and driving the children away from an intimate relationship with the parent.
Likewise, God reveals the ugliness of our sin because He knows that it will alienate us from ourselves, inhibit our potential as His creation, and keep us from knowing Him and being known by Him.

III. Conclusion

A. Destroy the false and weak idols of God and don’t go through the motions of obedience when it agrees with your desires, giving minimal effort in service, and offering trite shallow prayers.

B. Spend time reading God’s word, reflecting on its message, and have intimate conversations in prayer with a God who desires a deep personal relationship with you.

Recognize that He wants what’s best for you, even if it is not what the unspiritual rebellious world says will bring happiness.
Remember that you are His workmanship to glorify Him through good works and, in the process, you find the joy, peace, contentment, meaning, and purpose that only comes through a close relationship with Him.