Too Casual with God

Matthew 22:34-40

‘“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets’” (Matt. 22:40, NASB).

In our Tuesday night bible studies, our pastor has been teaching on the subject, “Names of God.” He tells us that in the Bible there are several names for God. It will help us to know something about the names of God because these names of God tell us about God’s attributes and what God can do for us. Thus, knowing the names of God can help us with our prayer life and also our walk with the Lord. The names of God found in the Bible are the result from Israel’s discovery about the God that they serve. For example the word Jehovah translated “Lord” is the covenant name for God that the Lord gives to Moses on the mountain in Exodus 3:14.

The names of God help us to honor God and reverence or fear God. The benefits of reverencing God include knowledge (Prov. 1:7) and wisdom (Prov. 9:10). We live in a complex world in which there are competing ideas of what should be done in various situations. For example our government is separating children from their parents when the parents enter the United States illegally. Should our government be more concerned about law and order and national security, or should we be more concerned about the psychological and social damage that is being done to the children? Both sides are quoting scriptures to support their position, but I do not hear the competing sides calling for a joint prayer meeting to ask the Lord what He would have us to do. I believe that the main reason for this is that we have a casual relationship with God.

Before I go further let me cite some definitions of the word “casual.” “showing little interest; nonchalant,” Not serious or thorough; superficial,” Not close or intimate,” A person who receives temporary welfare relief” (The American Heritage Dictionary, [Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1982], p. 246). To me, these definitions describe a relationship in which at least one party does not take the other party seriously. In this type of relationship no party has authority over the other party. The relationship is built on the need of one party to receive benefits from the other party. The relationship is temporary. I believe that this is the type of relationship that many Christians have with God today. The use of scripture being used to support one’s position on immigration is manipulative for political reasons and this in no way honors God. In this article three reasons are given that I believe that many have only a casual relationship with God.

The first reason is unbelief. Now unbelief includes belief in God’s existence and His activity in the world. For sure, there are people that identify themselves as Christian, but they do not really believe in the existence of God. They identify themselves as Christian because there are social, political, and economic benefits to being a Christian. Membership in a Christian church is much like being a member of a sorority or a fraternity. There may be some God—talk but God really does not exist.

For many Christians God exist, but God is not active in the world. God created the world and then God went back to His place. It is up to us, human being, to work together to solve our problems. God simply is not active in the world today so I can use the scriptures to support my beliefs and guide my actions. However, there is no real power and authority in the scriptures. For these reasons there is no need to pray and seek the guidance of God in my everyday decisions.

A second reason for a casual relationship with God is ignorance. By ignorance I mean a lack of knowledge. This lack of knowledge comes from the fact that Christians are often religious, but they have not developed an intimate relationship with God. Their prayer life is lacking or non existence. They own bibles, but they do not read and study them. The scriptures have no authority. Thus God has no power and He has no authority. That God has no authority is seen in the use of the phrase “God asks” us to do this and that, instead of “God commands” us to do this and that. This is what disturbs me: In the Bible God never asks anyone to do anything. God always commands. God is the supreme and ultimate authority. Will we submit to His authority?

God is not a magician. God does not work magic in our lives when we need something from Him and we call Him. I often wonder how often do people pray to God and ask God to do something that the scriptures state that God will not do. Do we expect God to take our side in the conflict? The scriptures tell us that God judges according to righteousness. The scriptures say, “For there is no partiality with God” (Rom. 2:11, NASB; see Eph 6:9; Col. 3:25; 1 Pet. 1:17).

God is not weak and uninterested in the affairs of our lives. Do we pray and look to the Lord in times of difficulties? Are we ignorant of God’s great love for us? Have we experienced the awesome power of God in our circumstances? Do we look for answers in our prayer life and in God’s word, or do we look to social media, reality TV, news media, and other forms of information? James writes that there are quarrels and conflicts because we cannot obtain what we want. He says, “You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (Jas. 4:2-3, NASB).

The third reason for our casual relationship with God is that we lack respect for God. This reason is rooted in the previous two reasons. We do not believe God and we are ignorant concerning the things of God. Thus we do not respect God. God is not first in our lives. Our relationship to God is not primary. Our own desires and felt needs are more important to us than God’s will and plan for our life. We have other relationships that are more important to us than our relationship with God. The result is that we do not have faith in God. We do not trust God. The validity of faith and trust in God are seen in the following two scriptures. The first is found in Hebrews. It says, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (11:6, NASB). King Solomon shares his knowledge and wisdom with us when he says, “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 your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6, NASB).