Intimate & True

Chapter 1
A Place to Begin

A discussion of God’s revealed truth could begin almost anywhere since God’s revealed truth is consistent throughout. It is common for a discussion of Christian theology to begin with the doctrine of God, his existence, his attributes, and his work. It also would be reasonable to begin with human beings, what makes us unique, why life is so difficult, God’s provision for us now, and his plan for our future. Or one could begin with Jesus Christ, with the church, or even with heaven—the end point of biblical revelation.

It seems reasonable to me, however, to begin where the Bible does, with the origin of the universe (Genesis 1:1). Why is there something rather than nothing? Why do you and I, this physical world, and the stellar universe exist rather than an infinite void? Many people tend to ignore the question of origins, or to assume that this universe always has existed.

If you stop to think about it, assuming that the universe always has existed doesn’t square with everything we know about matter. All our experience supports the principle of entropy—that undisturbed matter progresses toward decay, rather than progressing toward higher levels of organization or existence in a steady state. Furthermore, the principle of cause and effect is well established; no evidence supports the suggestion that, without a cause, something spontaneously appeared from nothing. It never happens! Yet, this world exists.

The (totally unsupported) suggestion that an infinite number of other universes preceded this one offers no relief, since it simply pushes the problem of origins back to an earlier point. Thus, something must be eternal, but we have no reason to think it is matter.

In fact, the Bible tells us, something is eternal. Furthermore, according to the Bible, the eternal also is personal and this eternal, personal being is God. This is good news, since it assures us that personality is not a celestial afterthought or the product of a fortuitous electro-chemical interaction. Personality lies at the very heart of the universe!

Healthy personality requires social relationships—to communicate with and love other persons. Although we do not understand this (because it is a form of existence which lies outside our experience), God has told us that he exists in three persons, each of whom independently knows and thinks and feels and wills and communicates and loves, and yet all of whom share exactly the same qualities and capacities—and exist as one being. Thus, not only does personality lie at the very heart of the universe but so does relationship and social interaction.

But wait! There is more good news: This personal God who always existed in perfect completeness, at some point in the remote past decided that he wanted to expand the circle of his relationships to include other beings who would love him freely. He did not take this decision because he needed to, only because he wanted to. Thus, the Christian message really is a love story.

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Does it surprise you that the reason for our existence lies in God’s desire for relationship with us? For a long time, Biblical Christians have focused on status; the question often asked is, “Have you been saved?” (Note the past tense.) The Christian message is not about getting our ticket punched for heaven. God is not a divine conductor, checking to see who is going to heaven. God is a divine lover; he desires relationship—personal, intimate relationship—with us now and even more fully in the future, in a new and sin-free environment. The Bible tells us that then “we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). That doesn’t mean we shall become gods—there is and ever will be only one God—but we shall be like him in character (pure, just, holy), freed from every impediment to intimate relationship with the God of the universe.

Intimacy need not be postponed for the future, however. Through study of and obedience to the truth revealed in the Bible and through attention to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we can grow in intimacy with God now. That is what he desires. It is what we also desire at the core of our being. As we refocus on developing intimacy, rather than on certifying status, God’s purpose is realized and our personhood finds its ultimate fulfillment.

As servants of God—having adopted his perspective on this world—we have a profound responsibility to act as his agents to invite others to embrace the reconciliation we enjoy and to heal the brokenness of our societies.

This is the intimacy and truth we will explore together.