God, Misrepresented

God gets very serious about what people say about him. Sentences that start with, "God thinks," or "God says," or "God is," carry a lot of weight behind them, especially when spoken by those considered to be representatives of the faith. But why is God so serious about being accurately represented? Why is an authentic and pure portrayal of who he is so important?

Because God misrepresented can quickly become an idol. 

When God is said to be "like this" and he really isn't "like that", a false image of him begins to take shape and if that image continues to be shaped and formed, an idol is created with destructive results: people may be drawn away from God and drawn into idolatry. God misrepresented is no small matter.

In one way or another, to varying extents, we've all fallen short in this area and offered to those around us an inaccurate or poor reflection of who the Lord truly is. I know I have. I confess that I have. And in one way or another, to some extent, he's likely been misrepresented to you.

We live in a society today that has running through its veins, septic cynicism and toxic unbelief. Our culture offers the promise of sophistication that will elevate us above the simpleness and hypocrisy that religion has to offer. Our experience and our observations of history have fortified that belief. The crusades, child abuse scandals, fallen preachers in the headlines, hypocrisy and judgementalism, church members living no differently than the unbelieving among them. Through history we see religious leaders placing political agendas above the call of Christ to humility and service. We read about division, hatred and murder within the hallowed halls of the sacred assembly; our history books and the media are quick to bring this to our attention.

And there are words, the harmful, poisonous words, that slither out among us proclaiming a message that Jesus never proclaimed and deviating far from the words and intents of the apostles. We are told that suffering is unnecessary, a filthy word, and that God's main concern is to make his children rich and comfortable. How the heart of Jesus must break; the heart that took on suffering for our good and to set an example for us. To put it simply, bad doctrine hurts people's faith.

God has been misrepresented. I'm afraid it's true.

Yet in spite of this faulty image that has been portrayed to many who would never dare call themselves Christians, there are those who are indeed true representatives of the kingdom and the King. His servants exist even today, living in this land. They love their God, they love one another, they love their neighbor. They are not perfect, they fail, but they are on a journey to know their God and cast down every misrepresentation of him. They may not hold center stage or receive the accolades of men, but they are out there. 

There is One who has not misrepresented who God is. His name is Jesus. I'm not talking about the inaccurate portrayal of Jesus by modern media, or by the wolves in sheep's clothing. No, I'm talking about the Jesus of Scripture, the flesh and blood Son of God who lived a perfect life. Try to find something wrong in him, and you will fail. Oh! You may find things about him you don't like. You may disagree with his teachings or even scoff at the reason for his coming. You may not understand his ways. But you'll never find anyone besides him who perfectly represents God the Father, and who loves you perfectly.

I'm sorry if God has been misrepresented to you. People may have let you down. No, let me correct that: people have let you down. But God extends his hand and offers to you himself, through Jesus. I believe he desires to show you who he really is. Are you willing to receive that invitation? Then simply ask.