Several times in the Bible, Jesus said "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" or something similar. He would not have said this if it were not possible to not hear even though it was heard. Sounds confusing but we all know it happens. I probably can't count the times I have been watching a movie and I didn't hear what was said. I mean I heard the words, but I couldn't make them out or they just flew past me without registering. When I would ask someone else what was said, they usually didn't know either. Now that I have a VCR, DVD, and the Dish I can back up and give it another try. Sometimes I get it on the second try. Other times I have to close my eyes and really concentrate to catch them. Sometimes it isn't worth the effort but other times it's a key to the movie.
In another place Jesus said "Blessed [are] the eyes which see the things that ye see." Have you ever heard a person say something like "I just can't believe what I just saw". On a deeper level I have said "I just can't see it". We use these concepts all the time.
If you check out the words perceive and understand in the dictionary, it is very difficult to detect a difference. The word that I see in common with both definitions is apprehend. At least it is on Dictionary.com. The word apprehend means to grasp mentally.
When I first was born again, because of my upbringing, I saw God sitting in a tree watching me and waiting for me to do something wrong. When I did, I saw Him getting me and making me pay. Was I actually taught this as a child? No, I don't think so. But somehow this was my perception or understanding of God.
To give you an idea of how perplexing this became, I have to share with you some of my life. I am the first born son of a Jewish woman which makes me a Jew. I knew nothing of Jews until I became a Christian at age 28. I was raised a Roman Catholic where I was taught if I died in the state of grace I would go to Heaven and if not, I would go to Hell. I was born again, at age 28, in a denomination that taught I was saved by grace but that I could lose my salvation. I went to a Bible College that taught I was saved by grace, kept by grace and that I could not lose my salvation. I went to another denomination Bible College that taught I was saved by grace, that I could lose my salvation, that I could receive a second work of grace and be sanctified, and I would no longer sin but would make mistakes. From there I went to a denominational Bible School that taught I was saved by grace, that I could lose my salvation, that I could be sanctified, but I could not wear my wedding ring and stay in school because it was a sin. I have always been a deep thinking, serious person, and I can tell you that my understanding and perception of God got somewhat confused. When I read Paul saying to work out my salvation with fear and trembling I could really identify.
The word perception has become an extremely important word in my life recently. It started when I listened to Dr. James Dobson's book When God Doesn't Make Sense. He said, in so many words, when you don't think God is in your circumstance; when He appears to be absent; when you think you are going through a tough time totally alone - your perception is wrong. As I have thought about this, I know I started my Christian walk with a wrong perception of God. I have attended meetings for Adult Children of Alcoholics off and on for a number of years. I don't know how many times I have heard and read The Twelve Steps. The third one is "Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him". As we perceived Him.
Here is what I now know. My perception of God was not really my perception of God. It was conglomerate teachings that I received on how other people (denominations) perceived God. An aggregate of what I heard and saw as a child carried into my Christian walk. In other words, my belief was not really my belief. It was the belief of others. It has taken me over 35 years to shed the belief of others and come to grips with my own personal belief about God. A few years ago I separated myself from an organization I was involved with for six years because my belief about a teaching is different from theirs. In other words they wanted me to change my belief. They were the authority I was under. I could not submit so I separated. Obviously I believe my perception is correct. I am still working out my salvation with fear and trembling. Please do not think I am saying I am working for my salvation. I am not. This is impossible according to Eph. 2:8, 9.
One of the things I taught during these six years is that it is one thing to know what you believe and something entirely different to know why you believe it. You can know what you believe, but if you haven't dug out that belief in scripture and know why you believe it, it is not your belief but the belief of those who taught you. The bottom line is you may or may not have the right understanding or perception of God.
In Phil. 3:12, Paul says, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of (apprehend) that for which Christ Jesus took hold of (apprehended) me." The word apprehend in the original Greek means:
1) to lay hold of
a) to lay hold of so as to make one's own, to obtain, attain to, to make one's own, to take into one's self, appropriate
b) to seize upon, take possession of
1) of evils overtaking one, of the last day overtaking the wicked with destruction, of a demon about to torment one
2) in a good sense, of Christ by his holy power and influence laying hold of the human mind and will, in order to prompt and govern it
c) to detect, catch
d) to lay hold of with the mind
1) to understand, perceive, learn, comprehend
Having gone through this process, I have determined in my heart to have no perception of God other than the perception laid out in Scripture. I John 4:16 says, "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him". If you would like to see a clear and biblical picture of God take a look at this:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love (God), I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love (God), I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love (God), I gain nothing.
God is patient
God is kind
God does not envy
God does not boast
God is not proud
God is not rude
God not self seeking
God is not easily angered
God keeps no record of wrongs
God does not delight in evil
God rejoices with the truth
God always protects
God always trusts
God always hopes
God always perseveres
God never fails
But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love (God). I Cor. 13.
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