The What? of God

There is a lot of confusion in the world about God. And confusion about God is necessarily a bad thing. I recognize that fact, and yet I am afraid that I often add to the confusion. I make pronouncements about God in writing, on line, while teaching and even in conversation, and as clear as I believe that I am in my mind, I am sure that what I communicate is not as understood.

For one thing, there is nothing confusing about God. He is completely consistent in every way. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. There is no shadow of turning in him. That means that what was true about God is true about God. What is confusing about that?

We get confused, I believe, when we begin to listen to what people say about God, rather than what God says about himself. With the end of eliminating some misconceptions and easing confusion, I propose the following thoughts.

• The will of God is to make the world a better place. Jesus came to do his Father's will and also said that he was on earth to seek and save the lost. He encouraged his followers to treat everyone fairly and the same. He emphasized the Great Commandment, also known as the Golden Rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
• The work of God is to fulfill the will of God. This means that even as Jesus was about doing 'his Father's business,' we should be participating in it as well. It would do us all well to love mercy, do justice and walk humbly before God.
• The word of God is contained in the Bible, but that does not mean that he no longer speaks. God speaks on a daily basis to those who are willing to hear him. We violate God's word when we do not listen to or for his voice at all, or when we listen only to what he has said in the past. (Please note: I do not believe that God ever speaks against what is revealed in the Bible. If you hear from God, be sure to compare that message for consistency with the Bible.)
• The way of God is a conscious lifestyle, not a once-a-week meeting. Living God's way should have an effect on everything that you do every moment of every day. The way of God is a constant, regular decision to do what Jesus would do no matter what the consequences.