Still Not a Man
by paulpaino
It’s not a new thought, but it’s true – opinions are like butts. Everybody has one, and they (usually) always stink.
By definition I could probably fit into the category of “another-idiot-with-a-blog” so as such, I’ve kept my nose out of the controversy that is Rob Bell.
I can’t tell you what Rob believes, but I don’t think he has made a Universalist plunge. However, I do think he is asking some tough questions, and as a result, is receiving some tough criticism. I’m not trying to defend Rob, nor am I going to tear him apart and recommend nobody read his book and discredit him as a pastor or Christian.
Here’s what I know…
- God created all of this out of nothing – something no scientist in all of history has ever been able to accomplish
- God loves and IS love, and sacrificed his son in order for us to have the opportunity to spend eternity with Him.
- Because of that, we have access to this thing called “Salvation.”
- What we do here on earth, in this life, really matters.
Here’s what I’m wrestling with…
- I know God is both a) faithful and b) relentless (see 2 Timothy 2:13)
- If we, as human beings, born and destined to battle with sin for our entire lives, choose to reject God’s love, would He – being a gentleman – allow His creation to deny his love? I think so…
And here’s what I’m settling on…
- For us to begin to speculate about what God will/won’t/could/couldn’t/should/shouldn’t do is dangerous business
Once we start doing that, we are attempting to put God in a box.
This box makes it easy for us to comprehend God, to predict what He is going to do, and – in some way – find out how He feels on topics so that we can align ourselves with his obviously right-leaning tendencies.
But God is bigger than that.
He’s not white.
Not a Man.
Not on a Cloud somewhere.
It’s doubtful He has a beard.
He’s not a Republican.
Or a Democrat.
or an American.
He loves me,
and you,
and Rob Bell,
and the millions of people He created that have never heard the words “Jesus Christ” uttered. Ever.
He cares about how we treat the world He created because – after all – how we treat the creation reflects how we feel about the creator.
We can define Him by His word, the Bible, but we can never afford to attempt to predict Him by our standards, by our reasoning, or by our prejudices.
He loves. He is love.
God is a gentleman.
Being careful to not be so careful,
Paul
Word.