Life Reconstruction Developing an accurate concept of God... one thought at a time

Life ReconstructionDeveloping 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.

stimulusA

C

Bthoughts

Core beliefs and behavior E

C

conclusionsD

Thoughts

Core beliefs and behavior

E

DConclusions

Sounds good and looks goodFruit?

God said we can’t touch it. He’s mean and restrictive.

God must be holding out on me. Maybe he’s not really good and loving.

I’ll eat this and get what God has been denying me.

He said we could eat of any of the fruit except this one.He said we’d die if we ate of this one.

God has our best interests at heart.He’s protecting us from something terrible.

God is good and loves me. I’ll continue to trust Him.

Genesis 3:1-7

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.”

1. Parents2. Childhood church experiences3. Friends, acquaintances4. Life’s hardships and tragedies5. Beliefs about God in our Culture, books, movies, world

Conscious Concept of God

Subconscious Concept of God

Source:

Your Interpretation

A ‘god’ who isn't very involved in the world, allows unfair pain/suffering, not very interested in me.

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.

By my faith in Jesus Christ, God is myHeavenly Father and I am filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s not all about me, my life is all about Him and His agenda.


Conscious Concept of God

Subconscious Concept of God

Source:

My experiences interpreted through

God is the Almighty Creator of the Universe. Loving and Holy.The world is fallen into the domain of the Evil one, injustice happens, but someday God will restore His rule and justice will be done.

Subconscious hopeful

Concept of God

Jesus died on the cross so I can be forgiven and freed from the power and consequences of sin. I’ll build a life transforming relationship with Him.

Subconscious dreaded

Concept of God

God is awesome. I have awe, respect for Him and an appropriate fear. God is not to be trifled with.

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.

Your Interpretation

A ‘god’ who isn't very involved in the world, allows unfair pain/suffering, not very interested in me.

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.

Holy, wrathful ‘God’ who is watching my every move and will punish every sin. He’s a hard taskmaster I can never please.

Subconscious realistic

Concept of God

Subconscious realistic

Concept of God

stimulusA

C

Bthoughts

Core beliefs and behaviorE

C

conclusionsD

Thoughts


E

DConclusions

It hurts. Why me? problem

I can’t believe in a God who would let bad things happen to good people (me).

I can’t depend on God to protect me.

God isn’t good and loving. I’ll take care of myself. Give Him lipservice.

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.

God is faithful even when things go wrong. He will never leave me or forsake me.

God is good and loves me. I’ll trust and obey Him.

It hurts. God, I’ll trust You

stimulusA

C

Bthoughts

Core beliefsE

C

conclusionsD

Thoughts


E

DConclusions

I won’t read that part anymore.

Something inThe Bible aboutGod I don’t like.

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.

I don’t have to believe what the Bible says about God. I can make up the kind of ‘God’ I want.

God’s job is to serve me by making my life easy and pleasant while I ignoreHim most of the time.

This is such a difference from what I want to believe about God. I’d better study the Bible and interact withGod about this to adjust my concept about Him.

I’ve gotta correct my misperceptions. God is actually Holy even if I don’t like it.

God is Holy and Loving. I’ll relate to Him as He really is.

Wow, I’ve got some work to do to adjust my core beliefs about God.

Life ReconstructionDeveloping an accurate concept of God . . .

one thought at a time


My Conscious Concept of God

My Subconscious Concept of God

Source:

My Interpretations

My Subconscious hopeful

Concept of God

My Subconscious dreaded

Concept of God

stimulus perceptionA CB

Thoughts and behavior

F

D

E

Core beliefs

G

Romans 1:18-32

I’ll use other people for my sexual pleasure and to make me feel loved and significant.

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.

I’ll cheat, steal and kill to get what I want.

God’s eternal power and divine nature are revealed in Creation.

I don’t want to believe in, be accountable to or be grateful to a Creator God.

Now that I’ve rejected the concept that God is Allmighty Creator,I’m super smart. God is really a wooden bird.



God doesn’t exist or doesn’t matter.

A Biblical World View1. that absolute moral truth exists; right and wrong2. 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.

stimulus perceptionA CB


F

D

E

Core beliefs

G

I’ll use other people for my sexual pleasure.

I’ll misuse my body and the bodies of people of my own gender for my sexual pleasure.

I’ll cheat, steal and kill to get what I want.

God’s eternal power and divine nature are revealed in Creation.

God is my Creator.He is great and awesome.I am grateful and accountable to Him. I’ll line up my concept of God with Who He revealed

Himself to be.



God doesn’t exist or doesn’t matter.

DGod so meets my basic needs I don’t have to use other people for sexual pleasure.

E I can live free of immorality and its consequences.

FSince God meets my basic needs, I am content and can enjoy the world’s legit pleasures without desperation.

GGod is as described in the Bible.I will worship and serve Him.

Romans 1:18-32

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)

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Life Reconstruction Developing an accurate concept of God... one thought at a time