Unknowing God: Toward a Post-Abusive Theology

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Are you truly open to going wherever God leads you, or are you coming to God simply to get approval for your own plans? The Bible says, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” 9

Invite God to give us a new spirit and heart through His Holy Spirit | Jeremiah 24:7 ESV I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.We also come to know God by obeying Him. Jesus said, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. … You are my friends if you do what I command you. …You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another" (John 15:4, 14, 16-17). When we obey someone, we begin to understand his desires. When we obey God, we also experience the blessings He has for us because His commands are meant for our good. Abiding in God is one way we come to know Him; and when we do, our attitudes and actions will begin to reflect God's character (Matthew 12:33; Galatians 5:22-24; Ephesians 2:10).

Live godly lives | 2 Peter 1:3 ESV His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, must also understand that knowing God is not an optional part of the Christian life; it is the Christian life. Jesus said, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). The English word know in this verse is a translation of the Greek word ginosko, which, in this context, means an experiential knowing, not simply an intellectual understanding of facts about God or Jesus or the Bible. In other words, it refers to an “I-Thou” relationship. How many of these 8 billion people give more than a passing thought to the Onewho placed them here? Knowing God personally: Who is God? Try journaling as you work through each of these six principles so you can more easily see a pattern emerging. If all six principles are pointing in the same direction, prayerfully move forward, trusting God to guide you as you go. As the subtitle might suggest, the clerical sexual-abuse scandal is never far from their thoughts. But, as with other issues spotlighted in support of the case for unknowing received understandings of God “as we try to make sense of things”, some balance is sought for in their assessment of how “safeguarding” strategies have a negative impact on both accuser and accused.And then he said something to the effect of “That’s for you and your generation to handle.” I got the distinct impression that he was passing the baton. I have been running ever since. That handoff symbolized how the church always relays the faith—from one person to the next. It also had a formative influence on the eventual shape of my dissertation, my calling, and much of my subsequent work. The Gospel Coalition supports the church by providing resources that are trusted and timely, winsome and wise, and centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ.