Humans have a tendency to call anything greater then
themselves god or a god. Just about every force of nature
has gotten the god treatment: the sun, moon, Earth, wind, etc. If it was
mysterious, powerful, and huge to the ancients, it was a god or had a god
attached to it. In the modern world, humanity still has this tendency and we
see it a lot in in fiction. For example, Superman and other superheroes are
routinely called gods in comic books
and, cases in point, the inspiration for this article, Godzilla. In the King of
the Monster’s new self-titled movie,
an explanation of his name suggests that he is something of a god to us because
of Godzilla’s immense power. Even humans themselves are not immune to being
called gods, as we tend to pin the title on very talented individuals (i.e.
metal god, guitar god).
While the term god might
have been bandied about quite a bit in the previous paragraph, the point is
that the word is very commonly used in trivial matters which results in a big
problem. Additionally, I believe the devil has intentionally encouraged the use
of the term throughout human history to destroy its overall meaning. The Word
of God tells us there are two gods in this universe. “Two? I thought there was
only one?” is something you are probably asking. Well, let’s take a look in the
Bible, shall we?
First the Word proclaims the name of Yahweh, Jehovah, the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ:
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. –Ephesians 4:6
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; -2 Corinthians 1:3
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: Deuteronomy 6:4
The second god is our horrible, evil, and despicable adversary,
satan:
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. -2 Corinthians 4:4
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: -Ephesians 2:2
The important thing to note is that both God almighty and,
shall I say it, the devil are more powerful than anything man routinely
identifies as a god or goddess. This is exactly why satan likes
to beguile humanity and perpetuate the use the word because its utilization
causes three things: it limits God, understates the devil’s power, and
trivializes humanity. That last point might surprise you because you might be
thinking that the physical person is helpless in the spiritual battle of good
against evil, but we will cover that point in just a bit.
The common use of god limits
the most high, almighty God in our society because he is associated with any
person, thing, or character which happens to be seen as more than human.
However, He is much more powerful than we can ever imagine.
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. –Isaiah 40:21
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! –Romans 11:33
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? –Numbers 23:19
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. -1 Corinthians 1:25
I could go on forever in His Word, but I think you have
caught a glimpse of God’s matchless power. Superman or the moon does not hold a
candle to the awesome power, wisdom, and majesty God, the Creator of the
heavens and the Earth, has displayed and continues to show even as we speak. In
fact, He warns that humans would worship His creation rather than His almighty
hand.
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. –Romans 1:23-25
Does this not sound like antiquity, who attached a god to
any force of nature and worshipped it?
The second god is not even close to the power of the First
most High, however he merits mentioning because of his power over the natural
man. A physical human not born again of the incorruptible seed under God cannot
hold a candle to the power and deceit with which the tempter tempts.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: -1Peter 5:8
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. –Revelation 12:9
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? –Isaiah 14:12,16-17
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: -John 10:10
As we see, the devil is evil and a great deceiver, he has destroyed
kingdoms and men alike through his beguilements and temptations. Humanity has
no equal with the devil; however, new life given to us through God’s Son Jesus Christ,
gives us the upper hand as it says in 1 John 4:4, “Greater is He [Christ in
you, the Hope of glory], than he [the devil] that is in the world.”
The third point of the trivialization of humanity might seem
weird but it is very prescient. The devil has done a good job of hiding the
power even the basic person has to control his way on the Earth. Have you ever
wondered about something that you have greatly feared which has befallen you
just as you “knew it would” or have you ever received something that you
concentrated on and just “knew you would get?” Well, each episode is no
coincidence and is actually the subject of The
Secret. In The Secret, secular philosophers
and physicists ponder the reality of “what you believe you will receive.” They
call this principle the Law of Averages.
Though to the Christian, this law of averages should not be
a secret at all because Jesus Christ and Paul described this concept many times
in what is known throughout Christianity as the Law of Believing.
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. –Mark 9:23
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. –Matthew 21:21-22
And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith [believing]? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. –Matthew 8:26
Now faith [believing] is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. –Hebrews 11:1
Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. –Philippians 4:6
What is the point Philippians 4 is trying to make about
asking God with thanksgiving? It is to show us we are thanking Him that we have
already received what we are asking for demonstrating belief for our desires to
come to pass. What is amazing is that these preceding verses point out that
believing is one of the main tenets of human existence yet almost nobody,
Christian or otherwise, knows much about it. Believing encompasses everything
we do, great fear can manifest in horrible things happening in our lives while
positive believing can give us all the desires of our hearts.
Another thing to realize is that the law of believing applies
not only to the Christian but to all of humanity. Jesus Christ was not talking
to Christians (He couldn’t because He hadn’t died and rose again yet) when He
was talking about believing. Hebrews 11 contains a whole collection of
believers before Christ who were not Christians. However, our salvation gives
us access to a whole reality of faith that the natural man is not privy to.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. –Mark 16:16-18
Calling men and those things slightly better than human god helps to destroy the whole notion
that humanity has a stake in this spiritual battle through believing.
