Am I God?

Am I God?

When I insist that I am right in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, it can only mean that I AM GOD.

I see three ways to know something: direct experience, divine revelation, and investigation. If you claim to “just know” something that means that you have come by this knowledge without any of the three ways stated above. How is this possible? The only being who can just know something is God, and therefore, you are God.

Consider an issue like climate change. I have no desire to debate this topic, but what I am fascinated by is the person with no scientific background who knows “for fact” that it is a hoax. 99% of the scientists who study the phenomenon are sure that it is a real thing. The few scientists who deny it are not experts in the field. One climate change denier studied the data and concluded that the planet is warming. But you know better.

But how do you know? You haven’t “experienced” whether it is true or not. You aren’t claiming divine revelation (are you?). You surely haven’t studied the matter.  So, how do you know?

Are you God?

Furthermore, when confronted with these facts, a common conclusion seems to be that there is a vast conspiracy to perpetuate this “lie.” Consider for a moment the old adage that the simplest answer is usually true. The simplest answer is that the planet is warming, but some find it easier to believe that thousands of people are colluding to to bring about a hoax that can have no possible benefits.

Again, what you don’t realize is that the only way you can know of this conspiracy is to be God. Because you know that climate change is a hoax, the only logical explanation for its traction is a conspiracy. You now “know” that it is a conspiracy without any evidence or direct knowledge.

Now, I am assuming that if I have described you, you don’t believe that you are God. But isn’t that really what you’re saying? How can you be so certain of your positions when you haven’t studied it, and you have no evidence to the contrary?

This piece is not about climate change, I can think of a number of issues that people around me claim to “just know,” but that they really know nothing about. I am more concerned about how we approach such issues.

I only see two right ways to be in this world: be God, or be humble.

What do you really know? Are you sure? So much damage is done by people who were so sure they were in the right. Be sure or be humble. In fact, be sure and be humble.


Some wisdom to consider:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” Proverbs 3:5-6

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Proverbs 14:12

Evangelical Politics is an Ishmael, Part 2

The Evangelical church’s approach to politics is an “Ishmael.” Evangelicals got tired of waiting for God to fulfill “His” agenda, so they decided to do it for Him. Consider abortion. Didn’t this movement go from prayer and speaking out to a political movement to overturn Roe vs Wade? Was it God who spoke to Christians and said, “You must start voting for conservative politicians”?

Was it God who said, “You must pass laws that harass women who want to abort”? Did God come up with the idea to close medical clinics that perform abortions, leaving their constituents without any healthcare?

The God I know would not be pleased with forcing women to undergo invasive and unnecessary medical procedures. Transvaginal ultrasounds carry potential harm to the mother and have no legitimate medical purpose. The only purpose is the hope that the mother will see that that’s a real baby in their whose life she is ending. Requiring this procedure is an abuse of the legislative process and a textbook examples of the ends justifying the means. Is that how your God operates?

Did the idea to force clinics that perform abortions to be subject to the same rules as hospitals come from God? There is no justification for such legislation and would cause clinics to close. If the clinics close many women will lose all kinds of healthcare. It may limit abortions, but does this honor God? Does this show trust in God that He can bring justice?

“Justice” brought about by unjust means is not justice.

When God wins a victory, you know it is from God.

This is not an argument for or against abortion. This is an argument for trusting God. The end result is not the only thing that matters. How you do it matters too.

Think of the unintended consequences. Women losing health care. Women hating Christianity because in a time of distress, instead of love, they got harassment. Voting for conservatives has not gotten Roe vs. Wade overturned, but it did get us Citizens United. Now corporations are people and there is no way to limit money in politics.

Solomon also warned us that there is a way that seems right to a man, but it ends in death (Proverbs 14:12). Are you relying on your own understanding, doing what makes sense to you? Where does it end?

This is exactly what James is talking about, “You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God” (4:2). You may have asked God, but when He didn’t give it to you, you decided to go out and get it on your own. Even if you are convinced that God wants this, if you quarrel and fight to get it, you are not in his will.

So, again I ask, are you acting out of trust in God, or have you decided to do it yourself? Are you at peace? Is this an act of love (agape)? Is there joy behind it? Are you patient in your approach? Can this action be described and an act of kindness and goodness? Are you truly being faithful? Gentle? Are you under control?

The bad news it has to be all of those things to be of God.

Evangelical Politics is an Ishmael, Part 1

“An Ishmael” has become my metaphor for what happens when someone decides to do God’s work for him. In the Bible, Abraham, the most famous example of faith, was promised a son. The problem was that it would be another 10 years before that promise would be fulfilled. After waiting so long for the promise to be fulfilled, Abraham made the mistake of starting to second guess God. He essentially started to “interpret,” saying, “Maybe what God meant was…”

He finally talked himself into believing that God meant that he should have a child with Sarah’s handmaiden, Hagar, since (I presume) Sarah’s servant is essentially an extension of Sarah. The end result was difficult for everyone, especially Hagar and Ishmael, who ended up being sent away. It has also has been argued that a lot of the strife in the Middle East stems from hard feelings at the way that was handled.

The lesson of the story is that when we start “interpreting,” when we start saying, “Maybe what God meant was..,” we are headed for trouble. When we decide to take matters into our own hands there are always unintended consequences, and it is most likely that this activity will interfere with God’s actual intentions.

As Solomon once said, “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain” (Psalm 127:1). It doesn’t matter how hard YOU work, or what YOU decide to do; the results will be worse than nothing.

At its heart, “an Ishmael” comes from a lack of trust in God and His ability to accomplish His own ends.

“Ishmaels” may or may not be in line with God’s actual goals, but they are characterized by a lack of trust in the sovereignty of God and can be judged by their fruit; that is, do those behind the movement act in accordance with biblical love and are their actions consistent with the gospel of grace?

What you should ask yourself before you act is, “Did God tell you to do this?” Even if it sounds like a good thing, if you can’t honestly say it was God’s idea, perhaps you should wait.

Second, to judge whether something happening is of God, I would humbly suggest you judge it by its fruit. Are you acting out of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? (Galatians 5:22-23)” Does the action result in “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?”

If not, you may have won the battle, but you will lose the war.

Next week: Part 2