Denver Seminary

It is strange how easy it is to grow up with false notions about God. Many people come to believe that God will always be an indulgent, heavenly Santa Claus to them. God relieves stress, brings deliverance, assures safety, and provides for wants. Sickness? God makes them well. Money? God gives it. Protection? God insulates. Many come to think that God is the great Superpower whose only real concern is to keep His children comfortable and happy. Of course, virtue and faith are somewhat essential to attain this bag of goodies. Such people often become disillusioned with God.

Our songs, literature, and sermons often express sentimental magnificence, but theological falsehood. It is uncommonly easy to believe and teach what we want to believe rather than face the naked, sometimes brutal, scriptural truth.

The truth is that God does not instantly and always meet all wants or needs of Christians. Such thinking about God is incorrect. We must surrender such erroneous notions. God is not a cosmic nursemaid who can be manipulated to keep us comfortable and happy. Like the apostle Paul and innumerable others, we must learn to live with deprivation and necessity, crucial ingredients in God’s design. The true Christian teaching is: “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). We must refuse to be deluded into thinking that life here and now is the wonderful life. The wonderful life is the one to come after this one is over. Now we see “but a poor reflection” of reality (1 Corinthians 13:12), but God is in control.