20. Three Pictures of God
The three dimensions of the truth cube and the light radiating from the cube, help us see different aspects of God's character. When we turn to the Bible to highlight passages where these traits are described most clearly, it is interesting to note the order of God's revelation:
- The Bible first introduces God as mighty and powerful (Technical Truth).
- Next, Scripture introduces us to God as a holy God (Moral Truth).
- Thirdly, the Bible introduces God as a compassionate, loving, merciful God (Subjective Truth).
- Finally, in the life of Christ, as the One who lives and lays down his life for others (Transformative Truth).
Truth in Balance
In our ministries and churches we have to take care to portray God’s character in a way that is true to the message of Scripture—as the faithful have done through the centuries. God is, and should be introduced as:
- Majestic
- Moral (holy)
- Merciful
He is also a God who transforms our lives. If it is helpful to keep using the letter “M”—his presence both Mortifies and brings about Metamorphosis.
The Postmodern Distortion of Love
Have you noticed how, these days, when people talk about God, they almost always start with his love? It is true, God is love, but there are two real problems:
- Love is often the only trait they talk about.
- God’s love is sold as a blend of a doting grandparent’s cooing, and a starry-eyed teenage crush—sweet, safe, and spineless—rather than the merciful, transformative compassion the Bible testifies to.
When God’s love is stripped of God’s holiness, his majesty, his justice, his call to transformation—it stops being real love. It turns into shallow, sloppy sentimentality. And that version of love can’t hold up. If someone’s impression of God is a “you-do-you” acceptance, what happens when things don’t go their way, when life gets tough? Faith that’s built on a one-dimensional, cosmic thumbs-up from God can’t stand up to real life. When life crumbles around these people, so does their trust in God.
That’s why a constant blast of "God loves you!" without any real depth often backfires—not because it’s totally untrue, but because it’s woefully incomplete. If we don’t talk about his holiness and the way he actually transforms us, we’re offering people a half-truth that sets them up for serious disappointment and certain failure.
So, let’s go deeper and always remember the Biblical backdrop to God’s love: his mighty power and unapproachable holiness. Let’s talk about God’s love more accurately—as both merciful and just, welcoming and transforming—the kind of love that meets us wherever we are but refuses to leave us there.
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