I remember Captain Picard on the Starship Enterprise visiting a less sophisticated and under-developed planet. The inhabitants on the planet confused Picard as being a god. He took extreme efforts in proving he was not. I remember in Ghostbusters, Gosher the Babylonian god asked Ray if he was a god. He answered negatively and they were all zapped. The other Ghostbusters chided Ray and told him next time when asked if he was a god to answer in the affirmative.
I find it interesting that even in our sophisticated world, we still do not understand the issue of god. We may have a learned society that no longer believes in a god, but that’s not true, because in reality, we have just changed the names. Now, we worship the god of economic systems and materialism, the environmental god, the familial god, the god of narcissism and ego-centrism, the hedonistic god, etc. We are just like the Gentiles in Lystra that Paul and Barnabas ran into in Acts 14:8-18. They thought Barnabas was Zeus and Paul was Hermes (Acts 14:12). Paul and Barnabas tried to correct them and teach them about the true living God who made everything (Acts 14:15) but to no avail. They went on trying to worship their gods.
Who is your god? We make fun of the ancients for being a pluralistic society that worshiped ancient gods. Many discard the idea of one God who created everything. We as Christians are often made fun of as old, outdated relics. Yet, if everyone is honest, what is really different with the ancient pluralistic societies and our society today? Man-made peace is still far from us, social equity is confused with socialism, justice is run by politics, mercy is more about what is in it for me than real mercy, and man is psychologically sicker than ever. Maybe we have forgotten about sin and the need for a Savior. I am glad I have a God who created all things and knows I need forgiveness from my sins. He provided me with His Son. I am proud of my God and he ain’t me and he ain’t you! He ain’t the environment and He ain’t the government!
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why… yes!!