Discussion Board 1: Goals
e e e e e e e e e e e e e In the book The Doctrine of God, Gerald Bray starts the chapter off with
a question, “Is it possible to know God?”[1] And I must admit that for a long time, I
believed the only possible way to know God is through the worldview of the
Pentecostal church. I was raised in a Christian home that mainly taught “the
Authoritative God.” The Authoritative God is believed to be “both engaged in the
world and judgmental”[2] This knowledge of God taught me that God is engaged
in the world, but only to judge it. As I grew older, it was my belief if one did not
obey God's commandments, he or she would face damnation both here on earth
and in the afterlife. My theology of the Christian God was that He is the
boogeyman.
e e e e e e e e e e e e It was not until God himself pursued a personal relationship with me
that I realized my knowledge of God had been distorted by the teachings of the
Pentecostal doctrines and the worldview in which my parents taught the
authoritative God. Everything I taught I knew about God had to be renounced in
order for him to reveal his true character and attributes to me. Therefore, it is my
personal goal to continue to seek God so that I may come to know him as the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I also want to know God as my dad and my
friend. I would like to understand what does it actually means to suffer for Christ.
Is it true that suffering for Christ leads to a closer relationship with God? Knowing
that humans have a limited ability to understand an infinite God due to our finite
mindsets, I would like to know if it is possible to know God in every aspect of his
being. Are there aspects of God that we as humans will never understand? These
are some of my personal goals and questions that I hope to answer, but my
ultimate goal is to continue spiritually growing.
e e e e e e e e e e e I am fully aware that while I am on this journey of getting to know God,
my theological beliefs may be challenged, and I might have to go back to the
drawing board. Going back to the drawing board could very well mean I might
have to renounce and relearn everything all over again. But, for me, this is a solid
foundation for spiritual growth because, as long as I remained teachable and
humble, I can continue to grow in God by allowing myself to be open to the
revelation God chooses to reveal himself to me. All in all, by the end of this
course, I hope to have a better understanding of the existence, nature, and
attributes of the triune God.
Bray, G. The Doctrine of God. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
Froese, P. & Bader, C. America’s Four Gods. New York, NY: Oxford University Press,
2015.
[1] G. Bray, The Doctrine of God (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 13.
[2] P. Froese and C. Bader, America’s Four Gods (New York, NY: Oxford University
Press, 2015), 23.
