Day 24: What Are The UnTrue Views of God?
We first develop our view of God through our earthly fathers. Sadly, many people have had fathers who did not form a positive picture of Father God. Before we move on we want to consider two false views of God that do not represent the One True God revealed through Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 3:14-15
…. I bow my knees before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,…
God is not the Sugar-Daddy Father of Candy “Love”
Some people think that God is like a “sugar-daddy” who pampers us and exists to cater to our every need. Candy “Love” is the term we chose to describe the type of love associated with this false view of God. This type of love offers someone a reward or a bribe. You can receive Candy “Love” from children by offering them a piece of candy or some other reward if they will so something in return.
Candy “Love,” however is not true love. If you use candy to bribe someone to love you, you will only be able to satisfy their “love” with more candy. The amount of Candy it takes to keep them satisfied will always keep increasing.
Unfortunately, there are those who present God as so desperate for our love that He is willing to offer all kinds of goodies (Candy) if only we would love Him back. This is a gross distortion of God’s very nature and certainly does not describe His love for us. God does not and never will stand with His hat in His hand offering anyone a reward or bribe to love Him back.
You should realize that God will never try to make a “deal” with you. God is not saying: “If only you will love me back, I will forgive all your sins, solve any problem you bring Me, make little or no demands of you in daily life, provide prosperity and health for you and yours, and then take you to a wonderful Heaven when you die.”
Genuine love does not allow us to be consumed with ourselves as Candy love does. A famous passage from the Bible states,
1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. {NET}
God does not beg, nor will He ever bribe, any person to love Him back. God knows that if He offers Candy “Love” it will always take more Candy to keep your love. And the first time God doesn’t deliver enough Candy for you, you will be ready to end the relationship. Candy “Love” lasts only as long as the candy keeps coming!
God is not the distant, Tyrant Father of Smack “Love”
Some people think of God as a distant, harsh, rule-maker who is never satisfied with us. Smack “Love” is the term we chose to describe the type of “love” this false god offers. Smack “love” is a response to a threat or fear of punishment. Simply put, Smack “Love” is the exact opposite of Candy “Love”. Promise of reward is what drives Candy “Love.” Fear of punishment is what drives Smack “Love”.
Children will be obedient if they know that disobedience will result in a smack! Adult men and women often settle for this type of love by threatening or even abusing their mates. Smack “Love” responds out of fear, but fear ultimately produces only numbness and apathy.
Sadly, some present God as a fearsome tyrant who says to you: “If you do not give Me your love, I will cause all sorts of pain into your life (disease, death of a loved one, your own death, etc.) and then I will torment you in Hell forever and forever.” This is clearly not the type of love that God is and expresses.
If you get someone to respond to you using “Smack,” you will have to keep him or her with more “Smack.” You can scare a person only so many times and for only so long. Eventually, they will simply give up and cease to care about what you might do to them. Smack “Love” eventually produces only a numb mechanical response from the one being constantly threatened and living in fear. Smack love ultimately produces hatred and despair.
Smack “Love,” a response motivated by fear, does not and cannot satisfy the heart of God. In fact, nowhere in Scripture are we told that God gets any pleasure from threatening or punishing anyone. Smack “Love” is not what God had in mind when He created and designed us as human beings. God deserves and desires your reverential awe, loving worship, and total respect not because you fear that He will smack you if you don’t, but because of who He is.
God’s love, properly understood and received, will cast out all of your fears about how He sees you, and help you see His plans for your relationship with Him now on earth and eternally when you arrive at your eternal destination. Smack “Love” cannot possibly satisfy the heart of God.
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears has not reached perfection in love.
Who is the One True God then? What kind of love does He offer us? How does He desire for you to respond to this love? We will discuss that truth tomorrow.
For now think on these questions:
What is “Candy Love”? Describe it in your own words.
What is “Smack Love”? Describe it in your own words.
Has your view of God been shaped by either of the false views that we have discussed today? Why or why not?
*You can find a complete list of all the MilktoMeat readings here.
