Life Reconstruction
Developing an accurate concept of God . . .
one thought at a time
Pick a God – Belief-O-Matic
What is the number and nature of the deity (God, gods,
higher power)?
1. Only one God—a spirit, supreme, personal God
Almighty, the Creator.
2. Multiple personal gods (or goddesses) regarded as
facets of one God, and/or as separate gods.
3. The supreme force is the impersonal Ultimate Reality (or
life force, ultimate truth, cosmic order, absolute bliss,
universal soul), which resides within and/or beyond all.
4. The supreme existence is both the eternal, impersonal,
formless Ultimate Reality, and personal God (or gods).
5. No God or supreme force.
6. Not sure. Or not important.
7. None of the above.
Genesis 3:1-7
E
God is good and loves me. I’ll
continue to trust Him.
Core beliefs and behavior
D
God has our best interests at heart.
He’s protecting us from something terrible.
conclusions
C
He said we could eat of any of the fruit except this one.
He said we’d die if we ate of this one.
thoughts
A
Fruit?
B Sounds good and looks good
stimulus
C
God said we can’t touch it. He’s mean and restrictive.
Thoughts
D
God must be holding out on me. Maybe he’s
not really good and loving.
Conclusions
E
I’ll eat this and get what God has
been denying me.
Core beliefs and behavior
Conscious
Concept of God
Omnipotent, omnipresent, Loving = Bible concepts
– but hard to understand or to get an answer from.
I don’t live with much conscious awareness of God.
“My agenda is most important to me and I expect God to help.”
Subconscious
hopeful
Concept of God
A ‘god’ who is nice, Will overlook or tolerate
my misbehavior. ‘God’s’ job is to make my
life smooth and happy, protect and rescue.
Subconscious
dreaded
Concept of God
Holy, wrathful ‘God’ who is watching my
every move and will punish every sin. He’s
a hard taskmaster I can never please.
Subconscious
Concept of God
A ‘god’ who isn't very involved in
the world, allows unfair pain/suffering,
not very interested in me.
Your Interpretation
Source:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Parents
Childhood church experiences
Friends, acquaintances
Life’s hardships and tragedies
Beliefs about God in our Culture, books, movies, world
Conscious
Concept of God
Subconscious
hopeful
realistic
Concept of God
Omnipotent,
Bible concepts
By my faith inomnipresent,
Jesus Christ,Loving
God is=my
–
but hardFather
to understand
to get
anthe
answer from.
Heavenly
and I amorfilled
with
IHoly
don’tSpirit.
live with
of God.
It’s much
not allconscious
about me,awareness
my life
My
agenda
most
to me and I expect God to help.
is all
about is
Him
andimportant
His agenda.
A ‘god’died
Jesus
whoon
is nice,
the cross
Will overlook
so I can be
or tolerate
forgiven
andmisbehavior.
my
freed from the‘God’s’
powerjob
andisconsequences
to make my
of sin.
life
smooth
I’ll build
and ahappy,
life transforming
protect andrelationship
rescue.
with Him.
God iswrathful
awesome.
haveisawe,
respect
Subconscious
Subconscious Holy,
‘God’I who
watching
my
for Him
and and
an appropriate
dreaded
realistic
every
move
will punish fear.
everyGod
sin. isHe’s
not
to be
trifled with.
Concept
Concept of
of God
God a
hard
taskmaster
I can never please.
Subconscious
Concept of God
A ‘god’
God
is the
whoAlmighty
isn't veryCreator
involved
of in
the Universe. Loving and Holy.
The
the world,
world is
allows
fallenunfair
into the
pain/suffering,
domain of the Evil one, injustice happens,
but very
not
someday
interested
God will
in me.
restore His rule and justice will be done.
My experiences
interpreted
through
Your
Interpretation
Source:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Parents
Childhood church experiences
Friends, acquaintances
Life’s hardships and tragedies
Beliefs about God in our Culture, books, movies, world
E
God is good and loves me. I’ll
trust and obey Him.
Core beliefs and behavior
D
God is faithful even when things go wrong.
He will never leave me or forsake me.
conclusions
C
God didn’t promise a problem free life.
I’ll be faithful to God, count it all joy and let
this produce perseverance in me.
thoughts
A
problem
B It hurts.
Why me?
God,
I’ll trust You
stimulus
C
I can’t believe in a God who would let bad things
happen to good people (me).
Thoughts
D
I can’t depend on God to protect me.
Conclusions
E
God isn’t good and loving. I’ll take
care of myself. Give Him lipservice.
Core beliefs and behavior
E
God is Holy and Loving. I’ll relate
to Him as He really is.
Core beliefs
D
I’ve gotta correct my misperceptions. God is
actually Holy even if I don’t like it.
conclusions
A
Something in
The Bible about
God I don’t like.
stimulus
C
This is such a difference from what I want to believe
about God. I’d better study the Bible and interact with
God about this to adjust my concept about Him.
thoughts
gotthat
some
to do to adjust my core beliefs about God.
I won’tI’ve
read
partwork
anymore.
B Wow,
C
I choose to believe in a ‘God’ Who is all love, and
will protect and rescue me. He won’t bother me about
stuff I like to do that may be wrong.
Thoughts
D
I don’t have to believe what the Bible says
about God. I can make up the kind of ‘God’
I want.
Conclusions
E
God’s job is to serve me by making
my life easy and pleasant while I ignore
Him most of the time.
Core beliefs and behavior
Life Reconstruction
Developing an accurate concept of God . . .
one thought at a time
My Conscious
Concept of God
My Subconscious
hopeful
Concept of God
My Subconscious
dreaded
Concept of God
My Subconscious
Concept of God
My Interpretations
Source:
1. Parents
2. Childhood church experiences
3. Friends, acquaintances
4. Life’s hardships and tragedies
5. Beliefs about God in our Culture, books, movies, world
Romans 1:18-32
God’s eternal power
and divine nature are
revealed in Creation.
A
stimulus
B
I don’t want to
believe in, be
accountable to
or be grateful
to a Creator God.
C
Now that I’ve rejected the concept that God is Allmighty Creator,
I’m super smart. God is really a wooden bird.
perception
D
I’ll use other people for my sexual pleasure and to
make me feel loved and significant.
Thoughts and behavior
E
I’ll misuse my body and the bodies of people
of my own gender for my sexual pleasure and
to make me feel loved and significant.
Thoughts and behavior
F
I’ll cheat, steal and kill to get what I want.
Thoughts and behavior
G God doesn’t exist or doesn’t matter.
Core beliefs
A Biblical World View
1. that absolute moral truth exists; right and wrong
2. that the source of moral truth is the Bible;
3. that the Bible is accurate in all of the principles it
teaches;
4. that eternal spiritual salvation cannot be earned;
5. that Jesus lived a sinless life on earth;
6. that every person has a responsibility to share
their religious beliefs with others;
7. that Satan is a living force, not just a symbol of
evil;
8. and that God is the all-knowing, all-powerful
Creator of the universe who still rules that
creation today.
Romans 1:18-32
G
F
E
God’s eternal power
and divine nature are
revealed in Creation.
A
stimulus
God is as described in the Bible.
I will worship and serve Him.
Since God meets my basic needs, I am
content and can enjoy the world’s legit
pleasures without desperation.
I can live free of immorality and its consequences.
God so meets my basic needs I don’t have to use other
God is my Creator.
people for sexual pleasure.
He is great and awesome.
I am grateful and
I’ll line up my concept of God with Who He revealed
accountable to Him.
Himself to be.
D
B
C
perception
D
I’ll use other people for my sexual pleasure.
Thoughts and behavior
E
I’ll misuse my body and the bodies of people
of my own gender for my sexual pleasure.
Thoughts and behavior
F
I’ll cheat, steal and kill to get what I want.
Thoughts and behavior
G God doesn’t exist or doesn’t matter.
Core beliefs
Barna: Americans’ belief about God
• 4% believe everyone is God. (2005)
• 71% believe that God is the all-powerful, all-knowing,
perfect creator that rules the world today. (2006)
• 7% believe that God is the total realization of personal,
human potential. (2006)
• 2% believe that there are many gods, each with different
power and authority. (2006)
• 8% believe that God is a state of higher consciousness
that a person may reach. (2006)
• 4% believe that there is no such thing as God. (2006)