Which God Do You Believe In?

If we are all Catholic don’t we all believe in the same God? Well yes, and no. Let me explain. In my spiritual readings I often come across a thought or two that sends me into a whole new thought process than the writer was on. In one reading the author referred to the God in the Bible verses the God alive within us. He then went on with his point. I kept thinking that it is really true. We may all believe in the “one true God” but how we see Him may be very different. I will share four types of God (within the “one true God”) that I thought about, and then afterwards will ask the question again.

First of all is the fairly obvious “God of the Church”. When I say “God of the Church” I am talking about God based only on the Church as an institution. So, we are talking about the laws and statutes of the institution. There is wisdom here because we are looking toward learned people that know and understand more than many of us do. But, when we believe in this “God” we tend to focus on the rules and not necessarily the intention of the rules. In this belief we can also find ourselves judging others by those standards. I think about how Jesus would fit into this “God” belief and I am actually surprised. Jesus did believe in the Church of His day, but He also was quick to point out the parts that didn’t really work. Remember the woman about to be stoned for adultery? Jesus never condoned her sin, but showed that killing her wasn’t the best strategy for helping her to repent and turn her life around. I think about a similar thing in our day and age… people who believe that abortion is wrong and bomb an abortion clinic killing several people.

Secondly, I consider the “God of the Bible”. You may be thinking that this sounds better. There is no denying that it is the ‘inspired Word of God”. That is important. But, let us consider a bit more. Most of us realize that the Bible was not written by someone giving dictation to a secretary as things were happening. They were the writings by people well after the events being described. We also know that the Bible we read today has many translations which suggest that the translators understood some differences in the text they were translating from. And, then there is our own interpretation. When we, or virtually anyone, read the Bible we add our own understanding. It is based on what we initially believe, what our heritage and experiences are, what our religious and spiritual education is, and many other factors. Some will say that the Bible says something specific but what that statement is based on, is something taken out of context to prove a point and that isn’t always accurate either.

The third one I have to mention is the “God of society”. That is the God that people want to believe changes based on the times. Some may think the He adapts based on what societies’ perceived needs are. But, I don’t really think the God is any different now than 10 years ago or a century ago. He is the same. He, I am sure, understands that we as human beings have changed, but He hasn’t. It can be really scary to think that what society deems acceptable somehow equals what God determines is right. God may understand the changes, but He never does change.

The fourth one to think about is the “God alive within us”. This is the God we feel in our heart when we pray. The God that we praise, look to for help, the God we confess to, and the God we thank for our blessings. This is the God that comforts us, forgives us and loves us unconditionally. This is a great God! But, we also have to consider that our experiences and beliefs do not change who God really is. We may feel abandoned by God at times, but that doesn’t mean He has actually abandoned us. We may feel that He is all loving and forgiving and therefore we can do anything and still be ok. I am sure you can see that can be a dangerous place to be. For example, if I continue to steal or hurt people, God will still love me, but if we continue to repeat our sins knowing they are wrong we cannot go to God for forgiveness. We need to work to do our best to avoid sin in our lives and follow God’s commands.

So, which “God” do you believe in? I hope your answer is based on reflection, honesty, and time in prayer. For me, I know I mostly believe in the fourth one, the “God alive within me”. However, I hope that experience includes some time reflecting and praying about and the inclusion of the other three. The Church and her wisdom, tradition, experience and knowledge is really important to understand God. The Bible is His word and needs to be considered. The changes in society do matter as we think about God. And, the personal experience we have with God is essential in understanding Him as well. There is wisdom and greatness in all of these. But, there is also danger in all if we only consider one of them. It really is something to think about. Where do you fit? Please comment below and share this with others.