The truth is we would all really like to be deists. "What's that?" you might ask. A theist is one who believes that God is in everything everywhere all the time ... you know, like the Bible says. A deist believes, essentially, that God started it all up, put into place physical laws and such, and then let it go. Now we're in control, as it were. We get to make absolutely free choices with no interference from God. We decide outcomes. We are the final arbiters of our own salvation. We ... are deists.
"I don't think we are," you'll likely say. "We believe in God." Deists do, yes. But what God? The Bible says that the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord (Prov 21:1). Can you look at, say, Joe Biden and say you believe that? The Bible says that God gives faith (Php 1:26; Eph 2:8-9; Rom 12:3; etc.) and even repentance (2 Tim 2:25). Did you figure that was your doing? The Bible says God does as He pleases (Psa 115:3) and no one can stop Him (Dan 4:35). Do you believe that? The Bible says that He keeps His own from ultimately stumbling (Jude 1:24). Did you think that was Him, or was it you? Jesus said, "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Do you think there's a lot you can do without Him?
That's just a brief sampling. Scripture is full of all that God does that we, in a sinful state, like to ascribe to ourselves. From salvation ("We can earn it if we try hard enough") to "saved by grace" ("Sure, we are saved by grace through faith, but we supplied the faith") to every breath we take and beyond, we like to think that we're capable and God has this "hands off" approach. Deists at heart.
2 comments:
I may not always love like it, but I am thankful to be a theist rather than a deist. Knowing that nothing is out of God's control is it great comfort in this world and in my salvation. Without it, I'd have to be dependent upon a government that doesn't know how to government anymore, and I'd have to be dependent upon myself to be faithful to God, and I'm pretty sure I've failed at that at least 12 times this morning alone.
I concur that more than a few humans would relish a God with a “hands off” approach. “I can take care of myself just fine; I am my own boss--don’t tell me what to do!” is certainly the American mantra (at least of the capable, resourceful Americans). I personally could never ascribe to “deism”--because I believe the Bible. There is too much in scripture pointing to a personal God who fully superintends His creation and who has been executing His plan from the beginning of time and will do so through its complete fulfillment. I understand there are different leanings within the “deist” belief system, but in general deism denies miracles and other supernatural events and also divine revelation, i.e. the Bible as the Word of God. Once you discard the Bible as truth, then, sure, it probably makes great sense to some people to think and live like a deist--but I’m not willing to “go there”!
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