False Concepts of God

Carrol Ray Sutton

Many people have wrong concepts (ideas, notions, views) of (or about) God. All that we know about the nature, character and Will of God is what we learn from the Scriptures. The Scriptures are the only reliable source of information relative to these matters (2 Tim. 3:16,17).

One’s concept of God will affect his attitude and thus the worship and service that he renders to God. It is important that  we do not have a false concept or view of Him.

Here are some false concepts or views of God:

  1. That God (the Father) has a flesh, blood and bones body as we have. This false concept of the Father is believed and taught by Mormons. (See Doctrines and Covenants, 130:22),

In Jn. 4:24 Jesus said:  “God is a Spirit…”  We learn from Lk. 24:39 that Jesus said: “…for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have.” Also see Matt. 16:17. Christ was in the form of God prior to His coming to earth in the fleshly state. Phil. 2:5-8. It follows then that God, the Father, does not have a flesh, blood and bones body as we have.

NOTE:  In view of these facts from the Scriptures, we must conclude that the above concept of God is false!

We are made in the image of God in that He is a Spirit and we have a spirit (Gen. 1:2; Jas. 2:26; Heb. 12:9).

  1. That God Is Too Good To Severely Punish Those Who Disobey Him.

When Nadab and Abihu “offered strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not, fire went out from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.” (Lev. 10:1-3). NOTE:  This is a case where God severely punished Nadab and Abihu for their disobedience.

When “Uzzah put forth his hand to stay the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen had stumbled, the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God” (2 Sam. 6:6,7).

God has also promised to take vengeance on and to punish the wicked in the last day. (2 Thess. 1:7-9; Matt. 10:28; 25:41,46; Mk. 9:42-48; Rom. 2:8,9; Heb. 10:27-31; Rev. 19:20; 20:10; 21:8).

NOTE:  The concept that God is too good to severely punish the wicked is a false view!

  1. That God Is A Respecter Of Persons.

In Acts 10:34,35, Peter plainly said: “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons…” and Paul declared in Rom. 2:11 that “…there is no respect of persons with God.” (Also read 1 Pet. 1:17; Jas. 2:1-4).

NOTEFor one to say that God is a respecter of persons is to contradict the Scriptures! Read carefully such passages as Matt. 11:28-30; Jn. 6:37; 1 Tim. 2:3-5; Rev. 22:17; 2 Pet. 3:9, etc. Let us make sure that we do not have the wrong concepts (views) of or about God!