Few things are so distasteful to the proud human heart as the truth that God does as He pleases, without consulting with the creature; that He dispenses His favors entirely according to His imperial will. Fallen man has no claims upon Him, is destitute of any merit, and can do nothing whatever to win God’s esteem.
– A.W. Pink
1886 – 1952
Christ Alone Wyoming 
I, too, hold to all the doctrines of grace, but do I agree emphatically with this particular A.W. Pink quote? No.
Yes, God is sovereign, but He also desires relationship and partnership with us in our journeys. As in, Abraham’s interceding for Sodom.
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Larry Who:
Where in Scripture do ye find God desiring “partnership” with man? Abraham’s intercession for Lot (as his interest in Sodom) shows God revealing His justice to Abraham – not negotiating with the creature for an ever decreasing safe-guard for Sodom.
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Okay, maybe partnership is the wrong choice of words, but my word “relationship” was a correct one. And relationship suggests a two-sided affair, not just a sovereign one-sided one.
And your blowing off my example by saying it was God just “revealing His justice to Abraham” is inadequate at best. Why? Because God said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?”
Now why would God say this? Abraham was a friend of God. Once again, friendship denotes a two-sided relationship.
Okay, let’s say I’m wrong on this scripture. Then what about Amos 3:7 –
“Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”
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Hmmm – don’t recall saying God didn’t reveal His plans nor converse with humans. Only that He is God and does as He pleases, is not bound by human pleas nor subject to our desires. He is considerate of His children, and demonstrates this by telling us about Himself and His plans and promises. But we do not and cannot alter His plans nor cause Him to change His mind.
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Manfred,
“…God does as He pleases, without consulting with the creature…”
I assume we are having a game of semantics between us. But Pink’s quote states God does not consult with us creatures. And the Bible is full of His consulting with us humans. Not that He has to, but rather, because He wants to.
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Perhaps it is semantics, but words oft reveal the underlying issue.
con·sult verb a. To seek advice or information of
I agree with Pink on this. God informs. We are not His consultants. Therein lies a distinction with a difference.
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I have not found where we are commanded to have a relationship with God, but instead we are urged to be reconciled to God through His Son {We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God- 2nd Cor. 5:20}.
To reconcile means ‘katallassō’-to receive one into favour.
‘Katallasso’ is from the root word allassō, meaning – to change, to exchange one thing for another, to transform.
I think when we view God in a manner that cheapens salvation down to a mere human type relationship, we lose the reverence we must have for a Holy God. Some may put themselves on level ground with Almighty God, thinking Christ is their equal partner in this relationship they claim to have.
The word ‘relationship’ is defined as ‘a state of connectedness between people (especially an emotional connection). Being reconciled to a Holy God is more than a mere ’emotional connection’. It involves a transformed life, a complete change from the inside out. This is not at all like any relationship known to man.
I do not find in scripture where Christ commands us to have a relationship with Him; we should desire to know this amazing God who saves, we should desire a certain intimacy with Him; but we must not confuse human terminology with what the Bible actually says…’be reconciled to God’.
This humanistic relationship type of salvation that is so popular has produced Christians who run around in t-shirts stating, ‘Jesus is my Homeboy’, or ‘Jesus is my bff’.
I hope my post isn’t too muddled; it is so important not to twist a word here or there. When that happens, the narrow way Christ preached suddenly becomes broad and wide, and is no longer Christ’s teaching, but man’s. God is robbed of glory due Him, of reverence due Him. May the God of all mankind teach us His ways, may our hearts desire nothing more than to sit at the feet of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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lyn,
I cherish your post. For years, I’ve had a bad taste when I’ve heard so much “relationship theology”, but I convinced myself that “knowledge of God”, etc. would produce a good relationship. You’ve done a good thing, clarifying something for me that I’ve been too lazy or distracted to research adequately.
May the Lord bless you.
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Manfred- thank you for your kind words. May our God be glorified through each one of His children, as we strive in unity to edify one another. In doing so, we bring glory to our Father… and that is what it’s all about.
God bless you as well.
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Being reconciled to God is just the beginning. As a sinner that is where it all begins. The Lord opens our heart by the hearing of the gospel,I repent, am born again, entering in at the strait gate and am now walking on the narrow way of holiness, cross in hand following my Savior.
Is this relationship? Absolutely! Is it commanded? Just like a husband commands his wife to love him. Not. Love is never commanded, but offered.
Gods love was His choice, in Christ is His love found, and recieved by His children in faith. And as time goes by, our love deepens, and He walks with me and He talks with me and He calls me His child and I call Him Abba.
I am so in love with Him, it is nothing if it is not relationship.
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