"Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours." Psalm 86:8
The word "gods" is mentioned in the Bible 238 times. Most of these refer, of course, to idols and false gods, but there is a sense, I think, in which we have to admit that these gods are real. What I have to say here is very tentative, as this idea is at a very early stage of development. I would appreciate any feedback...
In Luke 16:13, Jesus says "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." In other words, Mammon is real, Mammon is personal, Mammon is a god. With a small 'g', of course, but a god nonetheless. We need to realise that there a forces and powers at work in the Universe. We need to realise that there powers are personal, that they are gods. Hence the title of this study, 'A Call to Christian Polytheism.' This refers to the belief in many gods, of course - not the worship of many gods!
"For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods." (Psalm 95:3)
These gods were created by the One True God. And Paul tells us that Jesus triumphed over them on the cross. "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." (Colossians 2:15)
All this may seem strange to our modern ears. We are too smart to believe in what our ancestors believed in. That is our problem. We need to let our worldview be informed by the Scriptures.
| ← Previous day | (Calendar) | Next day → |