Relying on God too much

[Me Died Blue]

In my humanities class today (which is basically a seminar-style discussion class on various readings in philosophy, religion and politics), in a discussion on providence and its implications for so-called "innocent suffering" and other things, at one point the issue was brought up by the professor of people "relying on God too much." Most of the students naturally agreed with him that such a thing is possible and frequently manifested, and they used examples like Christian Scientists refusing to take medication.

I mentioned the sharp difference between fatalism and a view of sovereignty and providence such as the biblical one, and one person essentially replied with, "So then you agree that people can rely on God too much (i.e. fatalists), and you're also saying that the biblical view of providence and sovereignty is not advocating the absolute maximum reliance on God that is possible?"

My response and the discussion that followed brought to my mind a reminding distinction that is very beneficial and that I thus thought I'd share here: It's that fatalism is not the ultimate case of relying on God to the maximum extent, but rather a twisting of the entire concept of reliance on God; in fact, the ultimate, truly maximum reliance on God will trust and follow all of His instructions (in His Word), which in turn include active living and the doing of actions that reflect denial of fatalism. Thus, no, it is not possible to rely "too fully" on God, and in fact those who practice fatalism are not relying on God to the maximum extent possible, but are ultimately and truly relying on God less than those with a biblical view of sovereignty and providence are.

 

[Arch2k]

Very true. Fatalists rely on God's providence at the expense of scripture.

Well said.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Nicely put, Chris.

 

[VictorBravo]

Excellent. I was thinking about the same issue this afternoon. Good way to put it.

Vic

 

[Robin]

Originally posted by Me Died Blue
In my humanities class today (which is basically a seminar-style discussion class on various readings in philosophy, religion and politics), in a discussion on providence and its implications for so-called "innocent suffering" and other things, at one point the issue was brought up by the professor of people "relying on God too much." Most of the students naturally agreed with him that such a thing is possible and frequently manifested, and they used examples like Christian Scientists refusing to take medication.

I mentioned the sharp difference between fatalism and a view of sovereignty and providence such as the biblical one, and one person essentially replied with, "So then you agree that people can rely on God too much (i.e. fatalists), and you're also saying that the biblical view of providence and sovereignty is not advocating the absolute maximum reliance on God that is possible?"

My response and the discussion that followed brought to my mind a reminding distinction that is very beneficial and that I thus thought I'd share here: It's that fatalism is not the ultimate case of relying on God to the maximum extent, but rather a twisting of the entire concept of reliance on God; in fact, the ultimate, truly maximum reliance on God will trust and follow all of His instructions (in His Word), which in turn include active living and the doing of actions that reflect denial of fatalism. Thus, no, it is not possible to rely "too fully" on God, and in fact those who practice fatalism are not relying on God to the maximum extent possible, but are ultimately and truly relying on God less than those with a biblical view of sovereignty and providence are.

This situation made me think: what an opportunity to explain the Gospel! It could have been distingquished that Christian-Scientists are like "grape nuts" (as Walter Martin used to say)....they are neither "grapes nor nuts!"

The CS worldview is pantheistic (by design); having a false "Christian" idea about God; pain is an illusion, etc. They don't "rely" on God - they rely on self.

Of all the biblically based cults in America today, Christian Science is one of the most interesting. Not only does it deny the essential doctrines of Christianity, but it has completely reinterpreted the Bible. It drastically redefines the Bible´s culture and terminology and rips thousands of scriptures out of their historical and biblical contexts. The result is a non-Christian mixture of metaphysical and philosophical thoughts. Christian Science is so foreign to the Bible that, if it didn´t use words like Jesus, Trinity, Love, Grace, Sin, etc., you´d never suspect it had anything to do with the Bible at all. Additionally, the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, which is the Christian Scientist´s mainstay of spiritual knowledge, reads with a rhythm of pseudo logical statements that has the tendency to dull the senses when read long enough. Is Christian Science Christian? Definitely not.
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures is the primary interpretive source of the Bible and source guide of Christian Science. It interprets the Bible in a radically different way. It is so different, in fact, that it absolutely rejects the substitutionary atonement of Jesus and states that it had no efficacious value (S&H, 25:6). It denies that Jesus is God, second person of the Trinity (S&H, 361:12-13). It says that sin is a false interpretation of Divine Mind and is nonexistent (S&H, 335:7-15). And it says that the Holy Spirit is Divine Science which is best represented by Christian Science (S & H, 331:31). The list can go on and, unfortunately, it does.
To the Christian Scientist, God (the Father-Mother) is a Principle known as the Divine Mind. It has no personhood and no personality. A catch phrase used in their literature is that God is "All in All." In other words, God is all that exists and what we perceive as matter is an interpretation of divine mind. Since God is love, it means that sin and sickness are only errors of interpreting the Divine Mind and have no true reality (S & H, 330:25-274; 470:9-14).
To the Christian Scientist, Jesus is a Way-shower. He is someone who epitomized the true principle of the Christ Consciousness which indwells us all. Therefore, Jesus did not really die on the cross. He was not God in flesh. He made no atonement in shedding His blood (S&H, 25:6).
Christian Science teaches that man does not have a sinful nature and is a reflection of Divine Mind. To achieve "salvation," he needs only to find the true reality of understanding, as revealed in Christian Science teachings. Unfortunately, these teachings are from Mary Baker Eddy a woman who founded the religion in the 1870's and not from God.
The Christian Scientists consider their philosophy to be consistent with the original teachings of Jesus. They consider truth a matter of higher understanding and learning. But the reality is that Christian Science has only produced unbiblical and false doctrines.

(from CARM apologetics)



Robin

[Edited on 3-24-2006 by Robin]