ICS Daily Devotions
An Accurate View of God
Luke 15:18-24 (NKJV) I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
There has been much debate about God and His sovereignty. While some people may not deny the sovereignty of God, they will falsely assume that God can do whatever He likes, including what we deem as evil and basically anything that we can’t comprehend or explain. It conveys a very temperamental, unpredictable, and almost unstable God who is eager to witness the suffering of His creation, or a mean, merciless, and calculative God. The context of this parable, with regards to how both sons behaved, is probably the best illustration of how God extends grace to every one of us, whether we have an attitude like the older brother or have sinned against Him like the younger brother.
Often, the sovereignty of God seems to be the only way to help our friends or us to come to terms with the afflictions, tribulations and sufferings that prevail, but in doing so, it actually breeds resentment within us and others, and creates a distorted view of God, who is unapproachable, judgemental, ready to punish and torment. If we are not careful, we will also act and behave similarly to how we see God, out of our bitterness, resentment and entitlement. This is why today’s society lacks graciousness, love, compassion and mercy.
Therefore, we need to get an accurate view of God. Everything that Jesus has said as recorded in the Bible is exactly what God the Father wants us to know about Him, what He wants us to learn and to put into practice in our lives. Because the triune God is one, there is no conflict regarding who God is through the work and ministry of Jesus Christ found in the Gospel.
John 5:19 (NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
Sermon Series: Extending Grace
