http://www.inthenameofpurpose.org/ReimaginingGod.pdf



Part One: The Shift
“Thinking outside the box”
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32)
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and
his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and
doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to
themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
(2 Timothy 4:1-4)
“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them
that hear thee.” (1 Timothy 4:16)
-------------------
The importance of the Word of God simply cannot be overstated. Without it we do not have the truth, faith, or
salvation of God. And without the truth, faith, and salvation of God, we do not have God. Scripture is replete with
teachings and warnings that make this perfectly clear. One example of many is 2 John 1:9:
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ,
he hath both the Father and the Son.”
Where do we get the doctrine of Christ in which we are to abide to have God? From the Word of God.
“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned
them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through
faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:14-16)
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For
all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” (1 Peter 1:23-25)
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

-----------------It is the faith of God that comes by the Word of God. Not only does the Word of God give us the truth and faith we are
to believe in order to have God, but it also gives us the truth and faith we are to obey in order to please and serve God.
And yet people in today’s Christianity are no longer willing to accept this faith as is. Rather than simply believe and obey,
people want the freedom to “rethink” and “reimagine” God and His Word into a fashion that they are willing to accept
and, incredibly, even go so far as to claim that God’s own Word of truth puts God in a “box.” In other words, they want
the truth and faith of God set “free” from the Word of God. Thus, they do not see the Word of God as the truth but as
merely a “story” with “changeable” and “debatable” “metaphor” that can be interpreted and retold however anyone
chooses. This then gives people their desired freedom to “think outside the box” where they can conveniently
“reimagine” their own “story” of who they “rethink” God to be.